Santa Clara County is grappling with a transit crisis as VTA operators strike for wage increases. While the operator salaries are already high, with an average above $100,000, many riders earn significantly less. There is a call for balance: unions are essential for workers' rights, but public officials must also secure public transit for low-income workers and others reliant on these services. The risk of meeting the operators' demands is potential service cuts or higher fares, which could exacerbate issues for the most vulnerable populations.
VTA operators are already among the highest paid in the country. Meeting all of the union's demands could only be done by slashing service or making transit even less affordable for the people who rely on it most.
This strike is no longer about fair wages or working conditions. It's about pay demands that, if met, would force VTA to cut routes, raise fares, or lay people off.
Elected leaders have a responsibility, too - and ours is to fight just as hard for the public. We cannot allow public services to become unaffordable or unavailable because labor demands go so far beyond available revenue.
I will never fault a union for fighting hard for its members. That's what they're supposed to do. But we must also consider the impact on those who rely on the services.
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