Page One

About Town

Staff
Tuesday July 31, 2001

With at least one BART union ready to strike, the Daily Planet stopped people at the downtown Berkeley BART station and asked them: What would happen to you if BART stopped service because of a union walk out? How do you think the negotiations should be resolved?  

 

Ami Moe, Richmond: 

“If BART shut down, I’d probably be out of a job. It would probably add a two-hour commute to my day. The management is trying to monopolize the funds, all the workers want is a day’s pay for a day’s work.” 

 

 

Leroy Staples, Oakland: 

“I ride my bike everywhere, unless it’s a long distance, but if BART shut down I would have to ride the bus more. The workers get paid pretty well, but they work hard; they work a lot of hours, they should be paid more.” 

 

 

Jamal Muhammad, Berkeley: 

“I would have a longer commute to work, I would have to figure out a bunch of other stuff, it would be a huge struggle. The workers enjoy good pay and good benefits, but I can understand them wanting more. I just hope they keep it running.” 

 

 

Jeff Loew, Berkeley: 

“If the BART workers went on strike, it would really affect the way I spend my personal time; since I’m not commuting to work right now, weekends are when it would affect me the most. I don’t know what all the terms are, but I am generally pro-union and I think management is trying to gradually squeeze out workers’ rights.”