Santa Clara VTA Bus Service Resumes After Strike, Light Rail Delayed

The 17-day strike ended following a court order, but unresolved labor disputes and copper wire theft continue to disrupt light rail operations.

A Santa Clara County judge ruled the 17-day VTA workers' strike violated a no-strike clause, ordering employees back to work as of March 27.
VTA bus service resumed on March 28, but light rail service remains suspended until at least March 31 due to inspections and reported copper wire theft.
The union, ATU Local 265, rejected VTA's offer of an 11% wage increase over three years, continuing to demand an 18% raise.
The union plans to appeal the court's ruling, with no new negotiations scheduled to resolve the labor dispute.
Claims of increased copper wire theft during the strike are disputed by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which reported no significant uptick in thefts.