Despite the talks between Bay Area Rapid Transit agency officials and unions earlier this week, the San Francisco transit strike prolonged for a fourth straight day on Thursday.
As a result, San Francisco Bay area commuters were forced to take crammed buses and drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Fourth of July holiday as rail workers begin their fourth day of a walkout Thursday, reports the AP.
No agreement has been announced as negotiations between BART officials and its two largest labor unions went late into the night Wednesday. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that talks adjourned but would resume later Thursday.
Thursday afternoon, ABC 7 tweeted an update about the negotiations writing, "SEIU says BART trying to break unions in an update to members."
Commutes in the region were thrown into chaos when the strike began early Monday after talks with management broke down. BART carries passengers from the farthest reaches of San Francisco's densely populated eastern suburbs to San Francisco International Airport across the bay.
BART, with 44 stations in four counties and 104 miles of lines, handles more than 40 percent of commuters coming from the East Bay to San Francisco, said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Freeways are in gridlock, lines for ferry service tripled and boats were crammed to standing-room only. However, transit authorities have made accommodations to help during the strike, including longer carpool lane hours and additional ferries and buses.
The unions, which represent nearly 2,400 train operators, station agents, mechanics, maintenance workers and professional staff, are requesting a 5 percent raise each year over the next three years. BART said union train operators and station agents average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually. The workers also pay a flat $92 monthly fee for health insurance.