Post by onthejob on Nov 15, 2013 17:39:58 GMT -5
www.newsday.com/long-island/lirr-to-seek-federal-intervention-in-contract-impasse-1.6444612
LIRR to seek federal intervention in contract impasse
November 15, 2013 by ALFONSO A. CASTILLO / alfonso.castillo@newsday.com
Long Island Rail Road managers and the unions representing most of their workers are taking early steps to prepare for a possible strike next year if both sides can't resolve a 31/2-year-long contract dispute.
Anthony Simon, general chairman of the United Transportation Union -- the LIRR's largest labor organization -- said Friday that the eight unions representing about 5,600 of the LIRR's 6,000 represented employees are coordinating "strike captains" for a work stoppage.
And Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Adam Lisberg, when asked if the MTA was preparing for a strike, said the agency is "making plans for every possible contingency."
"Every union has called emergency meetings to be prepared," said Simon, who blames MTA management for "provoking" what would be the first strike of most of the LIRR's workforce in two decades. "They're playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette."
LIRR unions have been without a contract since June 2010. Having not reached a deal in the first 16 months, the unions and the LIRR first went to the National Mediation Board -- an independent agency that helps broker labor agreements -- in October 2011. Last month, the unions were released from arbitration without a deal.
The MTA says it will formally request next week that the White House appoint a Presidential Emergency Board to hear both sides, and make a nonbinding recommendation for a contract deal. If one is not reached, a second Presidential Board can be appointed.
If an agreement is not in place by next July, workers could legally strike -- potentially stranding 300,000 weekday customers. LIRR president Helena Williams said Friday that she hoped it doesn't come to that.
"I don't think a work stoppage is a good outcome for either party," Williams said. "A better outcome is negotiations at the table."
The latest dust-up between MTA management and LIRR unions came earlier this week, when the authority announced its intention to reduce a planned 2015 fare increase to 4 percent from the originally planned 7.5 percent, but only if unions would agree to a three-year freeze on labor costs.
Under the "three net zeros" plan sought by the MTA, workers could get raises, but only if they were funded through other concessions, such as doing away with antiquated union work rules. Workers have rejected the proposal so far, but Simon said union leaders have offered changes, involving pension reform and health care contributions.
Simon said that the MTA's decision to announce the reduced fare hike 16 months before it would take effect was part of a "ploy" to turn riders against union workers. Simon said he received more than one report of LIRR workers being confronted by angry customers accusing them of being "greedy."
"They[MTA managers] basically are saying to the riding public, unless labor voluntarily accepts a three-year wage freeze, or gives up things that were agreed upon in past negotiations to pay for raises, blame our workers," Simon said.
Lisberg said there was nothing "nefarious" about the reduced fare hike announcement, and that the MTA has been clear for more than two years that the three-year labor cost freeze is necessary for the agency to balance its books.
"Our riders have sacrificed in the form of higher fares and tolls. Our management employees have sacrificed by going five years without raises," Lisberg said. "We're simply saying that our represented employees need to sacrifice as well."
"They[MTA managers] basically are saying to the riding public, unless labor voluntarily accepts a three-year wage freeze, or gives up things that were agreed upon in past negotiations to pay for raises, blame our workers," Simon said.
SOUNDS FAMILIAR. IMAGINE THE COPS ON STRIKE?
LIRR to seek federal intervention in contract impasse
November 15, 2013 by ALFONSO A. CASTILLO / alfonso.castillo@newsday.com
Long Island Rail Road managers and the unions representing most of their workers are taking early steps to prepare for a possible strike next year if both sides can't resolve a 31/2-year-long contract dispute.
Anthony Simon, general chairman of the United Transportation Union -- the LIRR's largest labor organization -- said Friday that the eight unions representing about 5,600 of the LIRR's 6,000 represented employees are coordinating "strike captains" for a work stoppage.
And Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Adam Lisberg, when asked if the MTA was preparing for a strike, said the agency is "making plans for every possible contingency."
"Every union has called emergency meetings to be prepared," said Simon, who blames MTA management for "provoking" what would be the first strike of most of the LIRR's workforce in two decades. "They're playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette."
LIRR unions have been without a contract since June 2010. Having not reached a deal in the first 16 months, the unions and the LIRR first went to the National Mediation Board -- an independent agency that helps broker labor agreements -- in October 2011. Last month, the unions were released from arbitration without a deal.
The MTA says it will formally request next week that the White House appoint a Presidential Emergency Board to hear both sides, and make a nonbinding recommendation for a contract deal. If one is not reached, a second Presidential Board can be appointed.
If an agreement is not in place by next July, workers could legally strike -- potentially stranding 300,000 weekday customers. LIRR president Helena Williams said Friday that she hoped it doesn't come to that.
"I don't think a work stoppage is a good outcome for either party," Williams said. "A better outcome is negotiations at the table."
The latest dust-up between MTA management and LIRR unions came earlier this week, when the authority announced its intention to reduce a planned 2015 fare increase to 4 percent from the originally planned 7.5 percent, but only if unions would agree to a three-year freeze on labor costs.
Under the "three net zeros" plan sought by the MTA, workers could get raises, but only if they were funded through other concessions, such as doing away with antiquated union work rules. Workers have rejected the proposal so far, but Simon said union leaders have offered changes, involving pension reform and health care contributions.
Simon said that the MTA's decision to announce the reduced fare hike 16 months before it would take effect was part of a "ploy" to turn riders against union workers. Simon said he received more than one report of LIRR workers being confronted by angry customers accusing them of being "greedy."
"They[MTA managers] basically are saying to the riding public, unless labor voluntarily accepts a three-year wage freeze, or gives up things that were agreed upon in past negotiations to pay for raises, blame our workers," Simon said.
Lisberg said there was nothing "nefarious" about the reduced fare hike announcement, and that the MTA has been clear for more than two years that the three-year labor cost freeze is necessary for the agency to balance its books.
"Our riders have sacrificed in the form of higher fares and tolls. Our management employees have sacrificed by going five years without raises," Lisberg said. "We're simply saying that our represented employees need to sacrifice as well."
"They[MTA managers] basically are saying to the riding public, unless labor voluntarily accepts a three-year wage freeze, or gives up things that were agreed upon in past negotiations to pay for raises, blame our workers," Simon said.
SOUNDS FAMILIAR. IMAGINE THE COPS ON STRIKE?
