The Appellate Court of the Sixth District summarily denied Amalgamated Transit Union’s (ATU) petition that challenged a Superior Court ruling bringing striking VTA employees back to work. A two and a half week-long strike of ATU Local 265 halted all VTA public transit service in Santa Clara County from March 10 through March 27.

The union and the transit agency have not resumed negotiations on a new contract. The former contract expired March 10 without a contract agreement, prompting workers to strike.

Ruling in favor of VTA’s request for an injunction to bring striking employees back to work, a California Superior Court judge noted that the union likely violated its contract by leading its 1500 members to go on strike. The judge ordered the strike to stop immediately. VTA service was restored March 28.

“VTA’s original action (in filing for an injunction) was intended to uphold the collective bargaining agreement and ensure that our passengers were being served. The appellate court’s denial of the writ petition allows VTA to continue to serve our customers. We are hopeful that ATU will return to bargaining so its members can get a new contract,” said a VTA spokesperson.