Teamsters File 2nd Complaint Against Firm in Transit Strike

The union representing employees striking against the operator of the Antelope Valley’s public transit system has again accused the bus company of unfair labor practices.

The National Labor Relations Board late last year dismissed the first charge. Ralph Phillips, an Encino attorney representing the Teamsters, said a request for a review of that decision has been filed with the labor board’s office of appeals in Washington.

“We’re keeping up the battle,” Phillips said. “Hopefully, this one will stick.”

Some 85 bus drivers, mechanics and other employees who had voted to join the Teamsters went on strike in late October. Although the work stoppage temporarily disrupted service, replacement workers were hired within weeks. The workers continue to picket outside the DAVE Transportation offices in Lancaster.

The latest complaint, filed Jan. 28, accuses DAVE Transportation of “misrepresenting its financial conditions to (the union) during contract negotiations.”

Phillips said that during negotiations, the company claimed that it was unable to pay the wages requested by the union because its revenues from operating the public transportation system for the Antelope Valley Transit Authority were insufficient.

A review of the company’s financial records by the union, according to Phillips, found the claim to be false.

John Helm, a regional manager with DAVE Transportation, said he is confident that the latest complaint will also be dismissed.

“We don’t believe there’s any basis to this unfair labor practice (charge) just as the National Labor Relations Board found no basis for their previous charge,” he said.

“We stated during the negotiations that we were unwilling to meet their requests because of our financial performance, and we offered to allow their auditors to look at our books. And that took place.”

Other than receiving a notice from the NLRB that a complaint had been filed, Helm said he has heard nothing from the union.

The first complaint involved allegations of failing to bargain in good faith.