Mechanics’ Union Accuses RTD of ‘Welshing’ on Offer

While 1,800 mechanics and maintenance workers of the Southern California Rapid Transit District voted Wednesday on a new 3-year contract, union leader Jerome Long accused the RTD’s administration of trying to “welsh” on the agreement in an action that could lead to a strike.

Long, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1277, which represents the workers, said the RTD management had informed him Wednesday morning “that the district would not honor it’s agreement with the ATU” for a contract that provides for no wage increases for three years, but does include protection against cost-of-living increases.

Nikolas Patsaouras, president of the RTD board, downplayed the dispute Wednesday night. He described it as “a misunderstanding of the technical language of the contract’s provisions on cost of living.”

Union Praised

Patsaouras said that the ATU leadership “has been outstanding in negotiating with us in good faith, and I hope we can get back to discussions to resolve the misunderstanding.”

No new talks were scheduled, however.

Long said the agreement reached with the district last Sunday provided for raises matching cost-of-living increases for each of the first two years, with a minimum 3% hike a year. In the third year, the cost-of-living increase would be a flat 3.5%.

“The district’s abrogating of the agreement . . . is clear evidence that the district has little regard for its maintenance employees, little regard for its word, and (it is) clear evidence that the district has engaged in bad-faith bargaining,” Long said Wednesday.

‘Bargaining Downwards’

“They (the district) claim that the tentative agreement we put to our members was a misinterpretation of what they had negotiated with us, but we stick to our interpretation. We don’t feel there is any need to talk any more because that would only be bargaining downwards, and we have no intention of doing that.

”. . . We wanted only to be safeguarded against increases in cost of living, but they are not even prepared to give us that. We will not give in to a blatantly unfair attempt by the district to welsh on its deal.”

The RTD’s action, Long said, “could lead to a strike. The ball is in their court.”

The union leader said Wednesday’s votes will be counted by the state’s Conciliation Service, but results will not be made public at present. In the meantime, the ATU will be “on a day-to-day extension of our (old) contract . . .,” Long said.

RTD bus drivers and clerks, represented by other unions, are still negotiating contracts.