During the Santa Clarita City Council meeting Tuesday, unionized bus drivers serving Santa Clarita Transit, currently in their sixth week of striking, showed up in numbers to rally support for favorable contract negotiations.

The City of Santa Clarita is not involved in the labor dispute between MV Transportation and the union.

However, City Manager Ken Striplin did note that since the last meeting, City officials had met with MV Transportation to look over the contracts for “efficiencies and so on and so forth.”

“My understanding after talking with MV today is that they have reached out to the union and will be submitting additional contract negotiation-type stuff, and hopefully you’re on a path of getting drivers back to work.

Multiple speakers shared personal stories of the impact that the wages currently offered had on their livelihood and quality of life, bus drivers selling tamales to make ends meet,  being unable to afford to live in the community they had dedicated themselves to, and living in fear of losing the health insurance they need to survive.

MV Transportation is reportedly offering $19.75 per hour to start, with a 25-cent increase after one year, 10-cent increase after two years, a 10-cent increase after three years, 15-cent increase after four years and 75-cent increase after five years.

Teamsters Local 572 representatives stated that the union is seeking a 9 percent pay increase for 2022, an 8 percent increase for 2023 and an 8 percent increase for 2024.

As the holidays approach, tensions continue to rise as striking drivers cannot work, placing increased financial strain on their families at a time that can run thin for many household coffers, regardless of income.

“It’s not fair to tell them ‘We’re not going to give you money.’ We have to pay bills, housing, but then we have no room for groceries. We need a pay raise so we can actually eat,” said Crystal, the wife of an MV transportation driver.

As the strike stretches into a month and a half in length, the impact of the lack of regular bus routes has been undeniable for the residents who rely on public transportation.

“I know good care and inadequate care… Something must be figured out to ensure that they feel valuable and don’t have to go to other communities to get different jobs,” said Rachel Benson, a wheelchair user. “In my mind, bus drivers are considered essential workers. As the holiday season approaches, people ask ‘What do you want for Christmas?’ I want to see the green and blue buses.”

Benson’s plea for City support in the labor dispute moved gathered striking MV transportation workers, some of whom pointed out that it was their goal to provide professional, caring service for people who rely on them motivating their request for better contract terms.

“This is supposed to be Awesometown,” said a driver identified as John. “We’re not making a big uproar about this, but we’ve got people who need this transportation. We’re professionals, and everybody behind me is ready to go to work when you’re ready.”

Click here for updates to the Santa Clarita Transit Schedule and ongoing strike.

Recognitions

During the meeting, the City also recognized Native American Heritage Month, Pet Adoption Week and Small Business Saturday with proclamations.

The meeting was adjourned in memory of Commander Darren Harris of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. A former spokesperson for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, Harris died by suicide on the morning of Monday, Nov. 6 at his home in Saugus.

Harris was the first of four confirmed current and former LASD employees to die by suicide in a 24 hour period.

The next Santa Clarita City Council meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.