Stop the BART Gravy Train

Contra Costa Times ^ | 8/16/9 | DANIEL BORENSTEIN

[SmithL]

WHEN AMALGAMATED Transit Union workers strike Monday morning, bringing BART to a halt and tying up Bay Area traffic, and then seek public sympathy, don't feel sorry for station agent Tiffany C. Li.

For the most part, her job requires her to sit in a booth watching the fare gates and answering patrons' questions. She's required to have a high school diploma. Last year, she earned $115,053.

And don't worry about train operator Ron Gadola. He is supposed to make sure his train doesn't run into the next one on the track, to announce stations as they're coming up, and to look out the window at each stop to make sure everyone is aboard. He, too, needs a high school diploma. Last year, he earned $136,330.

Both jobs have base salaries of about $63,000 a year. A BART survey found that, when you consider that they only work 37.5 hours a week and that BART pays both the employer and employee contributions to their pensions, their base salary makes them the highest paid train operators and station agents in the country — even after adjusting the data for the higher cost of living in the Bay Area.

That would be bad enough. But it's only part of the compensation for the workers who insist they're being asked to sacrifice too much and will be leading the walkout Monday. The other key factor is overtime — out-of-control overtime. Thirty-one of about 300 station agents last year earned over $20,000 in overtime; Li topped the list at $41,000. Of roughly 400 train operators, 115 earned more than $20,000 in overtime and eight exceeded $50,000 in OT. Gadola led that list at $62,000 — just for overtime.

Clearly something is very wrong here. And BART officials know it. ...

[RC2]

If our post offices can close on weekends, so can Bart.

[NotSoModerate]

And Obama wants union employees running our healthcare system! Imagine what a healthcare strike would do! Just the threat of a strike would force the government to pay them anything they asked, leading to out of control costs and low skilled workers in the system making more than the doctors!!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Have a closer look at our new Federal employees covering airport security next time you fly.

[NotSoModerate]

Now you’re trying to scare me... ;)

[GregoTX]

"Stop the BART Gravy Train"

MMMMmmmm Bart Gravy

[Old Flat Toad]

I don’t have to imagine it. I was there when Britians Ems/fire service went on strike back in the late 70’s. The USAF, through mutual aid agreements, ran things while the blokes sorted things out.

[Bottom_Gun]

“Have a closer look at our new Federal employees covering airport security next time you fly.”

I have looked at them, and I don’t think those I’ve seen could run 100 feet, let alone do anything else. I can say this with the experence of working Private security, and executive protection a few years back.