BART officials claim they reached peace with their workers. In fact, they bought them off — at taxpayer and rider expense.
On its face, the latest labor deal seems innocuous: It extends the current 2013 contract for another four years with salary increases at roughly the current cost of living.
But that lacks context. BART officials gave away the store in 2013. The new extension, to 2021, layers onto the earlier deal, further inflating salaries without paring back sweetheart benefits.
And, in a detail General Manager Grace Crunican didn’t mention during her public announcement Monday, BART negotiators gave up any hope of saving money by insisting workers contribute their fair share to their pensions.
BART can’t afford this deal. Projections show a $400 million shortfall in the district’s operating budget over the next 10 years. The new contract will dig the hole $77 million deeper.
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