Although both sides have yet to agree on a new contract, the unions have decided not to issue a 72-hour strike notice for Friday. It's a good sign that there will not be a second BART shutdown this year, but the unions also left the door open for a possible walkout if a deal is not reached by Thursday night.

Speaking during a press conference Monday evening, Amalgamated Transit Union president Antonette Bryant reassured everyone, "We do not want a strike; we want that to be made perfectly clear." Prior to the June BART shutdown, the ATU and SEIU were kind enough to issue the three-day notice, as they did before a second strike was averted in early August. The notices, however, are still just a courtesy to riders and a spokeswoman for the transit agency said riders should still make alternate plans in case negotiations go South this week.

Both sides have been relatively quiet about how things are going around the negotiating table lately. Earlier in the summer gag orders shut everybody down after both the unions and BART management started slinging at each other in the press. As of last week, BART was offering a four year deal, while the unions were looking for a three-year contract. According to BART's math, the two sides have come about $23 million closer, but they're still about $89 million apart. The unions claim they have moved three times on their wages in the past 10 days.

Either way, BART has 150 buses ready to start making transbay runs should the workers stage a walkoff on Friday morning.

Previously: All BART Strike coverage on SFist
[Inside Bay Area]
[KTVU]