Politics & Government
Update: BART Talks Break Down Sunday Night; Strike Appears Likely
BART riders urged to prepare for a strike on Monday morning
Union negotiators left the BART labor talks on Sunday evening without a contract.
A strike by BART employees on Monday morning appears likely.
News organizations quoted union representatives as telling the public to prepare for a strike. They said they'll decide by midnight whether to tell workers to walk off the job.
BART spokesman Rick Rice issued a statement saying the transit agency has not officially been notified of a strike by union leaders, but they cautioned riders to prepare for one.
Rice said BART has made a "fair offer" that includes an 8 percent pay raise over four years.
“We have a long way to go, but we can’t get any closer if we aren’t at the table," said Rice. "We reached tentative agreements on 11 items today and we should use that momentum to reach a deal. Walking away doesn’t do any good."
Patch has posted a survival guide for BART riders with transportation alternatives.Talks had resumed at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Caltrans offices in Oakland, a neutral site picked by state mediators.
On Saturday, union officials had walked out of contract talks.
Union leaders called BART a "no-show" at Saturday's talks in a statement released Saturday evening, saying they walked out after waiting for management negotiators and a proposal that "never showed up."
"BART management is engaging in what is called "surface-bargaining," said Jose Mooney, spokesman 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."
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.
Rice said that latest BART proposal increased the salary offer and reduced the amount employees would contribute to pensions and health care.
"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 last week to authorize a strike to begin Monday.
Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
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