Over 465 Orange County Workers Begin Teamsters Strike
Teamsters Local 952 workers began striking Tuesday after rejecting a 3% raise offer and alleging bad-faith bargaining by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
More than 465 county employees represented by Teamsters Local 952 began a strike on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, following the expiration of a three-year contract in June. The workforce, which includes mechanics, heavy equipment operators, and waste workers, launched picket lines at 4 a.m. in Santa Ana and Irvine.
The dispute centers on the union's rejection of a 3% raise offer that lacked retroactive pay. Union officials allege bad-faith bargaining and cited a recent 25% salary increase for the Orange County Board of Supervisors as a primary point of contention. In response, the union stated that the county has shown a complete disregard for the workers who keep the region running.
County officials have implemented contingency plans to maintain essential road and flood channel maintenance, though picketing at the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill in Irvine caused traffic congestion and restricted some access. The Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea remained open to the public.
Board members expressed diverging views on the conflict. Some supervisors emphasized budget constraints, noting that raises above 3% ripple across the entire county budget. Others expressed support for the workers, stating they deserve to earn a living that supports their families. The Board of Supervisors is expected to issue a new proposal following a closed-session meeting on Tuesday.
