Fifteen state legislators from the Bay Area have asked BART management to tamp down the hard-line position taken with its unionized workforce during labor negotiations.

The lawmakers sent a joint letter dated June 24 to BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger. The Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1555, which represents train operators and station agents and had a hand in drafting the letter, released it to reporters Tuesday.

"We write to you as members of the Bay Area delegation to the state Assembly and Senate to voice concern about the direction of labor negotiations with your employee unions," the letter began.

The state maintains some regulatory and funding controls over BART.

While the state representatives said they do not want to dictate the terms of the agreements being negotiated with BART's five unions, they wanted to "ensure that the negotiations involve the give-and-take, which characterizes good-faith bargaining," the letter stated.

BART spokesman Linton Johnson said he hopes the legislators understand that BART faces a projected $250 million deficit over the next four years and that management is looking to shave $100 million from labor costs. The savings would come from changes to work rules and reductions in health care and pension benefits.

"We are negotiating in good faith," Johnson said. "We are doing our due diligence to keep costs in line."