Examiner Editorial: BART strike would be at worst possible time
July 7, 2009
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| Looking for a ride: A strike would be devastating for the 350,000 people that commute on BART daily. (Examiner file photo) |
Today is the deadline for BART workers to announce if they going on strike Friday since they are required to give a 72-hour notice. BART management is looking at a new union offer, but the details are not yet known and neither is the timeline for management response.
Coming now — when tens of thousands of Bay Area jobs vanished into thin air, thousands of local businesses are hanging on by a thread, and every city and county struggles to balance crushing deficits — this would be the worst possible time for our commuter-rail lifeline to shut down.
Some 130,000 people commute daily into downtown San Francisco from the East Bay and the northern Peninsula — approximately 38 percent of weekday travel. If most of these workers took to the roads in cars or public transit, our familiar traffic congestion would become paralyzing gridlock.
And if The City’s employers proved more receptive to telecommuting and flexible work hours than they ever were before, this would reduce the number of dollars spent at downtown businesses by commuters during the workday. Regional leisure visitors and shoppers would also be likely to have second thoughts about coming in to enjoy San Francisco. The longer a BART strike lasts, the wider its economic ripple effect will be.
The slumping international economy and California’s ongoing budget stand-off placed crushing pressures on public transit fares and services. BART fares and parking fees were increased July 1.
But that only cancels part of the $250 million deficit the regional railway must absorb over the next four years.
A deadline extension has already been given to negotiate new contracts for more than 2,800 union workers. BART has asked all its 3,200 union and nonunion employees — whose pay and benefits account for 73 percent of the operating budget — to make $100 million in concessions over the next four years. Much of these cost savings would come from streamlining outmoded work rules and aligning benefits with the marketplace.
BART could save about $1.7 million if all track maintenance staff was scheduled to work weekends without costly overtime.
Two employees are now required for changing a seat cushion. A utility worker unfastens the snaps, and a journeyman mechanic adjusts screw fasteners. BART changed some 26,000 seat cushions last year. BART is also not allowed to divert staffing from off-peak stations to busier stations during major events. The requested updates seem eminently reasonable.
BART employees also receive benefits practically unheard of in the private sector, including being able to pay just $85 monthly for unlimited medical coverage of any family size. They also contribute nothing toward their CalPERS retirement pensions.
BART and the unions have been talking for months. New contracts should be finalized this week — contracts that serve all BART constituents, including the riders.
