If you're depending on a bus ride to get somewhere in Phoenix, good luck with that.
The Amalgamated Transit Union went on strike this weekend to protest contract issues with Veolia Transportation, the French-based company that's under a $388 million contract to run the city's buses.
As of 6:45 a.m. today, Veolia Phoenix was operating at around 14 percent of its typical weekday service level, which isn't quite a high-efficiency Monday.
According to the union, the workers' contract with Veolia expired in October, 2010, and the drivers have been working since then, despite the failure to come to a new agreement.
The union maintains that Veolia's screwing the pooch on this one, saying it's been engaging in "serious and pervasive conduct" throughout the negotiations.
Since Tempe drivers have now joined in on the strike, we're talking about more than 100,000 riders that could be affected by the strike -- and they're the ones who get to deal with the problems as well.
Click here for updates on bus routes affected by the strike.
"Our members have continued to show up to work every day because they know the people of Phoenix and Tempe need to get to work too," said Bob Bean, president of ATU Local 1433 in a statement issued late Friday. "We've been trying to negotiate with Veolia for a long time in both cities - long after expiration."
Our question for this morning: is the bus union's strike a good idea?
Cast your vote below:
