Op-ed: Fairfax Connector Drivers are ‘Overlooked’

This op-ed was submitted by Kaelyn Serrao. It does not reflect the opinions of Reston Now. We publish opinion contributions of specific interest to the Reston community. Contributions may be edited for length or content. 

I am writing in response to the article titled “Strike Against Metrobus Contractor Could Impact Fairfax Connector Service”, published in your online newspaper on November 18th, 2019.  I was not aware of the current dispute going on between the Fairfax Connector drivers and the contractor of Metrobus and felt that your article articulated the issue well.  I felt that there was no overwhelming bias present and appreciated the Fairfax County Department of Transportation stating their position on the negotiations. 

Although they predict that there will be no impacts on service due to these negotiations, there is a possibility it could cause issues for those who are dependent on the transportation line.  People may not feel that this labor dispute is a big deal because it does not affect them directly, but if the negotiation doesn’t go well it could result in problems for a large portion of the community.  

I felt compelled to write a letter about this article because I feel that these types of issues are often overlooked.  The Fairfax Connector drivers are silent heroes that continually get people where they need to be in a safe and timely fashion. They deserve to be recognized for their service to the public and have their labor requests reviewed and implemented with the upmost respect.

Staff photo by Jay Westcott