BART Trains Keep Running as Strike Called Off Again

There will be no BART strike and trains will continue to run Thursday, officials announced late Wednesday as marathon negotiations between BART management and two of its unions continue.

UPDATE: BART Unions Threaten to Go On Strike Friday

For the fifth time in the past week, the public was informed that a threatened BART strike would be averted for the following day.

In other good commuting news, the AC Transit Strike was also averted for now as Gov. Jerry Brown ordered a seven-day cooling off period.

Many of the San Francisco Bay Area's estimated 400,000 commuteres have had to go to bed this week without knowing whether there will be BART service the next morning.

MORE: BART Strike Resources

Because contract talks have been going late into the night in recent days, many commuters have had to go to bed without knowing whether there will be BART service the next morning. For example, Monday night, it was after 1 a.m. when the unions let the public know its decision concerning Tuesday.

Service Employees International Union Local 1021 President Roxanne Sanchez told reporters Wednesday she's hopeful that her union and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 will come up with a deal by 10 p.m.

MORE: Board to Investigate AC Transit Labor Dispute

The contract negotiations, which were being assisted by three federal mediators, lasted until about 1 a.m. Wednesday morning and then resumed at about 10 a.m.

BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said the agency has been flooded with calls and emails this week from people frustrated that they have not been told earlier whether trains will be running the next morning.

Neither side would say where negotiations stand.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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