BART's overtime bonanza could grind to halt BART CONTRACT Pact for agents, operators would change work rules

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BART paid 145 train operators and station agents more than $20,000 apiece in overtime last year, and one of those employees earned more in overtime than his normal base pay, a Chronicle salary analysis found.

But work rules that contribute to high overtime pay for station agents and train operators could be changed if those workers approve a new contract today.

"Changing 'wasteful work rules' that lead to excessive overtime was one of the goals of the contract negotiations," Jim Allison, a BART spokesman, said Monday. "Management feels the tentative agreement ... meets that goal."

Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 rejected a similar contract proposal two weeks ago and had threatened to shut down the regional commuter rail system with 343,000 boardings a day by walking out.

"We're confident that this is going to be ratified," said Local 1555 President Jesse Hunt. "Rather than this being a hard sell, we truly feel we now have a tentative agreement that meets our members' concerns."

Full details of the proposal for the more than 800 members of ATU have not been made public, but the four-year contract deal would reduce overtime, limit forced layoffs, charge workers more for premium health benefits, and freeze wages unless cost savings can be identified later.

BART's two other biggest unions have already ratified their contracts.

Labor talks with BART's unions began in April. Faced with a projected budget deficit over the next four years topping $300 million, BART management wanted to cut $100 million in labor costs. The targeted savings in the proposed contract for train operators and station agents would account for a little more than a third of that amount, BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger said.

One of the more contentious issues was the work rules.

The transit agency paid train operators and station agents a total of $8 million in overtime last year. Systemwide, BART employees earned more than $24 million in overtime.

BART provided, at The Chronicle's request, a breakdown of pay for the 3,427 full-time and part-time employees on the payroll in 2008.

More than 700 BART employees topped the $100,000 mark in pay last year. Dugger was the top earner, with $334,857 in gross pay.

Of the 356 station agents, 30 made more than $20,000 in overtime. Of the 472 train operators, 115 earned more than $20,000 in overtime.

For station agents, the median base pay was $58,960, and the median overtime pay was $4,096. For train operators, the median base pay was $60,039, and the median overtime pay was $8,760.

Overtime is calculated at a minimum rate of 1 1/2 times regular pay.

One train operator, Ron Gadola, earned $62,432 in overtime last year, or $656 more than his base salary. He is assigned to operate trains between Lake Merritt in Oakland and Fremont.

Gadola couldn't be reached for comment Monday. But Hunt said Gadola regularly worked 12-hour shifts almost every day of the year.

Hunt said overtime is almost always available for members of his union - "the frontline employees" - who operate the trains and staff the stations.

Overtime costs were driven up last year, he said, when two electrical fires at the Hayward maintenance yard caused extensive damage and disrupted service in parts of the East Bay for almost two months. More station agents and train operators were needed to work during that period, Hunt said.

BART also relies heavily on overtime to run service to the Oakland Coliseum during events, including concerts and A's games, he said.

"Any overtime that our members work is a response of management asking people to work," Hunt said. "The overtime is service driven."

Database: See how much BART employees were paid last year. sfgate.com/ZHZP