This came over the transom from the Orange County Transportation Authority:
Governor Approves OCTA Request to Halt Strike
State board appointed to investigate negotiations and submit a report on findings
ORANGE – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger intervened Monday halting a strike and ordering a cooling-off period between the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and coach operator union leaders. He determined a strike would significantly disrupt public transportation and endanger the public’s health, safety or welfare.
As requested by OCTA officials last week, he will appoint a state board to investigate the negotiations and make a written report within seven days. The board will include Kelly Montgomery, Edna Francis and Justice Harry Low. The report will be a public document that includes facts – not recommendations. During this period, a strike is prohibited. Upon receipt of the report, the governor may request that the attorney general petition the court for an injunction against a strike for a 60-day period.
“It’s our hope that during this time the union will come back to the table and negotiate. We have made a very generous offer, and we’re looking forward to resolving the issue. OCTA is eager to talk, so we can avoid any impacts to our bus riders,” said OCTA CEO Art Leahy.
OCTA will continue providing bus services for its more than 200,000 daily customers. If any service changes become necessary, OCTA will inform bus customers so they may prepare plans for future travel. OCTA operates about 900 buses that carried more than 68 million passengers last year, making the service the 12th busiest in the nation.
OCTA is offering its 1,100 coach operators a more than 13 percent increase in wages and benefits over the next three years. Union leaders broke off contract negotiations, but OCTA officials hope labor leaders will return for discussions in order to reach the common goal of continuing to offer the highest level of customer service that riders expect while at the same time providing fair compensation for coach operators.
OCTA expects that these labor issues will not have any impact on the OCTA’s ACCESS service for people with disabilities. ACCESS is operated by Veolia, through a separate contract, and the service will continue in the event of a strike. ACCESS drivers are prohibited from striking under their contract. Metrolink train service also will continue as usual along with “station link” buses that serve those passengers. State board appointed to investigate negotiations and submit a report on findings
ORANGE – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger intervened Monday halting a strike and ordering a cooling-off period between the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and coach operator union leaders. He determined a strike would significantly disrupt public transportation and endanger the public’s health, safety or welfare.
As requested by OCTA officials last week, he will appoint a state board to investigate the negotiations and make a written report within seven days. The board will include Kelly Montgomery, Edna Francis and Justice Harry Low. The report will be a public document that includes facts – not recommendations. During this period, a strike is prohibited. Upon receipt of the report, the governor may request that the attorney general petition the court for an injunction against a strike for a 60-day period.
“It’s our hope that during this time the union will come back to the table and negotiate. We have made a very generous offer, and we’re looking forward to resolving the issue. OCTA is eager to talk, so we can avoid any impacts to our bus riders,” said OCTA CEO Art Leahy.
OCTA will continue providing bus services for its more than 200,000 daily customers. If any service changes become necessary, OCTA will inform bus customers so they may prepare plans for future travel. OCTA operates about 900 buses that carried more than 68 million passengers last year, making the service the 12th busiest in the nation.
OCTA is offering its 1,100 coach operators a more than 13 percent increase in wages and benefits over the next three years. Union leaders broke off contract negotiations, but OCTA officials hope labor leaders will return for discussions in order to reach the common goal of continuing to offer the highest level of customer service that riders expect while at the same time providing fair compensation for coach operators.
OCTA expects that these labor issues will not have any impact on the OCTA’s ACCESS service for people with disabilities. ACCESS is operated by Veolia, through a separate contract, and the service will continue in the event of a strike. ACCESS drivers are prohibited from striking under their contract. Metrolink train service also will continue as usual along with “station link” buses that serve those passengers.
UPDATE: Here's the OC Register story.
Now I have a way to get to the protest
Posted by: Viva La Raza | April 30, 2007 at 05:28 PM