LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As a strike by Lake Transit Authority workers enters its fourth day, there is no indication that workers and management are to return to the table anytime soon in an effort to bring the walkout to an end.
Members of Teamsters Local 665, which represents more than 30 Lake Transit employees, voted on Sunday to go out on an indefinite strike until a new three-year contract was settled, with the walkout beginning on Monday, as Lake County News has reported.
The Lake Transit strike was the second in less than a month conducted by Teamsters Local 665.
The union and Paratransit Services, the Washington-based nonprofit that has operated Lake Transit since 2007, appear to be at loggerheads over the contract, specifically wages, with union members voting to turn down a 2.2-percent wage increase offer at the Sunday meeting.
Since the strike began, services have been curtailed and picketing has been under way, with allegations arising on Wednesday that the union is resorting to intimidation in an effort to get the contract they want.
In a Wednesday email, Mark Wall, Lake Transit's general manager, alleged that the Teamsters were “becoming more desperate in their tactics,” attempting to interfere with interviews of new employees and dial-a-ride services, screaming threats at drivers while passengers are boarding buses, blocking bus stops, following buses and intimidating passengers.
Wall said that there were concerns that Teamsters representatives and striking employees were violating transit-specific provisions of the Homeland Security Act, prompting Paratransit Services to call 911 “whenever threatening, intimidating, or intentionally disruptive acts occur.”
Ralph Miranda, executive secretary of Teamsters Local 665, responded, “I think their allegations are grossly exaggerated.”
He dismissed claims that Teamsters had gone to the Best Western El Grande Inn in Clearlake – where interviews of new employees has been taking place – to intimidate anyone.
The union has been concerned that Paratransit Services might replace all of the striking employees permanently, according to Miranda.
Miranda said it's important to understand there is a difference between firing and replacing workers in such labor actions. While union workers can't be fired for picketing, they can be replaced.
Randy Grove, Paratransit Services' director of operations and human resources, sent Miranda a memo on Tuesday which stated, “Paratransit Services intends to continue its operations and will be hiring permanent replacements for striking workers.”
Miranda said two employees went to the El Grande's restaurant to eat. After they were spotted by Paratransit Services management, police were called, the Teamsters spoke with a police officer who showed up and that was the extent of it, he said.
Wall also took issue with Teamsters – including Miranda – going to Meadowood Nursing Center in Clearlake to discourage the facility from allowing a frail elderly resident to use dial-a-ride services to go to a medical appointment.
Miranda said Teamsters are taking part in “ambulatory picketing,” meaning they follow the buses on their routes and when the buses are stopped, they picket around the vehicles.
He acknowledged being at the nursing facility and telling them that the driver didn't have a General Public Paratransit Vehicle certification that he said is necessary to offer the driving services.
Wall said Paratransit Services had a written opinion from a California Highway Patrol Motor Carrier officer that the General Public Paratransit Vehicle certification is not required for public transit agencies providing service to elderly and disabled passengers.
The driver in question had been hired “well before the strike” but decided to go to work, said Wall, adding the driver met all of the legal qualifications as well as those in the Paratransit Services contract with Lake Transit.
Miranda said he had filed a complaint about the driver not having a proper certification on Monday and intends to follow up with the CHP about the opinion given to Paratransit Services.
During ambulatory picketing, Miranda said he and other union members followed one bus to the Clearlake Police Department, where the driver parked and went in to file a complaint.
Police later told the Teamsters that the driver had filed a complaint accusing them of blocking him.
Paratransit Services also alleged that Teamsters on the picket lines were blocking buses as they were coming and going from the Lower Lake bus yard, which Miranda also denied.
Christie Scheffer, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Paratransit Services, said CHP was called to respond after picketers were blocking the entry to the bus yard.
She said picketers were stepping in front of buses as they were attempting to pull out.
Miranda said the union is picketing in front of the facility, where buses generally leave once a day, but denied they were getting in front of the vehicles.
Wall said travel between the county's communities for errands, medical appointments and other needs is the “most difficult issue right now,” and he's received a large volume of calls from people needing to travel between Lakeport and Ukiah.
He said priorities are to serve the most vulnerable populations with dial-a-ride services and serve the most people with bus routes based on resources available. Wall anticipated a plan was forthcoming from Paratransit Services on how to restore some of the temporarily curtailed services.
Said Scheffer, “Our commitment is to get this service restored as quickly as possible and take care of our riders.”
“Our commitment is to Lake County,” she added.
What's unclear is when the two sides might sit down again to attempt to work out the issues that are impacting Lake Transit riders around the county.
Paratransit Services and the Teamsters can't seem to agree on whether there is a pending offer to sit down and resume talks.
Scheffer said Miranda hasn't formally asked Paratransit Services to return to the negotiations table or informed them that there will be a conclusion to the strike.
She said Paratransit Services was open to resuming talks.
Miranda said the union invited Paratransit Services back to the table on July 17.
In an email Miranda sent Grove last Sunday notifying him about the strike, Miranda also noted that the union was prepared to continue negotiations to avoid transit interruptions.
“We stand ready to continue negotiations,” he Wednesday evening.
However, until someone is willing to call for negotiations and move on their position, “I don't see anything happening,” Miranda said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.