bus driver – A labor strike that began Wednesday at Merrimack Valley Transit halted all fixed-route bus service, leaving riders across the region to find other ways to get around. The walkout followed management’s proposal to restructure Saturday shifts and change overtime
When the alarm went off at 3 a.m. Wednesday, Merrimack Valley Transit workers were already walking out—bus drivers, mechanics, and wash rack employees at the agency, known as MeVa. By morning, the effect was immediate for riders: the transit authority said all fixed-route bus operations would cease.
MeVa serves multiple Massachusetts communities, including Amesbury, Andover, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Merrimac, Methuen, Newburyport, North Andover, and Salisbury. In its Wednesday morning communication to riders, MeVa framed the shutdown as a direct result of the labor action.
The strike was led by Teamsters Local 170, which said the early-morning walkout began in Haverhill. At a press conference later that day, MeVa said the strike was tied to contract negotiations.
James Marks. business agent for Local 170. said the negotiations center on a management proposal that would restructure pay for Saturday shifts. In his view, the changes would reduce the current overtime rate and push employees with less seniority into weekend work. Marks argued that the proposal amounts to a pay cut.
“If they want to work on Saturday, they can. If they don’t want to work it, they don’t have to worry about it. And it’s at an overtime rate,” Marks said. “Now, they want to take it away from these guys. It’s a pay cut, a big concession, and the package that’s offered doesn’t compensate for the loss.”.
MeVa administrator Noah Berger offered a different picture of the proposals. He said management’s current plan includes a pay raise of 25 percent over three years and that 53 percent of the new shifts would not include mandatory weekend work. Berger said the push to restructure weekend coverage was driven by attempts to expand Saturday service as rider demand has increased.
“It’s very difficult logistically to grow our Saturday service and to provide the level of service we know our communities want,” Berger said. “There will always be overtime, we just want to spread it out across the week.”
Behind the competing descriptions of the contract proposal, the timing has left commuters with few options. MeVa and Local 170 had intended to resume talks Wednesday afternoon, but that plan did not hold. That evening, the transit authority announced on Facebook that the strike would continue on Thursday.
For residents of Lawrence, the disruption carried an explicit call to prepare. Mayor Brian DePeña urged residents Tuesday evening to make alternative transportation plans during the strike. DePeña and the city said in a press release that they were “monitoring the situation and will share updates as additional information becomes available.”.
Neither MeVa nor Local 170 immediately responded to requests for comment about the strike Wednesday evening.
Merrimack Valley Transit MeVa strike Teamsters Local 170 bus drivers overtime Saturday shifts weekend coverage Haverhill Lawrence Massachusetts transit
So no buses Wednesday? Great. Love paying for nothing I guess.
They said it started at 3 a.m. like that’s some surprise lol. If management “restructured Saturday shifts” then why not just hire temp drivers instead of shutting down everything? My sister in Lawrence said she waited like an hour and then just gave up.
Wait so is this like a political thing? I saw somewhere it was about overtime being “taken away” but then in the article it says 25 percent over three years?? That part makes no sense to me. Like how can it be a pay raise but also a pay cut. Maybe they mean 25 percent for the top guys or something.
I don’t even know who to be mad at. Teamsters, management, both? If they’re cutting overtime then yeah people are gonna be pissed, but if the buses stop completely that’s also a mess for everyone. Amesbury to Haverhill is already brutal with traffic, so this basically ruins half the week for commuters. Also “wash rack employees”?? Like I didn’t even know that was a job title until today.