Community Corner

BART Strike Planned for Monday

Union officials said they would move forward with plans for a BART strike on Monday after walking out of contract talks Saturday.

Union leaders called BART a "no-show" at Saturday's talks in a statement released this evening, saying they walked out after waiting for management negotiators that "never showed up."

"BART management is engaging in what is called "surface-bargaining," said Jose Mooney, spokesperson for Service Employees International Union 1021. "They're trying to appear in public like they are working to keep the trains running, but they're doing nothing to respond to good-faith offers by BART workers aimed at avoiding a strike."

Find out what's happening in San Rafaelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

BART officials said they had told the union they would have a proposal ready by 5 p.m., but when they submitted it to the mediator at 3:45 p.m., they were told the negotiators had already walked out.

BART spokesman Rick Rice said management delivered a new economic proposal to the mediator this afternoon, and received a response from the union to a proposal made Thursday. He said the latest BART proposal increased the salary offer and reduced the amount employees would contribute to pensions and health care.

Find out what's happening in San Rafaelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We're disappointed," Rice said of the union's decision to break off talks.

Contracts with BART's two biggest unions, SEIU 1021 and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 155, are set to expire Sunday at midnight. Union members voted earlier this week to authorize a strike that could begin as early as Monday.

Cities are encouraging commuters to telecommute if possible, or carpool Monday to avoid the gridlock that is expected on Bay Area roadways.

-Bay City News


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