Hundreds of Orange County workers are on strike starting today. Here’s what we know

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Topline:

More than 465 Orange County workers from the Teamsters Local 952 walked off the job early this morning. Union officials said the strike is expected to cause delays to road and flood channel maintenance, landfill operations and other public services.

What we know : The union members are from OC Public Works, OC Waste & Recycling, OC Community Resources and other county departments. They include heavy equipment operators, waste workers, custodial workers and more.

How did we get here? Union officials said they asked the county to begin bargaining in 2025 and claimed months went by with no “meaningful movement” until August. A county spokesperson said in a statement to LAist, “Our priority remains ensuring the continuity of essential public services for our residents. We have contingency plans in place to minimize service disruptions.”

What are workers saying? Eric Jimenez, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 952, said in a statement that workers’ efforts to bargain for an agreement were met with months of delays. “The county has forced our members to walk off the job to fight for the respect and fair contract they deserve,” Jimenez said. “We cannot allow the erosion of our public services because the county refuses to invest in the workers who provide them.”

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