ORANGE : Strike May Disrupt Some School Services

Parents of children in the Orange Unified School District should be prepared for disruption in bus, lunch and child-care programs today because of a strike called by the non-teaching

employees of the district, including drivers, food service and clerical workers.

In a district message taped this weekend, officials urged parents to drive their children to and from school during the strike. Top priority will be given to bus routes involving

special-education students, officials said. About 7,000 students rely on bus transportation to get to the district’s 37 schools.

School breakfast and lunch menus could also be changed, as well as school-age child-care programs, officials added.

The district was hit by a sickout last week, officials said. They said the district will maintain regular hours during the walkout. Teachers are not involved in the labor dispute.

The California School Employees Assn., which represents 1,160 employees, has accused the district of unfair labor practices. The district has steadfastly denied the charges.

About 900 classified employees staged a one-day sickout Tuesday, causing considerable delays in student bus transportation, changes in cafeteria menus and closure of some school child-care

facilities.

For more information on the expected strike, parents may call (714) 532-6987.