Phoenix bus riders warned of labor negotiations

The Phoenix Public Transit Department is advising passengers that labor negotiations are currently underway with one of its contracted bus service providers, First Transit Inc., and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1433, which represents bus operators. Collective bargaining agreements for the contract expired on June 30. Since then, First Transit and the ATU have been in ongoing negotiations, but have yet to reach an agreement.

First Transit informed the Phoenix Public Transit Department that ATU Local 1433 leadership was provided with a best-and-final offer from the company’s management on Dec. 8 and is slated to vote on the agreement in meetings Dec. 29-30. Interruptions to transit service could occur if the two parties do not finalize negotiations or agree to extensions.

Passengers should check regularly on phoenix.gov/publictransit​ for up-to-date information on the negotiations, and additional details should there be any service impacts. Currently the service provided by First Transit is running normally. First Transit operates 14 local bus routes, including some of the city’s most used routes such as Route 29-Thomas Road and Route 41-Indian School.