A San Francisco supervisor said he plans to introduce a resolution at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting urging San Francisco Municipal Railway drivers to end their “sickout” and return to work.
Supervisor Scott Wiener said he is introducing the resolution at the 2 p.m. meeting at City Hall because of the adverse impact on the city caused by the large number of Muni workers who called in sick Monday and today.
Only about 200 of Muni’s 600 vehicles were in service on Monday because of the sickout. Another 100 vehicles have been added to service today, but lengthy delays are still expected and Muni officials advised riders to seek alternate modes of transportation.
Cable cars are not running today and there is no limited-stop bus service available, according to Muni officials.
“This sick-out undermines public confidence in the agency,” Wiener said in a statement.
“Muni drivers have a tough job, and they deserve good pay and benefits as well as respect for their service to our city,” he said. “Similarly, Muni riders deserve to have a functional system to get to work, school, doctor’s appointments, the grocery store and elsewhere.”
Wiener called the sickout illegal, referring to a law passed by San Francisco voters in 2010 that bans Muni worker strikes.
The Muni employee union, Transport Workers Union Local 250-A, has been in a contentious contract dispute with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and last week voted to reject a proposed agreement with the agency.
The proposed contract would give Muni workers an 11.45 percent rise over the next two years but also proposes that the workers contribute 7.5 percent to their pensions, an amount currently covered by Muni.
Muni spokesman Paul Rose said the 7.5 percent is an amount “in line with most other city workers.”
TWU Local 250-A officials have not responded to multiple requests for comment on the sickout.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
