Orange, California – Teamsters Local 952 Coach Operators, mechanics and service workers and Veolia Transportation employees urge the OCTA Board of Directors to forego drastic measures and adopt incremental reductions to service levels and employee layoffs. Currently, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), a multi-modal transportation agency transports more than 200,000 daily riders from every corner of the county. OCTA plans to layoff 1/3 of its workforce and drastically cut service to the public.
The OCTA cuts mean that service will be reduced to 1998 levels. Nearly a quarter of a million riders, mainly the working poor will be adversely affected and may be devastated by these cuts. Hundreds of OCTA employees who serve the public will be laid off as well.
PRESS CONFERENCE AND CALL TO ACTION
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2009
TIME:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8:00 AM
PLACE:Â Â Â Â Â OCTA HEADQUARTERS
                   550 SOUTH MAIN STREET
                   ORANGE, CA 92863
COLA’s has added 35 percent to the cost of labor for government jobs and non-government jobs that have COLA increases over the last ten years, back to/or from 1998.
What are the choices? cut 1/3 of the employees or cut 1/3 of the pay.
Or maybe a county car and mileage tax so the wealthy auto owners can pay for the costs of public transportation.