Talks stalled, Port Authority contacts labor board

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/06/30/daily10.html

Monday, June 30, 2008 - 4:23 PM EDT

Pittsburgh Business Times

With negotiations with the union that represents its drivers stalled, the Port Authority of Allegheny County made a move Monday.

The Port Authority informed the state Labor Relations Board that there is a stalemate, spokesman David Whipkey said. That move triggers the selection of a fact-finder by the LRB, he said. The fact-finder would have 45 days to gather information from the Port Authority and the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 85, which represents bus and light-rail drivers.

Both parties then have up to 15 days to accept or reject the report. If one or both parties reject the report, the parties can continue to negotiate.

A spokesman for the LRB, however, said the organization "had not yet been contacted" by the Port Authority.

The contract between the transit agency and the drivers' union expires at midnight Monday, but drivers will continue to work under the current contract.

ATU Local 85 President Patrick McMahon said the union also notified the state LRB and said the process is state-mandated.

But asked whether he was optimistic about a contract agreement, McMahon said, "I don't know. The Port Authority seems to have no sense of urgency. We've probably met a dozen times since the first of the year."