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On Saturday, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) agreed to extend contracts with its two largest unions to July 9. The agreements were set to expire June 30.

BART officials hope the nine-day extension will enable the agency and unions to reach a long-term settlement that helps BART reduce its large budget gap, according to a prepared statement.

To help address a four-year, $250 million deficit, BART has proposed that both union and non-union employees cover more of the cost of their benefits and pensions. The agency also has proposed eliminating contract language that limits the agency's right to improve productivity by changing outdated work rules, BART said.

BART currently is negotiating contracts with all five of its unions, which represent more than 2,800 employees. Last week, the agency launched a new Web site, www.bartlabor.com, to keep the public informed about labor negotiations.