California transit workers negotiate employment contracts

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On behalf of Daniel Watkins of Watkins Firm, A Professional Corporation posted on Friday, November 8, 2013.

Employees for the BART transit were in a heated dispute over wages, benefits and other work related concerns. Before, California BART workers were involved in a strike, which resulted in many enraged commuters. The company has come to an agreement on the employment contracts that is expected to be approved later this month.

Previously, the workers for BART were on strike due to disputes over their employment conditions. The strike led to a number of furious transit riders who commute to work and school. During the strike, many students were not in attendance for their classes at Berkeley college. Many transit commuters asked for the city to ban strikes all together, but one of the workers stated that if employees were barred from striking, then they would have a dictatorial employer.

A fresh contract was laid out that grants the employees more than a 12 percent increase in their wages in a four year time period. The company will also boost the amount it pays out in medical benefits. This agreement goes into effect pending the amount of employees that vote yes. So far, some employees feel that the contract is reasonable, while others feel that the contract could use more work.

When running a business, many California employers are vulnerable to contract litigation involving pertinent issues, especially when the company has many workers. Employees may become quarrelsome over their employment contracts due to not receiving adequate compensation for their hard work and not receiving an adequate amount payed in medical benefits. In regard to this matter, mediators became part of the process which may have led to a compromise.

Source: NBC Bay Area, BART Unions Ratify New Contract, Joe Rosato Jr., Nov. 2, 2013