No Progress in Transit Talks

New York, NY —

The MTA board is expected to approve its 2006 budget today, despite a threatened strike by the Transport Workers Union. The union wants more of the Transit Authority's surplus to be used for wages and benefits. The current contract expires tomorrow night and negotiations resume today. As WNYC's Beth Fertig reports, there apparently was no progess made in last night's round of talks.

REPORTER: Representatives from both sides met for about an hour at a hotel near Grand Central Station. Transport Workers Union Vice President Ainsley Stewart said he was disappointed that the MTA didn't change its latest offer of wage increases totaling 6% over 27 months.

STEWART: we were expecting to see more, being that we're getting down to the deadline date and we were pretty much disappointed and that's straight up.

REPORTER: The union made no changes to its demand for a 24% increase in wages over 3 years. It also presented the MTA with a plan to improve healthcare by allowing retirees to keep their benefits wherever they move.