Thousands of commuters will have to find alternative ways to commute Monday morning after a union representing BART workers announced a strike when talks with the agency's board of directors broke down.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, which represents 900 train operators and station agents, announced they will go on strike Sunday midnight after the BART board of directors unanimously voted to impose terms on the union a 7 percent pay cut and "eliminate what is our social security from our members," said Jesse Hunt, the head of the union, in a press conference.

Earlier in the week, the union rejected a contract proposal that would have frozen salaries, capped health benefits and imposed work rules intended to cut down on overtime, according to The Associated Press.

Hunt states the board's vote shows that they are ending negotiations with the union, but that "anything's possible" as far as negotiations continuing.

The other two unions, the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and the American Federation of Local, State and Municipal Employees Union Local 3993, will honor the ATU's strike, said Hunt.

BART is currently facing about $310 million deficit over the next four years and wants to reduce its labor costs by $100 million, according to AP.

For information on alternative ways to commute, visit the BART's official website at http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2009/news20090623.aspx