Comments on: What they say about the impending BART strike

By: Bob Loblaw

Bob Loblaw — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:52:27 +0000

BART…Bay Area Rapid Transit…John Garamendo lives in Sacramento County, not in the Bay Area, so why does his opinion matter? I bet you dollars to donuts he has never been on a BART train in his life.

By: Arne Simonsen

Arne Simonsen — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:39:21 +0000

Larry, that was a great reminder of why DeSaulnier and Buchanan shouldn’t even be in the State Legislature.

Since hey can’t restrain State spending they shouldn’t have been meddling in BART negotiations. It just goes to show you who they represent – PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS and not their constituents.

By: Elwood

Elwood — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:27:26 +0000

Re: Post #3

Oh, my!

I wouldn’t slam an outhouse door that hard.

But that’s typical of Marky Mark. When a public employee union says “Jump!” Marky Mark says “How high? Would you like a back flip with that?”

By: Larry Carlson

Larry Carlson — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:04:05 +0000

Two candidates in the special election for Congress on September 1, Sen. DeSaulnier and Assemblywoman Buchanan, deserve part of the blame for the BART strike. They were among the 15 state legislators who butted into negotiations by signing that letter in late June. See: http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_12741966?IADID
The Times editorial board wrote, “The letter clearly takes the side of the unions by warning BART directors about the potential of a labor dispute, possible disruption of BART service and concerns about undue economic hardship for BART workers … We also urge legislators not to meddle in BART negotiations as they did eight years ago, when union workers received a 23 percent pay increase over four years, and focus on their work in Sacramento.” It was the ATU union, the one that caused the current strike, that shared Buchanan’s and DeSaulnier’s letter with the media. DeSaulnier and Buchanan emboldened ATU to take this action that will paralyze the Bay Area. They placed the self-interest of the greedy BART union bosses above the general interest of millions of Bay Area residents. If you can’t get to work on-time next week because you’re either BART-dependent or trapped in a colossal traffic jam, thank DeSaulnier and Buchanan. What do Buchanan and DeSaulnier think of their handiwork now? The Times needs to get them “on the record” immediately.

By: Allen Payton

Allen Payton — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:47:00 +0000

Mr. Garamendi, the two sides at BART shouldn’t “act in the best interests of the state” they all should act in the best interests of their customers, you know, “we the people” who own the system (or at least the commuters).

By: Ralph Hoffmann, Guest Columnist

Ralph Hoffmann, Guest Columnist — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:00:08 +0000

Clearly, this strike is economy related, and the down economy was caused by our Federal and State Electeds, whether they smile, and dye their hair, or not.
Buses will honor the picket lines, and stop outside the
battery limits of the BART Stations. See 511.org
511contracosta.org or cccta.org in the East Bay for details. Newspapers and TV stations have web sites to keep you informed of the latest news. Twitter & Facebook can be used as well to arrange car pools. BART will have charter buses from WC to W OAK & SF.