MTA board unanimously approves LIRR contract (10.5% 3 years)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/transportation/ny-lilirr315558204jan31,0,7198769.story

BY STEVE RITEA | [e-mail]
January 31, 2008

A new contract with 5,558 Long Island Rail Road employees from 10 labor unions provides benefits to workers and management alike, officials said, praising the agreement as historic.

"I'm glad that we reached another agreement that respects our employees while ensuring a fair deal for the MTA and our customers," said Elliot Sander, Metropolitan Transportation Authority executive director.

Union members voted overwhelmingly to approve the agreement in recent weeks and the MTA board approved it unanimously yesterday.

The agreement provides for wage increases of 4 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007, and 3.5 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008, as well as a 3 percent increase on Jan. 1, 2009. It also increases to 4 percent from 3 percent the amount that new employees must contribute to their pensions, said MTA Finance Chief Garry Dellaverson, who also served as the agency's chief negotiator on the contract.

"These negotiations were difficult, but they were always amicable throughout," Dellaverson said.

FULL story at link.