Jackson bus drivers strike after contract talks collapse
Scores of Jackson bus drivers and transit workers formed picket lines Monday morning after contract negotiations between the transportation union and MV Transportation broke down over the weekend. More than two dozen protesters gathered outside JTRAN’s headquarters on Highway 80, holding signs and chanting as some motorists honked in support, according to witnesses.
“Together we stand, divided we fall,” the protesters chanted. The strike is expected to impact many low-income and disabled residents who depend on the city’s bus system for daily travel, officials said. Disability activist Scott Crawford, who uses a wheelchair, held a press conference from his driveway to urge both sides to reach an agreement. “I’m not sure how this is going to work out, but I can assure you there will be no winner,” Crawford told reporters.
Crawford, who said his mobility would be further limited by the strike, expressed concern about the ongoing disruption. “I’m still privileged enough to have at least one grocery store within wheelchair distance,” he said. “But I can’t depend on that grocery store for all my grocery needs.”
Charles Tornes Jr., president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1208, said his members had tried to avoid a strike but felt they had no choice. “We want the citizens of Jackson to know we did not want to strike. We hope they stand with us,” Tornes said in a statement.
Though JTRAN is publicly funded, its unionized employees are employed by MV Transportation, a private company calling itself the largest privately owned transit operator in the U.S. This marks the second time in two years that Jackson transit workers have gone on strike, following a 14-day walkout in September 2024.
MV Transportation expressed disappointment in the strike, with spokesperson Hyma Moore Jr. stating that the union leadership’s actions hurt passengers and the community. Mayor John Horhn called on both sides to seek federal mediation. “I respect the concerns raised by our JTRAN operators and recognize the important role they play in keeping Jackson moving every day,” the mayor said in a statement.
He added that the city was evaluating options to minimize service disruptions, including bringing in out-of-state drivers and waiving Mississippi licensing requirements for the duration of the strike. The city’s decision drew criticism from union officials, who called the licensing waiver “dangerous.”
Negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement have been ongoing since the previous contract expired in December. The union has sought competitive pay raises, while MV Transportation proposed changes including new safety policies and the hiring of drivers without commercial licenses for smaller on-demand vehicles. The union authorized a strike in June and issued a 72-hour strike notice last week.
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