UPDATE: Strike is off! Ferry service is on. Chon reports: "Golden Gate Ferry service will run on its regular schedule [Friday], transit officials announced." more ›

Larry Mazzola Sr., leader of plumbers' union UA Local 38, has called for a boycott of former San Francisco politician Chris Daly's new bar, Buck Tavern. Why? Who knows. Some pointless shit that happened eons ago, presumably. In a lengthy article about the penis measuring contest, the Examiner reports: "Mazzola describes Daly as a longtime enemy of Local 38 and the Building Trades Council, and he said it would 'take endless pages' to tell of 'all of the problems our union has had with Daly.' " more ›

Of the 2,100 Muni drivers currently employed by the SF MTA, some 900 or so are unavailable for work on any given day due to sick leave, long-term leave, or days off. The Examiner reports that only 58% of workers, about 1,225, are available most days to cover the 1,300+ runs, and that Muni is ending a year-long hiring freeze and is about to take on 120 new drivers in the next six months. But would Muni need to make so many new hires if their workforce were better managed (and healthier)? With 345 people out sick each day, something might be up there -- though Muni recently instituted a policy requiring a doctor's note in order to take a sick day, which is probably an indicator that people have been abusing the sick leave thing for a while. more ›

Jerry Brown scored another coup (not that it will matter) when the state's prison guards' union endorsed him for governor. Sacto Bee reports, "California Correctional Peace Officers Association President Mike Jimenez said in a news release that the union's decision was guided by at 'tremendous need for reform and a pragmatic approach and understanding of the crisis that we see within the correctional system.'" more ›

Cited for "disobeying a lawful order by a police officer and for jaywalking after they sat in the street in front of the hotel," 152 protesters were arrested at last night's Local 2 rally in front of the Grand Hyatt San Francisco hotel. BCN (via KTVU) reports, "A spokeswoman for Unite Here Local 2, the union representing the workers, said the protesters were engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience and were prepared to be arrested in order to send a strong message to the Hyatt Corp." Check out some images from the protest. more ›

Making up almost half of the city's work force, SEIU Local 1021 members are fuming after Gavin Newsom's proposed a plan "to layoff and then re-hire thousands of municipal employees as a way to save the cash-strapped city millions." The mayor, according to KTVU, wants to nix some 10,000 workers. more ›

If you find yourself lost on O'Farrell, don't ask the concierge of Hilton San Francisco for directions. The hotel workers began a boycott yesterday with an 800 person march and a 160 person sit in. The union wants to retain health coverage with low co-payments. Oh, and here are some pictures from yesterday's protest. [Amy Crocker] more ›

The possibility of a BART strike has most likely been eliminated, as 80 percent of the members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 have voted in favor of BART's tentative agreement, which the other two unions had already approved two weeks ago. The new contract keeps wages intact and limits layoffs, but it gives management more authority over employee assignments, which will hopefully reduce the need for overtime. The union members will also have to pay more for premium health benefits. In later years, employees might be eligible for raises if there is savings in retirement benefits. ATU Local 1555 President Jesse Hunt said, ""We have accepted the cuts and sacrifices asked of us for the next four years, which were greater than those asked of any other employees, union or nonunion." The tentative agreement must now be ratified by the BART Board of Directors. more ›

After teasing us over and over and over with a strike that promised to cripple public transportation and the lives of many, BART and union leaders came to a contract agreement, tentatively. According to first-on-the-scene SFAppeal, "management and union leaders this morning announced a tentative agreement on a four-year contract. The announcement was made late this morning in Oakland by BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger, Services Employees International Union President Lisa Isler, and Amalgamated Transit Union President Jesse Hunt." After the sort-of agreement was reached, Duggar, according to SF Chron, "said the agreement was the result of 'sacrifice and compromise' and would allow BART to continue operations under 'stable financial footing.'" more ›

Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 -- BART's second-biggest union, representing around 900 train operators, cranky station agents, and other assorted power workers -- voted 100% against management's proposed contract yesterday. The contract they hated so much? It called "for wage freezes for three years and a 0.75 percent increase in the fourth year." Pretending to care, Gov Arnold growled, "I urge the parties to continue bargaining and to successfully reach an agreement without any strikes, lock-outs or other job actions...The public expects that the parties will remain at the bargaining table until an agreement is reached." Does this mean that BART will finally -- -- go on strike? Who knows. But it sure is an insufferable tease to MSM outlets who could use some sweet traffic gold during these summer months. Anyway, BART spokesperson Linton Johnson said, according to BCN, that he "expects negotiations to continue in a week or sooner." more ›

The looming BART strike was nipped in the bud. For now, at least. According to CBS 5 / BCN, "[a]fter a marathon round of negotiations, Larry Gerber, the chief negotiator of Service Employees International Union Local 1021, and Jesse Hunt, the president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, said late Thursday night that they will have their members vote on the contract offer sometime next week." So, BART employees will stay on the job until at least next week. When will that vote happen? No one knows yet. more ›

The largest union representing BART workers voted overwhelmingly last night to authorize a strike, which btw people, would take place next Wednesday if a deal isn't reached by then. The unions have called in a mediator who arrives in town today, and it was a mediator who helped hammer out an eleventh-hour deal that averted a strike in 2005. BART workers are asking for a 3% cost of living increase in their new contract, which the agency doesn't want to give them because they're facing a $250 million shortfall over the next four years and they're already going to be hiking fares in July and December. BART, for its part, is already battening down the hatches and preparing commuters for the worst. more ›

Many of BART's 355,000 daily commuters are still unaware that the agency might go on strike next week, which would cause quite a meltdown throughout the Bay Area. more ›