Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail and bus service is shut down Monday as more than 1,500 front line employees have gone on strike.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority said Saturday it has asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to order striking transit employees back to work serving thousands of South Bay riders while it works out a new contract.

VTA’s final contract offer to workers last week included a wage increase of 9% over three years, keeping the employees as the second-highest paid in the Bay Area and the fifth-highest paid in the country. The union is seeking a 6% raise per year over three years and wants to add a clause guaranteeing arbitration for contract disputes.