DPW: Apparent staff sick-out disrupts VITRAN services on St. Croix; union disputes job action claim

ST. CROIX — Public buses have not been on the road for the past two days on St. Croix and paratransit services will be suspended in the district Saturday due to an apparent employee sick-out involving bus operators and custodial staff, the Virgin Islands Department of Public Works announced.

All but two Virgin Islands Transit (VITRAN) bus operators and utility workers on St. Croix called out sick Thursday and Friday in what appears to be a coordinated action, according to a DPW statement. “We regret that this action has occurred during the holiday and Crucian Christmas Festival seasons, a time when reliable transportation is especially important for our community,” Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel said in a statement.

The unexpected disruption has significantly impacted VITRAN’s ability to serve the community’s most vulnerable members, including elderly and disabled individuals who rely on paratransit services, the release stated. Despite ongoing discussions to establish a contingency plan, no resolution has been finalized at this time. The suspension of VITRAN’s fixed route and paratransit bus services on St. Croix comes five months after the Virgin Islands Workers Union last negotiated its collective bargaining agreement with the Office of Collective Bargaining.