JTRAN workers to end strike under new pay and benefits contract

JTRAN workers are scheduled to return to work this Monday following the ratification of a new tentative agreement with contractor MV Transportation. The agreement ends a month-long strike that began on July 13.

Under the new contract, employees will receive an immediate 5% increase in base pay effective January 1, 2026, followed by 3% increases in both 2027 and 2028. The deal was approved by a 29–9 vote from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1208. Union president Charles Tornes Jr. stated the contract meets demands for fair pay and competitive wages.

The agreement also addresses service concerns. Previously proposed cuts to bus routes and Saturday service will not be implemented, with routes 70 and 20 remaining active. Additionally, the contract limits the hiring of drivers without commercial licenses for microtransit services to five individuals, increasing to seven only if active staff falls below 40. Other provisions include adding Martin Luther King Jr. Day to the holiday calendar and establishing a joint accident review board. While described as a win for both sides, some compromises were made, such as the union not securing lunch breaks and maintaining existing unpaid administrative leave policies.