/ Modified aug 14, 2015 7:10 p.m.

METRO WEEK: Friends and Foes in Tucson Bus Strike

Why city officials can't get involved to help break intransigence.

The Sun Tran strike entered its ninth day Friday, and the Sun Tran management and Teamsters union representatives say they have no negotiation talks scheduled to attempt to end the labor impasse.

Sun Tran is using non-union administrators to drive a limited number of bus routes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and will have no bus service for a second weekend.

Metro Week tackles several angles of the situation:

  • Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik explains why the city is not stepping in to help the parties negotiate, and why the city budget for Sun Tran is a constant tug-of-war.

  • Brian Flagg of the Bus Riders Union explains the impact on riders, why the riders union supports the Teamsters in the strike, and why the city should not raise fares to raise money for higher driver wages.

  • Andy Marshall of the Teamsters Local 104, representing the Sun Tran drivers, mechanics and fuel operators on strike, explains why the negotiations have stalled.

  • AZPM asked Sun Tran management to attend an interview with Marshall, so the parties could respond to one another in person, and the company declined.

  • The journalists' roundtable features AZPM's Mariana Dale, Linda Valdez of The Arizona Republic and Dan Shearer, editor of the Green Valley News and the Sahuarita Sun.

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