Golden Gate Transit Bus Runs Delayed or Canceled Amid Contract Dispute With Drivers

Long, drawn-out contract talks between Golden Gate Transit and its bus operators union have come to a head, with the agency saying it has been forced to cancel more than 100 runs in the past week because of what it's calling an informal labor action.

The transit system, which carries commuters between Marin and Sonoma counties and San Francisco, says the runs have been scratched as the result of a spike in the number of drivers taking unscheduled time off.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575, which has been negotiating a new agreement with the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District for more than a year, says drivers are taking scheduled time off and not working "volunteer" overtime shifts.

The union, which did not respond to requests for comment, said on social media the district depends on that voluntary extra work to meet its schedule.

In a "dear valued passengers" statement posted to Facebook, the union said, “Operators have been working their days off, working extended hours, volunteering to do alternative shifts, which covers routes that would otherwise be canceled.”

Golden Gate spokeswoman Priya Clemens says drivers not coming in as expected amounts to an informal labor action.

“Forty-two drivers called in and said, 'I'm not coming to work,' " she said. "We simply cannot get service on the road when the drivers don't come to work."

Clemens said that since last Thursday, the agency has had to cancel about 16 trips a day and has begun to update the @GoldenGateBus Twitter feed with cancellation notices. The agency is suggesting commuters consider taking the ferries into San Francisco while the dispute continues.

“We're really working to balance the needs of our ratepayers — who pay to get on Golden Gate Transit, Golden Gate Ferry, drive across the Bridge — and the needs of our employees,” she said.

The Golden Gate Bridge District, which operates the transit service, raised tolls in March to cover a deficit projected at $74 million over the next five years. In 2023, the cost of crossing the bridge will hit $8.75 for FasTrak users and $9.75 for drivers who pay by invoice.

Without offering details, Clemens said the contract battle has come down to a handful of familiar issues: wages, pension contributions and work rules.

“These are issues that have been entrenched for many, many years and are difficult to solve,” she said.

Under their current contract, bus drivers make about $24.50 per hour, and after a year can earn up to $28.80 per hour. In a region with a soaring cost of living, the ATU argues that's hardly a living wage.

"We hope to serve you, however, what would you have us do?" the union said in its Facebook statement to riders. "We must have respect and security for ourselves and our families."