Spontaneous Strike Shuts Down Cable Car System

Cable cars in San Francisco were shut down for approximately 2 1/2 hours today, when workers staged a strike to protest the firing of two employees.

Cable Cars pulled into the Mason Street service barn around 10am and remained there until about 12:30 pm. Union members gathered and met at the cable-car barn while the strike was going on.

Union chief William Sisk and other union officials negotiated with Muni officials as well as Gavin Newsom who (of course) asked them to put the cars back on the street.

The strike occurred over the firing of two union employees who had been accused of stealing. Union members meeting at the service barn said it was about whether Muni had followed a labor contract in the firing of the two men. Muni's comment: "It's a personnel matter."

Various corporate news articles about the event:

San Francisco Chronicle, CA: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/03/BAGSKBJLGK1.DTL

KGO, CA:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/030205_nw_cable_car_shutdown.html

FoxReno.com, NV:
http://www.foxreno.com/news/4248037/detail.html


The possibility of further strikes happening as the week continues has been suggested, but in no way confirmed.