Golden Gate Bridge Workers Strike Golden Gate Ferry on May 1st
Channel: GoldenGateJustice
Date: 2012-05-03

May 1, 2012 at San Francisco, California 
The workers at Golden Gate Ferry walked off the job this morning in support of a half day strike by the Ferry Terminal Assistants.  Mass picketing began at 4:00AM by all 14 unions of the Golden Gate Labor Coalition.  All of the boats of the Golden Gate Ferry remained tied up at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal as hundreds of employees and supporters demanded a fair contract from the Golden Gate Bridge District.

The Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District owns the Golden Gate Ferries that transport commuters and tourists on San Francisco Bay.  They also operate special baseball ferries to AT&T Park when the Giants are playing at home.  The workers who are part of the Golden Gate Labor Coalition have attempted to negotiate a contract with the District for the last 12 months.  They are frustrated by the District's refusal to give them a contract and insistence on making their healthcare unaffordable for families.   

The Larkspur Ferry Terminal was blocked by a picket line of ironworkers, teamsters, electricians, boatmen and women, ferry captains, laborers, and mechanics. These workers, who run and maintain the Golden Gate Bridge, Buses and Ferries were protesting to defend their health benefits and conditions.

More than 380 union workers employed by the Golden Gate Bridge District have been negotiating more than one year without reaching an agreement, even though management admits the unions have granted monetary and benefit concessions that exceed the District's demands. What is the holdup? Management, led by General Manager Denis Mulligan, is now on a campaign to force a form of health benefit premium sharing that will penalize employees with families. The workers are fighting to keep their health care affordable for families. Management is also demanding cuts in current retirees' vested health care benefits.

Photos, features, and more worker news at http://www.GoldenGateJustice.org
Film by Expert in a Box Video. www.youtube.com/expertinaboxvideo