Release Date: June 30,2026
Transit Workers Union Local 1 Votes for Intent to Strike—Talks Continue
June 30, 2026, Summit County—On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Transit Workers Union (TWU) Local 1 members voted to authorize union leadership to issue an Intent to Strike and Picket Notice.
This authorization allows TWU to provide METRO and its Board of Trustees with the required 10-day notice of a potential strike at any time, after the official filing with SERB (State Employee Relations Board).
If METRO receives an official Intent to Strike and Picket Notice filed through the State Employment Relations Board (SERB), the notice will identify the earliest date on which a strike could occur. Receipt of the notice does not mean a strike is certain. However, it would provide METRO with a defined timeline to communicate with riders and the community regarding any potential service impacts.
METRO and TWU are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on Wednesday, July 1, and METRO remains committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair and reasonable agreement. Our goal continues to be achieving a contract that recognizes our employees while ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the transit system for the community we serve.
At this time, no strike notice has been issued, and regular METRO service continues to operate as scheduled. We encourage riders to stay informed by monitoring METRO communications and, as a precaution, begin considering alternative transportation options should a strike ultimately occur.
"Our focus remains exactly where it has been from the beginning, reaching a fair and reasonable agreement through the collective bargaining process while continuing to serve our community. We respect our employees' right to participate in that process, and we remain committed to negotiating in good faith. While we encourage our transit loyal riders to have a contingency plan should a work stoppage occur, we are hopeful that continued discussions will result in an agreement without any disruption to the essential transportation services our community depends on. Regardless of the challenges before us, we will continue to approach these negotiations professionally, respectfully, and with the best interests of our employees, our riders, and Summit County at the forefront of every decision,” said Dawn Distler, METRO CEO.
METRO RTA is the public transportation provider in Summit County. METRO enhances the quality of life for our community by providing innovative transportation solutions that are safe, equitable, dependable, cost-effective, and customer-focused, now and into the future. In 2025, 5.6 million trips were taken using METRO service.