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Photos: Archive photos of transit strikes in Tucson
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Photos: Archive photos of transit strikes in Tucson

  • Rick Wiley
  • Sep 19, 2023
  • Sep 19, 2023 Updated Sep 19, 2023

These archive photos follow transit strikes against Tucson Rapid Transit and Sun Tran in Tucson going back to 1958.

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Striking members of Local 1167, Amalgamated Transit Workers, stop a bus exiting the Tucson Transit Corp. bus yard on Plumer Ave. in Tucson on June 5, 1968. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A striking driver, right, gives a news photographer the evil eye after drivers voted to strike against Tucson Rapid Transit Co. in August, 1958. Tucson Citizen photo

Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Striking members of Local 1167, Amalgamated Transit Workers, stop a driver entering the Tucson Transit Corp. bus yard on Plumer Ave. in Tucson on June 5, 1968. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Tucson Transit Corp. busses idled by a strike by members of Local 1167, Amalgamated Transit Workers in April, 1968. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A Tucson Transit bus is followed by strikers with a sign claiming the driver is non-union during a strike members of Local 1167, Amalgamated Transit Workers on June 4, 1968. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A union "courtesy van" follows a Tucson Transit Corp. bus on Pennington Street in Tucson in April, 1969. Passengers board at bus stops and could donate a fare. By pirating passengers from the transit service, union members added to TTC's financial problems. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A union "courtesy van" follows a Tucson Transit Corp. bus on Pennington Street in Tucson in April, 1969. Passengers board at bus stops and could donate a fare. By pirating passengers from the transit service, union members added to TTC's financial problems. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Tucson Police stage at the entrance to the Sun Tran bus yard in Tucson during picketing by union members on Aug. 11, 1978. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A union member outside the Sun Tran bus yard takes a siesta on a warm day during a long day of picketing on Aug. 11, 1978. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Eleanor Hershey got three local donut shops to donate three dozen donuts to feed hungry union members on the picket line at Sun Tran in Tucson on January 17, 1980. Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A Sun Tran spokesperson details the company's offer using a flip chart during the 1980 strike. Tucson Citizen

Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

A striking Sun Tran employee unfurled a Strike flag at the bus yard at Park and Ajo in January, 1980. He gave his name as "Bilbo F. Baggins." Sure. Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Emilio Puig passes the time playing horseshoes as union members picket Sun Tran during a strike on January 25, 1980. Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen

Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Striking Sun Tran employees try to stay warm on the picket lines during a cold night in January, 1980. Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Striking Sun Tran workers on the picket lines at Park and Ajo in Tucson on a chilly January night in 1980. Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Union members clean up trash on the picket lines at Park and Ajo in Tucson on the final day of the strike against Sun Tran on Feb. 1, 1980. Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Striking Sun Tran workers gesture as a bus leaves the Laos Center in Tucson on Sept. 5, 2001, after more than 400 drivers, mechanics and other workers walked out. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Suntran bus driver Nina Rosales shows her support for the SunTran bus strike as she walks the crosswalk downtown in front of the Ronstadt Center at Congress and 6th Ave during a red light on Aug. 13, 1997. She was not stopping traffic. Photo by David / Arizona Daily Star

David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Sun Tran drivers Jack Lopez (left) and Christine Tabor call out to passing motorists near the Sun Tran entrance on South Park Avenue on July 17, 1998. Sun Tran drivers voted to go on strike if the city did not improve its offer to raise pay by nearly 12 percent. Norma Jean Gargasz / Tucson Citizen

Norma Jean Gargasz / Tucson Citizen

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Alfred West (left), John Seitz and Robbie Salazar,7, walk with their Teamsters picket signs in front of Ronstadt Transit Center on Aug. 14, 1997. Photo by James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star

James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

SunTran Drivers Bill Hale (left) and Amy Seitz (right) vote over whether to accept the new work contract at the Local 104 Teamsters hall on Aug. 19, 1997. Photo by by Linda Seeger Salazar / Arizona Daily Star

Linda Seeger Salazar / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

SunTran bus driver Greg Carpenter heads to his bus at the SunTran bus yard at Park and Ajo in August, 1997, after the union members voted to return to work under a new contract. The drivers had been on strike for more than a week. Photo by Linda Seeger Salazar / Arizona Daily Star

Linda Seeger Salazar / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Barbara Franco, a driver for Sun Tran, hangs a large black ribbon and a U.S. flag in a tree on Sept. 12, 2001, in support of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Tucson city manager Mike Letcher listens during a city council meeting discussing the Sun Tran strike in Tucson, Ariz. on August 4, 2010. Photo by Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Greg Bryan / Arizona Daily Star

Transit strikes in Tucson

Transit strikes in Tucson

Teamsters Local 104 members are let in one-by-one until cpacity is met for a city council meeting discussing the Sun Tran strike in Tucson on August 4, 2010. Photo by Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Greg Bryan / Arizona Daily Star
Rick Wiley

Rick Wiley

Photo editor

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No bus service interruptions in Tucson as Sun Tran, union extend contract talks

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