TWU-100 Halts Talks With MTA Over Bad Faith Bargaining

TWU Local 100 Jan 20, 2012

TWU Halts Talks Over 'Bad Faith Bargaining'

Local 100 President John Samuelsen tells press conference on Jan. 19, 2012 that the union halted bargaining over an MTA breach of confidence by "bargaining in the press."
TWU 100 and the MTA held intensive contract talks the weekend of Jan. 13 - 16.
Some progress was made on departmental issues, but discussions of wages and health benefits still have a long way to go.

Despite reports planted by the MTA in the media, only two wage proposals have been made. The MTA is "offering" 0-0-0-2-2. That is, a 5-yr contract with a 3-yr wage freeze and a 2% raise in the 4th and 5th year. These terms mirror the deal accepted by two big unions of NY state workers.

Local 100 called for annual raises that keep pace with increases in the cost of living. President Samuelsen made it clear that he and the entire Local 100 leadership rejects the idea that transit workers should sacrifice to make up for failed political and economic decisions made on Wall St and in Albany.

After a few days respite, negotiations were to resume on Thursday, January 19. That morning an article appeared in the NY Daily News presenting givebacks that the MTA would be asking for at the meeting. This was a shocking violation of good faith negotiating practices and of a specific agreement with management to refrain from negotiating in the press. This move, the second time in three days that management had seeded the press with its claims, poisoned the atmosphere for negotiations. Local 100 presented its protest and then cancelled the remainder of the bargaining session in order to clear the air before negotiations continued.

The MTA is clearly under pressure to railroad us into an agreement on their terms or, failing that, to force the contract into snap arbitration, cutting short the negotiating process. We are not going to be railroaded.

We are committed to achieving a fair contract -- one that exceeds the terms accepted by state unions -- at the negotiating table. But we are not going to sit still while management attempts to frame the negotiations in the press before they even take place. This is just a way to pressure us into unwarranted concessions.
We look forward to returning to the bargaining table. Due to changes at the MTA, we are already months behind schedule in working out a new contract. We want to make progress in the negotiations. That is why we halted talks on the 19th, and why we expect to resume talks in an improved atmosphere.