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Only when there is a union involved will relatively highly paid, unskilled workers go on a strike in the middle of an economic downturn. According to this 2005 article, BART station agents and train operators earn an average of $62,774 in wages and $29,412 in benefits, for a total of $92,156. And this was in 2005 so it must be even more now.

Anyone who's ridden BART before can tell you exactly how much skill it takes to be a station agent...none. They literally sit in their booths and you know to be honest, they aren't even there half the time! Most of the time those booths are empty and the station agent is probably off having a cigarette or taking an extended lunch or God only knows what else.

I can't say I know what it takes to be a train operator but I imagine using the word "drive" is an overstatement of what they actually do. It's probably more along the lines of "pulling a lever" or "pushing a button" or something equally as difficult.

I do know that there are a lot of people out of work right now in the Bay Area who would probably love to make even half of what those BART workers are currently making (plus benefits!) and that even with 72 hours notice, the BART workers/unions aren't going to turn public opinion in their favor. A lot of people are taking paycuts right now and don't have much sympathy for people who are whining about pay freezes and are pretty much screwing over the 340,000 people who rely on them to get to their own jobs every day.

What will it take to get all these losers fired and get some people who actually WANT to work in there?

Labels: News, unions suck