UTU refutes role in
MTA picket line crossing
CLEVELAND -- The UTU played no part in the decision by two other unions last month to allow their members to cross UTU picket lines at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), UTU International President Charles L. Little said.

The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) had indicated they would go back to work on Tuesday, October 3, for seven days in an attempt to end the walkout.

According to a memo posted on the ATU's website and attributed to ATU International President Jim LaSala, Neil Silver, president and business agent of ATU Local 1277, asked his members to cross UTU picket lines to honor a commitment made to California Gov. Gray Davis.

In the memo, LaSala said that "ATU, AFSCME, TCU (Transportation Communications Union) and UTU all agreed that if Gov. Davis signed the Transit Zone Bill, Senate Bill 1101, their members would return to work for up to seven days while negotiations continued."

"The UTU never committed to such a deal, nor did anyone acting on the UTU's behalf make any such commitment," said Little. "UTU members should be proud of General Chairperson James A. Williams, who knows what unionism is all about, and would never enter into any kind of agreement that would violate the sanctity of the picket line.

"As far as I can determine," Little continued, "the scenario outlined on the ATU's website has absolutely no basis in truth."

Little said that in recent conversations with International President Robert A. Scardelletti of the Transportation Communications International Union, he was assured the TCU made no such commitments, and would never consider crossing another union's picket lines.

Little also noted that he spoke with ATU's LaSala, who confirmed to him that an ATU lobbyist had entered into such an agreement and had made the commitment to Gov. Davis.

The ATU represents about 1,860 MTA mechanics, and AFSCME represents around 490 MTA maintenance and operations supervisors.

The legislation signed into law by Gov. Davis on Saturday, September 30, was similar to a proposal he had vetoed last year. Sponsored by Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), the law requires that newly created transit zones carved from existing transit authorities abide by all pre-existing labor contracts.

According to reports, mechanics and drivers were stunned by the news that ATU and AFSCME had requested its members to return to work, and the move created widespread anger within union ranks.

Many union members learned about the move through radio or television reports, and said they considered that a breach of union protocol. That point was driven home by UTU's Williams, who said he would never take an action like that without polling his members.

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