Update: No Contract But No Strike; BART Unions Say They'll Negotiate For One More Day

Updated 12:15 a.m.

BART managers and union leaders failed to reach a contract agreement late Sunday night, but a strike was put off for another 24 hours.

Just before midnight, BART released a statement saying they had made a "last, best and final offer" on Sunday afternoon.

It includes a pay raise of 12 percent over four years.

"I really hope that they are going to take it seriously and look at it," said BART General Manager Grace Crunican. "We are open to any ideas over those two weeks that they may have, we will try and keep that conversation open. It is time to bring this to a close. The Bay Area is tired of going to bed at night and not knowing if BART will be open or not."

BART officials said they've given the unions two weeks to consider the offer.

However, negotiators for the Service Employees International Union Local 21 and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 said at a 10:30 p.m. press conference that they will negotiate for only one more day.

They said some agreement had been reached on salary and benefits, but worker safety issues still had not been resolved.

The union representatives said workers will walk off the job at midnight Monday night if no contract agreement is reached.

"(BART) unceremoniously yanked their offer and gave us a last, best and final offer, which is a indication of an impasse and that they are no longer willing to bargain," said Antonette Bryant, president of ATU Local 1555.

At a 10 p.m. press conference, East Bay legislators criticized BART for making a final offer just hours before the midnight Sunday deadline.

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, said she was "disappointed" by BART's actions and wanted talks to continue past a midnight deadline.

"We want discussions to keep going, we want both sides to get to yes," Skinner said, speaking outside the building where labor talks were taking place.

"We are asking labor to take more time, and we want BART to withdraw that final offer so that the talks can keep going," Skinner said.

Skinner spoke with a group of state legislators Sunday night, all of whom called on both sides to continue talks and avert a strike.

Others present included Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward,and state Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro.

Sunday's talks proceeded with little comment from either side, after a day of negotiations on Saturday that BART officials called "productive." Elected officials including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom had expressed optimism that a deal was possible.

Bay City News Service contributed to this update

Updated 2:17 p.m. 

Bay City News Service — Contract negotiations resumed Sunday between BART and its two biggest unions as both sides worked to avoid a midnight strike that would cripple the Bay Area commute.

Union officials, BART leaders and elected representatives converged on Caltrans headquarters in Oakland this morning, where negotiations picked up after a "productive." round of talks on Saturday. 

Antonette Bryant, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, said she was cautiously optimistic that today's negotiations would end in a deal. She said her union's members were still prepared to strike at midnight should BART fail to meet its workers on key issues, including salaries and health benefit contributions. 

 "We are hopeful that we will get a deal today," Bryant said. "But we have not spent this much time at the table to take something that is not going to benefit our members and the riding public. That is not acceptable." 

 As of 12:30 p.m., there was no update from either party as to how today's negotiations were progressing. 

Updated 11 p.m. Saturday

Contract talks between BART and union officials adjourned late Saturday night but will resume Sunday morning as the deadline for a potential strike approaches.

Staff members remained on site Saturday night, analyzing details of contract proposals.

Union leaders and BART officials will return at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, said BART spokesman Rick Rice said.

"It was a productive day, but we're not discussing any details," Rice said. 

Negotiators are working to forestall a threatened strike that could start at midnight Sunday night.

BART management began negotiating on April 1 with the Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents 1,430 mechanics, custodians and clerical workers, andAmalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, which represents 945 station agents, train operators and clerical workers.

Workers went on strike for four and a half days at the beginning of July but returned to the bargaining table at the request of Gov. Jerry Brown.

When a strike again seemed imminent, Brown sought a 60-day cooling-off period, which expired this week.

The unions announced late Thursday night that they would postpone a potential strike for 72 hours.