Port Authority Rejects Union's Last-Minute Proposal

A representative from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85, which represents Port Authority workers, confirmed that Port Authority of Allegheny County's Board of Directors has rejected a last-ditch contract proposal offered by the union today.

The proposal was meant to stave off more than 150 layoffs and a 15-percent service reduction to Allegheny County public transit. 

Port Authority's board  earlier today to allow union members to vote on concession proposals. The board will reconvene the meeting at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

Marty Marks, a spokesman for the AFL-CIO, said that the union will not vote on alternative proposals offered by County Executive Dan Onorato's office.

"The offer was disingenuous and unacceptable," Marks said. "There was $18 million on the table, and they walked away from it. It's unheard of." 

Local 85 President Patrick McMahon said that the union offered Onorato a proposal under which members would take a 10-percent wage cut and forgo a 3-percent wage increase. McMahon said that the offer, if accepted, would have saved $18.6 million for the transit agency.

Marks said that the union is still open to further negotiations.

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This article originally appeared on the .