http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sf-sickout-ends-muni-service-restored-20140605-story.html
By Veronica Rocha and Joseph Serna, June 5, 2014
Muni sickout in San Francisco comes to an end. Rails cars returned to service Thursday.
Cable cars in San Francisco began running again Thursday after a
three-day sickout by some workers had seriously hampered bus and
light-rail transit service.
The San Francisco Municipal
Transportation Agency announced that the city’s light-rail, cable cars
and bus systems were returning to their regular routes as workers, upset
over a proposed contract, returned to the job.
When the sickout
started Monday, Muni service was operating at 54%, but transit officials
expected that to return to 90% Thursday.
The
sickout came after a vote Friday by Muni operators on a proposed
contract calling for them to contribute 7.5% of their pay toward their
pensions, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
San
Francisco City Atty. Dennis Herrera filed unfair labor practice charges
Wednesday with the Public Employees Relations Board against the
Transport Workers Union Local 250-A to end the sickout.
“This is an unfortunate attempt by the union to get around a law and
contract provisions they don’t like,” Herrera said in a statement. “The
Charter is clear that an impasse such as this one is resolved with
neutral arbitration. Let’s do what the law says, begin the arbitration
process and get San Francisco moving again as soon as humanly possible.”
Eric Williams, the union's president, urged workers on Wednesday to remain calm in light of the new charges.
"As
we proceed with our efforts to negotiate a fair contract, I urge all of
you to remain calm and to resume and continue the excellent service we
give the public," he said in a statement.
The region’s other transportation alternative, Bay Area Rapid Transit, honored Muni passes during the sickout.
Twice last year, BART workers initiated their own strikes, temporarily paralyzing the region.