Strike!

I have been told to clear my calendar at work after July 5th. I work for SEIU Local 790 and we represent BART workers who are set to strike next Wednesday.

"Our strike captains are ready, our picket signs are ready and our members are ready to walk off the job," said Josie Mooney, executive director of Service Employees International Union 790, which represents about 1,450 of BART's 2,700 union represented workers.

Saskia, my partner, takes BART to work every day and she keeps asking me if BART is going to strike. I think we will.

Union negotiators insisted that BART was being inflexible and unreasonable in asking for no wage increases over four years, a 13 percent increase in benefits costs to employees and the stripping of union power to influence rules governing employee work assignments. BART officials declined Tuesday to discuss the specifics of what they were proposing.

"We think they are trying to push us as hard as they can to force us into a situation where we have to strike," said Larry Hendel, chief negotiator for the two largest unions, in an interview.

I'll keep you posted on what I know, but if you take BART, get ready to car pool. I know one person in my household who may be looking for car pool partners...