Will There Be Raises This Year?

[Donald]

So with the current contract due to expire at the end of this year, what does everyone think will come from the new contract? Raises? No raises? Concessions?

 

Here is an article about the upcoming contract and some highlights:

 

Now he's ready for his next act: "net zero" labor contracts, a concept that requires union members to pay for their own raises or go without.

 

"There can't be any increase in the value of the contract, but raises are still possible if they're counter-balanced by other savings," said Aaron Donovan, a Walder spokesman.

 

For example:

 

TWU members could boost their contributions to health care and pensions. They pay 1.5 percent toward health care now, a first-time concession that triggered an illegal three-day strike in 2005. Of course, the arbitration panel referenced above subsequently voided the clause that would have pushed it to 1.53 percent in the 2009 contract, suggesting the MTA could surely use the then-new payroll tax to pay for it.

 

And TWU members pay 2 percent toward pensions now and can retire at half-pay at age 55 after 25 years of service.

 

"Net zero is a generous approach for management to take in this environment," said Gerald Benjamin, a poly sci prof at SUNY New Paltz and an expert on state government.

 

But will the MTA's unions buy it? When a state law adopted 30 years ago allows public employee contracts to remain in effect until they're replaced?

 

Walder is about to find out.

 

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110328/NEWS/103280334

 

Will the TWU agree to a "net zero" contract? I don't see how they would since I can't recall any instance if a public employee union ever agreeing to such a contract. Heck, the Postal Service, whis in in 10,000 times worse shape than the MTA, just gave their workers a 3.5% raise.