Orange County's Teamsters Local 952 has once again rejected a new contract offer from county supervisors and is threatening to resume strike action unless a new agreement is reached quickly. This development follows just one week after Teamsters members ceased their previous picket lines.
Eric Jimenez, secretary treasurer of Teamsters Local 952, issued a statement on Tuesday asserting that the Board of Supervisors' latest offer, which the union had previously warned would be unacceptable, "fails to respect the critical work they perform every day." Jimenez further stated, "Our members are ready to strike if that’s what it takes to secure a fair contract."
The prior strike, largely involving county landfill workers, had initially been downplayed by county officials regarding its impact. However, subsequent filings to the state labor board later acknowledged that the work stoppage was "throttling processing at local landfills." The Teamsters remain the only union within the county workforce to have initiated a strike during the current negotiation period.
Negotiations began after county supervisors initially proposed a one-year contract featuring a three percent raise. For months prior, the county had maintained that it could not offer raises due to an "increasingly structurally imbalanced budget." Teamsters Local 952 was one of three unions that did not accept this initial proposal, the others being the county sheriff deputies union and the local branch of the American State Federal and Municipal Employees union.
In the most recent round of discussions, county supervisors increased their proposed raise from three percent to four percent. However, a significant point of contention for Teamsters leadership has been the county's refusal to include a signing bonus or back pay in the offer. Union representatives argue that without back pay, the four percent increase is effectively similar to the original three percent raise, especially given the number of pay periods missed since their previous contract expired in June.
Both the county and Teamsters Local 952 have filed complaints with the state Public Employment Relations Board. Union leaders contend that the county engaged in bad faith negotiations over several months. Conversely, county leaders allege that the union has employed improper strike tactics to force a deal.
Regarding the potential for renewed strike activity, county spokesperson Molly Nichelson stated that the county "respects the rights" of workers to strike. Nichelson added that should workers return to the picket lines, the county is prepared to "continue to execute contingency plans as needed to minimize any service disruptions." The path forward and any potential timeline for further negotiations or industrial action remain subject to ongoing discussions between the involved parties.
