With contract negotiations at an apparent standstill, Vineyard Transit Authority drivers decided Thursday to hold off on a strike on the eve of Memorial Day weekend.

Drivers took a preliminary vote last month to authorize a strike and a public information campaign is underway to raise awareness about driver demands.

The drivers voted to unionize in 2015, but have yet to reach a collective agreement with their employer, Transit Connection Inc. The firm is subcontracted by the VTA to manage drivers.

“We know firsthand how crippling a strike would be to our community and always view striking as our last resort,” a press release from the drivers and the Amalgamated Transit Union said after the meeting Thursday night. “We will continue to strive to reach an agreement with TCI, but can only make so many concessions while securing the living wage and fair benefits that our drivers and their families deserve.”

The vote last month to authorize a strike drew the attention of state and national representatives. Some Island selectmen have also weighed in on the issue, contacting the VTA administrator Angela Grant and members of the VTA board on behalf of the drivers.

“We see no reason why this group of workers should not have the same rights and respect as any other group of workers that choose to unionize,” West Tisbury selectmen said in a letter sent May 8.

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since last fall and have been attended by a federal mediator at the request of the union. Drivers will not formally belong to the union until they secure a contract.

TCI negotiators return to the Island on May 29 and 30 for continued talks.

Drivers met Thursday night to consider their options as the holiday weekend approached. Further action is still on the table, according to longtime driver and negotiating committee member Richard Townes.

“We’re running out of options. I mean this has gone on for four years now, and here we are, nowhere closer,” Mr. Townes told the Gazette Wednesday.

At issue are seniority rights, wage increases and the makeup of union membership.

Mr. Townes said drivers have not seen a pay raise since they voted to unionize. The starting wage is $16.50 per hour, with the highest earning drivers topping out at $23.50 per hour. Mr. Townes said the pay is not enough to sustain a living on the Island.

But in a letter to Cong. Bill Keating, VTA administrator Ms. Grant said drivers’ demands are unreasonable for the publicly-funded authority, which operates on a lean budget.

“The union demands, if implemented as presented, would cause service cuts leaving riders without service and drivers without jobs,” Ms. Grant wrote.

Another sticking point in negotiations has been deciding which drivers will be represented in collective bargaining. Drivers want to include so-called casual or on-call employees, but the company says those employees should not be included.

In the press release, drivers said they will to what they can to avoid a job walkoff.

“We will spend the coming days engaging with our community, riders and local businesses to help them understand the situation and prepare for any disruption,” they wrote. “Our community has been incredibly supportive of our cause, and our goal is to reach a resolution without negatively impacting their day-to-day lives.”