BART Strike Over

A tentative agreement between striking Bay Area Rapid Transit workers and BART management has ended the employees’ four-day strike. The new contract must be approved and ratified by members of SEIU 1021 and ATU 1555, the rail system’s two largest unions.

Last night, in a statement released by Local 1021, John Arantes, BART Chapter President of that local announced:

“Tonight the hard working men and women who keep the Bay Area moving, can go back to work making BART the most efficient and successful system in the country.”

Added Des Patten, President of SEIU 1021’s BART Professional Chapter:

“Let us be clear that our commitment to improving the safety at BART doesn’t end with these negotiations. With this agreement, we expect that General Manager Grace Crunican will continue the dialogue with its unions on working conditions and health and safety at BART.”

According to SFGate, the San Francisco Chronicle’s website, “Limited train service didn’t begin until just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, two hours later than the agency had promised. The delay was because of staffing problems related to getting the system up and running again after the strike, the agency acknowledged.”

Two BART engineers were killed Saturday in an accident when they were struck by a train as  they inspected a section of track near Walnut Creek.