Drivers’ Union Accuses OCTD of Intimidation

The union representing bus drivers who staged a two-week strike last month filed suit Monday against the Orange County Transit District, saying the district is refusing to deduct union dues from drivers’ paychecks and is engaging in coercion and intimidation.

In documents filed in Orange County Superior Court, United Transportation Union Local 19 asked that a judge order the district to negotiate in good faith with the local and that the OCTD continue to deduct union dues as outlined in the drivers’ last contract, which expired Oct. 31.

Negotiations for a new contract have been stalled since December. The court documents filed Monday allege repeatedly that the district has “failed to comply with its statutory duty to bargain with Local 19 in good faith.”

Union leader Juliene Smith said in an interview that the failure of OCTD officials to collect union dues is part of the district’s attempts to “bust the union.”

“The easiest way to do that is to cut off the funds, and that’s what they’re doing,” Smith said.

Smith said the union can survive about four months without the dues.

Joanne Curran, a transit district spokeswoman, said the district was served with notice of the lawsuit Monday and “our position is that the allegation is totally unfounded.”

Struck Two Weeks

After working without a contract for more than a month while Local 19 and the district wrestled over a new one, the drivers struck Dec. 8. When the drivers returned to work two weeks later, the district unilaterally instituted some key provisions in its last contract offer before the strike, including increased drug testing and the use of more part-time drivers.

The court documents filed Monday said about 700 drivers represented by Local 19 have signed cards authorizing the district to deduct union dues from their paychecks.

“The district’s refusal to deduct union dues from the salaries of those employees who have authorized said deductions constitutes interference, restraint, coercion and discrimination against these employees . . . ,” Local 19 alleged.

The district’s refusal to deduct the dues is intended to coerce Local 19 and its membership “into entering into a collective bargaining agreement making compromises which Local 19 would not have made but for the district’s coercion,” the court documents said.

Last week, district officials were notified that the Teamsters Union planned to try to replace the United Transportation Union as the drivers’ bargaining representative. District officials said the Teamsters had acquired signatures from 30% of the United Transportation Union members, the minimum needed to file a petition with the district’s mediation and conciliation office.