Governor Will Seek Court Order To Stop BART Strike

Gov. Jerry Brown is asking the courts to stop a BART strike that is looming for Monday morning.

A hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday in San Francisco Superior Court on the governor's request to impose a 60-day cooling off period in the labor negotiations if no contract agreement is reached by a Sunday midnight deadline.

A three-member panel appointed by the governor held a hearing this week on the transit agency negotiations and advised the governor on Friday that a BART strike would "cause significant harm to the public's health, safety and welfare."

BART officials said they were happy with the governor's decision.

"While we are pleased that the Bay Area will not be inconvenienced for the next two months, the district is committed to remaining at the negotiating table working to reach agreement with the unions," said BART spokesman Rick Rice.  

BART management and union negotiators met for a second straight Friday to try to hammer out an agreement. However, both sides said they are still tens of millions of dollars apart on the key issues of pay raises, health benefits and pension payments.

More talks are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, if necessary.

BART officials said they are proposing a 9 percent pay raise over four years. Representatives from the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 had been asking for a 21 percent raise over four years.

BART workers haven't had a wage increase in four years.

Union officials have said they may issue a 48-hour strike warning on Friday evening if a settlement isn't reached.