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The looming BART strike, which has been a verbal threat every since union negotiations crumbled, might be a distinct possibility. More of a distinct possibility, that is, than we thought earlier. This afternoon, the BART board voted to implement "terms and conditions," which means they basically forced a contract on the Amalgamated Transit Union. But just this morning, Jessee Hunt, the head of the union (a union filled with BART train operators), had said if the board decided to force a contract, then they would strike. So, while an official announcement has not been made, they're having a press conference at 4 p.m. today. Also. although the other unions agreed to the contract, they can't picket; but they won't cross the picket lines, so... no one will go to work. And the strike will cripple Bay Area transportation as you know it. A 72-hour warning will go into effect, which could mean--at last--a BART strike would rain down on Monday. (Gulp.)
Update: After speaking at this afternoon's press conference, ATU union head Jesse Hunt announced that there will be a strike "Sunday evening at the close of business...in approximately 72 hours." It is done. It is official. If you take BART, you will need to find an alternative route come Monday morning. If you take Muni, expect a jam-packed ride. This strike will affect most of our lives next week. Get ready.
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Wait a minute, is this a Gulp or a Double Yawn?
Or, somehow, both?
What a bunch of assholes.
Oh, fuck. Fuck you, everyone involved.
motorcycle FTW
I see your traffic and slice through it like a knife through hot butter.
enjoy your commutes.
I see your traffic and will noise pollute and ignore lane-change laws like a knife through hot butter.
Fixed!
Thats cute, but my bike is'nt loud and lane sharing is legal. I use my signals. My guess is someone from Tennessee probably is'nt all that familiar with the laws in CA.
Loud pipes save lives.
Fuck these greedy-ass union fucking fuckers.
That's great! Guess I'll be using city car share to get to my south bay meeting on Monday morning.
Hope you already reserved it.
i'm all for workers rights and all but with what, 10% of the bay area unemployed? this is a pretty dick move.
I agree. I was raised in a union family and this whole situation is infuriating me because of all the union-hate it's stirring up. That said, it's my understanding that this is all over a pay freeze and a benefits cap. As you mention, given the circumstances and the fact that most people are experiencing pay CUTS (*cough* university employees *cough*) this is incredibly annoying.
How am I going to get to my furloughed job now?
I feel the same way. These workers earn decent wages.
I know so many people taking pay cuts and/or hour cuts (such as state workers), plus many who have been unemployed for months. I am having a real hard time being sympathetic to their cause.
Other than trips to the airport, I don't think I have to use BART until mid September. Guess I'll be paying $70 more to take a taxi to the airport for a while.
If this asshattery continues on for more than three weeks, the Bay Bridge closing on Labor Day Weekend is going redefine the word clusterfuck.
I think the Governor can step in and order a cooling off period, which would prevent a strike. BART and the Unions know this, so all this drama is likely a bargaining tactic.
This is true.
Pete Wilson issued cooling-off periods in June 1991 (60 days), July 1994 (30 days + 60 more from a Contra Costa Superior Court injunction), and June 1997 (60 days) to avoid service disruptions from a potential strike. Gray Davis also issued one in June 2001 (60 days).
[Source: BART; It's not my fault it's a PDF.]
Didn't he say he wouldn't?
You're right. But that was over a month ago. And if you scrutinize the wording of his statement back then (emphasis is mine):
He might consider this now that negotiations have broken down and a strike is almost certain. Then again, he's said he's not planning to run against Boxer in 2010, most likely because his poll numbers are so dreadful, so he might be pursuing a "so long suckers" agenda until the end of his term.Still, I just don't see how not intervening is politically advantageous for him at any level.
Jerks.
At least now I can tell myself that I am glad to be underemployed so I don't have to commute!
Looks like I'll have to find another way to my non-union job. I'd work from home, but unlike a member of organized labor, I'm afraid of lay offs and actually have to prove my worth.
The real killer is that in less than 21 days, the Bay Bridge is schedule to be closed for 4 days for a major construction project. If BART is on strike, either that project is in serious jeopardy (which will result in significant costs to reschedule), or the governor will be forced to issue a cooling off order to keep it on track. We simply could not function with both the bridge and BART closed for 4 days.
People not being able to get to work will undo a whole lot of any so-called stimulus effect. Sigh.
Interestingly, this is the sort of inconvenience mother nature could shake us up with at any moment. Maybe the threat will serve as a good reminder.
Eh, probably not.
Only having BART shut down would be an easy practice inconvenience. If there was a big earthquake all ofthe bridges and highway tunnels would also be closed. Even with no visible damage there would a at least a few days of thorough inspections before they re-opened.
Fire them all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Air_Traffic_Controllers_Organization_(1968)#August_1981_strike
This is going to make it so much harder for all of us City College students starting the Fall semester this Monday.