MTA Strike Talks Collapse; No End to Walkout Seen

Talks between striking bus and rail operators and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority collapsed Tuesday, which means the crippling Los Angeles transit strike could continue for many more days, if not weeks.

“There has been no progress . . . in these negotiations,” said Miguel Contreras, chief of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, after he and other union leaders broke off the talks Tuesday afternoon and walked away from the bargaining table for the second time in two weeks. “It has become apparent that no agreement can be reached at this time,” he said.

James Williams of the bus and rail operators’ 4,400-member United Transportation Union said he was “saddened very much by the turn of the events.

“I thought we had some basis and a criteria set to start negotiations toward settlement,” Williams said. “That didn’t happen.”

Rather than return to the Pasadena Hilton for more talks, Williams said, he would be walking a picket line today.

In response to the breakdown, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony issued a stinging rebuke to both sides. He called on the governor, the mayor, the City Council and the Board of Supervisors to “step forward at once and demand” that MTA and union leaders accept a negotiated settlement quickly.

“The continuation of this strike, now passing 11 days, is unconscionable and is wreaking havoc on the poorest of our families, employees, and small-business owners,” Mahony said. Both sides, he said, have “a serious moral and ethical responsibility to end this strike as soon as possible.”

The strike began at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 16, hours after drivers abruptly walked out of negotiations in a similar fashion.

In a statement released by his office, Mayor Richard Riordan, who sits on the MTA governing board, criticized the drivers for walking out a second time. Riordan, back in Los Angeles after a European vacation, was himself criticized last week for bicycling in France during a critical time in the negotiations.

“Taxpayers and transit-dependent Angelenos should be outraged by the union’s refusal to negotiate and provide any meaningful counterproposal to the MTA,” Riordan said.

Both sides accused the other of turning away from what they consider legitimate contract proposals.

The drivers said their action was prompted by the MTA board’s rejection of a contract proposal that emerged after three days of talks sparked by the intervention of Assemblyman Herb Wesson (D-Culver City) as a fact finder and the continuing efforts of Stephen J. Smith, director of the state Department of Industrial Relations.

“We did provide both parties a proposal. That proposal didn’t work,” Smith told reporters after the talks collapsed. He urged both sides to return to the bargaining table.

As for management’s side, Riordan said, “MTA negotiators have provided the UTU with a detailed proposal for a new contract that includes a $34-million wage increase, but for the past six months the UTU has stubbornly refused to negotiate.”

“The UTU is holding the public and its members hostage,” Riordan said. “The MTA renews its offer to get drivers and service back on the street while we negotiate a viable contract that provides fair pay raises to our drivers while helping MTA reduce costs.”

Riordan reiterated management’s contention that the MTA is facing huge deficits in the future and must bring down labor costs.

Wesson’s decision to join the talks last weekend, at the urging of Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), led to a degree of optimism that the deadlock might be broken.

Merchants See Strike’s Effects Snowballing

The strike, now in its 12th day, has been having an ever widening effect on the working poor, elderly, disabled and students who make up the bulk of its 450,000 weekday bus and Metro Rail riders.

Business leaders, with the strike already hurting sales and creating absenteeism among employees, have predicted that the effects of the walkout will get worse as the strike continues.

Both the county Department of Health Services and a network of privately operated community clinics are reporting as many as twice the normal number of canceled appointments.

For their part, transit riders have been walking, begging rides, taking to bicycles or simply staying at home since the strike began.

Traffic on local freeways is also up during peak morning and evening commute times, according to the California Department of Transportation. Although Caltrans said freeway traffic volume is up less than 5%, that can be significant on freeways that can average 200,000 to 300,000 cars and trucks a day.

In a sign that many former bus or train riders may be car-pooling, Caltrans reported that traffic in diamond lanes is up 5% to 10% on most major freeways in the Los Angeles area. There has been a 20% increase in diamond lane traffic on the San Diego Freeway in the South Bay, with the same jump reported on the El Monte Busway on the San Bernardino Freeway.

No new talks were scheduled, meanwhile, after drivers broke off the talks Tuesday. Numerous issues reportedly divide the two sides.

Among them are the MTA’s desire to change work rules, reduce overtime by as much as 15% and change the union’s pension plan.

Another problem that has been casting a cloud over negotiations is legislation awaiting Gov. Gray Davis’ signature that would allow creation of separate transit districts in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

Davis has until Saturday to act on the bill.

The measure, which is ardently opposed by San Fernando Valley business interests, would require any breakaway transit district to honor existing MTA labor contracts.

A confidential MTA management document obtained by The Times lists breakaway transit districts, called “transit zones,” as a top issue for unions and MTA management.

While breaking off their talks Tuesday, both sides continued to take shots at each other.

Julian Burke, the MTA’s chief executive, said, “We cannot negotiate with our self. Based on my experience, the strike would be settled in 48 hours if the parties would go behind closed doors and pull up chairs.”

“This strike shouldn’t have happened in the first place. It shouldn’t be continuing,” Burke said.

The AFL-CIO’s Contreras called on the public to pressure elected leaders, including Riordan.

“Tell them to instruct the negotiating team to come to the table and work off the impartial mediators’ proposal,” Contreras said. “When they do that, you’ll see this union here day and night.”

Williams said, “I am fed up. I have all I can take. It looks like we are going to have to walk the picket lines till some local politicians and some state politicians get it.”

Sounding personally distressed by the breakdown in talks, Williams said, “This is not going to work. We are not going to accept a contract on the backs of operators I represent. We are going to stay out here till we get the job done.”

Union members plan to stage a rally on the front lawn of City Hall Friday, and hope Riordan will address them. Williams said he believes that Riordan may be the only official in California who can settle the strike.

Striking drivers, who are supported on picket lines by MTA mechanics, clerical workers and supervisors, say they will refrain from working for as long as it takes to get new contracts.

Even before the talks broke down Tuesday afternoon, union members said they were in a fighting mood over anti-union radio advertisements being run by the MTA that draw attention to such issues as drivers’ pay.

The ads ran even after both sides agreed to a news blackout over the weekend, in part to end public finger-pointing.

“We pass under a sign every day when we go to work that says, ‘Through these doors pass the finest operators in the world,’ ” said Ray Zepeda, an MTA driver who was walking a picket line on Mission Road east of downtown Los Angeles Tuesday.

“That’s every day except when we are in contract negotiations. Then we become mud and dirt to them.”

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Times staff writers Tina Daunt and Larry Stammer contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The public should not count on the MTA to operate any of its own bus or rail service public should not count on the MTA to operate any of its own bus or rail service today, according to MTA officials. None of the Red Line subway trains will be operating from the San Fernando Valley and Mid-City to Union Station. No service is planned on the Blue Line between Long Beach and Los Angeles or the Green Line between Norwalk and El Segundo. Here are some options:

* MTA BUSES: The MTA operated 98 buses along 14 lines Tuesday under contract with private bus companies. The lines in operation were: 96, 125, 128, 130, 167, 177, 205, 225, 226, 232, 254, 256, 266 and 270 through contracts with private bus companies. Lines 218, 603 and 605 have been operating only on weekends. The MTA said its ability to maintain a limited schedule will depend on strike developments.

In addition to the regular customer service number, (800) COMMUTE, the MTA has added another, (213) 626-4455. Customers can also check the Web site at https://www.mta.net.

A consumer group set up an all- purpose information Web site to provide information on different bus lines. The Web site is https://www.socaltip.org.

* NON-MTA BUS LINES: Foothill, Long Beach, Torrance and Norwalk Transit, Metrolink, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and the city of Los Angeles (DASH, Community Connections, Commuter Express and Smart Shuttles) will honor MTA bus passes.

The Los Angeles County Municipal Operators Coalition’s 16 bus agencies will provide additional service: Foothill Transit will add five morning trips to its service to downtown Los Angeles originating from the Pomona Fairplex and four evening trips originating from 9th and Figueroa streets in downtown. With pickets surrounding the entrance to the El Monte bus station, riders can catch a Foothill Transit bus to downtown Los Angeles two blocks east of Santa Anita on the north side of Ramona Boulevard. Call (800) RIDE INFO, or visit Foothill’s Web site at https://www.foothilltransit.org. Torrance Transit will add additional service to and from downtown Los Angeles; Gardena Municipal Bus Line will operate additional services on its Lines 1 and 2 and will accept MTA tokens; Montebello Bus Line will provide additional service to East Los Angeles on Line 10 and will add trips on Lines 40 and 50 to downtown Los Angeles.

* METROLINK: Metrolink, the commuter rail service that runs trains to downtown Los Angeles from Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties, will honor MTA monthly, semimonthly and weekly passes, as well as passes for seniors, disabled riders and students.

“Red Line Special” buses provided by the MTA and Metrolink will operate weekdays from the Metro Bus Plaza at Union Station. The bus stops will be at each Metro Red Line station from Union Station to Westlake/MacArthur Park, with two additional stops at 4th and Hill streets and at 9th and Hill streets, marked with special signs (see map). Shuttles will continue from Westlake/MacArthur Park to Wilshire/Vermont, Vermont/Beverly, Vermont/Santa Monica, Vermont/Sunset, Vermont/Hollywood.

Signs and Metrolink personnel will direct passengers to the bus plaza area at Union Station to board the buses.

Metrolink commuters can call (800) COMMUTE for information on ride-sharing options. Commuters can obtain updates by calling (800) 371-LINK, or visit Metrolink’s Web site at https://www.metrolinktrains.com.

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COMPARING TRANSIT COSTS

A survey of other cities casts doubt on the MTA’s claim that its labor costs are out of line. B1