SAN FRANCISCO — Gerardo Sánchez (right), Socialist Workers Party candidate for treasurer here, and campaign supporter Ashley Chasuk talk with striker (left) at picket line in front of Bay Area Rapid Transit station at El Cerrito del Norte Oct. 18. A day after this photo was taken, transit workers Laurence Daniels and Christopher Sheppard were killed after being struck by a train being run by managers for training purposes during the four-day walkout.

The strike ended Oct. 21 with a tentative agreement that members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and Service Employees International Union Local 1021 are scheduled to vote on Nov. 1.

“These two workers were killed because bosses place a much higher priority on strikebreaking than our safety,” Sánchez, who is a janitor and member of UNITE HERE Local 2, told the Militant. “Only the working class is interested and capable of protecting life and limb on the job.”

Under public pressure following the deaths, BART management announced policy changes, ending the practice that ground crews are responsible for their own safety and allowing for one worker on track crews to watch for coming trains. Also, under new rules, trains must be kept under a speed of 27 miles per hour in all work areas or rerouted if crews are on the tracks.

— BETSEY STONE