Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) bus drivers, who are jointly employed by AVTA contractor Transdev, have had enough with the company’s proposal to violate L.A. City and County minimum wage ordinances, low pay, lousy benefits, unfair and horrendous working conditions, and denial of our civil rights.
The drivers, who negotiate their pay, benefits, and working conditions together as a community through Teamsters Local 848, have been bargaining for months – and working without a union contract since the extension expired on Feb. 28, 2017.
While the drivers have bargained in good faith with their employer, the same cannot be said for Transdev, which has repeatedly broken U.S. labor law – violations known as “Unfair Labor Practices.”
The drivers have been left no choice but to escalate their demands for respect and justice, voting overwhelmingly to go on strike against the company. AVTA passengers should be prepared to find alternative means of transportation.
Pay and benefits have gotten so bad that since August 2015, Transdev has been unable to retain new drivers, leaving the company severely under-staffed. Drivers are being forced to fill in by working massive amounts of mandatory overtime, robbing them of needed rest before returning behind the wheel the next day. Many drivers are forced to work extra days every week and must beg for a day off to get rest and spend time with family.
And it’s not just the pay and benefits – the working conditions, specifically toxic buses that spew dangerous fumes into the bus interior, are horrific for drivers and passengers alike.
This under-staffing, mandatory overtime, and toxic buses have left current drivers exhausted, and both drivers and passengers physically ill. This has become a public health and safety crisis for the Antelope Valley, and the drivers are fighting to resolve these issues through contract negotiations. The open issues the drivers, represented by Teamsters Local 848, are fighting for are:
- Cease and desist from Unfair Labor Practices violating federal law
- An end to mandatory overtime to protect from driver fatigue
- A healthy worker environment by replacing toxic buses
- Compensation in compliance with the law and equal to what other local transit drivers earn (e.g., Santa Clarita Transit and LADOT)
- Progressive discipline
- Due Process Rights
- Picket Line Protection (the right not to cross a picket line)
The Drivers are standing up and fighting back:
- Drivers are filing complaints against AVTA and Transdev with Cal-OSHA for unhealthy working conditions and negligent maintenance of their buses. A class action lawsuit is in the process of being prepared on behalf of the drivers for damage to their health, including lungs and respiratory system. Passengers that are suffering from the same issues are encouraged to support the lawsuit.
- The drivers’ Union is considering filing a civil suit against the AVTA because the agency is a “joint employer” with Transdev and needs to be held accountable for labor law violations.
- The drivers are standing strong to protect their right to progressive discipline and picket line safety.
- There will be a strike to demand that the company follow labor laws. Transdev tried to pay drivers below minimum wage but, after the Union filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against the company, they have now increased their offer to at or just above minimum wage. Meanwhile, the Company is harming drivers’ health and safety from driving toxic buses to working mandatory overtime, and violating due process rights. Mandatory overtime is occurring because Transdev can’t attract or retain quality professional drivers. If the Company meets drivers’ demands, drivers will come and stay.
The drivers and their Union, Teamsters Local 848, understand that it can be challenging to find alternative transportation if and when a strike occurs. Public support for the drivers’ fight has been overwhelming, and the drivers are tremendously appreciative for the support during these difficult times.
Simply put, enough is enough.
–
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The AV Times.
Related story: AVTA prepares for impact of work slowdown
Jim Ross says
Why haven’t the AVTA brought in replacement drivers? If the company is so bad why haven’t they gone to the government with their grievances. It seems like it is just more union screwing with people.
Oscar Vargas says
It’s so sad how my company Antelope Valley Transit Authority and transdev want us to wait until Thursday for us to return to work. Wow they are playing games. We decided to return back to work because the company fail to cover the runs and we don’t want passenger to be stranded anymore, but they want us to wait till to Thursday. You as a company should be a shame of your selves.
Loyal to Palmdale says
Elected with Labor support and money both Palmdale Council Members Bishop and Hofbauer who are AVTA board members are turning their backs on that very support with the blessing of Labor leadership. What the Hell is wrong with this picture and why are they not being held responsible to the membership that helped them so much.
Loyal to Lancaster says
I do not like Union drivers and think Palmdale Council and AVTA Board Members Hofbauer and Bishop should break the Unions back in this strike. Lets start over!!
Vic says
How much money has Austin Bishop made doing Bus wraps for AVTA and BYD? He is in the board! What is going on? They can’t pay the bus drivers but they can pay the board members?
Follow the Money says
Hofbauer and Bishop do whatever Parris and Crist tell them to do.
Sandy Knott says
Good idea. Let’s see how much old Cash Cow Ledford raked in from his little scams.
Ty says
Not as much as Lil’ Austin Bishop. Working for AVTA and sitting on its board? Can anyone say FPPC violation?
William says
@Sandy Knott
Do you promise to come back here and apologize if Mayor Ledford is completely cleared?
Otherwise, you’re just being…….y’know, YOU.
I’ll keep an eye out for your username in the coming months.
david venegas says
Now this is just stupid:
” A healthy worker environment by replacing toxic buses”
Maybe I’m wrong but I think a school bus is the bus with toxic fumes.
I could understand if this was 1986 with the R.T.D. General Motors bus ( the one with the wheelchair lift usung the rear doors, no pull cord instead a push tape for stop request )
But anyway I ride the Lake L.A. – Lancaster line. It don’t matter which driver, they all seem to hate there job, so something is wrong there. Its funny but when I board the 224 in Sylmar, the drivers are happy and cheerful.
Taxman says
The AVTA board of Crist, Underwood, Hofbauer, and Bishop won’t take care of the workers, but they sure are ok with endorsing the gas tax hike. Nice job.
Hardcore Republican says
Seems Marvin Crist supported both the gas tax with a letter from the AVTA board and tried to also pass the homeless tax in the last Lancaster election. This guy is a high ranking Republican official with AVRA, he gets away with this because he brings money to the local party. He should be held accountable to the rank and file members but the leadership turns their head in fear.
William says
Speaking of AVTA…..
I asked Palmdale City Hall to look into moving the 2 bus stops on 10th Street West from in front the Applebee’s shopping center and on the opposite side of the street to the unused lanes north of the SR-14 overpass by Office Depot/Kohl’s to avoid the congestion they cause parked in the right hand lanes.
That is the busiest intersection the in Antelope Valley and it’s not very smart to block traffic for the loading and unloading of passengers only. (slight reference to the movie Airplane!) If you’ve ever been in that traffic jam with buses parked there you know what I mean.
Unless the point of having bus service is to mess up automobile traffic for everyone in a car so the drivers will give up and and ride the bus. Is there intelligent life on planet earth?
Tim Scott says
Well, actually the purpose of bus service is to get people to places they want to go. If you move all the bus stops out in the desert it will certainly be more convenient for people driving cars, but that isn’t really the point.
Jim Ross says
The public is sure supporting the drivers, no one is riding the bus when they are not running. If they don’t like the job go find another one
Deborah says
What about the imposition they are putting on the public who need the buses for doctor appointments, pharmacies and work not to mention the grocery stores to buy food? They evidently don’t care as much about them as their own selves. It’s a joke because they get pain plenty of money and a lot of them have bad attitudes when you are on their buses. Besides that they are mostly late and drive like maniacs. And their are not enough buses all the time unlike the ones in the LA area that a rider can in LA every 15 minutes…
Hard working brother says
What about the AVTA board members that ran thier elections with Labor Union contrabutions. It doesn’t appear these Republican board members are walking the talk. Our own Labor leadership is looking pretty stupid right about now. Correction, they have looked pretty stupid for a while now except for living high on the hog themselves. Rank and file need to wake up and revolt.
Rider says
Maybe if the AVTA board was more concerned about the employees rather than making money for BYD this wouldn’t be happening. All they care about is those %&$%% electric busses which cost too much, rely on taxpayer subsidies, and barely make a dent in reducing the carbon footprint. Do you realize the carbon footprint required to make batteries? Toxicity? Disposal?
Tim Scott says
Did you not read the part about toxic buses being a big part of the drivers’ complaints? It isn’t battery disposal they are complaining about, it’s diesel exhaust.
Mr fed up says
The diesel buses are run on clean diesel (state clean energy laws), they are defently under paid, thats also causing the lack of new drivers, the rest is union b.s.!
Tim Scott says
Even “clean diesel” exhaust when it is fed into the passenger compartment makes a bad bus. The unhealthy conditions that result and the demonstrable fact that AVTA’s response to complaints about those conditions has been “you’re fired” are pretty valid parts of the “union bs.”
Shane Falco says
I’ve seen the AVTA bus drivers and dealt with them on accident scenes. Minimum wage is about right.
Complaining about mandatory overtime? Police and fire have it and rarely complain.
Want pay equal to Santa Clarita? Run your route on time, look and act professional, in often the same bus type as Santa Clarita without complaints of “toxicity” as another end around to try to collect workers Comp. It’s amazing how many of these drivers you can see standing outside their bus smoking, but now want to sue their employer for lung damage.
Progressive discipline and due process? California is an at-will state so you can be fired for anything at anytime. Many of these employees can’t find better work because other cities won’t hire them. They aren’t desirable candidates, rather than improve they just want their employers to throw them money.
Tim Scott says
Rarely complain? You are a perpetual motion whine machine! The only time there’s a break in your complaining is when you stop to boast. Now, you aren’t really representative of most firemen or all cops, but if anyone is going to say that cops and firemen don’t complain it certainly shouldn’t be you Foolco.
Vern says
The old buses would be a concern. New clean diesel’s are fine. Electric busses have no emissions. They’re a future environmental hazard when it comes to disposal.
Me says
When I worked there they had buses 3331 thru 3336 that a had a “fume” problem. I was tasked (as well as others) to locate the fumes. We found that because these particular buses were purchased as an overseas body structure with a final assembly in the US they were built using a “unit construction”, which meant they were built like boats with a sealed hull. The fuel tanks were on the inside of these hulls which meant, that when the fuel would warm up from normal operation the diesel vapor would mitigate into the ventilation system. I personally installed a trial fit system on bus 3333 that placed an exhaust fan on the street side of the bus. Last I knew, it was a success. But, because all of the other crap with AVTA and the Violia, I couldn’t take anymore and I split. I believe AVTA is just as much responsible for the crap there as Transdev, they are in bed with each other on a lot of things. They have to be, just because the regime changed, the business stayed pretty much the same.