Bay Area Labor Unions Vote 92% to Authorize Strike of BART Trains if Contract Talks Fail

14 October 2026

A vote by two major labor unions authorizing a strike of Bay Area transit workers at the end of this month across the BART train system has strengthened negotiations over a new contract, but state-mandated terms on compensation and work rules threaten a 6-day halt in service as early as July 1.

Pay, health care, pensions, and new safety requirements are the core issues dividing the 2,375 BART employees represented by ATU Local 1555 and SEIU Local 1221. With only a few days left before monthly contracts expire, BART officials said they were required to prepare for the possibility of service interruption, including transferring $18.7 million in state funds to keep other Bay Area transit running. BART provides 400,000 daily rides, including trains crossing the San Francisco Bay each peak hour through the Transbay Tube.

On June 20, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and the Service Employees International Union Local 1221 voted 92% to authorize a strike if BART management doesn't reach a deal by January 30th. The two unions together represent all BART train operators, maintenance workers, station workers, and office staff. None have a strike date in mind, but the BART board and management are unable to budge on key union demands such as protections for transit workers in response to rising concerns about community violence.

New workers appear to be the sticking point, as they are paid $134,000 on average in salaries, overtime and benefits. That's $30,000 more than frontline workers, union leaders say, adding that for new workers there are never enough front-line workers. BART's official statement denied there was any wage imbalance beyond an average $13,000 a year on overtime for the 4,000 employees who are scheduled for 8-hour shifts.

The unions are not ruling out a strike if BART fails to act on their warnings. The unknown factor is BART management's obligation, under California law, to keep BART working under the terms of existing contracts until a new agreement is approved by the state legislature. BART management knew Monday's strike authorization vote was coming, and the agency had already drafted a plan it would implement—removing its daily upkeep of trains by Friday. The union seemed poised to go along, but was cautious.

The BART union vote comes amid other labor unrest across the Bay Area, as contractors are already planning to picket San Francisco workers and tenants if they lose their existing contracts. At BART, workers staged a walkout dubbed "chaos in the commute" during their near 1-week strike in 1997 during contract negotiations.