BART Strike confirmed in San Francisco as Union Leaders walk out on Negotiations
It’s the worst news possible for Bay Area commuters: BART is officially on strike. There are obviously 2 sides to the story, but according to public records, Bart workers average $83K in salary, get $52k in benefits and 10 TO 12 WEEKS OF VACATION every year. Plus, they get $42K pension per year when they retire? There are a lot of reasons for the strike according to the Union Leaders, but the main push seems to have to do with the safety of the Bart employees. Safety is definitely a valid concern, but the hangup in the negotiations seems to be the requested 21% pay increase. Something seems a little off if this is the case. The thought off Bart workers approaching a six figure average salary while schools are being forced to shut down music and arts programs due to lack of funding should be a huge red flag that something needs to change.
The strike will cause a lot of problems with anyone depending on the wide-reaching transportation to get to work. Check out the handy guide with up to date alternative options to make the best of the next few days or possibly weeks before an agreement is reached:
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From CNN:
Public transit in San Francisco came to a screeching halt Monday morning as Bay Area Rapid Transit unions went on strike.
The strike began at midnight (3 a.m. ET) Monday after union leaders walked out of last-minute pay negotiations with BART, hours before their four-year contract was set to expire.
About 400,000 commuters use BART every day in the San Francisco Bay area, BART spokesman Rick Rice said.
“The public doesn’t deserve to be punished,” Rice said. “We are sorry they have decided to strike despite the fact we are willing to negotiate. The district is prepared to return to talks and get this finished.”
Josie Mooney, spokeswoman for SEIU Local 1021, also lamented the impact on the community.
“A strike is always the last resort, and we have done everything in our power to avoid it. Unfortunately, BART seems intent on forcing a strike,” Mooney said in a statement. “We are disappointed that BART’s failure to bargain honestly and fairly means that hundreds of thousands of Bay Area commuters have to suffer.”
At odds
The dispute centers around pay and benefits.
“They’ve asked for (a) 21% pay increase,” Rice said. “We’ve gone from offering 4% over four years to 8% over four years.”
Rice also said BART also offered to reduce the amount of employee contributions originally requested for pension and medical benefits.
But local SEIU union President Roxanne Sanchez said workers are fed up.
“Years of layoffs have affected public safety and services. Crippling cuts have not just made our jobs more difficult, but put undue strain on our livelihoods, our families and our communities,” she said in a statement.
“Believing in good jobs that pay fair wages, offer health care and a secure retirement — these are modest ideals. These are UNION ideals.”
Full story here: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/01/us/california-bart-strike/index.html
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