

A Fairfax Connector drops off passengers at the Wiehle-Reston East station. (Luz Lazo/The Washington Post)

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1764, which represents about 600 Fairfax Connector drivers and mechanics, said it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the contractor that runs the bus operations, likely averting a workers’ strike.

The agreement signed early Friday after 20 hours of bargaining with MV Transportation is likely to prevent a work stoppage that would have affected thousands of commutes in Northern Virginia.

“We will be recommending ratification to our members, who will decide in a vote on Saturday whether to accept or reject the terms of the agreement,” said Sesil Rubain, the trustee with ATU Local 1764. “They, more than anyone except their riders, understand the seriousness of strike action.”

[Fairfax Connector workers threaten to strike as early as Monday]

Workers had threatened to walk off the job as early as Monday, citing months of stalled negotiations with MV, the company that Fairfax County contracts to run the service.

A pension plan, wages, and lunch and bathroom breaks were among the main issues in the negotiations. Union leaders said details of the new contract will be released once a deal has been ratified. But they said MV agreed to some of the union’s demands, leading to a 3 a.m. conclusion of the negotiations.

The union was asking for a commitment from the contractor — and the county — to provide retirement benefits for the workers. They also sought clarification on workers’ breaks and pay and benefits parity at all three Fairfax Connector garages.

Fairfax County, which funds the service and provides oversight of the 86-route system, had urged the union and the contractor to “negotiate in good faith” and reach a deal to avoid a strike that would have disrupted thousands of commutes in the region.

“We want to avoid having any work stoppages,” County Transportation Director Tom Biesiadny said Thursday, noting that the county has a contingency plan for service in the event of a strike.

Union leaders said they expect transit services to continue, pending ratification votes to be held Saturday.