Looks like the B.A.R.T. is going on strike.
 

Not that I would ever live out in Oakland, but looks like traffic is going to be a real bitch out there.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/articl...rs-4639593.php


KenWayne ‏@KenWayne 38m

Appears #BART strike is ON. Mgmt. says no new proposal. Workers walked from table.

It's bad enough with the BART, so it's going to be wild. I doubt there's enough parking in SF proper to handle all the cars. I was told last week that there's 700K daily rides on it.

Bus system is going on strike tomorrow.

Hmmm

"A typical BART station agent or train operator is paid a salary in the low $60,000 range. According to BART, they also make an average of $11,000 to $16,000 annually in overtime. The value of their benefits, the district estimates, averages an additional $50,000 a year."

Remember, though - these people are having to deal with the lowest rung of society. Just imagine how many Raider fans they encounter in a single day.

from Montana, I'm sure it looks like a lot of $$$ but the cost of living in SF negates this in reality. I can't imagine living there on $80k annually, it would be difficult to say the least.

true that. one of my classmates in college graduated and got a job in SF (this was in 1999) and bragged about getting $65k. Talked to him a year later, and he had 3 roommates to make ends meet.

I've been to SF twice; my brother and I were eating at some place on Pier 39 and we starting shootin' the breeze with our waiter. he said he lived in a small house about 1200 sq/ft, with 3 other dudes, and his share of the rent was something insane like 2k/month.

Thats a good living by KC standards, but the cost of living in San Fran is much higher than here. So that's not so much.

I have a customer who works in downtown SF. When I meet with him, I typically drive my rental and park in the same garage. It's about $100 for a two hour visit.

I work for MARTA here in Atlanta, our contract with the transit union is up next month...maybe a foreshadow of what is to come...keep us informed on progress.

And I thought $38 to park in a garage in downtown Chicago all day was crazy. Well, it is crazy, but $50 an hour is psychotic.

Gotta love Kalifornia.

So online I am reading that with benefits the compensation comes out to 160k. What does that eqate to the midwest?

Evidently ten dollars and change?

Don't have a cow man.

Gas went up 3 cents/gal today in cal also

good joke.

It is, on average, 20% more expensive in SF than KC....with the exception of housing, which is ~700% higher in SF.

I lived in SF for a while and it was very good for me. I live with very little stuff now and even though I have the freedom to have alot more space, I choose to have an 800 sqft house because that is enough. There are much more affordable areas serviced by bart than living in SF so that salary will get you a decent place in some East Bay communities.

Reports say the workers are opposing pay cuts, which if it is true off the base salary, is totally reasonable to strike and cripple transit, but if it is cuts to "benefits," or striking over compensation lost to furloughs from state budget cuts then that is something everyone in the US is facing and I'm less inclined to be supportive of the walkout.

I am more of a fire them and we'll hire someone else kinda person.

This is what reports I've read have said...

Frankly that's just a kick in the balls to people if that's true...hell I would have respected them more if they held their ground but when you're at a 23% raise and you agree to drop it by 1/2 a percent that's just insulting.

Supposedly they are mostly concerned about having to pay more for health insurance(who isn't these days) and also having to actually contribute to their pension costs.

Was planning to take my first trip out to SF over Labor Day weekend. I was planning on not renting a car and relying on BART to get around. I hope they get shit worked out by then.

Rent a bike... you'll enjoy it more.

If they don't have it figured out by labor day, San Fran will probably have burned to the ground anyway.

Die B.A.R.T. Die

(That's German for "The B.A.R.T. The")

Hmm, no one who speaks German could possibly be bad.

I'm so glad someone got that joke.

Yeah, With that money they are already making even at 20% cost of living increase to here, they need to let them walk and hire all the unemployed there..

Tons of them will go back to work once that starts happening..

I used the BART everywhere I went when I was visiting San Francisco a couple years ago. It's one of the most efficient subway systems I've ever been on.

That's going to gum up the works a whole lot.