BART Board approves Collective Bargaining Agreements including wage increases
The BART Board of Directors today ratified Tentative Agreements to existing labor contracts that will result in wage increases for BART workers. The Board took the action as the highest rate of inflation in 40 years impacts BART workers and BART’s ability to recruit and retain qualified workers.
“BART is focused on putting out clean, safe, and frequent service to regain ridership and improve the customer experience, said BART Board President Rebecca Saltzman. “To do that, we need to fill our frontline positions and support our workforce during these extraordinary times. These new agreements achieve greater efficiencies for BART operations and extend labor contracts by one year, increasing labor stability for our agency, our riders, and the public.”
The BART wage increases total 10.5% over three years for AFSCME, ATU, SEIU, and non-represented employees, and 10.5% over four years for the police unions.
The last general wage increase for BART employees was in July 2020* (2.75% for most employees— higher level managers and executive staff didn’t receive a raise), and the current contract projects to provide no increases through June 2024. The risk of not increasing wages would compound current staffing challenges in a tight labor market, potentially impacting service.
The agreements achieve greater efficiency due to more modern work rules such as the use of electronic bidding, caps on the use of compensatory time, and allowing part time train operators to bid for special event service, which will increase train frequency during fun events in the region that are typically on nights and weekends.
The total four-year (FY23-FY26) cost of the wage increases for our operating budget is $123.8 million. Our four-year capital budget costs are $42.2 million, which are primarily reimbursable from capital projects and other sources outside the operating budget.
*BART police (BPOA and BPMA) received a wage increase in July 2021 as their contract is on a different cycle.