By the Antelope Valley Transit Authority
Late Monday evening, June 6, AVTA executive management was notified by their contractor, Transdev that the Teamsters Local 848 had agreed to return to work. According to executive management at Transdev, Teamsters Local 848 made an unconditional offer to return to work on behalf of striking workers. Transdev accepted the Teamsters’ unconditional offer for operators to return to work.
Employees were notified to return to work on Thursday, June 9 for all shifts, including the first shift beginning at 3:28 a.m.
“We are pleased that Transdev and Teamsters Local 848 have reconciled to the point that operators can return to work and AVTA can once again service our high desert community,” said AVTA Chairman of the Board Marvin Crist. “These types of actions are unconscionable, harming our transit dependent residents such as senior citizens, veterans, and disabled residents. These are most vulnerable of our community and the ones most harmed by this work stoppage.”
Because striking workers abandoned passengers and buses mid-route on June 3 when the work stoppage began, a great deal of work must be accomplished to ensure the fleet is ready for service. Vehicles abandoned in isolated areas without monitoring and outside standard safety procedures must be inspected, cleaned, repaired, and cleared for safety before returning them to service. There are also numerous administrative tasks necessary to reinstate striking workers in an orderly manner. Consequently, the first day of resumed service will be Thursday, June 9, 2022.
During this disruption, AVTA urges our riders and the community to check AVTA’s website and social media and sign up for AVTA Rider Alerts at www.avta.com. Riders may also call AVTA customer service department at 661-945-9445 for current information on service outages and delays.
About the author: AVTA provides local, commuter and dial-a-ride service to a population of more than 450,000 residents in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale as well as the unincorporated portions of northern Los Angeles County. Its total service area covers 1,200 square miles and it is bounded by the Kern County line to the north, the San Bernardino County line to the east, the Angeles National Forest to the south, and Interstate 5 to the West.
Previous related story: Op-ed: AVTA statement on work stoppage action
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Marvin Crist says
Gosh, we don’t know how this happened! We don’t actually interact with our operators at all and if Transdev doesn’t tell us what’s going on we just have no idea and take no responsibility whatsoever for anything.
Arnie Rodeo says
What’s in it for me Marvin is a master deflector of responsibility. But a bully still the same that deny’s any role of this outcome. We’re on to you Marvin
Tim Scott says
LOL…”What’s-in-it-for-me-Marvin.” I wish I had thought of that.
WeNeedAMayorWhoLivesHere says
AVTA and BYD. Total scam. Follow the money. Donations to Rex. Hiring former BYD people. They’re going green all right. $$$$$$$$$$$$