In mid-July, local SEIU president Roxanne Sanchez warned the Bay Area Rapid Transit board of directors that they were facing “the bloodiest, longest strike since the 1970s” if the union’s demands weren’t met before the current contract expired on Aug. 4. Commuters in San Francisco were bracing for what they’ve been calling #BARTmageddon, but a strike has been averted for seven days while a three-person board appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown Sunday investigates the contract dispute.
The union received a publicity boost last week with a visit by actor and activist Danny Glover, who rallied BART workers as they prepared to walk off the job.
"You have to make a stand. You cannot allow to be taken for granted." Danny Glover, supporting #bart workers pic.twitter.com/OF9HWFEFVe
— Vivian Ho (@VivianHo) August 2, 2013
Danny Glover riling up a crowd of 1,000 at #BARTstrike rally at #OGP in Oakland. pic.twitter.com/W1PTTyTlJp
— Carrie M (@CarrieM213) August 2, 2013
Frustrated commuters, however, have been fired up as well by the appearance of a website detailing the salaries of BART management, train operators and transit police.
https://twitter.com/RosenbergMerc/status/363431200708243456
Former general manager Dorothy Dugger was paid nearly $300,000 in salary in 2011, but also pulled in over a million additional dollars in a buyback of 80 weeks of unused vacation and sick time. That was an anomaly, but as SFGate.com reports, BART’s generous buy-back policy “can be a gold mine for all workers” — a single train operator’s total cost of employment in 2011 ran as high as $195,442 once benefits, overtime pay and pension contributions were factored in.
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Chart showing how much each bart employee made in 2011. Hover over a bubble to see the $$ and prepare to be upset. http://t.co/QcND2D7uOA
— Christopher Carlson (@chrobie) August 4, 2013
I think I'm in the wrong line of work. http://t.co/1yjhxTqjDp #bartstrike #salaries
— Caitlin D Swanson (@TheCDSwanson) August 5, 2013
#BARTstrike The Union wants to deceive the public, but no, we are not stupid. NOTHING justifies BART employees going on strike out of greed.
— Kryptonian Jedi ☀ (@_Franciscan_) August 5, 2013
Oh no, the lazy, overpaid #BART workers have to work tomorrow. Sad. Life is hard! #BARTstrike
— Simon Allardice (@simonallardice) August 5, 2013
I have a proposal: How about we just hire a few thousand new people who can't form a union? I'm sure they'd like the work & pay #BARTstrike
— Ryan Wevers (@RyanWevers) August 5, 2013
https://twitter.com/ResistTheStrike/status/364254403525480448
https://twitter.com/im_theHBIC/status/364524231121305600
https://twitter.com/im_theHBIC/status/364524383819145217
https://twitter.com/bellacantare/status/364402440239841280
BART employees are greedy. Strike and get fired. You have great pay and a great pension. Stop holding bay area hostage #BARTstrike
— J. P. Servant (@Tgraph_REX) August 5, 2013
So tired of damn Bart employees. U have a job and U already get paid very well. Take the contract and be grateful 4 what U have. #bartstrike
— Paul (@pbpilot) August 5, 2013
A lot of progressive people who support BART unions need to consider the difference between government and corporations #bartstrike
— unpopular niche account (@elharaty) August 5, 2013
#BARTStrike Time for California to catch up with the rest of the country and adopt an arbitration system, and ban mass transit strikes.
— Bobson Dugnutt (@Swazi4) August 5, 2013
Wanna see the #BART strike disappear? Charge each side 1% of the cost of a shutdown.
— G. Blake Meike (@callmeike) August 5, 2013
I'm so done with this bart strike bullshit grow the fuck up! A nigga starts school in 2 weeks and I need to get to work!
— keep me wet (@boipu_ssy69) August 5, 2013
#BARTstrike The public is 100% against the strike. BART employees are the most overpaid, greedy, ungrateful employees in the ENTIRE #BayArea
— Kryptonian Jedi ☀ (@_Franciscan_) August 5, 2013
BART strike delayed by Gov. Brown. Workers told to resume sitting idly in station boxes, ignoring riders and pleas for assistance.
— chyllo (@chyllo) August 5, 2013
Good for Gov. #JerryBrown for putting the #BART strike on hold for another week…fuck those overpaid, underworked BART worker primadonnas!
— Trump Hating Vet (@BayAreaHorndog) August 5, 2013
Whether or not a strike is averted for good, one thing seems certain.
All this Bart strike nonsense is just a preview of what's to come in America.. ??? #drama
— bayQueen (@dat_owl) August 5, 2013
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