Orange County Bus Drivers Get Deadline

Orange County transit officials Monday warned striking bus drivers to return to work within one week or lose their jobs, an action the drivers quickly denounced as an attempt at “union busting.”

As the walkout entered its eighth day, strike leaders vowed to defy the Orange County Transit District’s Dec. 22 return-to-work deadline, which was approved by OCTD board members during a closed-door executive session at their regular meeting Monday morning at the transit agency’s headquarters in Garden Grove.

“The district is committed to restoring complete service at the earliest possible date,” OCTD Board Chairman Ralph Clark said at Monday’s session. “The district regrettably has no choice but to hire new employees or permanent replacements for striking drivers who do not return to work by Dec. 22, 1986.”

‘Engaged in Union Busting’

When told of OCTD’s action, United Transportation Union lawyer James R. Evans said angrily: “They’re bordering on the edge of illegality and unfair labor practices. . . . We have the legal right to strike. They (OCTD officials) are engaged in union busting.”

Evans said the union will take the transit district to court, if necessary, to halt the hiring of “permanent” as opposed to “temporary” replacement drivers, but added that he did not know when he would take such action. He said the union does not dispute OCTD’s right to hire temporary replacements, but believes that the district would have to rehire all strikers once the labor dispute is resolved.

“We would look to our members to stick together,” said Juliene Smith, general chairman of Tustin-based UTU Local 19. “We would recommend that our drivers stay out until we resolve the strike. . . . They (OCTD officials) are more concerned with breaking the union than with running service with quality professional drivers.”

Law Permits Replacements

Transit officials, however, countered that federal law permits hiring of permanent replacements and requires only that they rehire strikers after they give up their demands, as openings occur, because the OCTD drivers are seeking economic concessions rather than a halt to any unfair labor practices.

Both sides agreed Monday that last year’s landmark California Supreme Court ruling to allow strikes by public employees is not involved in the current labor dispute because prior legislation specifically has authorized strikes by transit workers.

Bus service on 13 of OCTD’s 53 routes resumed Monday after fill-in drivers were given Sunday off to rest.

At the same time, striking drivers sang Christmas carols--with a few improvised lyrics--outside the OCTD board meeting Monday. More of the same was planned for Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, two of whom are transit board members.

To the tune of “Hark! The Herald Angels,” the strikers sang: “Hark! Who’s in that bus I see? Taking jobs from you and me. Look out, or they’ll run you down. No one’s safe when they’re in town. . . . Hark! Who’s in that bus I see? They’re not the real OCTD.”

The lyrics were written by Bonnie and Don Spaulding, two bus drivers who share the same birthday and were married last July after meeting on the job.

12 Cross Picket Line

District spokeswoman Joanne Curran said the number of regular, full-time union drivers crossing the picket line increased to 12 Monday morning, up from four last week. No negotiations were held Monday and none are scheduled.

The strike has severed most Orange County transit links with the Los Angeles-based Southern California Rapid Transit District, but RTD routes and service remain unaffected. The Orange County drivers walked off their jobs last Monday after the union rejected OCTD’s “best and final offer” of a 7.5% wage hike over 3 1/2 years. The drivers have sought a 13% pay raise over the same period. The top pay rate now is $13 an hour.

Also, the drivers have objected to district-proposed contract provisions that would allow OCTD to double the number of part-time drivers to 20% of the work force, mandate drug testing by an OCTD-selected lab for drivers renewing their licenses and tighten discipline for unscheduled absences.