Union Scores Win on Longevity Arbitration v. NYCT

Local 100 has chalked up an important win in an arbitration to reverse the Authority’s attempt to shortchange members on the amount of payment of the Longevity Bonus as outlined in the union’s collective bargaining agreement.

According to the contract, the Longevity bonus is to be paid in the following amounts: $750 after 30 years of service; $550 after $20 years, and $450 after 15 years.  However, the Authority shortchanged that payment, because they omitted a two-month period between November 2017 to January 2018 as part of their calculation. The union said that the Authority’s fuzzy math violated the intent of the parties when the contract was signed. Local 100 President Tony Utano and General Counsel Denis Engel presented the case before arbitrator Howard Edelman, Esq.

Edelman agreed with the union.  As a result, members who received longevity payments will be getting an additional $37 dollars in an upcoming check. President Utano said that, while the actual per member amount may be modest, the principle of the case was paramount.  “We are here as a check on the MTA to make sure that our members receive what they are entitled to. In this case, management did not live up to the intent and spirit of the agreement.  We challenged them on it and we were vindicated at arbitration.”