LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Striking transit drivers and their representatives from Teamsters local 665 will gather on Friday to formally call on Lake Transit Authority to enforce the performance clause of its agreement with its operator Paratransit Services.
Teamsters Local 665, which represents more than 30 local transit workers, said the gathering will take place beginning at noon Friday at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Paratransit Services is a Washington-based nonprofit that since 2007 has held the contract to operate Lake Transit.
The nonprofit and Teamsters Local 665 – which represents more than 30 Paratransit Services personnel – have failed to reach an agreement on a new three-year contract.
As a result, last Sunday Teamsters members rejected a 2.2-percent wage increase and voted to go out on an indefinite strike until the contract was settled, as Lake County news has reported.
In the days since then, bus services and hours of operations have been seriously curtailed, making it difficult for Lake Transit's many riders to get to work, appointments and other commitments, according to feedback riders have given Lake County News.
“Lake Transit’s operator, Paratransit, knew full well that a strike would occur if a fair offer was not presented to the drivers,” said Mark Gleason, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 665.
“It has become crystal clear that Lake Transit buses will not be operating in full capacity for weeks, if not months, it this strike continues,” Gleason said. “The LTA should stop covering up this fact and invoke the performance clause so that a fair deal can be presented to these hard working drivers and, as important, so that the residents of Lake County can benefit from a fully operational transit system, immediately.”
The union said the drivers have effectively had a pay freeze for the past three years.
Paratransit Services notified the union on Tuesday that intends to continue its operations and will be hiring permanent replacements for striking workers.