JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – JTRAN workers are looking to get back to work, but not without new rules, regulations and negotiations.

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President John Costa visited the workers, who are striking in Jackson, on Friday.

The workers have been on strike for more than a week. They said they’re fighting against the private contractor, MV Transportation, because of unfair and harsh rules.

Charles Tornes, the local president of ATU, said there’s a termination issue. He said fair bargaining is key, but MV Transportation will not negotiate because it’s all about profit and what’s beneficial for their company and not the workers.

“Just a week ago, before we started the strike, we had a female driver punched in the face. And it took a while for MV of to send somebody out to public police to come out to the scene to check on her. and she was shaking. She had to have counseling is still going through counseling behind it. We have people with mental illness on our bus, and we deal with all kinds of things. People bringing guns and weapons on the bus, and we’ve brought this to the attention, but they have not brought anything in place to help us in view of safety. So, this is a major issue here at JTRAN,” Tornes said.

MV Transportation has managed the City of Jackson’s fixed route and paratransit services since January 2024. Officials with MV previously called the strike “unnecessary and counterproductive.”