Orange County asks state labor board to step in as Teamsters strike disrupts landfills

The County of Orange asked California’s labor board on October 19 to intervene in a Teamsters strike that it says has disrupted three county landfills, according to New Santa Ana. The strike, now in its second week, involves about 465 county employees represented by Teamsters Local 952.

The workers walked off the job at 4 a.m. on October 13 after what the union describes as stalled contract talks, LAist reported. They work in OC Public Works, OC Waste & Recycling, OC Community Resources and other county departments, including heavy equipment operators, waste workers and custodial workers.

Eric Jimenez, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 952, said the union’s bargaining efforts met “months of delays.” The union says it asked the county to begin bargaining in 2025 and saw no meaningful movement until August. “The county has forced our members to walk off the job to fight for the respect and fair contract they deserve,” Jimenez said. He added, “We cannot allow the erosion of our public services because the county refuses to invest in the workers who provide them.”

A county spokesperson said the county’s priority “remains ensuring the continuity of essential public services for our residents,” and that it has contingency plans to limit disruptions. The county says it has kept bargaining and recently improved its offer. It also says the union gave only about 12 hours’ notice before the strike.

The union calls the action both an economic strike and an unfair labor practice strike, and accuses the county of bad-faith bargaining. New Santa Ana reported that an earlier staff action at the Public Employment Relations Board found the bad-faith allegations warranted a formal complaint.

The county’s October 19 filing is an unfair practice charge with the Public Employment Relations Board. It alleges the union moved from lawful strike activity into illegal obstruction of public facilities. The county asked for expedited action and court intervention at the Frank R. Bowerman landfill in Irvine, the Olinda Alpha landfill in Brea and the Prima Deshecha landfill in San Juan Capistrano. It is seeking injunctive relief, which could include a temporary restraining order barring obstruction of entry and exit at county facilities.

For October 13 through 17, the county alleges that picketers marched in roadways, formed human chains and surrounded vehicles. It says county managers were kept from entering the landfills and that commercial trucks faced waits of hours, with some haulers refusing deliveries. According to a declaration from a senior county waste official, the Bowerman landfill typically receives about 8,000 tons of trash a day but took roughly 1,100 to 2,000 tons a day during that period.

The county also alleges safety hazards, including picketers standing in active traffic lanes, blocking fire lanes and lying down in roadways used by heavy trucks. It says two striking workers were injured on October 17 when vehicles entering the facilities ran over their feet.

The union’s attorneys deny authorizing illegal conduct. They say peaceful picketing is protected under California labor law and that traffic delays and inconvenience do not by themselves make a strike unlawful. Union emails cited in the filing show picketers were told not to block traffic and that workers were being allowed through, according to New Santa Ana. The union also points out that local law enforcement reportedly issued no citations. It says any slowdowns are a byproduct of lawful picketing, not deliberate blockades.

The union says county workers have fallen behind on wages amid rising living costs and staffing shortages. Its leaders warned when the strike began that it could delay road and flood channel maintenance, landfill operations and other public services. New Santa Ana reported that the strike has also affected animal shelter services, road maintenance, parks and fleet services.

As of the October 19 report, the strike was continuing and negotiations were unresolved.