Teamsters Local Union No. 104, which represents Sun Tran drivers, will vote on whether to strike on Sunday, June 7, according to a leaked internal communication.
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The possible strike could mean reduced transit service, said Cindy Glysson, Sun Tran’s director of marketing and communications.
Michael Sanchez, Teamsters Local 104 representative, confirmed to the Star that the vote would be taking place. The union is also currently in negotiations with the Sun Tran company, Sanchez said.
Safety is among the top concerns for drivers, he said.
On Thursday morning, a fight between two men on a Sun Tran bus escalated into one of them being stabbed with a folding knife near South Church Avenue and West Congress Street, Tucson police said.
“Our bus riders and operators deserve to be safe on our buses and in our public spaces,” Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a news release following the incident. “We are continuing to work with the Department of Transportation and Mobility, Sun Tran and Tucson Police Department to accelerate implementing our Transit Safety and Security plan immediately to improve safety for our riders and operators.”
In 2024, a Sun Tran driver was attacked by a passenger who hit her on the head with a fire extinguisher, according to Sanchez.
Teamsters Local Union No. 104, which represents Sun Tran drivers, will vote on whether to strike on Sunday, June 7, according to a leaked internal communication.
Several other violent attacks have occurred on Sun Tran buses and at transit stops over the past few years, including a driver who was attacked with rocks at Udall Park last year.
“I think the community is well aware of what’s happening here, what’s going on and that the transit system has taken the brunt of a lot of the complex issues that the community has,” Sanchez said.
He noted that the City of Tucson and Sun Tran have taken steps to improve safety, including increased security at transit stops and the use of plexiglass partitions, but they haven’t yet produced the desired results.
“A female was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher,” he said. “The partition was closed. What is the good of the partition when someone can pick up a fire extinguisher and smash you in the head?”
The Transit Safety and Security Action Plan, a joint operation between the city and Sun Tran, will be brought to the mayor and City Council on June 9. The plan includes deploying additional police officers and making environmental changes to bus stops, Glysson said.
The Regional Transportation Authority Next plan also allocates $51 million to transit safety and security in Pima County across the next 20 years.
“I appreciate the baby steps,” Sanchez said. “I appreciate the initiative now that is being done, but maybe there should be a little bit more aggression.”
In case of a strike being authorized, Sun Tran is evaluating its options to maintain transit service, Glysson said.
“We are optimistic we can come to an agreement by the contract deadline of June 30, 2026,” Glysson said in a statement to the Star.
