Commuters stranded as California rocked by labour disputes

LABOUR disputes struck hard across southern California yesterday, leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters stranded, grocery shoppers inconvenienced and county jails and courts threatened with closure.

The strike against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority stalled the nation's third-largest mass-transit system. Some 2,000 MTA mechanics walked out, with another 6,000 bus drivers and clerks honouring the mechanics' picket lines.

"I'm just stranded," said commuter David Strattling, aged 59, who made it to Union Station on a bus line not affected by the strike before realising he couldn't go any farther. "I won't be able to go to work today."

Meanwhile, 70,000 grocery clerks from three chains Kroger Co.'s Ralphs, Safeway Inc's Vons and Albertsons Inc began their third day on the picket lines in Southern and Central California with no sign of a new contract.

In another dispute, several Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, who provide security at county courts and jails, called in sick, as union members have done over the past three weeks in protest over stalled labour talks.

The transit and grocery clerks strikes could deal a blow to the ailing California economy. Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp, estimated the transit strike could cost $4 million a day while the toll from the supermarket walk-out could reach $6.3 million a day in lost wages.

The grocery clerks' strike was forcing consumers to shop elsewhere or cross picket lines at more than 850 supermarkets from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. The chains have coped by bringing in replacement workers and scaling back operating hours.

More than a dozen transit lines, including Metrolink commuter rail and various regional bus lines, were operating as scheduled.

However, the half-million people estimated to use the MTA's train and bus system every day had to scramble for alternatives to get to work, school or other destinations.