Sacramento – Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D – San Francisco) today called on BART and union officials to resume negotiations as soon as possible.
“Throughout Sunday and now into Monday, the negotiations are at a standstill. Meanwhile, commuters trying to get to work are facing chaos on the freeways, waterways and at bus stations,” Ting said. “For some, not getting to work means not getting paid. Our fragile economy can’t endure a prolonged strike. I encourage both sides to get back to the table and iron out their differences.”
A major issue in the negotiations is workplace safety. BART has been cited by the California Occupational Safety and Hazard Agency (CalOSHA) for 46 violations in recent years, including two fatalities. CalOSHA is the state agency responsible for enforcing workplace health and safety standards.
Last Friday, Assemblymember Ting sent a letter to the state Assembly Labor and Employment Committee requesting the committee hold an oversight hearing on worker safety violations at the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) district.
“If BART workers are enduring safety issues as they claim, then riders are too,” Ting said. “That’s why I’ve called for a legislative hearing to find out what BART is doing to mitigate the problems that led to the CalOSHA safety citations,” Ting said.
Contact: Carol Chamberlain, (916) 319-2019