The Transit Board had appointed a negotiator that had full authority to make an agreement. Santa Cruz Metro is losing money and sought, among other concessions, to make the bus operators pay a larger portion of their health care premiums. The union negotiated a no strike, status quo 8 month agreement to give the parties a chance to hammer out their differences. 

To everyone's shock, including the assigned mediator, the Transit Board nixed the negotiated agreement and imposed an agreement. The bus operators had no other choice but to seek self help.

Note to Transit Board: When you assign somebody to negotiate an agreement and they do, it is an unfair labor practice to reject the negotiated agreement.