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Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and United Transportation Union (UTU) plan to resume negotiations Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. (PDT) in Pasadena, Calif.

At a Sept. 19 meeting, Executive Secretary Miguel Contreras of Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFLCIO and two state mediators urged UTU officials to return to the bargaining table after the union refused to meet with MTA officials Sept. 18.

The MTA strike, now in its fourth day, has wreaked havoc with L.A. rail and bus commuters.

California Department of Transportation estimates that L.A. freeway traffic has increased 5 percent due to the strike, says Edward Scannell, MTA spokesman.

MTA also met with Transportation Communications International Union (TCU) officials Sept. 19, and plans to meet with Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) officials Sept. 20.

TCU and ATU members are not on strike against MTA but are honoring UTU's picket line, says Scannell.