SANTA CLARITA / ANTELOPE VALLEY : Transit Workers, Company at an Impasse as Walkout Continues

Christine Brunet just wants her bus drivers back.

A regular rider of public transit in the Antelope Valley, Brunet is not likely to have her wish fulfilled before next weekend.

The bus drivers and mechanics who work for the private operator of the public transit system here have been on strike since 3 a.m. Monday. And the work stoppage against DAVE Transportation Services Inc. will probably continue for at least five more days.

“We’re willing to stay out there until we have a contract,” said Nathan Mackey. “We want a final contract. Everybody on the picket line is standing firm to that.”

An all-day session with a federal mediator Thursday failed to bring an end to the strike. Strikers and their union representatives are not scheduled to meet again with DAVE Transportation until Thursday.

Mediator Reginald Bravo, a commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, said of the progress of negotiations: “There’s not too many issues out there. Just enough to hold it back.”

Offers made by the Santa Ana-based firm this week were rejected, both sides said. The workers, Mackey said, want a complete contract before returning to their jobs.

“We’re disappointed our proposal wasn’t accepted and the employees didn’t come back to work,” said John Helm, a regional manager for the bus company.

Meanwhile, DAVE Transportation is hiring permanent replacement workers for the 85 striking bus drivers and mechanics, alleging that the strike is based on economics so the workers’ jobs are not protected. Already, 37 people have been hired, Helm said. Just seven of those new hires are on the job. The others are in training.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents the workers, on Wednesday filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that DAVE Transportation had engaged in unfair labor practices.

An NLRB representative said it would be about 30 days before a determination will be made on the charges.

DAVE Transportation has brought in drivers from its other locations and also has supervisors working as drivers to keep Antelope Valley Transit Authority buses on the road. The transit agency contracts with DAVE Transportation to operate its buses.

Service continues at reduced levels for the local, fixed bus routes as well as the door-to-door Dial-a-Ride service.

Transit officials said they have been able to operate the 11 commuter buses and the school routes at their pre-strike levels much of the week. A two-bus expansion of the commuter service planned for Monday will take place, despite the strike, company officials said.

It was only about six months ago that the bus drivers and mechanics voted to join Teamsters Local 572. The union and its new members have been negotiating a first contract with DAVE Transportation since July.

The striking workers said that, when it came time to discuss economic issues, DAVE Transportation was unwilling to negotiate on several key issues. The company contends, however, that it had made an offer and was awaiting a response from the union when the strike began.

Striking workers have been keeping a 24-hour vigil in front of the DAVE Transportation/AVTA offices in Lancaster and promise to do so until both sides agree to a contract.

“We feel pretty confident we’ll eventually be able to work out a contract,” Mackey said. “It’s just a matter of when the company wants to get serious and offer one we can accept.”