DART Paratransit Workers Authorize Strike With 160-1 Vote Over Pay and Working Conditions

Paratransit workers serving Dallas Area Rapid Transit voted 160-1 on Tuesday to authorize a strike against Transdev, the contractor providing door-to-door transportation for roughly 11,000 disabled riders, according to Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1338. The 210 unionized employees set a strike deadline of midnight June 14 if negotiations scheduled for June 11-13 fail to produce a contract addressing wages currently at $19.25 per hour and what union officials describe as workplace intimidation.

Second Strike Authorization in Thirteen Months

The authorization marks the second time Local 1338 has prepared to walk off the job. Workers authorized a strike in May 2025 but called it off after Transdev committed to resumed bargaining, Bernard Wade, vice president of ATU Local 1338, said in an interview. Negotiations have continued twice monthly since then, but Wade said the sessions have not yielded meaningful progress on core demands.

"We just haven't been doing fair bargaining," Wade said. "We don't feel it's fair bargaining."

Transdev holds an eight-year contract with DART valued at more than $600 million, awarded in 2024. The paratransit system logged 886,000 rides in fiscal year 2023, providing essential medical and daily transportation for riders unable to access standard fixed-route transit.

Workplace Retaliation and Union Access Allegations

Union representatives cite management practices that block worker representation during disciplinary meetings. Wade said employees are regularly summoned to management offices and denied the opportunity to have a union steward present, a violation of standard Weingarten rights in unionized workplaces.

"They feel like they're not being treated as adults, and you're not treating them and talking to them as if they are adults," Wade said, describing the workplace climate.

The complaints mirror patterns documented in transit strike authorization votes nationwide, where service workers cite erosion of workplace dignity alongside economic demands. Wade emphasized that intimidation tactics have escalated as contract talks stalled.

Wages Trail Entry-Level Fast Food by 75 Cents

Most of the 210 paratransit operators earn $19.25 per hour, Wade said, a rate he contrasted unfavorably with starting wages at quick-service restaurants. "A kid getting out of high school can go work at McDonald's, Burger King, or whatever and make $20 an hour," Wade said. "We have employees that work for Transdev, and they're having to work Lyft and Uber services."

Healthcare benefits under the current employer plan are inadequate, Wade added, though he did not provide premium or coverage details.

In a written statement, Transdev said it was "aware" of the strike authorization vote and noted no work stoppage had been formally declared. "Transdev remains committed to bargaining in good faith with ATU Local 1338 to reach a fair and balanced agreement," the statement read. "We recognize and value the hard work and dedication of all employees and are focused on securing a contract that reflects their contributions while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of Transdev's operations in the Dallas community."

June 14 Deadline Threatens Dialysis, Medical Transport

If talks collapse, the strike would begin at midnight June 14, immediately disrupting transportation for disabled riders dependent on paratransit for dialysis appointments, medical visits, and essential errands. Wade acknowledged the potential harm to vulnerable riders. "Those people that need to get to dialysis may not have an opportunity to get to their dialysis," he said. "That's not what we want."

The June 11-13 bargaining sessions represent a final window before the deadline. Wade said he expects "some resolutions now that they see that we're serious this year," but the near-unanimous strike vote gives Local 1338 use to shut down the service if Transdev does not move on wages and workplace protections.

The timing adds pressure: Dallas is preparing to host World Cup matches later this year, and a paratransit shutdown would strand disabled residents unable to access expanded transit service during the tournament.

Policy Implications

The DART paratransit strike authorization exposes the fragility of subcontracted public transit systems. When municipalities outsource essential disability services to private operators, workers lose the labor protections and wage standards that typically accompany direct public employment. Transdev's $600 million contract produces substantial revenue, yet frontline operators earn less than fast-food starting wages—a disparity that reflects broader trends in the contracted service economy where profit margins compress labor costs.

The 160-1 vote signals worker exhaustion with procedural bargaining that drags on without substantive wage or dignity concessions. As transit agencies nationwide lean on contractors to manage paratransit, union organizers may adopt the DART strike authorization as a template for extracting movement from employers who rely on the threat of service disruption to vulnerable populations as a de facto anti-strike shield. The June 14 deadline will test whether that calculus still holds.