FirstName

Town/City

Comment 

Samuel

 Vallejo

I will hate to lose my job because of BART strikes. 

Holly

Alameda

 I am almost always in favor of supporting union workers but BART employees make good money and know they can hold commuters hostage to get more.  Times are tough and there are so many unemployed and struggling people out there.  Everyone I know has had to make monetary sacrifices at their job or lost it.  How many people out there have worked for many years with no raise whatsoever?  It may not seem fair, but it is, unfortunately, reality in our country, at least until our economy gets better.  

David

Alameda

 In San Francisco, Muni transit workers cannot strike. Neither can transit workers strike in cities like New York and Chicago. The reasons are so obvious as to require no discussion. The time has come to stop this blackmail by BART workers and prohibit them from striking once and for all. We must demand action by our legislature and the Governor to pass a law immediately to outlaw any further strike action by BART workers.  

Debra

Alameda

 I specifically moved to the Bay Area because of the public transportation. I took a job in San Francisco so I could ride BART to my job.  I rented a home because of its proximity to BART. I chose my medical providers so that I could ride BART to my appointments. Each time SART EMPLOYEES strike, I am denied access to my job. and health care.    If BART EMPLOYEES do not LIKE their jobs, QUIT!  If BART EMPLOYEES do not do their jobs, they should be fired for putting the public at risk:    MORE RISK OF ACCIDENTS IN HEAVY COMMUTE TRAFFIC, AND DIVERSIONS TO UNFAMILIAR ROUTES.  INABILITY TO GET TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.  FINANCIAL BURDEN TO INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESS IN THE ENTIRE BAY AREA AND BEYOND  FINALLY, NO BUSINESS OR PUBLIC ENTITY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HOLD ANY CITY(s), county(S) OR STATE HOSTAGE FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.    THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE GREATFUL TO BE   WORKING  , GIVE THEM THE BART EMPLOYEES JOBS,   

manon

alameda

Too many people are harmed by a bart strike. They need to find another way to settle things. 

STELLA

ALAMEDA

 BART employees are extremely well paid considering their average skill levels.  Maybe they should look around at see what people with highly technical degrees, who have been laid off are willing to work for.  

Dan

Alameda

 BART workers are among the highest paid in the nation. This is not about safety nor improvements. Unions fought for the public good, and now they only fight for greed.  

Judith

Alameda

 I agree that BART workers should not be allowed to go on strike, but should settle their labor dispute through arbitration.  

Allen

Alameda

 I appluad you bravery.  I have no problems with organzied labor.  In fact, my father was a member of a union and we greatly benefited from the membership.  But, these folks have gone to far. Considering the state of the economy, they are extermely selfish and self-serving.  It is about time that goverment steps and take action.  Other public tranist systems have exsiting no-strike clauses in their contracts.  We also have to remeber what Regan did when he told that the Air Traffic Controllers could not strike.  

Patricia

Alameda

 I have been paying part of my Medical and Dental for 25 years.  I have no sympathy at all. The world is changing and we all need to be happy to be healthy and working. Period.  

Larissa

Alameda

 Teachers and most of us on Bart dont make as much as Bart workers do, so we absolutely understand the desire for more money to raise a family in the Bay Area.  But taking the money out of our pockets isnt the answer.  You have better benefits than most. Keep negotiating.  

Michael

Alameda

 BART workers are provided higher-than-standard wages and benefits. This is due to the special accountability and responsibility for providing continuous, reliable transit service to the public. Therefore their special compensation is commensurate with their public service obligation which should not give them the right to diminish, interrupt, nor terminate the performance of these public services which their jobs are bound to.  

Dante

Alamo

All the BART employees should be fired.  I haven't had a raise in 5 years. 

Harold

Alamo

 Legislation should include jail for striking union leaders, and striking workers should be fired and replaced with people who want to serve the public.   

Byron

Alamo

 Strikes hurts riders, cities, state not the company or its managers  

Karen

Alamo

BART (union and management) need to remember that but for the customer they exist.  Thousands of people depend on the BART system every day.  Enough nonsense - start compromising!  Be grateful for what you have because you have a heck of a lot more than most people who ride BART every day. 

curtis

Alamo

 A great start, bless you. secondly to cap the increases we'll need a vehicle to overcome the union of unions and their beneficiaries who may seek to ruin anyone who sponsors a bill .A proposition tied to a formula such a soc sec etc is the answer. Originally Gov Brown was a fence sitter on prop 13 then a big booster when it passed..  

Michelle

Alamo

This is ridiculous that they get to disrupt the entire transportation in the bay area because they aren't getting the benefits and raises that they want. Welcome to every other person and company in the bay! Everyone is in the same boat but we don't get to strike and then get our way because of the hell it causes! It sends a bad message to all! 

William

Albany

There should be a arbitration process to avoid strikes for public employees. 

Robert

ALBANY

 Finally, a democratic candidate with courage and integrity.  

Steve

Albany

 It's about time. WE PAID for the system and PAY to use it AND provide BART employees with their great salaries and benefits. BART strikes create a huge burden on hundreds of thousands of riders (and non-riders), and bay area businesses. Public safety and services are impaired. BART is not some private company we can choose not to use. It's not like our favorite Safeway is on strike so we'll have to settle for Lucky's but at least we can buy food. There are no alternatives to BART other than making everyone spend more money and time to get around the bay area along with a lot more stress. There are thousands of people who would love to have these terrible BART jobs and would do them with great enthusiasm and a big smile.  

Julie

Albany

Bart is public transportation so does not have the right to go on strike just like police or fire fighters 

Pearl

Albany

I believe totally that al l public transportations should not be allowed to strike. 

Darrin

Antioch

BART workers should not be allowed to strike...the effects are to great. 

Tracy

Antioch

Get rid of the useless union while you're at it! 

Larry

Antioch

 I will support any legislation which will prevent public transit servants from striking.  There are other ways to reach contract agreements other than holding the commuting public hostage, which essentially the unions are doing.  Neither side in negotiations should have an unfair advantage such as the unions now enjoy with the threat of a strike.  

Valentina

Antioch

Another Bart strike would create a huge problem for me trying to get to San Francisco for school and work. Its already difficult commuting that far without a vehicle I am very greatful for the Bart services and hope that no one has to go through this once again. 

abdul

antioch

I dont think they desrve any raise. 

reza

Antioch

 BART Strikes hurt our communities, hurt our children education and our overall wellbeing as a society.  

Riley

Antioch

Disabed people and low income workers rely on public transportation. It should never be on strike again! Be happy you're income is more than 50k per year because many people would gladly take that salary and your job if you aren't happy with it! 

Kerry

Antioch

Public transit strikes must be banned! 

Jennifer

Antioch

It should be illegal for Bart to strike.  Please listen to the people!  DO NOT ALLOW A STRIKE! 

John

Antioch

NO STRIKE!!!! 

laura

Antioch

 I use bart 5 days a week, I have a long trip and I spend great amount of money monthly. If I had to drive to the city of San Francisco every day, I would not be in the same great job I have.  I want to let Bart union know every one has been affected by the great recession, Bart employees should be happy they have such a great pay... then make more than many of us with MA.  

Kathleen

Antioch

Police and Fire Fighters are not allowed to strike.  The same restriction should be held for Bart Employees. 

Christopher

Antioch

Bart employees are already overpaid and greedy. They do not deserve the additional pay at our expense. Keep the fares down and the cars clean!! 

vitus

Antioch

Ridiculous 

pai tee

antioch

Stop the barr. Union and their ezcessive request 

Van

Antioch

 They need to be mature, this is getting a bit too ridiculous.  

Van

Antioch

 They need to be mature, this is getting a bit too ridiculous.  

Joyce

Antioch

   Tact is the rare ability to keep silent while two sides argue, all the while knowing they are both wrong   The public should have a voice in the matter as well.  

Nelson

Antioch

 I live in Antioch, and work in Fremont. The BART strike not only affects me economically, but also risks my employment in the case that I cannot make it to work. Please ban BART strikes.   sincerely,   Nelson Alvarado, Jr.  

Craig

Antioch

Please do something to stop the bart workers/employee from striking and disrupting community workers 

Van

Antioch

 They need to be mature, this is getting a bit too ridiculous.  

Dreama

Antioch

 Truly unfair that any union has the power to impact public welfare. jeopardize commuters employment, and slow or shut down businesses. There are too many people in the Bay Area that are without a personal vehicle that rely on this system for their livelihood. The unions display blatant disrespect for the commuters (who pay the salaries of their union members), and think that we will back them. We have come to the conclusion that their benefits are way too generous, their family members should be paying for a ticket,  and their salaries do not need to be raised by 10% plus over the next four (4) years. Some riders on their system have not had a salary increase in 3-4 years, so BART workers need to remember that while they are screaming for more. Enough of this insanity.  

vitus

Antioch

Ridiculous 

Gwen

Antoch

 May municipalities ban strikes by employees of transit systems and we should, also!  BART employees earn more than any other transit system in the nation- or close to it.  Also, many  people have to pay for part of their medical coverage, so the BART folks should, too.  In my opinion, they are greedy lot!  School teachers should earn what they do!!  

Christie

Auburn

 The cost of a strike is too high to pay, both to the economy and the environment. The arguments made by the author are powerful and, hopefully, will be convincing to California's legislators.  

Margaret

Bay Point

 BART should not be allowed to strike.  Investigation into BART Management's practices still needs to be completed because they obviously have mismanaged all the money for the last for 40 years or the system wouldn't be in such a state of disrepair.  BART Management's salaries should be reined and they should be required to take any cuts they are making the workers take because BART Management does LESS than the workers to earn their keep and the system will run without management and the system WILL NOT run without the workers.  BART Management makes costly errors and is never held accountable for all of the money they waste.  Something needs to be done about BART Management.  I dont' blame the SEIU, I blame BART Management!  Grace should have never been hired.  BART should have promoted within.   

janine

bay point

 BART employees should not be allowed to hold the entire Bay Area hostage.... work it out, greedy  

Leslie

Bay Point

 BART is essential to Seniors, please have consideration of this fact.  

Yvonne

Bay Point

The Bart workers need to get a realistic view of the economy. The rest of the working force must pay part or all of their benefits. 

Zoila

Bay Point

Strikes on transportation cause too much looses in every body's daily life.  Stop them. 

Maureen

Benicia

The Unions will cripple this country just like they did in the U.K. 

Diana

Benicia

 Check out your benefits against all of rest of us around you.  You are asking too much, and causing others to be in fear of losing their jobs.  

Brent

Benicia

I believie a Bart Strike would be extortion. Using the publics safety as leverage to get an outrageous pay increase should be illegal and immoral. 

Brenda

Benicia

 They are over paid bus drivers.  And their bus is computerized and they do not have to deal with traffic, double parked cars, or red lights, and they sit in a safe sealed off compartment.  

Vladimir

Berkeley

 We gave the unions and BART management the time to negotiate like adults, however both sides continue their childish selfish behavior.  This has to stop.  

Laura

Berkeley

Don't drag down economy and ruin lives of many during negotiations. 

Tiffany

Berkeley

I ride Bart and its frustrating & a hassle when fussy Bart workers go on strike! It doubles my commute! 

Gary

Berkeley

 The strike gives the union an excess power (strangle hold) on the whole community to get their way, giving them more power than any other worker or industry group in the Bay Area.  

Peter

Berkeley

Bay Area citizens should not be held hostage to demands for better compensation without limits. We should not have to guarantee workers compensation level without regards to how other comparable jobs are compensated. 

Brittany

Berkeley

 BART employees ALREADY make 3x the income as I do, as a school teacher. It is an insult to me, personally, that they hold ME hostage during the strikes, not themselves. The strike hurts more innocent people than it does help and worthy cause. If BART wants to hire anyone to fill the positions of the selfish union members, they can hire me!!!  

mark

berkeley

 I was mildly pro-union until I started to follow what they're up to. Hiring Deborah Edgerly as a   consultant  ? Gouging tax payers under the pretense of   safety?    Bring down the hammer on these parasites.  

Mizue

Berkeley

I comute to San Francisco because convinient and much cheaper than use my Car to go there every day. Please stop bart Strikes and save my energy and make good economy. 

Amy

Berkeley

 Although I am generally pro-union, I feel that essential government agencies should not have the authority to hold an entire metropolitan area hostage.  

Malcolm

Berkeley

Thank you for taking the initiative with every one in mind. 

Benjamin

Berkeley

This criples the economy... should NOT be allowed. 

Shaunna

Berkeley

Bart should never be allowed to strike. 

carlos

Berkeley

Binding Arbitration and no strike clause are needed if Union and Management cant resolve contract negotiations.... 

Benjamin

Berkeley

 I am a public school teacher in my 9th year and a dues paying union member.  In my adult life I have never been against a work place action, until these BART strikes.  I make $59,000 after 9 years of public service, that is not right.  BART does not run past midnight, nor does it go to Marin, nor does it reach Tracy.  There are many other urban rail transit systems which have more affordable service that reaches out to farther places.  

Cynthia

Brentwood

 Enough already.  They make enough money- have fabulous benefits, job security.  Better living wage than most people in the Bay Area.  

ray

brentwood

They already make too much. too many people out of work. the only one that comes out to head is the top union officials. and guess who comes out on the bottom.2 

Kirsty

Brentwood

It is detrimental to the Bay Area economy to allow BART workers to strike. 

Rodney

Brentwood

BART is an essential service for many employees. BART employers are already the highest paid transit workers in the USA with excessive overtime payments. 

Stephanie

Brentwood

These strikes negatively impact the whole community.  This can not happen again. 

Joseph

CA

Stop BART strikes that damage the economy and hurt the public just trying to get to work 

lonnie

calif

 No more, at all  

Alla

Castro Valley

The same union members - San Francisco Social Worker never can go on strike as a part of f the agreement with the  Local 1021.  Train operators definetely needs to be banned from striking. 

David

Castro Valley

I support the ban on strikes by public transit workers. 

Danette

Castro Valley

 Police & Fire both are unable to strike. Given the impact that BART has on the entire Bay Area -- and the profound negative impact a strike creates, it makes sense for these trains to operate throughout negotiations.   

Tonia

castro valley

Think this is great!  My opinion is these strikes are selfsh..  plus for them not to start negotiations right when governor signed cooling off period and wait a month  IS FRICKN RIDICULOUS!!! 

Patricia

Castro Valley

 They are making a good wage, better that a lot of the people that ride the bart.  

Pamela

Castro Valley

BART workers have become increasingly greedy.  They should not have the power to strike and reek havoc on the entire Bay Area. 

Angie

Castro Valley

I feel so deeply sorry for the poor transit commuters and car commuters  who must put up with all of the problems that this strike causes. 

Marla

Castro Valley

 If they already have a 'no strike' clause in their expired contract, they should not be allowed to strike - PERIOD!    I am a state employee and we are not allowed to strike.  If we strike, we lose our jobs.  Should be the same for the BART workers.  

Jeanette

Castro Valley

 If they strike, fire 'em  

Martha

Castro Valley

If they don't want to work open thir jobs up to the public and the will be filled in hours.  They make good money and do not work hard.  Bart also needs to take a look at the work force. They have workers that just sit around and sleep 

James

Castro Valley

Let's stop this nonsense for good 

Pamela

Clayton

 Just like the Police, Firefighters and Air Traffic Controlers, BART should not be allowed to strike. They are the highest paid in the nation, offer very little services to the public,except for the highest ticket prices. This is a shameful situation that they negotiate behind closed doors. How can all involved sit on the same side of the table and expect a fair outcome.  Bart workers are out of touch with present day economics and are like petulant children, insistant on their own way.  

Donna

Clayton

Air Traffic Controllers cannot strike. Employees of major mass transit operations should be allowed to strike due to the impact on the economy and the increase in the traffic congestion and safety of the commuting public. 

Gregory

Clayton

Bart in the Bay area should be held to the same standards as major transportation in other large cities are held to. 

Barbara

Clayton

 While Bart workers have a great benefits package already (health and retirement - as compared to others), the issue is why should any agency be allowed to handcuff the public like they have done.  How about binding arbitration?  

Leah

Concord

 As with the air traffic controllers, I believe there are hundreds of people ready and willing to take these jobs. After all, now we know how much they make and how little formal education it requires.  The move of commuters to the highways would be more dangerous for those who generally use the highways as well as for the Bart riders.  

Lance

Concord

 My vote to Prohibit the Ability to Strike should Not be mistaken as a vote for the workers not to have Fair Wages, Fair Benefit Costs or a Safe Work Environment. Make It Happen  

Vicki

Concord

A strike by public transit causes too much disruption.  The people who really need public transit are the ones most affected! 

Robert

Concord

I need to get to SFO. Ban Bart from strike! 

Robert

Concord

 These people make too much money for the job they do.  Git ride of all of them. Angry WWll / Korean war vet.  

Dianne

Concord

A strike only hurts the working population who can't afford or don't have other options for transportation.  Many of whom do not have the benefits that BART employees do. 

Christine

Concord

 Merit increases should be based on performance, not workforce-wide protests.  There are plenty of people out there willing to work for a fair wage, and be compensated based on their accomplishments.  

Michael

Concord

The monopoly BART union is extorting riders and taxpayers with the threat of a strike.  Essential public services should be exempt from the threat of strikes. Total compensation for BART workers should be set through salary surveys as is done for Federal employees in civil service. 

juli

concord

Please do not allow strike 

Michael

Concord

BART strikes adversely impact public safety and should not be allowed. 

Donna

Concord

 Elderly, no car, need BART for transportation.  

Mark

Concord

 I support unions, but not strikes of public transportation workers. Sorry.  

Stacy

Concord

 Not only does a strike place a burden on the person traveling it affects family, school, children, elderly care and other responsibilites to the public. There has been ample time to negotiate and agreement. It is time to find common ground.  

Justin

Concord

 They are asking for too much, in excess of 20%, an 8% raise is something that I can get behind.  I cannot support them at this rate.  

NINA

CONCORD

It is unconscionable to allow a strike without a backup plan that accommodates the full amount of commuters from all points as any emergency backup plan would do. 

Gaby

Concord

 Bart employees should not be allowed to strike because they have too great of an impact on the community, people's livelihood (loss of income, added stress)m added traffic congestion and more air pollution.  Furthermore, BART employees already have a good salary in addition to great perks and excellent benefits.  Join the rest of the working public who have to get by with 2% increases and less benefits.  We're all in the same boat -why should you be any different.  AND, just because we need BART doesn't make you special, everyone is replaceable and strikers should be replaced with someone who would be thankful to have a job.  

Ron

Concord

BART transit should be viewed as a basic necessity similar to utilities like electricity and gas. 

luis

Concord

I RELY ON BART TO GET TO WORK :) without bart it will take me 3hrs... as when i take bart is only a short ride of 25min 

Maryann

Concord

A Bart strike would make the roads miserable in the the Bay Area 

Alan

Concord

 As a government worker myself (who is already prohibited from going on strike), I am mindful of the need to do the public's work, since they are paying our salaries.  The BART workers should gratefully accept the latest offer and continue working without inconveniencing millions of transit users.  

Matthew

concord

Bart's demands are out of sync with the actual economy. 

Mary Ann

Concord

BART employees are greedy.  Most people would be happy to have anyone of those jobs with 1/3rd the pay and benefits.  

Maya

Concord

Bart employees should NOT be allowed to strike!!!!! Fire them all and hire people that will not complain about getting a good paying job. 

Colleen

Concord

I have family and friends who use bart on a daily bases the stike would very BAD 

Ralph

Concord

 I think the demands the workers are making are absurd, as well as the fact that Management can not really prepare replacement workers, or themselves.  

evette

concord

If bart going on strike it will make it very difficult to get to ok  I am praying the they will come to an agreement. 

Adela

Concord

 If strikes happens, can we have busses from Concord going to San Francisco?  We have  more parking spaces than Walnut Creek.  

Jenny

Concord

 No Bart strike, it's bad for economy and community.  

Rebecca

Concord

 On average hundreds of thousands of people rely on BART daily to get to work, school and/or home. It is a fundamental system in the Bay Area that helps people to commute without adding extra cars on the road. Shutting down BART not only causes problems for those who need it but also causes overlap of customers onto other commuting systems. Like other major cities San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area can't afford to have BART shut down because it is the number one system for commuters. Like hospitals and other forms of public services we can't afford (literally) to have BART shutdown without causing a surge of commuter problems and millions of dollars lost in revenue for the BART system itself!  

Zhanna

Concord

 Once BART is on strike,I will have no means to get to work. I live in Concord but work in San Francisco. My 22 students deserve better. They need their teacher with them,on time and not being stressed how to get to work!   

Donna

Concord

Please prevent another strike which will lead to traffic and unnecessary chaos. 

David

Concord

 The BART union's demands are unreasonable.  Opposition to the BART unions is not anti-labor, it's pro-labor.  Labor needs to be able to get to their places of work.  The BART union members should not have any right to deny them that capability.  Do not be cowards, Democratic party politicians.  Support your constituencies.  Outlook transit strikes once and for all.  

Olivetta

Concord

Transportation is a vital service paid for by the public and should not be liable to strikes. It's common sense. 

Betty

concord

 I don't have a car...I'm on unemployment with only $200 a week. Finally found a part time job. Since benefits are ending in Dec. Our way to survive literally depends on getting to work on time to make ends meet, before becoming homeless. Please STOP this madness!!!! I beg you;(((((((  

Kendy

concord

na 

BRENDA

Concord

This petition makes perfect sense and is needed to help support the working people in the Bay Area to avoid incurring loss in pay and disruption to their families and employers. 

Cheryl

Concord

Bart is a public service. 

Tim

Concord

FIRE THEM ALL 

Ellen

Concord

 I feel that everytime theirs a contract negotiation the commuters have to pay the price.  Furthermore, when a negotiation takes place, the Bart prices are hiked up. WHEN IS THIS GOING TO END! It's bad enough that the Californians living cost is high as is...  I would like us, the Commuters, stand up for ourselves and go on a strike for a week and see how Bart and there staff suffer a bit!  

Ariel

Concord

 I'm using bart for work and to get around  bay area. Without bart, I cannot work and do my daily chores.  

LEE NORMA

concord

This is a abuse.  We the users are the  Union's  hostage  in other words they are prejudicing our family economy giving to us struggles. Union do not have any moral as the politician does. 

Lynne

Corte Madera

BART should not be allowed to strike 

Ann

Coto De Caza

THE BART EMPLOYEES ARE WELL PAID FOR THE SERVICE THEY PERFORM. A STRIKE IS COMPLETELY SELF SERVING AND WRONG 

Angela

Crockett

Bart strike will make everyones commute more dangerous and people having to depend on other means of transportation. 

Karen

Crockett

 Bart workers should be greatful they have a job, not everyone is so lucky  

Stephanie

Cupertino

 This is insane!! Holding the Bay Area Commuters hostage is not right, and we aren't going to put up with it.  

Rafael

Daly City

 Greedy workers and unions; with the exception of their Engineers and mechanics, they don't deserve what they demand. Those ingrates make more (in comp + benefits) than some highly educated professionals. Also believe the management needs to be more fiscally responsible.  

Tun

Daly City

BART must have a right to hire non union workers . So that we rider will not get rape by union workers due to their greedy. 

Angela

Daly City

 I agree that BART takes public money and should not be allowed to strike.  Two thousand people should not be allowed to severely impact 475K people, cause disruption and loss of wages for those who do not have the option of working at home or taking time off.  

irvin

daly city

 A bart strike would hurt too many people for getting to their jobs, schools, doctor, etc.  

irvin

daly city

 A bart strike would hurt too many people for getting to their jobs, schools, doctor, etc.  

James

Danville

Strike does not solve and problems - it creates more problems. 

Rachel

Danville

 Riding BART and taking one of the buses from the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority is the only way for my boyfriend and I to see each other on the weekends (I live in Danville and he lives in San Jose).  If the ability to use BART easily is taken away, it's going to be harder for us to schedule when we see each other, and I don't want that taken away from me :( I love him.  

Rick

Danville

BART employees and their union have a monopoly on rail service in the Bay Area and are willing to disrupt the commute schedule of seven million people in the Bay Area to get their exorbinate raise and plush benifit package. 

Kristin

Danville

 BART is too important to the economy in the Bay Area.  The BART workers would still have more leverage than most US workers without the right to strike.  No matter what, they are still able to do what all the rest of us can do when we don't like our pay/benefits/job:  quit.  

Edward

Danville

Bay Area commuters will not be held hostage in the future. 

Jackie

Danville

Holding innocent commuters hostage by striking is ridiculous and damaging to an already fragile economy 

Arthur

Danville

Please the ability for bart workers to strike. 

Dale

Danville

Mass transit of any kind should not strike as it affects the well being of all. 

Mark

Danville

Support the hard-workinf people that rely on a functioning BART system to drive the Bay Area economy. 

Phillip

Danville

We can't afford a strike by a minority of the population. 

Gary

Danville

 BART does not belong to its employees, who are already overpaid.  Taxes and fares paid for BART.  If the current employees don't want to accept the current offer, let's replace them with people who would love to have those jobs.  

Bob

Danville

BART strikes should not be permitted as such strikes are crippling and not permitted in other significant metropolitan areas. 

Douglas

Danville

 Doesn't impact me much. I can work from home online. But many others depend on jobs in the City but live in the East Bay.   If we can't have dependable,  reliable transportation,  give us back our freeways.  

Ross

Danville

Elementary protection against a predatory union of domestic terrorists 

David

Danville

 It is criminal to hold the passengers hostage and to expect exorbatant pay increases for low level jobs that are already way in excess of their market rate value. It is ths comsumers that will pay in the end  

James

Danville

 BART workers seem so terribly unhappy, perhaps, they should consider another line of work.  In this time of soaring unemployment, I'm sure there would be multiple applications for each of these jobs' at the current (very high) salary.  

Rod

Danville

 With an economy as large as the Bay Area's and as progressive an agenda our society has embraced, it should be imperative that transit strikes in the Bay Area and throughout CA be against the law.  Too much of our economy and environment is at risk otherwise.  

Drew

Discovery Bay

I need this to earn money to support myself and my local economy. 

Lynae

Dublin

BART strikes negatively affect the public and do nothing to strengthen collective bargaining. Thank you for lobbying on behalf of the people! 

Ananth

Dublin

 Bart employees are blackmailing commuters every 4 years and it should stop and resolved by negotiations  Bart employees are not getting any love from people who are most liberal in the country and that tells th something  

chacko

Dublin

My Right to Travel 

Dawn

Dublin

Please ban BART from public strikes! 

Valerie

Dublin

The needs of a few should not outweigh the needs of the majority. 

David

Dublin

 As a public transportation that hundreds of thousands of people depend on for there lively hood, BART should not be able to strike.  

Kathy

Dublin

Sick of strikes! Be grateful to have a job!! 

Kathy

Dublin

Bart is the main transportation for many communters and the trains need to continue to run. 

Jiml

Dublin

 Small business owners who rely on commuters are harmed by BART worker strikes. They lose their opportunity to work and possibly their business, when BART workers strike. Likewise, small business owners cannot hold up public progress in order to raise their pay. No public employee should be allowed to strike, it is a betrayal of public trust. Bargain for salary changes like the rest of the free market has to in the Bay area by changing jobs.  

Tamra

Dublin

I don't believe any one organization should have the power to hold the public as a pawn in negotiations.  The impact to riders who don't make as much and don't have as good benefits or pensions is atrocious. 

Anita

Dublin

 I have a driing phobia , so i cant commute by car , i rely on BART for my office commute . i dont have alternate options to commute if BART goes on Strike .  

Andrew

Dublin

 No labor union should be allowed to hold hostage the greater public interest, to be used as a barganing chip at the negotiation table.  

Kenneth

Dublin

 No strikes - and ALL future new hires must: 1 - have at least a HS diploma, 2 - pass quarterly drug tests.  Also, no pension for anyone - you want retirement? Start a 401K like all 'normal' working people.  

winny

Dublin

No strike. We need a statewide law. 

Kimberley

Dyer

 Public unions should not be able to strike . They work for us , Yet they negotiate with others . So when they strike they are not harming the one they negotiate with . Yes true they harm their   employer   . But we have NO VOICE in the negotiations .  

Nannette

El Cerrito

I work with a NO STRiKE clause in my union contract.  There are just some jobs when you work for the public that striking is NOT an option. 

lobsang

El Cerrito

Timely use of commonsense will be helpful. 

Peter

El Cerrito

Finally!  Let us get this done.  I would like to volunteer to obtain signatures at the El Cerrito BART station 

Jennifer

El Cerrito

 I strongly support Steve Glazer's efforts to ban strikes by public transit workers, including BART.  

ruth

el cerrito

 BART strikes are dangerous, unnecessary and unproductive. Strikes settle nothihng. Negotiating in good faith and trying to work out an equitable agreement is most important. Striking on public transportation needs to be stopped/banned.  

Patricia

El Cerrito

 BART strikes are a disaster for the Bay Area. More cars, more pollution. Hours wasted commuting. Leaving many Bay Area residents without transportation. No union should have the right to cause such chaos.  

noureddine

el cerrito

It affects everyone negatively...as a taxi driver we didn't get any business last time Bart was on strike 

Judy

El Cerrito

Public transportation systems should never be allowed to strike. 

David

El Cerrito

BART workers are overpaid.  They need to be paid equivalent to what the private sector would pay.  Please ban transportation strikes. 

Sandra

El Sobrante

BART workers are pawns of the over-greedy Union. This is not what unions were established to do.  Most workers have it better than a large percentage of the population.  Don't let the Union highjack the Bay Area to feed their greed. 

diamond

el sobrante

 I have to go to walnut creek from Oakland every day, i hate having to drive because i work at night almost fell asleep behind the wheel . I use bart for times like that or just to keep my car at home.  

Russell

El Sobrante

 I agree with Orinda City Councilmember Steve Glazer that a BART strike will cripple our economy, hurt workers getting to their jobs, limit access to schools and health care, and damage our environment..  I depend on BART to commute to downtown for work on a daily basis.  

david

el sobrante

 This kind of strike affects too many of us and our jobs. These workers get premium pay and benefits that no other workers get or expect from their employers. They should be thankful  for the job and benefits received.  

Eric

El Sobrante

Ban Bart and Airport strikes 

Kathrine

Elk Grove

Frankly I think the BART workers are greedy self-centered pigs!They are public transportation! And there are long lines of people that would do their jobs for what they are getting now!  Let those people have the BART jobs....Especially if they feel so mistreated...let them feel what it is like not to be able to get to work....let alone HAVE A JOB TO GO TO!  Disgusting how they are happy to put the entire bay area to their knees just to get what they want!  

Sean

Emeryville

 I pay taxes to have Bart available.   Striking Bart employees are selfish and have a bad attitude.  

Mary

Emeryville

Ban Bart Strikes! Bart Strikes effects everyone and people around us. It's a no win situation for all and our economy. 

Michelle

Emeryville

My ability to access public transit should never be a bargaining chip for union contract negotiations. 

Lezlie

Fair Oaks

I think this is important and ground-breaking legislation. 

Yumiko

Fairfield

This should not be tolerated... both sides need to come to an agreement and not cause such craziness for commuters! 

Byron

Forestville

 taxpayers paid for bart and it is criminal that they can use the same taxpayer riders as a  pawn in there quest to get more money for a salary that is already over the top of the average pay scale.  

Artemio

Fremont

Thanks to Steven Glazer for taking on this effort. BART staff should not be allowed to strike. Bay Area residents should be the ones to suffer for a breakdown at the negotiation table. 

Donna

Fremont

 The raises BART seeks are ridiculous.  They make good money now and there are many, many people who would love to have those jobs with the pay BART has already.  Too much 'damage' to the bay area when BART strikes.  

Paula

Fremont

 Hire people who would love to have the great benefits that the Bart employees already have.  Use Bart management to run trains to SF everyday if there is a strike.  Bart employees are way over paid and should lose their jobs if they strike.  Change this law please and make it illegal to strike because we pay their paycheck and 400,000 riders shouldn't be held captive.  

Evelyn

Fremont

This is devastating to all who use Bart and terrible financially to California 

Marcin

FREMONT

 The strikes are ridiculous and un-necessary and based on greed. What make them more deserving than anyone else we are all struggling but they deserve to cripple a region just to demand a guaranteed raise .., WHO GETS A GUARANTEE IN THIS WORLD!!!?  You dont want to know how i would handle them... fire them of or end the union. I have never been against union in my 30 years of life they battle has single handed turned me off of unions forever!  

Harish Kumar

Fremont

 We already have experienced once. We do not want to go thru it again. Either resolve it or just make sure you have better alternatives if the strike is looming again.  I am not sure why is it taking more time to resolve it and just going always for last minute meetings. Why cant they do it now instead of going last minute meetings for whole night.  

Nipun

Fremont

 BART is an essential public service and as such should be a part of law (present in most developed and developing countries) which prohibits essential services to be shutdown . Its called the ESMA ( Essential Services Maintenance Act) .See Wikipedia link below http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_Services_Maintenance_Act  

Joshua

Fremont

 Everyone was hurt by the recession. The recovery has barely been a recovery at all. According to what I read in the news, the BART workers are among the best paid in the country. As a Software Engineer, I was shocked to learn that the average BART worker made more than I did last year, not even including benefits like their pension. I hear the unions say that they're just trying to make up for raises that were lost over the past few years because of the recession. What makes them so special? We all missed out on raises. No one fixed that for the rest of us. They have a lot of gall to act so entitled while inflicting even more financial harm on everyone else. I'm normally very pro-union, but these guys are out of control. From what I see everyday on my commute, they're overstaffed, do a terrible job of maintaining the system, and they have the nerve to hold an economic gun to our head while demanding more money when they're already very well paid and the rest of us are still hurting? They almost as bad as congressional Republicans.  

Anirudh

Fremont

 BART is the lifeline of Bay Area.  People lose their jobs if they can't go to work for longer periods.  Atleast I have a desk job, I can probably work from home, but it does get painful if I am not in front of my colleagues.  

Deepu

fremont

I condemn the bart strike. It will be such an inconvenience to the passengers. 

Jeshica

Fremont

The BART strike ban should not by automatically fulfilling union wishes. Bart is already expensive as is- increased worker wages will make it harder for those commuters to be able to afford the transit 

Victoria

Fremont

BART SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO STRIKE - OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS ARE NOT ALLOWED WHY SHOULD BART BE ALLOWED!  IT IS DISRUPTIVE TO EVERYONE! 

Helen

Fremont

 First of all, everyone pays into their own retirement and BART employees are overpaid for what they do. Shame on the unions and greedy employees who want more money when they get paid more than the average BARzt rider!  

Stephanie

Fremont

I am for banning all future and further Strikes by BART and its Unions 

Nelly

Fremont

 If I went on strike at my job, I'd get fired. Unless you have a valid reason to strike like unfair wages & abuse at your job, no one is supporting your strike other than other union workers who are lazy and greedy too.  

Herry

Fremont

 Only word I can say Please........don't...do strike................  Hope you can understand meaning Please.......  Thanks  

Jim

Hayward

 Balls out!   I'm thrilled to actually see a politician with a spine!  It takes someone who REALLY cares about taxpayer dollars to take on the unions.  I will inform all my friends of this crucial effort.  Many other states already prevent transit strikes, as well as police and fire.  This is vital to the region, and I applaud your efforts.  I've asked Ellen Corbett and Bill Quirk for this, and haven't heard back from either of them.  

Barbara

Hayward

My son uses BART for employment and errands daily so any strike would greatly impact his life as a single young man. He does not own a car. 

Harsh

hayward

 They shouldn't hold us as hostages for their negotiations. Both of them are fighting for their wellbeing and we (commuters) are the only ones who are going to suffer.  I appreciate and support Steve for his effort.  

Charles

Hayward

 Bart on strike threatens public safety by causeing more cars on rode, more smog and short tempers  

Roy

HAYWARD

 Transit employees should not be allowed to strike.  Commuters and all other people traveling in the Bay Area are instructed to rely on mass transit. A strike will cripple the Bay Area. BART employees are already overpaid and have extremely good benefits. We have thousands of people needing jobs in the area. If BART employees go out on strike, I suggest that they all be fired and we hire an entirely new work force had proper wages and benefits. These new workers would have no ability to strike.  

John

Hayward

 If these BART strikes keep happening, I may lose my job.  This is not good.  

Chris

Hayward

The population within the past ten years have grown very big in the bay area and a BART strike does too much damage to the health of the economy and to the people who depend on public transit. 

Aielyn

Hayward

There is no way they keep on going strikes again.   A 

Alyssa

Hayward

ban it! 

Wilma

Hayward

Public transit is a vital service and workers should be prohibited from striking similarly to the police and fire department. 

Jazmin

Hayward

 I am a student and the bart strike would not only affect me or the workers of the bay area, but all of the students that rely on BART. Please don't let this affect my classes.  

Dustie

Hayward

thank you. it is nice to see a politician willing to stand for the people. 

Gerry

Hayward

 BART is too important to the economic well-being of the bay area -- settle your differences some other way, but DO NOT ALLOW STRIKES.  

alvino

hayward

fire them hire me 

Aielyn

Hayward

Commuters hate the BART strikes.   We are paying our fares. 

lonn

hayward

 BART Union negotiations should be limited to working conditions.They are already more than well paid.  

Sunil

Hayward

 No. I believe that organisations, such as BART, that provide essential public service should not be allowed to go on strike. California prides itself as one of the greenest States, San Francisco is one of the greenest American cities. In order to meet local environment targets for air quality and greenhouse gases, we need to have good system of public transport/commute. Good and Reliable service which the public can readily and cheaply access without disruption.  

Rebecca

Hayward

People depend on Bart transportation to get to work. 

Nav

Hayward

Save earth 

Candida

Hayward

it's such a hassle and cost more money for everyone. 

Rita

Hayward

 My prayer is to.....please get to a fair resolution regarding the terms and conditions of the employees/govt. in effort to stop future strike.  The Bart strike will create so much inconvenience for me; travelling from Hayward to SFO daily. I don't have a good car and the parking fee is incredible in downtown san francisco. The govt is required to protect its citizen.....so here I am voicing. HELP!!  

Rosemary

Haywqard

 Union workers get top pay, total job security, crazy work rules, generous benefits no one else gets these days and overly generous pensions.  The trade-off should be that they cannot strike.  Striking threatens public safety and allows them to blackmail local agencies into even more unfair compensation.  

Sharon

Ione

It's about time. Go get 'um Steve! 

Henry

Kensington

Please ban strikes by BART employees.  Too important to let happen.  there is ample precedent for critical public services to have this ban.  Please impose it. 

Eva

Kenwood

Thank you for doing this!!! 

Jason

Lafayette

 If binding arbitration is a part of the   no BART strike   legislation, it must provide a means for the BART board of directions to reject the arbitrator's proposed decision.  SB 402 (1999) and SB 440 (2003), both binding interest arbitration laws that were ruled unconstitutional by California courts, are examples of how NOT to do binding arbitration.  

Wesley

Lafayette

BART Employees are overpaid as it is.  Union tactics have created a false economy -- they are getting paid more than than a free economy would allow.  Striking should not be an option for these employees who already have a sweet deal. 

Steve

Lafayette

BART employees are some of the most well taken care of employees (public or private sector) in any industry.  They should be more reasonable. 

Ann Marie

Lafayette

Do not let BART hold the Bay Area hostage to their unreasonable demands!!! 

Molly

Lafayette

Do not let public transit employees strike! 

James

Lafayette

 It astounds me that a city can be held hostage by a small group of people who should never have been given the guarantees that they already had.  BART should be run like any other business.  When costs of living or medical go up, this group should not be exempt at the expense of all the other non-BART citizens.  No other businesses, except government, have the capability to get what they want at the expense of the general population.  

Alice

Lafayette

It is critical to make public transit workers subject to the same no strike rules as other govt workers.  We all accepted a public trust when we took jobs in which we receive taxes as part of our compensation. 

Michael

Lafayette

Thank you!!! 

Natalie

Lafayette

 The litmus test is would any person want these job at existing wages?  The answer is clearly yes; at the existing wages, the jobs would be filled immediately.  If no one else wanted these jobs at these wages, the union might have an argument.  

Eliot

Lafayette

 BART workers should not have the ability to impose massive delays and financial costs on the Bay Area simply by virtue of the fact that they work in an industry that provides crucial transportation functions.  That is not fair collective bargaining. It is disproportionate, extortionate control.  It is utterly inexcusable that the state would cede such unilateral control to a small handful of workers.  It is more so because they are already generously compensated for jobs that generally require little education, experience or skills.   In fact, their cumulative pay, benefits and are retirement are already far higher than such jobs would command in the vast majority of today's private sector jobs.  

Kyle

Lafayette

I agree - No public Trasit Strikes - too disruptive 

James

Lafayette

Public entities must be denied the privilege of in ionizing. It is political blackmail. 

Julie

Lafayette

No strikes 

Susan

Lafayette

 Transportation is as important as Fire & Safety in the bay area. If we, as tax payers, are contributing to BART payrolls they must not be able to hold us hostage!  Enough is enough!!!!!  

Lynn

Lafayette

 BART employees have a good deal...good pay, pension & medical. Many BART riders don't do as well as BART employees!  

Scott

Lafayette

 BART is a not-for-profit government agency. BART salaries are already very high compared to normal jobs. The entire middle class has faced a 1% drop per year in real purchasing power adjusted for inflation for the past four years, and worse for lower income workers- why should BART workers do any better? Any salary increase will cause a fare increase or decreased quality of service, or combination of both. No group, particularly an already very well paid group, should be able to inflict such economic and personal losses on the general public. The laws that prevent other government workers from striking should apply here.  

Greg

Lafayette

If BART employees strike again I will no longer support the BART system.  This amounts to Thousands of dollars in transit revenue lost from me alone.  I hope others follow suit and show BART employees that they have fair wages and holding the entire bay area hostage for their greed is unacceptable. 

Bryn

Lafayette

Bart is a public service. To many have far less benefits and comforts than Bart employees. A strike only hurts those who are least able to cope. Public service employees should not be permitted to strike. 

Hazel

Lafayette

Bart workers can make the lives of thousands and thousands of people difficult.  It gives them an unfair power advantage if they strike. 

Oystein

Lafayette

BART is a publich necessity and should not be allowd to strike like other public utilities 

Stephanie

Lafayette

 BART service is vital to the SF Bay economy.   As with other major cities around the country, transportation strikes of any sort should not be permitted.    The unions and BART management should negotiate for as long as it takes but they should not hold commuters hostage during the process!  

Sarah

Lafayette

 My employer is NOT flexible, and when the strike occurred in July, I had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to catch the shuttle bus from Walnut Creek BART into SF.  I arrived an hour prior to my normal start time, but couldn't go into the office yet. I wasn't able to leave until my 'regular' hours ended.  I would arrive home at 7:30 p.m.  What a lovely 15 hour workday, courtesy of BART and the union!  The cost to the Bay Area workforce when BART strikes is extraordinary, and California and the Bay Area must take extraordinary measures to prevent BART workers from EVER going on strike.  There are plenty of unemployed Californians that would be happy to take the places of those BART workers who feel they are being treated unfairly.  What I would have given for a 23% pay hike when my husband lost his job and we had a mortgage to pay- the nerve of the union and these workers to complain!  The BART Board, BART workers and the union should be forced to give up THEIR salaries until a deal is reached that prevents a strike AND a law is passed to prevent BART from EVER shutting down! SHAME on BART and the union for putting your riders through this again (yep, I lived it in the 90s too).  

Nicholas

Lafayette

No union should have the power to cripple an entire metropolitan area. 

James

Lafayette

 We, the undersigned, support state legislation to prohibit public transit workers, including BART, from striking.   A BART strike will cripple our economy, hurt workers getting to their jobs, limit access to schools and health care, and damage our environment.   The impact of a BART strike will be felt across the state. It should not be in the hands of a regional BART board. We need a statewide law.  

Casey

Lafayette

Well done.  You do not see Democrats going up against the Unions.  I salute you! 

Thomas

Lafayette

Thank you for trying to get done what obviously needs to be done. 

Christine

Lafayette

BART receives far more significant funding from public sources such as property taxes and federal grants than fares.  Public money = a public service.  Do not allow the disruption of a public service! 

John

Lafayette

I resent being held hostage by the union on a system that we have funded as taxpayers.  Average BART pay is already way beyond SF Bay averages and the benefits will eventually overwhelm the ability to pay.  We must control this now. 

kristian

Lafayette

The quality of service and quality of the actual trains have gone down as pay has only gone up. The benefits are over the top and at some point they must share in paying for those great benefits. 

Joseph

Livermore

 Government employees should not be allowed to strike. What if the U.S. Marines, Navy, Army and Air Force personnel decided unfair wages and safety were cause to not fulfull their duties.  

william

livermore

greedy lazy workers hold honest hard working people hostage 

Julie

Livermore

 A Bart strike would make it virtually impossible to get to school. It would cripple the bay area economy and be a major commuting nightmare affecting  hundreds of thousands trying to get to work, jobs, etc cc  

Forrest

Livermore

It's not right that a handful of disgruntled transit workers can hold hostage the entire Bay Area Population. 

Debra

Livermore

It is greed that is motivating the workers right now and they need to be stopped. 

Isaac

Livermore

 As an employee of an emergency response agency, I am allowed to collective bargain, but I am not allowed to strike.  In return, my employer cannot lock me out.  It seems fair for all public mass transportation to be the same.  

John

Livermore

 BART, as a public service, should not be allowed to strike.  The economic impact to the Bay Area in terms of gridlock and transportation infrastructure would be disasterous.  With the average non-public worker commuting daily to earn a livable wage, it does not seem reasonable that the BART union employees should be allowed wages far above the average wage of non represented workers who do not have benefits like pension and secure job representation.  

George

Livermore

 I 100% agree with the statement behind this petition, and thank those who put the time to help make this happen  

Robert

Livermore

 I support that this service is critically important to peoples livelihood and thus the service should be deemed an essential service and not be permitted to strike.   However, I also support some other means of collective and fair bargaining to prevent management from hiding behind such legislature.  

carla

livermore

no bart strike 

Dan

Livermore

Stop  blackmailing riders 

Brian

Livermore

 We, the commuter and consumer citizens, have no say at the bargaining table. We have been dis-enfranchised. A strike by public transit workers endangers safety, damages the economy, hurts families and workers, and increases pollution and energy usage.  

Douglas

LIVERMORE

 From what I read in the papers it appears to me that the BART workers are already fairly paid.  While they provide a great service, to use the Bay Area's economy as a hostage should be out of the question.  

Mabs

Livermore

Please fire & hire new BART workers - we need new staff with more realistic expectation from their work & our wallets. 

Rebecca

Mansfield

 My daughter depends on the bart for transportation.  She is a RN at UFC taking care of children with cancer. She , and all the other nurses, depend on the Bart to get to work. Look at the bigger picture here. Do not make it difficult for them to get to these kids. Please find a way to keep the Bart running. FD6  

Jerry

Martinez

A 10% raise is sufficient.  No reason to be greedy for more. 

Bill

Martinez

Good idea! 

Joe

Martinez

Public employees should not be allowed to strike against the public for whom they work. 

Mike

Martinez

 Enough is enough, down with the unions!  

Cecelia

Martinez

Don't let BART continue to dictate my commute!!! 

Helen

Martinez

 It is unconscienable that 2000 well compensated workers are allowed to keep 200,000 workers, many not nearly so well paid, from their jobs.  

Ramzi

Martinez

 Keep the trains running, pay them whatever they want the service is worth it!!!  

Renee

Martinez

No BART Strikes! 

Eric

Mill Valley

Please ban a BART strike 

tom

mill valley

Name one great thing Public Unions have done in the last five years. 

Renton

Mill Valley

Great job. We need this ASAP. 

HOA

MILPITAS

No transit agencies in the State or in the US are allowed to have a strike clause in their contract. 

Adrian

Modesto

The public shouldn't have to suffer during a Bart strike. 

Richard

Moraga

 Strikes by public employees who are employed by public transporation agencies should be banned as deleterious to the health, safety and economy of our state.  It is time for the Legislature to stand up and be counted on this vital issue.  

Bailey

Moraga

BART workers are greedy and care only for themselves and not for the greater good of the community. 

John

Moraga

I agree and support the ban on BART strikes! 

Shirley

Moraga

 I agree with this proposal wholeheartedly. BART is a government affiliated entity, and receives excellent benefits as a result. They should not be allowed to strike.  

SAVAS

MORAGA

NOBODY AND NO GROUP HAS RIGHT TO RESTRICT OTHER'S RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE. 

Ed

Moraga

The BART employees are exhibiting simple greed in their outrageous demands.  I as a fare payer will have to pay for their excessive benefits and pay.  I have not had a COLA increase in three years.  I contribute a fair amount to my health care and pension.  Why are they so special? 

Lucy

Moraga

BART needs to change contract so the Management can train new operators before go on strike.  They get better raise than us and never heard such deal about the contribution to the pension and health insurance 

Wayne

Moraga

 If police and fire can't strike, than neither should BART workers who hold the public hostage to gain pay and benefits.  It's a disgrace when the highest paid transit district in the state wants to go on strike at the expense of the bay area economy and citizens.  

Patrick

Moraga

 having been a law enforcement officer for 33 years (State and Federal) I believe the public should be able to rely on certain services such as police, fire and transportation.  BART employees hold the public hostage every four years.  

Alan

Moraga

Thank you for championing this important issue. 

Wendy

Moraga

BART employees already make more money than their counterparts in other areas of the country. It is unacceptable for them to strike and shut down a major transportation artery in the Bay Area. Strikes bay BART employees should not be allowed and I am 100% for legislation to make this not possible in the future. 

Steve

Moraga

The contract on the table is way more than generous. 

Laura

Moraga

Hard working Bay Area commuters should not be punished in this crazy negotiation. How does placing hardship on the taxpayers who fund the system in the first place make any sense at all? Please step in and block this ridiculous action. This is an opportunity for lawmakers to do something necessary and important to both individuals and the region as a whole. Thank you. 

Steve

Moraga

 In fact, ban strikes by public employees altogether!  

Joanne

Moraga

 In fact, ban strikes by public employees altogether!  

Diane

Moraga

 Public transit employees have no right to strike. We pay their salary  

claudia

mORAGA

so disruptive!  the last strike just about ruined my very well earned vacation-stressful getting over the bridge to the airport!!  hire someone to get people to work! 

Lori

Moraga

Thanks for creating this petition! 

Robert

Moraga

BART services are too valuable to allow strikes. There is the Railroad Labor act from the 30's that prevents even airline pilots from striking.  BART should fall under that. 

David

Moraga

Ban Bart strike now 

Mia

Moraga

Ban Bart strike now 

Michael

Moraga

Police/Fire can't strike -- neither should transit workers. Service is too vital to all sectors of the economy. 

Suzanne

Moraga

No more strikes. Ultimately the people will end up paying for any loss in revenue. 

charles

Moraga

 The citizens who will suffer financially from a public transit strike, notably BART, will never recover financially from the strike, which will not improve noticeably their living standards, but which will also put them more at risk as the existing streets, and highways will be impacted greatly and public safety vehicles will be delayed. These unions, and operators, must agree to binding arbitration for the welfare of all involved.  

Riley

Moraga

I can't drive everyday. I'll be broke. I need Bart 

michell

napa

Why let over 300g of ppl suffer because of money. This is why money sucks. Ppl need to get to school and work. 

Jennifer

Napa

 If they strike again, they should all be fired! They are a part of government and have NO right to strike!  

Charles

Napa

 I support state legislation to prohibit public transit workers, including BART, from striking.  

Richard

Newark

Thanks for taking the initiative on this! 

Brian

Novato

 Services by the public trust, the collective, should not be held hostage by one group of people.  

Peter

oakland

 Bart Managers please hold strong and do not cave-in to the demands of the unions. Give the Bart workers like pay and benefits of their peers. Have them pay into their pensions and health benefits like most Americans do. Bart Janitors make a lot more money than the average private industry worker.  Bart Managers, start earning your large salaries and represent the Bart Riders not the unions.   

Fred

Oakland

Thanks for taking this on. I support the BART management in attempting to operate a fiscally responsible organization. 

Mischa

Oakland

 Bart employees need to consider that they are not the only union workers that had to take a hit in these unsettling times. Their management brought their offer higher than any labour dispute I have had to suffer through as a union member. They should have a no strike clause as they provide a service that allows low paid workers the opportuntiy to get to work to make a nominal wage, most without benefits and provide for their families. Bart employees are spoiled and forget that they were once in the low paying job market...seems they forgot how it feels to live below their means.  

James

Oakland

BART is a critical transportation service and we cannot be subject to the greed and whims of its employees 

John

Oakland

BART is an essential service and as such should be protected from being able to strike and cause harm to the Bay Area economy. 

Tiffany

Oakland

 BART Strikes cripple the Bay Area workers, economy and especially lower income people.  

Mehdi

Oakland

BART workers are already overpaid if you figure in the incredible benefits they receive.  Paying into their retirement and getting real about their health benefits brings them to an unprecedented salary package. 

Valerie

Oakland

BART workers with only a High School diploma are already paid higher than Oakland Teachers who are required to have 5 years of college.  Teachers pay half their retirement benefits and many Bay Area teachers pay their entire health benefits.  What BART workers are asking for is well beyond the job requirements. 

Peter

Oakland

Government worker & public transport unions do not benefit the general public. 

Nigel

Oakland

 I am concerned about the lack of progress in the BART employee contract negotiations. The prospect of a strike is most disturbing. Another, potentially longer, strike would be extremely harmful to the regional economy and highly inconvenient to the people of our district. As we pay a sales tax for BART whenever we make a purchase, we have a reasonable expectation that the system will be operational.  In view of the lack of progress, I think that the time has come to require that this contract be turned over to binding arbitration. It seems that this can be accomplished only through legislation. I realize that the legislative session is over, but in my opinion this is a matter of such urgency that a special session is appropriate.  

heebok

OAKLAND

I believe BART and AC workers are in the vital position as Police and Firefighters.  They are different categories from the service employees of hotels.  Their work stoppage creates the problems which is more than mere inconvenience and nuisance to the general public. The consequence could be down right dangerous in some situations. 

Shawna

Oakland

It is the riders who suffer when Bart goes on strike. It is completely unfair and irresponsible to allow a strike. I support workers but a Bart strike is ridiculous. 

Gina

Oakland

 The Bay Area Public should not have to be held hostage by the inept and disingenuous   bargaining   talks on both sides - labor and management.  

thom

oakland

time to make it a law...ban BART strikes! 

gabriel

oakland

time to make it a law...ban BART strikes! 

Michael

Oakland

Economic terrorism and black mail should not be allowed. 

Patricia

Oakland

 I agree with this petition. I feel it is crippling to our citities and halts normal, daily activities around the Bay Area. Many people come to rely on public transportation and to some it's there only way to get around.  

Tracy

Oakland

I do not drive a car and Bart is my only option to get to work.  I feel held hostage. 

Ryan

Oakland

 The bart strike is not a thoughtful way to resolve their issue of pay. It does not encourage support from the riding public, and it does not make me sympathize for their plight. They should elect to protest and pass out information to the riding public for support, not punish the riding public.  

Martha

Oakland

 The benefits and salaries Bart employees are currently entitled to are very generous. The rest of us are not that lucky. Most people pay a lot for medical benefits, rarely if ever get raises, and  contribute toward our own retirement benefits.  The days of getting a free ride are over. The Bart Unions need to get with the program. Bart riders are the ones that end up  suffering because fares keep increasing. There's no impetus for people to use public transportation instead of their cars if the fares keep increasing. And they will if the Bart Union gets its way.  

Terry

oakland

It's about time 

Kyle

Oakland

Right on Mr. Glazier. I will support your effort to hold Bart's Union Labor Accountable for UNREASONABLE behavior. It is shameful that they make 60K+/year and they still cry. Maybe they would like the SAFETY CONDITIONS from the UNEMPLOYMENT line. which is where they should be if they go on strike a second time. 

Rob

Oakland

The SEIU is a thuggish and criminal union. They're like Tammany Hall and need to be stopped! 

Nickolas

Oakland

These strikes are completely unwarranted to the general public. I completely agree to Ban all Bart strikes in the future. 

Beverly

Oakland

Do not allow the Bay Area to be paralyzed. 

Lesli

Oakland

Do not cripple the bay area. People need to get to WORK. Bart employees are not the only ones HURTING 

sharon

oakland

I believe that while bart employees are neogiating their contract they should not be able to strike 

Denice

Oakland

It is so frustrating that after this long they cannot come to an agreement. My 8 year old is more mature. 

Mark

Oakland

Many of us in the East Bay are almost totally  reliant on the BART for commuting into SF and throughout the region for both work and personal activities.  A strike would cripple us and must not be allowed.   Please make sure this strike cannot happen and also assure the employees are treated fairly 

Karen

Oakland

NO STRIKE RULE!!! 

Jody

Oakland

 We absolutely need a law in place to prevent all Bay Area transit workers (BART, Muni, AC Transit) from going on strike.  It is unacceptable to have the bay area come to a grinding halt because of the greedy union workers.  (Maybe getting rid of the union would solve the problem, but that would be more difficult, I'm sure.)  

Nabil

Oakland

BART is a public service and must not be permitted to strike. 

Mario

oakland

The commute is over cost effectiva as it is the unions request will increase commute cost. 

Max

Oakland

 A regional transit system isn't a normal business, and its importance to the economic functioning of the region means its workers should be held to a higher standard of dependability and service — especially since they already enjoy such a higher standard of pay and benefits. Striking to secure even higher pay-raises is both an insult and an injury to the thousands that depend on BART to get to their tougher and worse-paying jobs.  

NICHOLAS

OAKLAND

BAN BART STRIKES!! 

Candace

Oakland

Bart is too important to theeconomy of the Bay area.  Striking causes too much disruption and affects the poor who need transit to get to work. 

Judith

Oakland

 Bart unions portray themselves as striking against management.  The truth they won't acknowledge is that they are striking against the taxpayers and ratepayers--very, very few of whom receive the same sweetheart benefits and guaranteed wage increases that are not even linked to performance.  

Paige

Oakland

 I have nothing against unions but I agree BART strikes cripple the WHOLE Bay Area, besides which BART workers are very well paid when compared with other state, federal, city and country workers. One group of transits workers should not be allowed to hamstring the entire region. We need to draw the line with strikes the same way other regions have done with striking transit workers and ban strikes outright.  

Vinod

Oakland

These Bart employees are asking for something which they do not deserve. They are making whole bay area suffer. The management should be free to hire new employees. 

mark

oakland

my friend is unemployed.  I hope they have a replacement scenario - he would work there in a heartbeat. 

Tina

Oakland

 The Bart Service are greatly needed for the entire Bay-Area, please try to resolve the concerns, and keep the Bart running. Thank you.  

Heather

Oakland

Ultimately the strike hurts the people who have no control over the dispute. If they strike this week  I will have to sleep on friends couches and not go home to care for my family until it's over or risk losing my job or not getting paid. This makes me want to reconsider my job in sf which is ashame because I make decent money and the children  I care for need me. Think of families who can't afford extended care or can't get home in time to care for anyone.  How unfair is that. Bart workers make more than I do and I teach... A far more stressful job that operating a train and you didn't have to go to school either. How about you pay my student loans since I may not get paid. 

james

oakland

 We, the riding public, have grown weary of the posturing by all parties involved in this fiasco. I feel that BART employees are well compensated and have no regard for anything except their wallets.  

Donna

Oakland

If Bart goes on strike I can lose my job! 

Cynthia

Oakley

I feel the Bart workers make really good money and have very good benefits. They are being too greedy!! There are people out of jobs that wish they had a job. Bart should not cow down and give them what they want. If anything they should fire everyone and hire new workers that will appreciate the job. 

Jacquelyn

Oakley

 BART employees' recent strike caused harm to Bay area citizens, so supporting legislation to prohibit public transit workers, including BART, from striking seems the just and responsible action to taken. This issue impacts every citizen of the Bay area, whether concerned for our environment or our citizens. Obviously, sympathy is felt for our citizens who need BART to get them to work; some lost wages; some, their jobs! Recalling the Bay area freeways clogged with traffic congestion demonstrates the culpability of the ecological trauma BART’s strike caused. Within that congestion, besides the episodes of road-rage and accidents, our citizens experienced extreme time-impacts to their daily commutes and their lives outside of work. Likely, most of our citizens felt some frustration as a result of their elongated absences from home, and their spouses, children, and pets, all needing relief only they can bring. Such widespread impacts to our environment and society should not be permitted to continue; public transit systems should not be able to exploit the citizens it’s intended to assist.  

BENJAMIN

OAKLEY

IT'S ABOUT TIME TO BAN THE STRIKES AT BART. 

Tom

Orida

 It's about time to control public transit free from strikes. We are paying good fare money for our rides. We should not be worring how to go to our jobs and work places.  Thanks for folowing up this maters.  

Ralph

Orinda

 Banning a BART strike is absolutely imperative for all of us who use public transportation, and even for those who commute via personal automobile.  

William

Orinda

BART has become essential for our local economy.  We cannot afford to create mayhem with a strike. 

Joel

Orinda

 BART has somehow gotten out of control with salaries, for both management and labor, that are vastly above the norm for such positions.  It is simply unfair that hard working riders and taxpayers earning say $20-50K/year should be forced to pay high fares to get to work, to subsidize BART operator salaries that are in the range of what doctors and PhD engineers with a decade of college education make.  

Thomas

Orinda

 Public sector employees have more job security than private sector employees, not to mention pensions, which are rarely offered in the private sector anymore. In exchange for these advantages, the trad-off should be no right to strike.  

Clark

Orinda

 Steve Glazer's proposal is a fair and rationale proposal in the interest of the many vs. a chosen few. There is no indication that BART workers rights are being trampled upon; yet under current circumstances they yield enormous unfair power over the riders, taxpayers and Bay Area economy. I hope our legislator's can show the same courage that Steve has and put a stop to this gross imbalance of power  

Richard

Orinda

Stop Bart Strikes. Train new people to fill spots left by the greedy ones. 

Robert

Orinda

 BART employees are some of the best paid public transit workers in the country.  Yes, they are being asked to contribute to their retirement accounts AND contribute to healthcare.  Welcome to the world the REST OF US live in!  

Abhijit

Orinda

 BART is a integral part of my commute. With the creation of such a system, we have removed all other systems. BART going on strike will reduce efficiency, create waste and folks will get reduced incomes.  

Lark

Orinda

BART management has offered way too much already. 

Jeffrey

Orinda

Bart workers need to deal with today' reality. The economy is in tough shape. Private sector employees can not strike and neither should public. We need more good private sector jobs. They need to come back to reality on their demands. Unions are bankrupting california. 

John

Orinda

Fully support ban on Bart strikes - there should be binding arbitration for all contract discussions. Bart is essential to both public safety and economic welfare of the Bay Area. 

Edward

Orinda

Good move! You are the only politician with any courage concerning this matter. 

Sheila

Orinda

I am a regular commuter and rely on BART in my daily commute from home to work.  It is the only affordable and timely way to get to work.  I do not want to experience a strike again. 

Barbara

Orinda

Too many people are impacted negatively.  Bart workers have a wonderful contract and benefits as is. 

Alan

Orinda

 A strike would inflict harm on a lot of innocent people who have no axe to grind. Still, BART employees should recall that when the financial crisis took away a number of jobs in the Bay Area, BART employees were working full-time, un-impacted. We just want to get to work so we can afford to pay, among other things,  BART parking and BART tickets.  

Christopher

Orinda

I am sick and tired of being held in Bondage while both parties negotiate a deal behind closed doors. As a tax paying citizen of California enough is enough. No more strikes. If the union wants a reasonable pay increase use binding arbitration similar to NY NY. 

William

Orinda

 Support no strike requirement, binding arbitration would be best  

David

Orinda

Too much power for the unions and too little for the majority.  No proof unions would suffer. 

Daniel

Orinda

I do not support binding arbitration however to settle disputes between Transit Unions and the elected Bart Board 

Darlene

Orinda

This aligns well with many other jurisdictions and public service organizations.  This is not one of a kind.  It's time to stop holding the Bay Area hostage over these negotiations. 

Harold

Orinda

Bart workers are holding the economy hostage. They have a fair contract. 

Richard

Orinda

 BART employees and their attorneys are taking unfair advantage of a one-sided contract to hold riders hostage.  It is rather bizarre to not allow BART management to start training new operators until the employees strike, knowing that it takes a long period of training to become a certified operator.  Considering the state of the economy and how middle class people are struggling to get by, it is cynical and greedy for the union to insist on yet higher wages and benefits for a group that already enjoys greater rewards than their counterparts across the country.  The personal attacks aimed at Mr. Glazer are consistent with the attitude of the aggressive union representatives...and the perpetrators should be rewarded with the public's backlash.  

Sharon

Orinda

Bart is too vital to the Bay Area to allow employee strikes. Bart employees should be consider similar to police and fire fighters - not allowed to strike due to public safety and econmic impact. 

Merrily

Orinda

Do your job 

Kent

Orinda

Public transportation is an essential public service & should not be allowed to strike. 

Gary

Orinda

 The current BART compensation is already well beyond what most public employees have and even what is proposed by BART management is such. This is certainly the case for private sector employees who don't get a pension, neither the pay BART employees currently receive. It is unfair to inconvenience the populace who depend on this vital service and seriously detrimental to the bay area economy.  

Brad

Orinda

This is important. Bart and it's unions should not be able to damage the economy and welfare of the entire region by striking. Other ways can be used to protect employees. 

Richard

Orinda

 Banning BART strikes is an excellent idea.  Also, when BART is not operating, the collection of that part of the sales tax going for BART should be suspended.  For example, in Orinda, California, the sales tax is 9.0%.  If the BART segment of the sales tax did not exist, the Orinda sales tax would be 8.5%.  Also, part of the property tax goes for BART.  Betwee 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, the BART portion of the property tax has gone up 74%.  This BART-related part of the property tax should also be suspended when BART is not operating.  

Mark

Orinda

 Please make all strikes by public transportation unions illegal. Our systems are now simply   too big to fail  .  We cannot afford another BART strike.  

Russell

Orinda

Thanks Steve! 

robert

orinda

 They're already the highest paid transit workers in the nation, and this is how they want to treat us?Unbelievable. . .  

Benito

Orinda

IT IS ABSURD THAT THESE PEASANTS EXPECT THE RIGHT TO WITHOLD THEIR LABOR! WHAT DO THEY THINK THEY ARE --GUBERNATORIAL ADVISORS? 

Maryett

Orinda

BART is overpayed and underworked! 

Edward

Orinda

 In my opinion, employees of vital services provided by the government should not be allowed to strike.  

George G

Orinda

Transit is a vital public service. Vital services cannot be held hostage to unreasonable labor demands. 

Bonnie

Orinda

 Be persistent.  Stick to your guns, not just in the heat of passion.  This is a much-needed piece of legislation.  

Erica

Orinda

 you go, Steve!  

cathleen

orinda

 Stop letting Bart employees hold the Bay Area hostage.  Other states are aggressively competing to win business and we continue to make it harder and harder to run a business in this area.  Bart carries more passengers everyday than SFO and the air traffic controllers are prohibited from striking how is the job they do different?  Stop the madness, these are not down and out over worked people.  They are high school educated people earning more in salary with better benefits than people with masters degrees.  Please stop the madness.  

martin

orinda

Good luck! 

Adeline

Orinda

 Too much power in the hands of a few locals. Poor and supercilious management negotiation skills combined with unfathomable tenacity of the Bart employees to create maximum  public disarray, demanding outlandish wages and  benefits ( not forgetting the abuse of overtime) while those of us who are paying those wages and benefits go without.  This potential strike is the result of too large personal investment by the negotiators and not sufficient public input and representation.  We are being held to ransom.  Dismiss and replace them or permit reapplication to the job with lower wages and benefits.  The public sector is  untethered with other people's hard earned money.  

Chris

Pacheco

Stop the strikes! You Bart guys get paid enough!! 

Stanley

Pacheco

 BART serves as a huge benefit to the Bay Area economic system, not to mention the relief of traffic congestion on the roads.  

Rosalyn

Pacifica

BART strikes cause too big of a burden on the entire Bay Area region!  It's catastrophic & makes mayhem everywhere! 

Roberta

Pacifica

If San Francisco Muni drivers can't go on strike why should BART be able to?  Police & Fire Dept. can't either!  Stop the disaster that happens! 

William

Pacifica

Pay is already better than skilled workers. Accept what managment offers! 

Tamora

Pacifica

 BART workers should not be able to use the potential loss of millions of Bay Area dollars as a bargaining tool, and the right of BART workers to bargain for a new contract should not overshadow the right of hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents to get to work.  

Rajendra

Peasanton

 Bart workers are OVERPAID for the work they do compared to private sector jobs - salary levels, raises, security, health care, overtime, pension ... just outrageous. They have been coddled by politicians.  Time to take back control.  

Farid

Piedmont

 Hear, hear!  

Donald

Piedmont

The petition says all that needs to be said. 

Jack

Pinole

Any service the tax payer contributes to should not be allowed to strike. 

Linda

Pinole

BART WORKERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED STRIKE WILL CREATE A BIG PROBLEMS FOR A LOT OF RIDERS WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET AROUND 

JOHN

Pinole

 NO PUBLIC AGENCY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STRIKE!!! Besides, BART employees are OVERPAID as it is!  

Minh

Pittsburd

 No more bark strikes please  Public suffered a lot of bark strikes in the past .  

Sandy

Pittsburg

 The effects of a BART strike cause unnecessary stress and loss of business productivity for the entire Bay Area.  I feel the BART workers are more than fairly compensated.  I'm disgusted in both sides for the lack of negotiating in the last month.  Here we are again, right before the deadline and finally talks begin.  In my opinion BOTH sides should be locked in a room until they reach a resolution!  There is no good reason for Bay Area commuters and businesses to be at the mercy of these talks to go to work and earn money for their families.  BART workers have better benefits than most of the riders who will endure at least 3 extra hours a day commuting.  Grow up, reach an agreement and move on.  I truly feel a BART strike should not be legal; as a strike causes a public danger.  

brian

pittsburg

The Bay area cannot afford Bart to go on strike again. They are overpaid as it is !!!! 

Stephen

Pittsburg

I support legislation that will prohibit BART and any other transit system in the Bay Area from striking. 

chelsea

pittsburg

My whole family takes bart to work and school. Strike issuch an Iiinconvenience. Just because they dont want to work dont take it out on the rest of us who are trying to do things.  Its not fair. 

Christopher

Pittsburg

If the workers of BART have an issue with their wages then by all means fire them and hire me.  If you like I can send you my resume. 

Jason

Pittsburg

 They make $71,000 a year plus an average of $11,000 overtime. The day they went on strike, they were receiving a 1% pay raise. The unions have lied time and again. People take BART to work minimum wage jobs to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads, and the workers want to strike because they want a 20% raise over 4 years? It's the height of hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty and an insult to those of us who depend on BART to get to work. Fire them all. I'll gladly take their jobs and work for 1/2 of what they make.  

sandra

pittsburg

We need the bart to get to work cars handicap moved out here because I can take Bart back and forth to work because it is a dependable ride 

willie

Pittsburg

 It's so unhealthyy actions for each individuals especially those commuting goes to work and major bad impact to current unsure economic nation's situations.A big hassles entirely.  

Carlos

pittsburg

 Union should find another ways to get its working conditions heard without going on strike.  A strike will affect thousand of riders every day in their daily life.  

Dominic

Pittsburg

We rely on the Bart system to get to work and back.  The last strike has left us helpless with very little means of transportation.  The loss of time and expense not just for me but for the thousands of other commuters created unnecessary chaos.  It really has to stop for everyone's peace of mind. 

Gamil

Pittsburg

 Another BART strike will do more harm than good,  

Terri

Pittsburg

 BART is a necessity paid for by the tax payers.  San Francisco can not handle the alternative to BART which for most would entail driving in as buses and ferry have limitations.  Salary and benefit compensation should be based on a average in the area for the comparable service and knowledge NOT what BART service workers THINK they should earn.  Like the rest of the working population, if you feel you should make more, get a different job that pays more for your knowledge base.  Good luck with that. I'm a legal secretary at a large firm in SF with 23 years of experience. I earn a fair wage.  BART employees earn more per hour and have better benefits than me. I will take the ferry if necessary however I encourage BART management to hold it's ground and not give in to BART employees' demands.  

Jill

Pittsburg

I commute to SF from Pittsburg.  It will be very difficult for me to drive this as it would take me at least 3-4 hours each way. 

gina

pittsburg

this needs to stop. the riders suffer the most when the union wants more because they feel they can... 

Aereona

Pittsburg

We need BART 

amalia

pittsburg

 I am regular, low income worker and I commute from my city to san francisco  and I have problem with the transportation everytime the bart goes on strikes, plus I can not afford  to pay more money if they continuing going on strikes and  raising the bart fare I am  already spending  a quater of my salary so it is not fair.  

Kevin

Pittsburg

I cover nine counties in the Bay area. Bart is my way around the cities on Bart when I work in the particular cities. 

Donna

Pittsburg

 I use Bart everyday to work in SanFrancisco from Pittsburg, Ca. The commute is too far to drive everyday. If Bart strikes I wont have a way to work.  

Dionisio

Pittsburg

Paying commuters should not suffer. 

Alexander

Pittsburg

 I took 3 weeks off to take care of my wife for a surgery she had off work. When i take a day off now, it it without pay. THis bart strike on the last round made me loose a day without pay, it hurt my family. I don't want to go through this again. I am for a no strike agreement. I'm sure there are other ways to over pay these BARt employess. Greed is all i have to say. Karma, hope it gets them.  

Martha

Pittsburg

 We are taking Bart everyday, so it will be very difficalut for all our family. it was a disaster last time when the strike occuered.  3 days I took a day off, 2 days I stayed friends house, I have 2 small kids, it was so difficualt time for all the family. we don't want even to think about the BART strik. it is a nightmare.  

Gina

Pittsburg

 Follow the example of AC Transit.  You can go to work everyday and work out new contracts.  Why should the entire Bay Area suffer?!  This affects commuters, businesses, pollution, traffic flow....everything!!!  

Michelle

Pleasant Hill

Enough is enough!! 

frank

pleasant hill

 It is ridiculous that BART is able to strike. They provide a vital service to the Bay Area, and already get paid a LOT of money. BART MUST NOT BE ABLE to strike  

Anita

Pleasant Hill

Public transit should absolutely be forbidden to strike!  The impact is too large on too many levels. 

Edward

Pleasant Hill

If no ban is implimented BART management should be free to hire replacement workers. 

Maryann

Pleasant Hill

Our Air Traffic Controllers are prohibited from striking.  Other public transit works should also be prohibited from striking.  They already have much better compensation packages than the private sector. 

Sharon

Pleasant Hill

Strikes by employees of Public Transportation that is used extensively in a large area to help cut down on automobile traffic and depended upon by thousands of commuters should not be allowed. 

Stephen

Pleasant Hill

No more Bart Strike....enough is enough 

Christoph

Pleasant Hill

 The Bay Area should not be held hostage every time the union and BART management negotiate a contract.  There are other ways to settle negotiations without taking the union's rights away that are fair for both sides.  Many other government agencies and transit agencies use these other methods with success.  The negative impact to our regional economy and the public's right to have a stable transportation system should outweigh any perceived loss of bargaining power by either side.  The situation we, the public, find ourselves in every few years is rediculous.  Please support this petition, a common sense change to help everyone affected.  

Toni

pleasant hill

 bart strike is ridiculous we need to stop this...their are alot of people counting on bart and i feel they are overpaid anyway, some of us had furloughs for 2 years... and we all still contiune to work.  

George

Pleasant Hill

People's servants should  not hurt people. 

Santosh

Pleasanton

BAN BART STRIKE! 

Gary

Pleasanton

I was a police officer for 30 years and gladly accepted the position that we could not strike because of the potential harm to the public. Employees of public transportation unions should not be allowed to hold us hostage. 

Dave

PLEASANTON

 The Workers CHOSE to work for the Government, THEY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY AS IT IS, the trash worker makes more than 21 an hour. They have BART benefit for the rest of their and their families lives. They are really asking for too much, it's just not inconvienence, it's getting in trouble/charged for not making it to work or appts or Dr./Dentist.  

Tom

Pleasanton

 This continued and extended poor attempt at negotiating a new contract is beyond outrageous.  Simply stated, BART employees are overly-entitled, arrogant, and have no sense of where their paycheck comes from.  As a daily rider making $15.00 an hour to travel to SF, it's beyond comprehension that these employees have a sense of holding their ridership hostage for demands that have long since been a part of any labor management negotiations in the last 20 years.  BART Management for their part saw the riding on the wall a long time ago and have their collective heads in the sand about striking a   workforce of the future   kind of environment.  They too are over paid, arrogant, and have no sense of the outrage experienced by BART ridership in terms of their inability to find a middle ground over this again extended period of time.  It's time for both sides to   grow up   and find a middle ground that is focused on BART's ridership and their own respective positions and more importantly their paychecks.  This is simply about greed, power, control with a complete disregard for supporting the public interest. In my opinion, the union should be broken and BART's management replaced.  

Carolyn

Pleasanton

 I belong to a Union and I understand striking is a very strong and useful tool in bargaining.  However, when the economical effects are so far reaching in this instance...striking is no longer a message just heard and burdened by only the bargaining parties involved.  

Dan

Pleasanton

 I'm a retired government employee.  (Public safety 2% at 50, AVERAGE of highest three years, including overtime only - no other spiking, no retirement based on highest SINGLE year of pay.  We fought for 2/50 and thought it was the Gold Standard.  Now government employees retirement checks frequently exceed their base pay if they kept working.  Plus they don't get penalized for supplementing retirement pay as Social Security retirees do.  And we always paid a percentage of our retirement and health benefit costs -- so we would be aware of increases alongside the taxpayers.  Things are upside down now.  The rule was -- and should be -- that government workers get slightly lower pay in exchange for good benefits and job stability.  Government pay and benefits have gotten out of control.  The BART unions are greedy.  There is little inflation, their pay is above private sector for the same jobs, and even the Management (taxpayer) offer leaves pay and benefits far above the private sector.  Don't believe me?   Check out the pay/benefits of private contractor employees who run ACE trains.  The news media needs to report actual pay and benefits -- not just percentages being negotiated.  

Steven

Pleasanton

 Just fire them, re-hire any willing to work for the original management offer (still overpaid).  It worked for air traffic controllers...  

Paul

pleasanton

Monopolies should not be able to strike.  It is a public safety issue. 

Ben

Pleasanton

All public sector Unions should be throttled back. They have become too powerful and too abusive to the very public they serve! 

Zhengang

Pleasanton

Ban Bart strike 

Noah

Pleasanton

 I would happily take one of the jobs left open if all BART is fired. They have a lot of gall asking for more money when they can't keep schedules, always have BART issues, the trains feel like dumpsters (and smell like them also). They should be ashamed.  

Frank

Pleasanton

 I'm pro-union, but BART can't keep holding the Bay Area hostage with unreasonable demands.  

Victoria

Pleasanton

Please ban BART transit strikes.  We can't afford to have another one.  We do not support BART employees in their ask for more pay. 

Nicole

Pleasanton

 Please ban strikes, the situation created by just one strike is both diffucult for those who need to work and dangerous in the impact to our highways. Most of us do not have the luxury to protest for a raise without getting fired, and the cost to others for us doing so is little to none.  THANK YOU for setting up this petition!  

Jeffrey

Pleasanton

 Public employers are not profit motivated, have no incentive to exploit workers.  Public employees should not need unions at all, frankly.  

Brian

Pleasanton

Strikes that impact the community should not be allowed. A BART strike impacts our community at too great a cost. 

Cheryl

Pleasanton

Thank you for giving people a chance to speak up. We 100% agree with banning Bart Strike. 

dennis

pleasanton

tha make to much money NOW 

Tina

Pleasanton

 No,strike!  

Wil

Pleasanton

 Keep BART running!  At this point I don't care who's running it.  Hire folks who are out of work and wants to work.  

Michael

Pleasanton

 Don't cripple the bay area, including other union members who don't have the luxurious benefits Bart employees have.  

Sandra

Pleasanton

Let the people who want to work do the job. 

Janette

Pleasanton

 If the current Bart Board caves to the unions outrageous demands, there should also be a campaign to vote against any incumbent at this time.  

Chris

PLEASANTON

 Striking transit workers is the equivalent of holding the general public hostage.  Do they feel they are above the police and firemen?  Why is our LAMEASS state senate allowing the public to even fear this? Wake up and do your jobs State Senate and Bart Workers. BART workers can be replaced VERY easily!  If they strike the workers should be replaced  immediately.  Use the managers to drive while you train new workers.  

Julie

Pleasanton

Totally dependent in Bart to get to work in SF daily. Work in a company in which 5 persons BART to work. A strike will cripple our small company - profitability was way down last period strike quarter 

Kerry

Portola Valley

 It's a fundamental service, encouraged by our government and, similar to air traffic controllers, police, and other necessary services, should not be subjected to disruptions.  

Dennis

Rancho Murieta

Stop the insanity! NO MORE BART STRIKES!! 

jabari

Richmond

This is a tragic like a terrorist attack. We need bart like we water or air to breath. Alot of people rely on bart for day to day commuting. This strike would be hard on elderly and handicap as well as those able. This needs to end its not loke they dont have the money. 

Truse

Richmond

 It is unconscionable on both sides of this issue to hold the whole of the Bay Area hostage every time the contract renewals comes up. This is a public health and safety issue, not a mere inconvenience.  

Angel

Richmond

 I believe that the public should not be held as pawns in negotiations between BART and the Unions.  Like other transit agencies nationwide, public transportation is essential and it's unions should not be allowed to strike.  

Jason

Richmond

 Ridiculous that 2,000 people can disrupt 400,000 commuters. Transit systems shouldn't be allowed to strike.  

Ginesta

Richmond

STOP BART STRIKES. 

Noel

Ross

Long overdue! 

Raymond

Sa Francisco

they already have a generous package of benefits. 

James

Sacramento

 Steve, thank you for your leadership.  

Ernest

sacramento

 A  bart strike is crippling to the bay area and shouldn't be permitted.  However Bart and the workers should be subject to mandatory arbritration.  

Sandra

San Bruno

I support this ban on transit workers from striking. 

Sheila

San Bruno

 If there already is a no-strike clause in the BART union contract(s) then it is incredulous that it is not enforced. The strike chaos is unacceptable on any level and smacks of a lack of understanding about   who   BART is there to serve and who pays the bills - it's the riders!  

Linda

San Carlos

 Don't penalize hard working Californians.  Talk, negotiate and get this agreement done!  

Krista

San Carlos

 HELP us please! it's a nightmare time-wise and big cost to not be able to take Bart, bridge cost and downtown Oakland parking $  

James

San Francisco

Way overdue.  This is an important issue akin to infrastructure.  It has to be reliable and not at the whim of labor issues. 

JIMMY

SAN FRANCISCO

 I am against any transit workers striking. They cannot paralyze the Bay Area or any other region just because they can. The economy of the region and the mobility of citizens trumpets any transit workers right to strike. In other cities and states listed in this petition, it is illegal for transit workers to strike and it should be in California as well.  

Elaine

San francisco

I hope this will make a difference of ending the strike! 

Joe

San Francisco

 I would never vote anti-union if BART members weren't so well-paid, pay nothing toward their pension and only $92/month for health care. I am pro-union, but they are paid well for low education level and should be contributing to their own pensions or 401(k)s.  

Rick

San Francisco

It not only effects the traffic but everyone ends up paying more in time and money trying to get to work. Those that use day care have to pay extra because of the extended time it takes to get to work and back. It is an extreme hardship on everyone and just like the air traffic controllers can't strike and shut down the airports Bart workers shpuldn't be allowed to shut down the system. I believe anytime a transit system crosses multiple city and county line it creates a great hardship on the public and should not be allowed. 

Cliff

San Francisco

 It's shocking to me that we don't already have some legislation in place to prevent a critical regional infrastructure like BART to go down as a result of union activity. I'm not the top 1%, it just simply feels wrong.  

Bill

San Francisco

Make BART Trains Run 24 Hours! 

Justin

San Francisco

Overpaid lazy workers 

bonne

san francisco

thanks for your courage!!! 

Gary

San Francisco

 This has gone on long enough and we the public cannot have this kind of thing hanging over our heads everytime these Bart Workers want a raise. They will do it over and over again. Plus they are already paid more then any other city in the USA? imagine $92.00 a month for a whole family. For just my wife and I we pay $600.00 a month and I`m told that`s not bad. SF police,firemen and Muni already have a  no strike   clause why doesn`t Bart? Also there are many people who would love to have their jobs. I suggest to start training new folks and have a 2 tier system. Once trained we can elimanate the current Bart workers who are disgrunted and feel under paid. They also pay nothing into their pensions and if this problem isn`t stopped itt will only escalate.  

Mark

San Francisco

 This is long, long overdue.  I whole-heartedly support bringing BART workers in line with MUNI and other major transit workers.  This is a public safety issue, and the public should not be held hostage EVERY FOUR YEARS.  This is what happens each and every time.  Ban strikes for good!  

DJ

San Francisco

 When transit workers strike they aren't striking against a Board or a Department or an Agency; they are striking against the people.  In the case of transit workers (as well as police, firefighters etc.) that should not be permitted.  The impact of transit workers going on strike is potentially too great to allow.  MUNI workers can't strike and BART workers shouldn't be able to strike either.  

Fabian

San Francisco

Work it out without devestating the community. 

Laura

San Francisco

The residents of California should not be made to suffer for the inability of BART to fairly negotiate with its staff.  Pubic transportation is part of the social contract and should be exempt from strikes. 

Leo

San Francisco

This sounds like something the foreign terrorists want to happen which is to ruin our economy and cause chaos that will shut everything down.  It's domestic terrorism closing down the San Francisco Bay area that will impact all people from all walks of life. 

Larry

SAN FRANCISCO

I am glad BART riders are getting organized 

James

San Francisco

 The unions are  holding us hostage. Unions expect to be compensated for past loses by asking for a pay increase of 21%, outrageous! We all have suffered for years now.  Do your part ATU and SEIU, get to work, your already being paid too much.  Managements offer is very fair. Stop the Union madness now!  

Jason

San Francisco

 YES! Thank you for doing the right thing, I stand with this wholeheartedly.  

Kevin

San Francisco

 As a small business owner, a BART strike crowds the highways making it very difficult for us to make deliveries on time.  I completely support this initiative.  

Daniel

San Francisco

BART worker benefits are WAY MORE than the typical rider will ever receive. 

Vaijayanti

San Francisco

I do not support the BART strike. 

Linda

San Francisco

I would like to see BATR have the same rules as SFMTA. That they not be able to go out on strike at all. 

C

San Francisco

 BART Union is unbelievably arrogant and out of touch.   They need a douse of reality and how life really works. This is a good start.  

rebekah

san francisco

 I am tired of being held hostage by people who think what they get paid is somehow not enough. You know what I do in that case?  FIND ANOTHER JOB! They don't because they know they will not find anything close to the money they make and the benefits they have currently, much less what they are demanding. If NYC transit workers can't go on strike then why can't we do the same?  

Ruth

San Francisco

 Thanks for starting this petition, I am behind you 100%  

Richard

San Francisco

transit workers are essential workers. Ban strikes. 

Jean

San Francisco

People provide for public service shouldn't allowed to be on strike. 

Howard

San Francisco

 To Assembly members of the State of California,  The public agency, which is tasked with serving the public good, should be given the ability to essentially take that public hostage by disallowing essential services such as transportation.   The members of this public agency are already being overcompensated for the skillset required to perform their duties. In no other agency, public or private, are workers paid such a premium above market rates for their skillset. It is an unsustainable model.   The labor unions arguments for the most part are essentially invalid. Revenues above operating costs are not THEIRS by default. Taxpayer dollars grant to BART is not THEIRS by default. These dollars should as BART management suggests, be dedicated to critical infrastructure improvements and the overall betterment of BART as a public transportation system.   As a voter, California resident and public transportation user, please put into place legislation that bans such actions by the labor unions.  

Roy

San Francisco

We need a statewide law 

Jimmie

San Francisco

 Bart is not a company which provides a product that can simply be taken off of a shelf.  A strike cripples the local economy, hurting local families who have no other way of getting to work.  Too many lives throughout the May Area rely on Bart providing transportation services.  Bart strikes are WRONG.  

LORI

SAN FRANCISCO

 Even when a deal is reached between the BART and the Unions it's the riders who ultimately pays!  Riders should have a say!  

Brandon

San Francisco

 We can't handle having this threat hanging over the heads of everyone living in the Bay Area that rely on BART for day-to-day necessities. It's an abuse of power to leverage the needs of citizens for personal gain, when many of those affected are in significantly worse economic standing than those striking.  

Travis

San Francisco

 A group of people should not be able to hold hostage a public good...that was paid for by the public.   Keep the trains running. If they want to strike, bring in temp workers.   

Evan

San Francisco

 BART strikes are incredibly disruptive to the regional economy. Muni workers can't strike, and they seem to have good contracts. BART is vital to the region, and its employees shouldn't be able to hold the region hostage.  

Ronan

San Francisco

BART workers are overpaid and holding the Bay Area hostage with their greed. 

Mark

San Francisco

 Forced arbitration but no strikes. Allow the unions to exist and to have negotiating power, but in form of forced arbitration. There is no reason to hold common citizens hostage over negotations -- and that goes for both sides.  

Mark

San Francisco

It's about time. 

Kyle

San Francisco

 Like other major transit employees across the country, BART union thugs should not be permitted to put the Bay Area in a standstill whenever they feel like it.  

Steven

San Francisco

No more transit employee strikes in California! 

Jamie

San Francisco

No Strike!!!! 

Steven

San Francisco

 San Francisco is constantly growing city with an expected population boom on the horizon of 20$, this requires a fully functioning public transportation not subject to shutting down at the whims of unions and bart management negotiation tactics. We should follow the example of New York and ban the detrimental practice of striking. This stranglehold is used as leverage but also hurts the common citizen and daily commuter. I was affected and missed days of pay during the July strike because I could not fight my way through traffic and did not own a car. Even with a vehicle, where would I park if everyone else is driving in the same? San Francisco is a commuter city and shutting down the commute is not acceptable. Ban Bart strikes!  

David

San francisco

Strikes by public workers do not benefit the public 

Cynthia

San Francisco

There is no reason for either party in this debate to be so singleminded to believe they are right.  The people they are hurting are everyone!  Grow up! 

Rosanna

San Francisco

 Big inconvenience for working people IN THE BAY AREA,!!  

Alia

San Francisco

 Fire anyone who opts to go on strike. Replace these greedy, overpaid people with people who actually want to work and will appreciate all of the benefits they get.  

Mark

San Francisco

 My wife relies on BART to get to work every day, traveling from SF to Oakland. We have not owned a car in over 20 years, and rely on public transit. Any alternative solutions during a BART shutdown would be a serious inconvenience to her day.  

vitus

san francisco

Stop the barr. Union and their ezcessive request 

ladislao

San Francisco

The last strike added an additional hour to my two hour daily commute to work within the city of San francisco! 

andy

san francisco

 why strike when they are already making 85000.00+ in average, let's fire these greedy suckers due to lack of social responsibilities. they are hired under buddy systems without any degrees. what are thieves!!  

Andy

San Francisco

Fire all Bart employees and hire people that aren't lazy and want to work. 

Boris

San Francisco

 It is a disgrace. They are monopoly !  

ronda

san francisco

 Tax paying citizens should not be held hostage by Unions.  We pay taxes for this service.  We depend on BART for work/school and social activities.  People lose jobs, classes when this is allowed to happen.  It's supposed to work for us, not against us!   

Shannon

San Francisco

 Their strikes affect millions of innocent individuals that need to get to work to support themselves and their familes, and pay their bills. Transit strikes should never be allowed to happen.  

Carmen

San Francisco

 BART employees/Union workers should be ashamed of themselves because they know they can hold the public hostage as leverage to get what they want.  That is not right.  If BART employees/Union workers are not happy with their job, then quit and find a better job.  Don't be lazy and take the easy way out by holding the public hostage by going on strike.  This only proves your incompetence that you can't find another job.  

Joseph

san francisco

 Bart workers are not the only one's who have it hard sometimes, When I don't get a promotion or raise at work you don't see me going on strike.  

Patrick

San Francisco

 Fire them all immediately, break the contract and tell them to take it up in court.  Then offer to hire them back with no contract.  

Johanna

san francisco

 I am student in Berkeley who lives in San Francisco, so I don't think the solution to solve the issues is a strike. People like me don't deserve to pay for the BART problems because we need to continue with our activities. There should be another ways to solve this situation without affection others life.  

Kim

San Francisco

 People ride Bart for different reasons.   Bart strikes have severe impacts on the working poor, the disability community, and the environment. July strike was horrible for many who struggled with housing and food. Policies around strikes need revision now.  Social, economic, and environmental justice. If we want to talk about climate change in the Bay Area, we need to get real about public transportation. Public transportation should always be for the greater good of the community, and not a selective cash cow.  

mick

san francisco

What the hell!!!! 

Kathleen

San Jose

Ban all strikes that affect commuters. 

Rosemry

San Jose

BART is essential to many in the bay area and causes severe hardships and grid-lock when not operating. 

Richard

San Jose

 BART was  publicly funded, owned by the people and should NOT be allowed to go on strike.  It should NOT be unionized!!!  They should go to the SFO zoo and train chimps for these jobs.  In transition, the only noticable difference will be that the chimps have a nice personality!!!  

Mark

San Jose

 The leverage of a BART strike is the very public BART is intended to serve.  BART management and the workforce should not be allowed to hold the public hostage.  If there were an alternative service that was easily available and comparable in cost, BART would be forced to provide better service.  Since BART is the only viable choice for the service they provide, BART workers should not be allowed to strike, and disputes with management should be handled with binding arbitrated by a third party.  

Robert

San Jose

 This system belongs to the people, not the union. We paid for it.  

Chris

San Jose

 This is an idea that should have been thought up years ago.  Back when the first bart strike happened.  We should have followed Boston, New York, and other cities that have passed such bans years ago.  

Jeannie

San Jose

 I think it's ridiculous that in this economic state there are people out there still complaining that they don't make enough when they are lucky to have a job. I work full time and don't have health insurance, yet you don't see me striking when you may not even pay premiums for your health insurance and if you do it's far less than someone who has to get it privately without the assistance of their employer. Shame on you. I think you are all greedy!  

valton

san jose

For either side of the table i can honestly say i could care less.Your negotiations and non agreement meetings have caused nothing but heartache and misery for us commuters.You should look at the professionalism that other cities have when it comes to their train services and learn from them.Very dissapointed and if you plan on strikeing then atleast have the descency to provide us commuters with hired contractors to run the trains as you continue your wasted time of meetings that should have been dealt with in a nmore proffessional matter and a long time ago.Talk about a lazy way of running things on both sides. 

Nicole

San Jose

 My husband may loose his job because of this strike, also they're are thousands of handicap workers that cannot drive a car to work that rely on BART. This cannot happen!!!!  

Tri

San Jose

I need BART to go to A's games! 

Jessie

San jose

Bart union should use a different way as negotiation power. Public transportation is backbone of the city. Can u image city running without electricity or water ? Same as public transportation! 

Amit

San jose

I strongly support the legislation. Bart riders who pay their fare should not be punished for Bart's disagreement with their workers. The riders are pretty much the hostages in this kind of situation which is unfair. 

Sharon

San Leandro

G 

 Ronald-Philip   Life-Long Liberal  

San Leandro

 I am extremely conflicted on this issue. I generally support the right of union leaders to strike, but enough is enough. BART management is to blame for all of this... let's force BART management into a full top-down audit of every penny and every business decision they have ever made! Let's expose the lies BART has been telling the public, and let's expose economic racism at BART: BART management has deliberately under-served the Richmond-to-Fremont line for YEARS. EXPOSE MANAGEMENT CORRUPTION NOW!  

Michael

San Leandro

Let's follow the example of Chicago and New York and be the first state to ban transit strikes! Let us be held hostage by Union greed no longer! 

Robert

San Leandro

Mandatory arbitration. 

Justin

San Leandro

They need to restrict strikes and get rid of the union. 

Estella

San Leandro

I am for a bart strike ban. They are a pain to the public. Govrnor Brown along with the State legislature should pass a bill to ban bart strikes. 

Jackie

san leandro

 I'm tired of waking up and leaving my house very early, because of a bart.strike. There are a lot of unemployed, underunemployed people. Bart and their union  needs to think about the people instead of GREED.  

mary

san leandro

no striking allowed 

Penny

San Leandro

There should be no strikes by public employees.  They should be required to negotiate as long as it takes until the contracts are mutually agreed upon. 

Cynthia

San Leandro

 All residents of the Bay Area are impacted when BART union members go on strike. They make a good income with great benefits. Enough is enough. Greed needs to be stopped and I say, let's do this!  

Marina

San Leandro

Bart Union Worker should not be allowed to go on stike. Please make it into law! 

Lani

San Leandro

I don't like being held a hostage because they want more money. 

Andrew

San Leandro

See also http://www.mercurynews.com/portal/ci_23577926/mercury-news-editorial?_loopback=1 

Jeff

San Lorenzo

 Transit workers that can affect the economy of a city, state or country if they would go on strike should be prohibited by law to strike. Any strikes by government employees that innocent tax paying citizens become direct victims or directly pays for the consequences should not be allowed to strike by law!  

Deborah

San Lorenzo

 2,500 workers should NOT be able to take down 400,000 riders who depend on BART for transportation.  No group of workers should be able to essentially hold such a large metropolitan area hostage with demands that will surely cause fares to skyrocket.  Everyone is for fairness!  A BART strike is not in the best interest of the Bay Area or California.  CAST A NO STRIKE VOTE for the riders that voted you into office!  

Beverly

San Lorenzo

Both parties should be subject to binding arbitration to settle disputes. Let's get someone reasonable who sees both sides of the story. 

Katherine

San Mateo

It is extremely hard on me to have BART go on strike. 

terence

san mateo

 here in the bay area, muni has prohibitions against such actions. AND the Postal Service. If your mailman can't strike, the guy who gets 400,000 peoples to work shouldn't either. !!!  

Johanna

San Mateo

 You all need to work it out.  If you shut down service, you will cripple the lives of many people who, for what ever reason, can't drive, can't afford a taxi.  By striking, you will cause horrific traffic jams in the bay area, causing people to be late, not make their appointments on time, thereby losing possible treatments they were going in for, possible job loss for not being on time to teach a class or perform a repair.  Get it together....both sides need to work this out NOW.  

Christopher

San Mateo

 Bart workers are an integral par of our regions transportation infrastructure. I support their right to living wages, which they already have. The selfishness that is being displayed by the two principal unions is extremely disheartening to those of us who depend on bart everyday.  

Paul

San Pablo

 It is appalling that the BART employees would be allowed to strike and disrupt people trying to make a living, getting to medical centers and have no other means of transportation - especially those people who are the disabled and those on fixed incomes. The Bart employees are already receiving great incomes - far above those working in the private sector in similar positions. Good grief.  Paul V. Morris Vice-Mayor, City of San Pablo  

Kenyatta

San Pablo

I dont have any other options to get to my job. My license is suspended and if you strike its going to be extremely hard getting to work. If i continue to be late because of your strike I will be fired. 

rebecca

san pablo

I support this petition because not all of us have the luxary of owning a car or have access to special transportation. 

catherine

san pablo

It also affect family members who have to drive thier children to work. So you need to put petitions in store parking lots. 

Brian

San Pablo

 Bart should be BANNED from striking period. Other public transit services are prohibited from striking, Bart should be in that same exact boat. It's an outrage that they would even consider bringing the public in the middle of this mess. They must be stopped from doing this ever again.  

John

SAN PABLO

 It's unconscionable that BART employees can hold the entire Bay Area economy hostage to their demands when many of them get paid at least  twice as much as the people who depend on their public utility services.  Transportation is as important to riders of BART as Fireman and policeman who are not allowed to strike.   BART employees contribute nothing to their retirement, pay little for health care--with lifetime FREE riding of BART--care little about high fare prices.  Google has proven vehicles can criss-cross the country driverless, the Golden Gate Bridge no longer has human toll takers, super markets have self check out service, automobiles have proven anti-collision  technology, yet four decades later each BART train still has a redundant person being paid six figures per year.  It's time for BART management to fulfill BARTS's  potential of driverless trains as originally designed in 1972.  

Andrew

San Rafael

 Finally some common sense. Workers who are privileged to work in certain industries where the public health, safety and welfare are at stake must forgo the right to strike as a fair and reasonable trade off for their job.  

Richard

San Rafael

Common sense! 

Rene

San Rafael

 It is wrong that a few hundred people can blackmail tens of thousands of others, in order to forcefully get what they want.  

Brenda J

San Rafael

 This should be done. Please contact me if there is anything my group (Citizens for Sustainable Pension Plans) can do to help. Jody  I signed the petition with my full name so that it will match voting records.  

Brenda J (Jody)

San Rafael

 This should be done. Please contact me if there is anything my group (Citizens for Sustainable Pension Plans) can do to help. Jody  I signed the petition with my full name so that it will match voting records.  

Anne

San Ramon

Please help the people who need public transportation. 

Kimbal

San Ramon

Fire them all and hire new workers.  So many of us are out of work and would LOVE a job driving a bart train. 

Christina

San Ramon

 As a  public servant, I am embarrassed by  the greedy  selfish  demands that the BART  employee unions are making. Their poor behavior  reflects  negatively  on all  public  servants and threatens our  credibility  and rights to collective  bargaining.  

mark

san ramon

I am a student and I take the bart for school. I work at a minimum wage job and with out bart I cant afford to go to school. 

Pouran

San Ramon

We need to stop Bart strike immidiately. 

LYNN

SAN RAMON

 BART employees are already overpaid.  They should be paying more for their healthcare, like all the rest of us have to.  They should also have to pay more into their pension plans, like the rest of us have to!  

steve

san ramon

Enough is enough 

Stephanie

San Ramon

 This has gone on for too long, and the Bay Area Bart riders cannot afford another strike.  

Thomas

San Ramon

ban that shizzle. BART PEOPLE ARE WAY OVERPAID ANYWAY. 

shirley

san ramon

BART worker should not be allowed to strike and paralyze the Bay Area. 

gary

san ramon

 In the interest of public safety and the economy of the Bay Area cities, BART workers should not be allowed to strike.  

David

Santa Clara

Public employees should never be permitted to go on strike.  They should also pay a greater portion of their health costs too.  No more free viagra for California public employees! 

Charles

Santa Clara

I live in Santa Clara. I am drving my car to Fremont Bart daily and get on Bart to Pleasanton for work so Please Please NO BART STRIKE. I cant afford to get the gas for a long commute also there is no bus service go to Pleasanton from Fremont. Please Please NO NO NO BART STRIKE 

Ron

South San Francisco

No one should be able to hold 400K people hostage each day. 

Betty

South San Francisco

 BART should not be allowed to hold 400,000 people hostage. They've had plenty of time to negotiate, this is a far out drawn drama.  

kim

sunnyvale

The bartstrike has way too large of an impact on the people who rely on it daily to risk a shut down. 

Kathleen

Sunnyvale

Bart employees make enough! 

Kam-Sau

Sunnyvale

 Public transportation Strike would take away others working opportunity.  No transportation, no way to go to work!  

Charles

Sunol

A smal amount of people should NOT be allowed to hold the entire Bay Area hostage to there demands. 

David

Tiburon

BART strikes hurt people at my company who depend on public transit to get to work. Those most effected in commuting during a BART strike have the least recourse. Only legislation providing for compulsory arbitration for essential community services can help disenfranchised workers who will struggle to get to work during a strike 

maria

Tracy

I just want the Bart to be going because I am a student and I don't want to miss any of my classes Because of this. 

Geet

tracy

we need to stop this strike as soon as possible because we are cannot afford to lose our education just for them or the government. so please DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THE UPPER PEOPLE!!!!! 

Amy

Tucson

Cause too much traffic and peoples have to wake up early and especially they have kids 

Julieto

Union city

Andrea

Vacaville

Keep the Bay Area moving! Save the air... 

Gladys Denise

Vallejo

I think that BART workers should not be able to strike at all. It will paralize the Bay Area and damage the economy. 

murray

vallejo

Need state legislation to prevent these crippling strikes. 

Gail

Vallejo

 Police and Fire cannot strike because they are considered   public safety   employees.  I believe public transit employees should fall under the same   public safety   rules and NOT be able to put the public at risk by striking.  

Sidney

Vallejo

 The BART employees should be very happy yo have a job in this economy and if they keep this up, they should all be replaced with folks that would appreciate their jobs. Fire the union. They do nothing but sit on their butts. This affects hundreds of families, but none of them (BART or UNIONS) seem to care.  

Brendan

Walnut  Creek

managing both my job and my child's care with BART strikes  is nearly impossible. 

Alan

Walnut Creek

 I served as a policeman for 30 years in Berkeley.  As I feel was appropriate, police officers cannot strike.  Fire Fighters cannot strike.  Air Traffic Controllers cannot strike.  There are certain jobs that provide such a vital interest and safety to  the public, that I feel those in that profession should not be able to strike (in which I would include the profession of nurses).  Additionally, I would include BART employees.  For the reasons stated above, (economy, access to school and health care damage to the environment and so much more), I feel BART employees should not be able to strike.  

Yolanda

Walnut Creek

 A major transit agency should not be allowed to strike, crippling the entire Bay Area and stranding hundreds of thousands of people.  It's simply ridiculous and needs to be outlawed.  

Brandon

Walnut Creek

BART and other transit agencies should not be allowed to strike and hold the people that need their service to get to work everyday hostage. 

Tobe

walnut Creek

BART workers are well paid already and they don't do much work from what I see every day.  Multiple workers sit around and chat every day and they are rude when you interact with them.  Lots of unemployed people would be grateful for a good job. 

Steven

Walnut Creek

I fully Support this Petition! 

Robert

Walnut Creek

 I support this 100%! If these union workers don't like their contract, quit! There's plenty of people willing to work...especially for the amount they make, which is more than most school teachers.  

Douglas

Walnut Creek

 I'm just one of 400,000+ BART commuters from the East Bay but still feel extremely inconvenienced by the potential strike.  

Richard

Walnut Creek

 Lived in Orinda for 39 years,but never met you. Thanks for what you are doing.  

Katy

Walnut Creek

Strikes by BART workers hold innocent public hostage.  Public workers should be banned from striking. 

Miriam

Walnut Creek

 The people, and the economy, of the Bay Area should never be subjected to the chaos caused by a BART strike.  Mass transit unions should never have the ability to strike.  It is ludicrous that so few are allowed to cause misery to so many.  

Lorraine

Walnut Creek

CHAOS if BART strikes. They should be able to come to realistic and common-sense solutions to their differences. 

Phyllis

Walnut Creek

 ENOUGH!   THE PUBLIC IS BEING HELD CAPTIVE. RESOLVE DIFFERENCE BUT NOT ON OUR LIVES AND TIME  

Dan

Walnut Creek

I fully support the state legislation a ban on public transportation strikes 

Vera

Walnut Creek

It is time that the riders speak up and do something about it. 

James

Walnut Creek

Stop the greedy unions. 

David

Walnut Creek

the public should not be held ransom for the system they own. 

Paul

Walnut Creek

Transit systems are not optional.  They are a public safety and economic issue.  Transit workers should not be able to strike. 

Kelley

WALNUT CREEK

 A BART stoppage would impact FAR TOO MANY people to be allowed to happen.  This should be worked out as professional groups instead of impacting 375K people per day.  I do not sympathize with their pay concerns.  Every sector has had to make changes to their compensation packages and BART should not stay the same because they do not want to contribute to pension/health care programs.  Frankly, their overtime scheme should be grounds for termination for anyone who participates.  

Sean

Walnut Creek

 I feel BART employees should not be able to strike.  We are supposed to have a free market economy and have the freedom to chose where we work.  If they feel they are not getting paid enough, BART employees have the freedom and right to quite their job and go work somewhere else.  

Kathleen

Walnut creek

 I supervise developmentally disabled adults that have to take Bart to their job, where they make $9.30/hr.  these Bart employees make so much money already, and to fund what they want, fares will go up.  My people can not afford this!  

George

Walnut Creek

 One thing to add to this if its going to pass and if the two sides don't agree within 90 days, a state mediator will intervene and make the binding decisions on all items, pay, benefits, etc.  

Sandra

Walnut Creek

Thank you!! 

Suzanne

Walnut Creek

A BART strike would cause tremendous hardship for thousands of commuters as well as businesses.  BART literally has a monopoly with nothing to lose by holding out for more money. The demands being made are not in tune with the rest of the work force in our area. They must wake up and get real. 

Kevin

Walnut Creek

 BART is a critical infrastructure of the bay area for safety, economy and the environmental. Benefits include minimizing road congestion, greenhouse gas and generally just absolutely ridicules that a handful of people can cripple the entire bay area.  

Jill

Walnut Creek

Binding arbitration needs to be available instead of strikes. That way neither side can get to extreme in their demands. Too many people are effected by mass transit striking. 

Richard

Walnut Creek

If I lived in Orinda you would have my vote! 

Sara

Walnut Creek

 We should not be held hostage while unskilled, overpaid labor creates caios in our lives and unnecessary financial losses.  

Johh A.

Walnut Creek

 Yes Unions should not be allowed in public works of any kind. They tend to traid their votes for extra pay or benefits. And profit is not a factor so all the people do is to   give-in   and then raise fairs or taxes. John Butler  

jonathan

Walnut Creek

 BART should not be allowed to strike, it's functionality is too critical to the Bay Area  

Brooks

walnut creek

How can the cops and firefighters get to work free if BART is on strike? 

Julia

Walnut Creek

 I don't think it is fair for public employees in such a critical role to be able to hold hostage the millions of people in the Bay Area who have come to rely on BART to get to jobs, classes, appointments, etc.  Some have no other means of transportation.  It hits hard in the pocketbook of those who need every penny of their paychecks to survive.  

Nicole

Walnut Creek

I rely on BART to bring me to work on a daily basis. Please make BART strikes illegal! 

Patricia

Walnut Creek

I would go further and ban all public workers from striking. 

John

Walnut Creek

Please ban such strikes that have so much economic impact and hardship on working people and the general economy 

Hardy

Walnut Creek

Wages and benefits are currently excessive.  Steps need to be taken to correct and reduce costs. 

robert

walnut creek

Strike would be too damaging to the area economy. 

Gary

Walnut Creek

 Due to the state of the depresser economy, BART employees are luicky they have a job is required and not effected by a change in the economy. I wish I could get a raise every year and had the medical coverage they have. One of the highest paid transit companies in the nation.??? Be lucky you have a steady job. Public Transit employees should not be able to strike and cripple an entire community.  

Peter Don

Walnut Creek

Taxpayers and BART riders have had no representation during negotiations. As those who fund and depend upon the transit system we demand that BART employees not hold those who fund the system as hostages to their unreasonable contract demands.v 

Cheryl

Walnut Creek

We definitely need a law in place! 

James

Walnut Creek

Ban BART strikes! 

Bruce

Walnut Creek

 Existing BART wages and benefits are outrageous.  They should be cut, not increased.  BART union demands are even more outrageous.  The existing BART Board is holding firm, but their incentive is always to settle.  Transit workers should not be able to strike.  

Alva

Walnut Creek

 Existing BART wages and benefits are ridiculous and should be cut, not increased.  Union demands are outrageous and should not be allowed to punish the public with a strike.  Ban BART transit strikes.  

Tracee

Walnut Creek

 A Strike for a Transit service effects the lives of so many people and a large community's ability to work, function and pay their bills.   A Strike of these services creates a lot of problems for a lot of people, who can do nothing about the problem.  

Ronald

Walnut Creek

 BART is a vital lifeline within the SF Bay Area, just as are police, fire and utility companies.  The continued operation of the BART mass transit system is imperative to maintaining the livelihood and economy of our region.  

Marilyn

Walnut Creek

BART strikers should be relieved of their positions immediately and their pension funds forfeited. 

Gracia

Walnut Creek

BART workers and Unions should not have the power to inconvenience thousands of people on a daily basis! 

Jon

Walnut Creek

Bart workers are overpaid for unskilled labor. They need to be put in check. 

muriel

walnut creek

bay area can't afford a bart strike. 

Christa

walnut creek

horrible 

Milt

Walnut Creek

I am in favor of a ban on BART strikes. 

Tom

Walnut Creek

 I consider it unacceptable that any union can hold an entire region hostage because they are dissatisfied with their compensation.  For me it is a major inconvenience, but for others it is a health risk or may directly impacts their financial welfare.  Displacing so many people to enrich the pockets of union employees boarders on criminal.  

Lisa

walnut creek

I have no way to get to work. terrible 

Michele

Walnut Creek

My commute time goes from 1 hour to almost 3 hours which will probably be more due to all the extra people on the road. That is 6 hours a day on public transit 

Denise

Walnut Creek

 No govt employee should have the right to strike as those who pay their salary are not able to negotiate and the   company   can't go out of business. End unions and the govt stranglehold.  

Karla

Walnut creek

Please pass this law. It's not right that a few greedy people can cause so much damage to the whole Bay Area.  The union & Bart workers should not be allowed to strike for the safety of the Bay Area & they are responsible for millions of dollars that people lose because of their greediness. Please pass this law for our sanity. 

Qin

Walnut Creek

Public transit workers should not be allowed to strike. 

John

Walnut Creek

Stop the greedy unions.  Start paying like everybody else 

Joel

WALNUT CREEK

This is strike and process is a rediculous waste of time and energy.  It horrible that the public has to suffer on the account that a group is trying to get significantly more money then the market allows. 

Stephen

Walnut Creek

Allowing these unions to hold hundreds of thousands of commuters hostage is outrageous. This is a taxpayer supported public service. 

Yolanda

Walnut Creek

 Aside from the obvious inconvenience, a BART strike materially hurts our environment, business, and community. When the public's health and safety are compromised, laws to protect and ensure safety are necessary.  

Daniel

Walnut Creek

 BART employees already have amongst the best pension health benefits in the entire world. Ban their right to strike  

HOWARD

Walnut Creek

BART has been over compensated for years. 

Lori

Walnut Creek

 BART should not be allowed to hold its ridership hostage. Honestly, their benefit package is better than what 99% of the rest of us get.  Everyone pays something toward their own benefits. It's hard to have sympathyf for them. Without BART, hundreds of thousands of people will be straded. Have a heart, BART.  

James

Walnut Creek

Don't let them strike. Lets have a no strike policy!!! 

Zenaida

Walnut Creek

I am supporting a state ban on transit strikes. 

Matthew

Walnut Creek

 I do not support the strikes of workers asking for way beyond what they should be receiving, especially in this economy, and that their strike effectively holds the entire bay area hostage costing people their livelihoods and even jobs.  

Paul

Walnut Creek

Over half of the people on this planet go to bed hungry every night. Please return to work & thank God for the opportunity to earn a living. 

paul

walnut creek

The economic impact of another BART strike along with the pending financial disaster in Washington D.C. would be devastating to the  entire Bay Area. 

Ryan

Walnut Creek

 This should have happened a long time ago.  New York, Chicago and other major metros do not allow this.  Commuters should not be held hostage.  

Kelsey

Walnut Creek

A BART strike's only purpose is to hurt the riders. 

Carlos

Walnut Creek

 BART is a vital metropolitan infrastructure voted on and funded by local taxes, and essential for many working Bay Area citizens for their livelihood.  It should never be held hostage by any special interest group, for any reason.  

Joann

Walnut Creek

 BART, do not go on strike. Do not disrupt the businesses and livelihoods, the education and jobs, the health and welfare of 2.5 million +  people. For many, many people, BART is not a   luxury   it is a necessity. The financial loss precipitated by the previous BART defeats  your purpose. We have all had to tighten our belts in recent years. We appreciate BART, however, the days of unions were based on a previous flourishing economy, not the current economic statewide crisis. Many people have had to sacrifice their pensions and reduce their salaries and hours on the job and work harder just to stay employed. Those who do have paid jobs are fortunate and blessed. Do not be greedy, consider that you are citizens providing essential service, not employees with false entitlement. This behavior would not be tolerated in cities like New York. Do not cripple the innocent people who have supported BART every day by using the service and who appreciate it.  

Garry

Walnut Creek

Enough is enough. No more blackmail via your ridership! 

Pam

Walnut Creek

I don't believe the Bart organization should strike. There should be another way to do this. 

Rosalie

Walnut Creek

 I hadn't known that there was a no-strike clause in their contract, which expired. If they get to still collect all the same pay and benefits as under their contract, then they need to observe ALL the provisions including the no-strike clause!  

Donna

Walnut Creek

 Public employees should not have the right to harm the financial well-being of the citizens and communities they serve.  If labor conditions were such that that these public sector employees were underpaid compared to reasonable benchmarks or enduring intolerable, high-risk working conditions, a different view point would be in order.  However, BART workers are extraordinarily well paid and supported by benefits that the general public can only dream of.  It's time for BART union members to get a grip on reality and demonstrate respect for those who pay for their salaries and benefits.  

Cheryl

Walnut Creek

Stop hold us hostage! 

Slimane

Walnut creek

 the last bart strike it was very bad for our business also for our customers  . they Can't take a cab every day to work it cost them a lots of money going to the city at least 1 hour or more with a traffic . We need to stop the strike, its not a solution     so many people looking for a job     

Kelly

Walnut Creek

There has to be a better way. 

Robert

Walnut Creek

This is ridiculous to hold us commuters hostage because of greed.  Get it together people!  You have it better than most.  My late father was a Teamster and they fought pretty hard for a lot less than what you already have. 

Michael

Walnut Creek

 If they strike, the Governor should step in, and hold the the employees and BART Employee Director accountable. Bloomberg threw the NYC MTA Director in jail, when the MTA union walked. Don't be soft Caiifornia!  

JENNIFER

WALNUT CREEK

It's too disruptive to the Bay Area.  The Unions are asking for too much! 

Lorrie

Walnut Creek

 Join the club on the economy situation.  You are not alone on not having a raise, so deal with it like the rest of the Bay Area and stop inconveniencing the public.  

Dave

Walnut Creek

 Please help the working Americans that are all working very hard everyday just to make a living in this very difficult economy. Please take a look at what other major cities are doing to make this work, with transportation, and not have this hostage situation.  

winnie

walnut creek

 they should be in the categories with police and firefighter. they can protect, take the deal or not and negotiate till whenever. but don't take rider as hostage.  

Christopher

WOODSIDE

 The people should not be used as a bargaining chip in foolish squabbles between labor and management.  For reasons stated in this petition, strikes should be removed from the table as a negotiation tactic - another way must be found while the people continue to be served.  

James

Yuba City

Unions once again holding the innocent people hostage!