The labor dispute between the County of Orange and Teamsters Local 952 has escalated dramatically, with county officials filing an unfair practice charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) on Oct. 19 alleging that the union crossed the line from lawful strike activity into illegal obstruction of public facilities.
The complaint, obtained by this publication, seeks expedited action and asks PERB to authorize court intervention against the union’s ongoing strike activities at Orange County’s three active landfills: Frank R. Bowerman Landfill in Irvine, Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea, and Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano.
The filing comes one week after approximately 465 County of Orange employees represented by Teamsters Local 952 walked off the job following stalled contract negotiations. The union has characterized the strike as both an economic strike and an unfair labor practice strike, accusing county officials of bargaining in bad faith.
County Alleges Repeated Road Blockages and Access Restrictions
According to the PERB complaint, county officials contend that union members repeatedly blocked vehicle access to landfill facilities from Oct. 13 through Oct. 17 by marching in roadways, forming human chains, surrounding vehicles, and impeding the movement of both county employees and commercial waste haulers…