(Martz Gold Line: 5500 Tuxedo Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20781)
Forestville, MD - Martz Gold Line workers will go on strike starting Thursday, April 24, at 4 AM over unfair labor practices committed by the company during contract negotiations and the company’s refusal to bargain in good faith. Additionally, Martz workers are already underpaid compared to other transit workers, and the company’s wage proposals in later years of the contract as well as the company’s new “charter rate” would have them fall even further behind.
“The Union does not tolerate companies that try to bully workers at the bargaining table. Throughout the negotiations there has been only one party, the Union, that’s been operating in good faith and actually wants to reach a deal,” said ATU 689 President Raymond Jackson. “Martz Gold Line’s labor law violations are unacceptable and now is the time for workers to fight back.”
“Our Union and our members at Local 689 are fed up with the disrespect Martz Gold Line has shown them. We’ve been down this road before in the DC area with strikes. Our members will again stand strong and united,” said ATU International President John Costa. “This is about securing a future where every transit worker is valued, heard, and treated with the dignity they deserve for the service they provide every single day. It’s time for Martz Gold Line to give these workers a contract that treats them like the heroes they are.”
The Union began contract negotiations in mid-December of last year and workers have been working under an expired contract since January 20, 2025. Throughout the negotiations, Martz has repeatedly rejected workers’ concerns while attempting to bully the Union into accepting its proposals. In early April, Martz workers overwhelmingly voted to reject the company’s last offer. On Tuesday, the two sides met to continue negotiations for the first time after the vote. While the Union made adjustments to its proposal in an effort to reach a deal, Martz doubled down on their rejected proposal and refused to make any changes.
ATU Local 689 represents bus operators, mechanics, and service technicians at Martz Gold Line. Martz Gold Line provides fixed-route commuter bus service, including multiple MTA Routes, and charter work.
What: Local 689-Washington, DC, Martz Gold Line Strike
When: Thursday April 24, 2025, at 4:00 AM (Lasts Until Approx. 6:00 PM)
Where: Martz Gold Line: 5500 Tuxedo Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20781