Local News in Brief : RTD Police Officers Threaten Job Action

Police officers with the Southern California Rapid Transit District warned Thursday they may stage a round of “blue flu” or take other job actions in the next few days because of lack of progress in labor negotiations.

The contract for the 65-member police officers’ union expired last year, and despite 11 months of negotiations on major issues, including salary and retirement benefits, no agreement has been reached, said Luke Fuller, president of the police officers’ group. Fuller and about two dozen officers appeared in uniform at the RTD board’s meeting to outline their demands and note that they are paid $400 per month less than the county Police Department average of about $3,000 per month. They also complained they must work 30 years to retire, rather than the 20 years in most police departments.

RTD officials declined to discuss details of the labor talks.

The transit police force, which officers say is stretched too thin because of high employee turnover and inadequate staffing, provides law-enforcement services for RTD facilities and about 2,000 buses carrying more than 1 million riders per day.