BART Service Resuming in the Afternoon of July 5

by Bay City News-

Bay Area commuters got some welcome news when BART and its workers agreed to extend the current contract 30 days and resume regular operations at 3 p.m. Friday, July 5.

BART service will begin running Friday afternoon after BART  management and unions agreed to extend two striking unions' existing contract  for 30 days, California Secretary of Labor Marty Morgenstern announced  tonight.           

BART service is expected to be restored by 3 p.m. Friday, BART  General Manager Grace Crunican said.          

As the two parties broke off negotiations shortly before 11 p.m. July 4, Morgenstern announced that the parties will return to work Friday morning and have trains running "in time for the Giants game."          

Negotiations will continue for the next month as a new contract has yet to be agreed on, but the agreement recommended by state mediators to  extend BART's exiting contract will keep the trains running until at least  Aug. 4, Morgenstern said.            

Once a new contract is approved, it will be retroactive to July 1, the day that the previous contract had expired.           

"We're very, very pleased that these workers will be back to work and the trains will be running again in the Bay Area," Morgenstern said. "The battle's not over, the job's not done, and everyone will be working as hard as they have between now and Aug. 4 to make sure that they have a good contract that keeps the trains running."         

Morning commuters will still have to get to work for a fifth day without BART service, however.       

BART had previously announced tonight that service would remain suspended Friday as the agency had received "no indication" that employees with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and the Service Employees  International Union Local 1021 will end a strike that has complicated transit  for four days now.            

BART said it would run seven charter buses from five BART stations on a first come, first served basis: at the West Oakland, El Cerrito del Norte, Walnut Creek, Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont stations.    

Once the buses are filled they will head to San Francisco's Temporary Transbay Terminal. Each bus can accommodate 50 passengers.