Although San Francisco Bay area commuters were relieved that Gov. Jerry Brown stepped in to prevent BART transit workers from going on strike this week, the employees of the nation's fifth largest rail system may still very well walk off their jobs next week.
On Sunday, the California governor blocked union workers from striking just hours before they were scheduled to shut down the transit system by appointing a three-member board to investigate the stalled negotiations. The board must now provide the governor with a written public report on the contract talks within seven days. During this time, unions are not allowed to walk off the job, nor can they be locked out by BART.
However, the only way Brown can prevent workers from striking next Monday is if he issues a 60-day cooling-off period on BART and its unions, which would delay any possible strike until mid-October at the earliest.
The transit authority's board president, Tom Radulovich, sent a letter to the governor requesting his intervention and a cooling off period of 60 days.
"The formal impartial fact-finding that accompanies the cooling-off period will help clarify the points of difference between the proposals,'' reads Radulovich's statement, according to NBC.
A strike would force the 400,000 commuters who use BART on a daily basis to find another means to get around. When workers went on a four-and-a-half day strike in early July, travelers faced long ferry and bus lines as well as hideous traffic jams.
In a letter addressed to BART's general manager and three top union leaders, Brown explained he stepped in this time because a strike would "significantly disrupt public transportation services and [would] endanger the public's health, safety and welfare," reports SFGate.
Because the unions and BART still remain very far apart on the issues of wages, pensions and healthcare, the threat of a strike still looms
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. However, BART said union train operators and station agents average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually. BART says it needs to save money on benefits to help pay for system improvements.