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MTA ATU Contract: Understanding the Agreement Between the MTA and ATU

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) recently signed a new four-year contract that will impact transit workers and users in New York City. The contract covers over 40,000 MTA employees, including bus and subway operators, station agents, and maintenance workers.

Here`s what you need to know about the MTA ATU contract:

1. Wage Increases: The contract provides for wage increases for all MTA ATU employees. The first increase will be a 2.5% raise, followed by 2% in each of the subsequent three years of the contract. In total, employees covered by the contract will see their wages rise by almost 8% over four years.

2. Health Care: The MTA and ATU have made changes to the health care plan for employees. The new contract includes a wellness program and a lower-cost health care plan with lower co-pays and deductibles. The MTA and ATU have also agreed to work together to address prescription drug costs and to improve access to mental health care for employees.

3. Staffing: The contract includes provisions for increased staffing, with 500 new jobs added throughout the MTA system. These new positions will be filled in a variety of roles, including bus and subway operators, train conductors, and station agents.

4. Pension Benefits: The contract maintains the current pension plan for MTA ATU employees, with no changes to retirement benefits.

5. Job Security: The MTA and ATU have agreed to job security protections for MTA ATU workers. The contract includes provisions that prevent layoffs and ensure that all employees will be able to maintain their current jobs.

The MTA ATU contract negotiations took place against the backdrop of a difficult economic environment, with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on transit systems around the world. The final agreement reflects a compromise between the MTA and ATU, with both sides making concessions to reach a deal that benefits workers and ensures that the transit system can continue to operate effectively.

In summary, the new MTA ATU contract provides wage increases, improved health care benefits, increased staffing, job security, and maintained pension benefits. The contract serves as a positive step for transit workers and users in New York City, and shows that negotiations between unions and management can result in mutually beneficial outcomes.