It's always something! No sooner has Muni saved us from flying out of our seats than another threat looms, this time, a wave of "illness" that might strike the transit agency's drivers as a result of a contract that they believe is less than fair.
According to SF Weekly, Muni's unionized drivers (all of whom, as you might recall, are also suing the SFMTA) started voting at 4 AM today on the current contract presented to them by SFMTA management. Apparently, they are not happy! Per the Weekly, though drivers thought they'd be offered a 5% raise, with the expectation that they'd be expected to contribute an additional 5% of their salary to their pensions, the contract apparently requires an additional 7% pension contribution from the transit agency staffers.
This 2% increase in expected contribution has one "longtime operator" saying "I know we're gonna vote (the contract) down," and others suggesting that an employee "sick-out" might be called for this coming Monday. For, unlike BART operators, Muni drivers are forbidden from going on strike when contract negotiations sour. Everyone suddenly falling ill all at once? That's another matter.
Voting on the contact wraps up at 5 this afternoon. If it passes, expect smooth sailing come Monday. If it fails, however, contract negotiations are handed over to arbitrators, and drivers might start feeling a juuuust a little feverish.
