Injunction prohibits O.C. bus drivers from striking
A Superior Court judge granted a 60-day injunction Monday that prohibits 1,100 Orange County bus drivers from going on strike today.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had sought the legal action, saying a strike would cause a major disruption in the county’s transportation network.
More than 200,000 people in the county use the buses daily.
The governor had asked for the cooling-off period after talks between drivers and Orange County Transportation Authority officials broke down several weeks ago.
Judge Dennis S. Choate signed the injunction after a hearing in a Santa Ana courtroom.
Art Leahy, OCTA’s chief executive, issued a plea Monday for bus drivers to return to the negotiating table, emphasizing that the invitation was made “without conditions.”
Union representatives could not be reached for comment.
Drivers, who are represented by Teamsters Local 952, voted two weeks ago to authorize a strike.
OCTA is offering an 8% pay raise over three years. Drivers want a 14% increase, saying wages failed to keep up with cost-of-living increases during the previous contract.
Drivers’ hourly wages range from $13.72 to $21.42.
Last week, the governor blocked a strike for seven days by appointing a panel to gather facts about the dispute.
That panel’s report Sunday said a strike would hurt the county.
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