According to an Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1776 press release, Grand Valley Transit (GVT) workers voted unanimously on Tuesday to strike. GVT workers have not selected a date to begin the strike. The strike holds the potential to disrupt Colorado Mesa University students transportation needs.

The vote to strike came on the heels of a rejected offer from French-based contractor Transdev that GVT hired to operate the transportation service. The press release claimed the proposal from Transdev keeps them among the lowest paid bus drivers in America.

“Currently, GVT’s professional bus operators are required to qualify for and carry a commercial driver’s license (CDL), pass rigorous drug testing, and go through extensive training, yet are paid just $11.25 an hour after their first year on the job. They top out after five years at $13.65 an hour, no matter how many additional years of service they give to the transit system. Bus operators at the nearby Roaring Forks Transit Authority start at more than $20 per hour,” the press release said.

GVT is collectively governed by Grand Valley Regional Transportation Committee (GVRTC) with a board of directors from Mesa County, Palisade, Grand Junction and Fruita. According to the press release, Transdev, Mesa County and the towns told the union to speak with GVRTC, yet the board members have been told not to speak to the union.

“The contract with the union is with Transdev,” Director for Mesa County Regional Transportation Planning Todd Hollenbeck said. “So GVRTC can’t talk with the union directly.”

Despite the vote to strike, GVT buses continued to roll Wednesday. “ATU members are still reporting for duty and doing their jobs. Their hope is that last night’s historic show of unity will push Transdev and GVRTC to do the right thing and provide the compensation professional transit workers deserve,” Todd Brogan, media contact for ATU, said in a statement to The Criterion.

“However, should the GVRTC continue to deny responsibility for the situation they’ve created, the union is preparing to set a date for a strike. If a strike does occur, the buses would stop rolling,” Brogan said.

If the buses stop rolling, some CMU students may face difficulties with their transportation needs. Associated Student Government (ASG) President Beau Flores signed Executive Order 18-03 to allocate approximately $8,000.00 annually to (GVT) to provide all students with the ability to utilize the bus system.

“The vote to authorize a strike from the Amalgamated Transit Union has the potential to affect many CMU students who rely on the bus system for transportation to our WCCC campus, our main campus, and also to the community,” ASG Vice President Jeff Vela said in a statement to The Criterion.

“I have been and will continue to work with the School’s Administration in order to come up with transportation solutions for students in the case a strike affects GVT service. Although we are not certain of a strike going into full effect, it is best to come up with constructive solutions on behalf of students to remain proactive,” Vela said. “I urge both parties involved to come to the table to negotiate a solution in order to provide for the needs of not only CMU students, but also the community of Grand Junction.”

“They could also choose to try to bust the union, hire replacement workers, and fire all the employees on strike. So a strike could last a day or it could last weeks, depending on how GVRTC and Transdev respond,” Brogan said. “The union will be prepared for the long haul if need be.”

According to Hollenbeck, the timing for the strike is bad because coming up with an agreeable wage for transport workers affects both state and federal funds, and the budgets have already been passed. If the strike does go into effect, Hollenbeck said, “We’re hoping to keep the buses rolling.” He said a strike may initially create a decrease in bus activity, but the goal was to keep transportation running as efficiently as possible.

Hollenbeck said the GVRT is working on scheduling a meeting, but does not have a meeting time confirmed. Consequently, there is no official statement from GVRT at this time.