Following ATU Local 689‘s strike Thursday, Silver Spring, Maryland-based bus company Transdev has stepped away from the bargaining table.
The strike limits Metrobus options throughout parts of Fairfax County, Virginia. The striking workers are part of the recently privatized Cinder Bed Road Bus garage in Lorton, Virginia.
Saying it’s “disappointed” in a new release, the company is walking away after 65 hours of discussions.
“[T]he Company has determined that negotiations are now no longer meaningful and productive,” Transdev said in the release. “As a result, the Company determined that it would be most productive to take a break from the bargaining table so the parties could reassess their respective positions and determine the best approach for moving forward in negotiations.”
As a result of the bus drivers’ strike, there are changes to bus routes.
Richmond Highway Express, as well as the 29-K and 29-N buses, will operate on a Saturday schedule.
Some other 17-route, 18-route, and 29-route buses will not operate Monday.
“FCDOT asked Transdev to provide supplemental bus service on route 306 to help customers and residents who may not have immediate transit alternatives in the area,” a spokesperson said in an email. “The County provides service on this route during the mid-day and has extended the scheduled service time to offer additional limited bus options.”
The union, for its part, says it’s in a fight for the “the future of public transportation.”
Support the striking workers at WMATA’s Cinder Bed Bus garage! This fight is about the future of public transportation. https://t.co/BkRYH2iHz3 pic.twitter.com/aLmd0EDGAK
— ATU Local 689 (@ATULocal689) October 27, 2019
