Countywide : Bus Drivers to Replace Union With Teamsters
Orange County Transit District bus drivers have replaced their local bargaining representatives with a Long Beach-based local of the Teamsters Union, labor representatives said Monday.
United Transportation Union Local 19 was replaced by Teamsters Local 911, according to results of an election held Friday.
The final vote was a narrow victory for the Teamsters, with 354 drivers voting to replace United and 346 voting to retain United, officials said. Almost 90% of the district’s eligible drivers voted, making it one of the biggest turnouts in the union’s history.
Two years ago, the drivers rejected a Teamsters takeover bid by a 2-1 margin. At the time, Teamsters officials were hoping to gain votes because of discontent surrounding United Transportation chairwoman Juliene Smith’s handling of the drivers’ unsuccessful 1986 strike.
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