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Committee urges Golden Gate Bridge District to pause layoffs; unions and operators testify at length
Summary
The committee sent a resolution to the Board asking the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District to oppose WARN notices for up to 185 workers; dozens of transit employees and union leaders called in to describe family hardship and request a delay pending federal aid.
The Land Use & Transportation Committee voted Oct. 19 to send a resolution to the full Board urging the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District to oppose issuance of WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notices to about 185 bus and ferry workers.
Supervisor Dean Preston framed the resolution as an effort to protect skilled transit workers' jobs and benefits during the COVID‑19 pandemic; he and cosponsors noted the essential role these employees play in regional transit. A long public comment period followed: operators, union leaders (ATU, IBU, MEBA, ILWU) and community members described the emotional and financial toll of potential layoffs, urged the district to use reserves or other revenues and asked the Board to seek alternatives such as furloughs or delayed action until federal funding is clearer.
Speakers cited district reserves and suggested alternative uses of funds; union leaders stressed the difficulty of replacing highly trained operators and marine workers. The committee accepted a technical amendment to the resolution’s language and voted to forward the amended resolution as a committee report to the full Board.
