PAT Union Rejects Contract Proposal But Continues Negotiations

The Port Authority and Transit Union rejected the contract recommendations made in a fact-finder's report approved by its management board, but it will continue negotiations in good faith and not be going on strike.

So thousands of Port Authority and Transit riders will not have to worry about how they will get to work Monday morning.

“If this union was to accept this report, it would take this union back 50 years, without a doubt,” said Transit Union President Pat McMahon.

Union workers will stay on the job as soon as it knows that management is bargaining in good faith.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County's board had approved the state fact-finder's contract recommendations with its unionized workers that would give workers 3 percent raises in each of the next three years and requires members to pay more for health care.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato had wanted the transit agency and union to accept the recommendation in order to avoid a strike that would affect about 110,000 daily trolley and bus riders.

Onorato said the proposal is good because it cuts legacy costs -- pensions and other long-term benefits -- by 40 percent. Onorato said that's the agency's biggest financial problem.

About 2,300 employees are union represented; most are operators. The union has been working without a contract since the old one expired June 30.