An appeals court has upheld last year's federal court ruling that Salt Lake City's light-rail workers should be in the same union as bus drivers. The 10th U.S. Circuit of Appeals dismissed the appeal filed by a TRAX operator and maintenance worker, who in 2004 sued to get a separate union for TRAX operators. The plaintiffs opposed the ability of bus drivers to keep their UTA seniority and claims to choice work shifts when they became TRAX operators. A U.S. District Court judge ruled against their claim in August 2005. The Sept. 1 appeals court ruling found no violation of bargaining rights. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 382 has represented transit workers since 1904, and has represented both TRAX and bus operators since 1999. - Patty Henetz