Negotiations between Veolia Transportation and the union representing the bus drivers at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport resumed on Friday. The workers have been on strike since Tuesday night.
About 20 people made it to the picket line on Friday, and while temperatures topped 95 degrees in the afternoon, spirits were high. The protesters are concerned about Veolia’s health insurance rates included in a recent contract. Bus driver Maurice Birdsong said news of resumed negotiations is encouraging.
"This is something that they shouldn’t have quit doing after the vote went down. I mean come on now! This is an operation and a service that you do for the public and everything," said Birdsong. "It shouldn’t have gotten to this point but it did. But, in essence, the drivers, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do."
Veolia Transportation and union officials were not available for comment.
Airport officials maintain that bus service to Terminal 2 and 3 and the Sky Harbor rental car center should not be significantly impacted.
