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Onorato: 'Nothing's On The Table Now'

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Sep 12, 2008 10:55 pm US/Eastern

Onorato: 'Nothing's On The Table Now'

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The union representing Port Authority drivers and mechanics rejected a fact-finder's report.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato reacted strongly to the union's decision.

"That fact-finder's report is not a starting point for negotiation. It was rejected. We're ripping it up," he told reporters during a press conference. "Nothing's on the table now."

On Friday, the Port Authority board unanimously accepted the report.

"We are going to stay on the job with the hopes that the Port Authority comes back to the table and starts to negotiate in good faith," union president Pat McMahon said. "If they really want to get a fair contract, now is the time."

The contract would have offered union members a 3 percent raise for three years, but they should contribute more to their pension and healthcare plans. Onorato says the deal was fair to both sides.

"Both sides got something in this report, both sides had to give up something in this report," he said. "There would have been a reduction in $98 million over the life of that contract of what would have been owed for unfunded future liabilities."

Onorato also made clear that he will not throw dedicated funding into a broken system just to see it survive another 12 months to see the same bankrupt issue rear its ugly head again in 2009.

McMahon reacted strongly to Onorato.

"Dan Onorato has crossed the line. He has told us in behind the scenes that he was going to do certain things, work with this, stay out of the negotiating and then he goes and calls news conferences," he said. "You know what, to me he's not straightforward with us."

Port Authority CEO Steve Bland said in a statement that he was disappointed with the union's decision.

"It is truly unfortunate and very disappointing that the union did not see fit to accept the Fact-Finder's report that we firmly believe is in the best interest of our employees, transit riders and taxpayers," said Bland.

Onorato says he hopes cooler heads prevail in the coming days and weeks to get a deal that makes sense.

There's no word when the two sides will meet again.

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

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