Both the Times O.C. edition and the O.C. Register covered the OCTA bus driver’s strike today.
Here are the most interesting excerpts from the Times article:
Some stranded riders sat for 30 minutes and others, like Virginia Pedroza, camped out for hours before being told about the strike.
County transit authorities said the extent of disruption Saturday and today will be less than during the work week because only about half of the county’s riders use the buses on weekends. But with only 31 of 81 routes in service, they acknowledged that the Monday morning commute will be “impacted greatly.”
“We’ve done everything we could to keep negotiations going,” said Carolyn Cavecche, Orange County Transportation Authority chairwoman.
“We’ve told the union that we are ready and willing to negotiate any time of the day or night.” Joel Zlotnick, an OCTA spokesman, said the agency met 52 times over four months with union leaders and offered two contract extensions.
Union leaders expressed disappointment that the OCTA did not come up with more money. “If we have a situation where one of the wealthiest transit agencies in California isn’t stepping up to the table, what kind of message is that sending to commuters?” said Patrick Kelly, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 952.
OCTA officials said the county’s surface streets and freeways should see a little more congestion, but not much. Cavecche said about 70% of OCTA riders don’t have access to a car and half are members of families making $22,000 a year or less.
The most heavily traveled route, route 43 from Fullerton to Costa Mesa along Harbor Boulevard, will be staffed by supervisors on weekdays, running every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Normal service runs well past 6 p.m. During the strike, all bus rides will be free except for ACCESS service.
He said transit negotiators increased their offer to $209 million in the afternoon, an $18-million increase from the three-year contract that has expired. But just before midnight, Leahy said, the Teamsters countered at $209.7 million, a $200,000 increase from their previous demand.
Leahy said the 14.6% raise in wages and benefits in the OCTA deal would give younger drivers, those with five years or less of experience, an hourly wage of $14.27. Top drivers would make $23.87 an hour.
“The union took any pay increase to the younger drivers off the table [Friday],” Cavecche said. “They chose to divert that money to older drivers and the Teamsters’ pension.”
Cavecche said striking drivers will be forgoing about $1.5 million in salary each week.
The OCTA said it planned to post fliers at bus terminals to inform people about the strike.
And here are a few excerpts from the Register article:
Can the OCTA just hire replacements?
During a strike, the OCTA executives and board members should lose their auto stipends. If the county walks so should they.
Not to disappoint Councilwoman Alvarez, I would hope that after tomorrow’s closed session of the OCTA Board, the will be close to a settlement. “o thank Heaven” I have a store near by, or I’d really be #$&^ed
where do you come up with this stuff? Strikes are strikes. That is the leverage a union has. Maybe you should ask Mr. Kelly, if others who they have supported are getting involved to resolve this matter. I assume that might include the new supervisor.
Art,
What I heard regarding Kelly tracks with what you posted here. He’s worried about hanging on to his post and part of this is fueled by his desire to “look tough” for the benefit of the membership.
As for the role of the bankruptcy, I don’t think that had any role to play. The county was looking for money anywhere they could, but the OCTA pointedly rejected the County’s pleas for Measure M funds to ease the bankruptcy pain.
Regarding the county bankruptcy, there were raids on many accounts and some of those raids continue to occur each year, such as Flood Control and Harbors-Parks funds, all to help pay off the bankruptcy. The bankruptcy is not paid off though, about $70 million per year in interest is paid by the county on the bankruptch debt, financed by these raids and the County General Fund. If not for this bankruptcy debt, many more county services could be provided to the public, including adequate regional park maintenance. This just to clarify the impact and status of the county bankruptcy – it will impact service levels for decades – it is not paid off.
Matt,
Thanks for the confirmation re Kelly. He is definitely between a rock and a hard place.
I do hope that the OCTA administration and Board will come up with a deal that works so we can put the bus drivers back on the road…
Psst….
Use a Bicycle! Pass the word! ;-D
Yes, many folks won’t have a way to get around, or a clue about alternatives, but at the same time there will ( I believe. ) be many who will get their bikes out, or buy a cheap bike, and put pedal to pavement for the duration.
I’ve been a Bike Commuter for years, with a current 11 mile 1 way trip, so riding 22 miles a day, 6 days a week, won’t phase me one bit ( I know some folks who ride twice that because they want to, not because they have to. )
There are already many low income people who Bike Commute:
Hispanic workers, legal, and not, are on our roads, and sidewalks, day, and night, if you know where to look.
Ever check out the places where the Day Laborers hang out, such as the NW corner of MacArthur & Harbor?
Lots of bikes chained to poles, on any given day. ;-D
I’m hoping to hear from Bus Riders who take to their bikes, and put out a call for such at my place. ;-D.
Yes, Virginia, the OC has a BikeBlogger. ;-D
Art said:
“I do hope that the OCTA administration and Board will come up with a deal that works so we can put the bus drivers back on the road…”
The fact is it was the union that walked away from the negotiating table. The OCTA board has sent the message that they will talk to the union anytime, anywhere, and the union is not stepping up. That’s pretty lousy of them to do to all the bus riders in the OC.
I’ve had issue with OCTA’s way of informing it’s Riders before, but to not post signage about the strike at each bus stop until 2 days later, REALLY takes the Cake.
Ps. and I sure that signage is not at Every Bus Stop
OCTA never had a strike when Jose Solorio was working for them!
So in order to further her own pathetic political asperations,Clownia Alvarez is willing to cost thousands of her poorest constituents hundreds or thousands of dollars and take food out of the mouths of poor hard working immigrant childrens mouths and as a result even less money will be in the crowded apartment that maight be used for the childrens education thereby keeping another generation of children poor,hungry and uneducated. Thank Clownia. I feel a mailer coming on blaming Clownia for the strike.
re #11
Not sure what your point was, ‘cus they haven’t had one in 21 years.
not that he had any say anyway
After the OCTA Board’s closed session meeting, negotiations expected to restart at 1pm.
The first couple of days without those busses sitting at the curb with lights blinking and door open with no one getting on or off, all the while blocking a traffic lane back up through a signalized intersection, have been wonderful! I have seen traffic moving more slowly with their absence, especially today (Monday). I’m gonna miss this strike when it is over.