Cognizant
October 17th, 2013, 11:46 PM
Idk how well covered it is on the news, but it's a pretty fucking big deal for people in the Bay Area and it raises some interesting controversy and points.
Context for those who don't know what the hell I'm talking about: BART, a subway system with ~400,000 daily riders serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater Bay Area is commencing another total system shutdown because Management and their two unions could not come to an agreement on pay and healthcare pensions. They started talks back in April, had a strike during the first week of July, was about to have another strike in September but the Governor warranted a 60 day "cooling off period." SEIU Local 1021 and ATU 1555's most recent asking was for a pretty marginal pay increase of 15.9%. BART's final offer included a 12 percent raise over four years and provisions that would have employees paying a 4 percent pension contribution and a 9.5 percent increase in their health-insurance contribution. Before, during the July strike, standings were around 21% Unions, 8%.
Sources: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-workers-to-strike-Friday-4904918.php
http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_24328848/bart-trains-roll-negotiations-roll
Train operators (who don't physically operate the acceleration and braking of the trains, mind you), mechanics, custodians, station agents and clerical staff, now average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually, the transit agency said. BART workers currently pay $92 a month for health care and contribute nothing toward their pensions.
I'm just wondering who's side (Management or Union) you're on. I honestly feel both sides are in the wrong, but at the same time, I feel that the unions have been asking for a far stretch. Caltrain conductors (employed under TransitAmerica) earn about the same, but they're much more hands on and complain less. Caltrain staff has to pay attention to speed, signals, dispatch, grade crossings, the engineer, and the schedule. BART operators only contact central control and usually only control the train in the event of an emergency.
I live nowhere near the BART service area, but with 400,000 more people going to scramble to try to get around, it's definitely going to hurt the Bay Area. I hope that this strike is a short one.
Context for those who don't know what the hell I'm talking about: BART, a subway system with ~400,000 daily riders serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater Bay Area is commencing another total system shutdown because Management and their two unions could not come to an agreement on pay and healthcare pensions. They started talks back in April, had a strike during the first week of July, was about to have another strike in September but the Governor warranted a 60 day "cooling off period." SEIU Local 1021 and ATU 1555's most recent asking was for a pretty marginal pay increase of 15.9%. BART's final offer included a 12 percent raise over four years and provisions that would have employees paying a 4 percent pension contribution and a 9.5 percent increase in their health-insurance contribution. Before, during the July strike, standings were around 21% Unions, 8%.
Sources: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-workers-to-strike-Friday-4904918.php
http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_24328848/bart-trains-roll-negotiations-roll
Train operators (who don't physically operate the acceleration and braking of the trains, mind you), mechanics, custodians, station agents and clerical staff, now average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually, the transit agency said. BART workers currently pay $92 a month for health care and contribute nothing toward their pensions.
I'm just wondering who's side (Management or Union) you're on. I honestly feel both sides are in the wrong, but at the same time, I feel that the unions have been asking for a far stretch. Caltrain conductors (employed under TransitAmerica) earn about the same, but they're much more hands on and complain less. Caltrain staff has to pay attention to speed, signals, dispatch, grade crossings, the engineer, and the schedule. BART operators only contact central control and usually only control the train in the event of an emergency.
I live nowhere near the BART service area, but with 400,000 more people going to scramble to try to get around, it's definitely going to hurt the Bay Area. I hope that this strike is a short one.