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Union, Port Authority In Stalemate

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Nov 21, 2008 9:39 pm US/Eastern

Union, Port Authority In Stalemate

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The transit stalemate between the Allegheny County Port Authority and its drivers union continues with an important deadline looming on December 1st.

That's the day the Port Authority imposes terms of their last best contract offer on the union whose old contract expired in June.

During a taping of the KD/PG Sunday Edition, union president Pat McMahon says the union will go to court to get an injunction to stop the contract change.

"We do not want to [take] any kind of a job action," McMahon said. "Our biggest fear, is that the Port Authority, if they impose this contract, in essence they will be locking us out."

Port Authority CEO Steve Bland says he's confident a judge would uphold their position.

"Obviously we wouldn't do anything illegal. Our position, Pennsylvania state law is very clear, what we're doing is perfectly allowable when you're at impasse," Bland said.

Bland says the impasse was brought about by the union's unrealistic expectations.

The Port Authority originally offered 3 percent raises and full healthcare for those workers who work to age 60.

And while the union claims to have offered givebacks, the Port Authority says the union's proposals don't even come close to making up the $170 million that the sides are apart.

Port Authority Board member Richard Taylor says even if the county were to release drink tax money owed to the Port Authority, which County Executive Dan Onorato says he won't do without cuts in labor costs, within six months the Port Authority would be back in the same boat and would have to impose 30 percent service cuts.

The union, which represents 2,200 drivers and mechanics, has an informational meeting on Sunday to discuss options with the drivers.

You can watch the interviews at 8:30 a.m. on the KD/PG Sunday edition.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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