Davis Signs Pro-Union Bill; Strike’s End May Be Near

Gov. Gray Davis signed pro-union legislation Saturday that eliminates a major source of contention between the MTA and its striking workers, bringing a guarded air of optimism to the table Saturday.

For the first time in the 16-day transit strike, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan--the most influential member of the MTA’s governing board--showed up at the labor talks in Pasadena, helping to spur a resumption of contract discussions that had been called off earlier last week.

“I think both sides want to get the strike over,” said Riordan, who has been criticized for being absent from the bargaining sessions. “The transit-dependent in our city really need it, and the leaders and union leaders owe it to them.”

The mayor said he was “cautiously optimistic” that an agreement could be reached soon and that buses could be back in service as early as Tuesday.

James Williams, general chairman of the United Transportation Union, would say only: “We are so pleased the governor signed [the legislation]. We will be here all day and all night until this is resolved.”

Neil H. Silver, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, echoed the sentiment, adding, “We could wrap this up by Monday morning. I am very optimistic.”

Union leaders declined to predict when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s idle buses might start rolling again.

Leaders on both sides planned to resume negotiations this morning. Also, the full MTA board is scheduled to meet at noon.

The bill Davis signed into law erases among the thorniest issues that has been looming over the negotiating table. Under SB 1101, by state Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), the MTA must abide by all existing labor contracts if it decides to create smaller suburban transit zones.

A veto would have strengthened the ability of the MTA management to create transit zones, weakening the unions--and probably prolonging the bargaining talks.

Davis vetoed a similar proposal last year, saying the matter should be resolved locally--but that if it were not, he would reconsider the issue.

Davis made it clear that he expected to see movement in the strike, which has left 450,000 weekday bus riders without transportation for more than two weeks.

“With this signature, I have done what is in my power to get Los Angeles back on the road,” the governor said after signing the union-backed bill. “I am calling on the MTA and their employees to do the same.”

Julian Burke, the MTA’s chief executive, also said the bill passage would go a long way toward breaking the deadlock.

“A week ago,” Burke said, “the United Transportation Union leaders explicitly stated that the governor’s signature . . . would lead to the resolution of the strike within 24 hours.

“With this legislative matter now behind them,” he said, “we implore the three labor unions representing MTA employees to negotiate with us in good faith and quickly resolve this labor dispute.”

Burke also urged the unions to allow their members to return to work while negotiations proceed.

Riordan’s appearance at the Pasadena Hilton on Saturday came one day after 2,000 striking bus drivers and a phalanx of state and local officials urged him to become actively involved in the negotiations. Last week he came under heavy criticism for being on a bicycling vacation in France.

“I think the mayor’s presence here is a great help,” said Miguel Contreras, chief of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. “We are really here to get the job done.”

He said the signing of the bill puts the negotiations “in the court of the MTA board of directors.”

Signing May End Plans for Valley Transit Zone

Advocates of smaller transit zones argue that the legislation signed by Davis will make it too expensive to establish the zones.

San Fernando Valley proponents of forming a separate transit zone there said the governor’s action probably spells the death of the proposed Valley transit zone--and inflames secessionist fervor among residents fed up with their lack of local control.

“I really thought that the governor was beyond the threat of that union thug mentality,” said Bruce Ackerman, president of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley. “It’s a sad day for the San Fernando and the San Gabriel valleys because it literally takes local control of transit out of their hands.”

“If there’s anything that fuels the fire [for secession], it’s something like this,” he said.

The concept of a breakaway transit zone is backed by a coalition of Valley cities--plus parts of Los Angeles city and county--that would run the new bus system. Included are Glendale, Burbank, San Fernando, La Canada Flintridge, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village and Hidden Hills.

To win the required MTA approval, proponents must show that the new system could provide more efficient service. But with a fledgling zone forced to honor existing labor contracts, the promise of saving money and improving service is uncertain at best, zone supporters said.

“There will be no cost savings, and therefore service cannot be improved,” said Richard Close, chairman of the pro-secession group Valley VOTE. “Setting up a separate city may be the only way now that the Valley can get its own transit system.”

David Fleming, a prominent attorney who heads the Economic Alliance and heads the city’s Fire Commission, blasted Davis.

“Last year,” Fleming said, “Gray Davis said it’s a local issue. This year apparently it’s not a local issue anymore. [The unions] have given him enough money and he signed it. And the people who are going to get hurt are the poor.”

In a statement released by his office, Davis said that when the transit zone issue was not resolved in September, he sent in his top mediators and a cabinet member to facilitate negotiations.

“For two weeks 450,000 Los Angeles residents that depend upon public transportation have suffered every day. Millions of dollars in economic damages have been experienced by businesses small and large throughout the Southern California area.”

“Children need to get to school. Seniors need to get to their doctors’ offices. People need to get to work,” Davis emphasized. “This cannot be allowed to continue.”

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Times staff writers Bettina Boxall and Sue Fox contributed to this story.