Comments on: Train Strike! http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/ Covering San Francisco's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SB http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-27031 SB Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:59:25 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-27031 The proposed BART spur between the Oakland Coliseum and the Oakland airport promises to be a money pit that will never repay itself in ridership. Sound familiar? A six-dollar fare one-way will prohibit its daily use by airport workers. Despite public outcry at MTC Commission meetings ("your tax dollars at work"), the Commission has pledged $140 million towards the project. We do know that won't cover the expense, but it could buy a lot of bus time: free buses running at frequent headways between the airport and BART. A cost-effective, common-sense solution, that's all the people ask. The boondoggle is not a quite a done deal. In September, Oakland City Council will vote on whether to support it or not. Meanwhile, there's a petition to stop the extension circulating via Urban Habitat. Check it out! Sign it! Please! The proposed BART spur between the Oakland Coliseum and the Oakland airport promises to be a money pit that will never repay itself in ridership. Sound familiar? A six-dollar fare one-way will prohibit its daily use by airport workers. Despite public outcry at MTC Commission meetings (“your tax dollars at work”), the Commission has pledged $140 million towards the project. We do know that won’t cover the expense, but it could buy a lot of bus time: free buses running at frequent headways between the airport and BART. A cost-effective, common-sense solution, that’s all the people ask. The boondoggle is not a quite a done deal. In September, Oakland City Council will vote on whether to support it or not. Meanwhile, there’s a petition to stop the extension circulating via Urban Habitat. Check it out! Sign it! Please!

]]> By: Jason Meggs http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-26141 Jason Meggs Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:44:08 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-26141 The 1997 BART strike was an opportunity for the intense Bike the Bridge! effort to seize the moment. Campaigns were under way for access to several Bay Area bridges, but the Bay Bridge was the most hotly contested. The Bay Bridge campaign had become a symbol of the bicycle movement, and also a pawn in the swindling machinations of big players. The manufactured attack on SF Critical Mass in July 1997 was easily read as a smokescreen masking multi-billion dollar scandals at the time. Six cyclists crossed the span successfully on the first day of the strike in September of that year, flags fluttering from their bikes, receiving a bounty of positive media attention and ultimately creating a landmark moment in the winning campaign. Activists next turned to protecting the victory, advocating for a good design for the path, and eventually to opposing the bridge itself on multiple grounds (along with opposing the Hayward Bridge expansion, and pursuing a law suit for that as well as for the Richmond Bridge heist by then AG Dan Lungren). In future years, several more bridge crossings occurred; in 1998 a large group crossed to issue a solidarity message that rail transit capacity must be preserved, a message that was ignored by the press; the police and media gave unfair treatment to demonstrators, falsely blaming them for causing a traffic jam which the CHP in fact created in violation of their own directives. There's lots more to tell. Thanks Chris for keeping our histories alive. Would love to see a good history of bridge access advocacy. ;) Jason p.s.Just heard that every year in Japan there are ritual transit strikes just to remind people of their power. Employers often plan to leave their workers at home during those times. > Every spring during contract negotiation season, the various transit > unions in the Tokyo area stage pro forma one- to three-day strikes. > Some large companies prepare for this by having their employees > literally live at the worksite until the strike is over. \_(via Carfree Cities list, carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com) The 1997 BART strike was an opportunity for the intense Bike the Bridge! effort to seize the moment. Campaigns were under way for access to several Bay Area bridges, but the Bay Bridge was the most hotly contested.

The Bay Bridge campaign had become a symbol of the bicycle movement, and also a pawn in the swindling machinations of big players. The manufactured attack on SF Critical Mass in July 1997 was easily read as a smokescreen masking multi-billion dollar scandals at the time.

Six cyclists crossed the span successfully on the first day of the strike in September of that year, flags fluttering from their bikes, receiving a bounty of positive media attention and ultimately creating a landmark moment in the winning campaign.

Activists next turned to protecting the victory, advocating for a good design for the path, and eventually to opposing the bridge itself on multiple grounds (along with opposing the Hayward Bridge expansion, and pursuing a law suit for that as well as for the Richmond Bridge heist by then AG Dan Lungren).

In future years, several more bridge crossings occurred; in 1998 a large group crossed to issue a solidarity message that rail transit capacity must be preserved, a message that was ignored by the press; the police and media gave unfair treatment to demonstrators, falsely blaming them for causing a traffic jam which the CHP in fact created in violation of their own directives.

There’s lots more to tell. Thanks Chris for keeping our histories alive.
Would love to see a good history of bridge access advocacy. ;)

Jason

p.s.Just heard that every year in Japan there are ritual transit strikes just to remind people of their power. Employers often plan to leave their workers at home during those times.

> Every spring during contract negotiation season, the various transit
> unions in the Tokyo area stage pro forma one- to three-day strikes.
> Some large companies prepare for this by having their employees
> literally live at the worksite until the strike is over.
\_(via Carfree Cities list, carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com)

]]> By: kit http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-26051 kit Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:42:33 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-26051 Absolutely fabulous reporting. Thank you streetsblog, San Francisco is lucky to have a source like you for transit reporting uninfluenced by corporate or government agenda. Absolutely fabulous reporting. Thank you streetsblog, San Francisco is lucky to have a source like you for transit reporting uninfluenced by corporate or government agenda.

]]> By: ZA http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-26041 ZA Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:51:28 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-26041 What BART workers have to say (including video): http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?&entry_id=45598 Tabular comparison of proposals: http://bart.gov/news/articles/2009/news20090814.aspx What BART workers have to say (including video):
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?&entry_id=45598

Tabular comparison of proposals:
http://bart.gov/news/articles/2009/news20090814.aspx

]]> By: Jason Henderson http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-26031 Jason Henderson Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:26:30 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-26031 In New Orleans the origins of the "Po-Boy" sandwich stems from class struggle. There was a streetcar strike in the late 1920s. The picket line was supplied with sandwiches and the strikers were called "poor boys" as the strike went on for many months. At some point during the strike the sandwich got the Po-boy name. Now its a core part of New Orleans identity, of course without the discomfort of class struggle origins. Chris, your proposal in 1997 to let all riders on free is the most sensible thing I've heard since the first murmurs of the strike back in June. But its about like getting a bike instead of cash for clunkers. Makes way too much sense. It would be nice if the Bay Bridge had some lanes converted to transit-only and maybe even a bike lane, but that also makes too much sense for these times. In New Orleans the origins of the “Po-Boy” sandwich stems from class struggle. There was a streetcar strike in the late 1920s. The picket line was supplied with sandwiches and the strikers were called “poor boys” as the strike went on for many months. At some point during the strike the sandwich got the Po-boy name. Now its a core part of New Orleans identity, of course without the discomfort of class struggle origins.

Chris, your proposal in 1997 to let all riders on free is the most sensible thing I’ve heard since the first murmurs of the strike back in June. But its about like getting a bike instead of cash for clunkers. Makes way too much sense.

It would be nice if the Bay Bridge had some lanes converted to transit-only and maybe even a bike lane, but that also makes too much sense for these times.

]]> By: ZA http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-25991 ZA Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:39:15 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-25991 mm1 - Considering the experiences of people who had to walk back to light after getting stuck in the Transbay tunnel during Loma Prieta, I don't think riding the tunnel, even temporarily, is advisable. mm1 – Considering the experiences of people who had to walk back to light after getting stuck in the Transbay tunnel during Loma Prieta, I don’t think riding the tunnel, even temporarily, is advisable.

]]> By: DaveO http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-25981 DaveO Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:05:21 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-25981 mm1 - And who are you going to get to install the steel plates, lighting and ventilation? mm1 – And who are you going to get to install the steel plates, lighting and ventilation?

]]> By: DaveO http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-25971 DaveO Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:03:32 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-25971 Transit advocates should use this as an opportunity to start agitating for a second transbay tube, one that would also accommodate heavy rail like Caltrain, so bay crossings are not tied solely to BART. Transit advocates should use this as an opportunity to start agitating for a second transbay tube, one that would also accommodate heavy rail like Caltrain, so bay crossings are not tied solely to BART.

]]> By: mm1 http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/14/train-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-25951 mm1 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:58:46 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=26241#comment-25951 Open the tunnel for temporary bike traffic. Lay steel plates over the tracks in both directions. Light it up and ensure adequate ventilation. If BART workers don't want to drive trains, then the owners of the tunnel, the taxpayers, shall continue to use it as they see fit. Open the tunnel for temporary bike traffic. Lay steel plates over the tracks in both directions. Light it up and ensure adequate ventilation. If BART workers don’t want to drive trains, then the owners of the tunnel, the taxpayers, shall continue to use it as they see fit.

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