Brothers and Sisters,
Please take a moment to look at the information sheet attached. In it you will see recent general wage increase (GWI) percentages for numerous other railroads and transit systems in the country. Upon review you will see that those GWIs trend higher than the recent TWU 100/MTA agreement which consisted of a 3%, 3% and 3.5% increase over three (3) years.
After suffering over two (2) years with record inflation and with current inflation forecasted to be somewhere around 4.7%, one can see any agreement resembling the above would be a step in the wrong direction. The genuine wage growth we have attained over recent years has evaporated and has left us all with the same standard we had in the 1970s. Future GWIs below current inflation rates will only continue to lower that standard, taking us all into the negative for the first time in decades, lost ground difficult to recover.
With this challenging road before us, the IBEW Local 589, along with its partners in the Long Island Rail Road Bargaining Coalition (LIRRBC), remain steadfast and committed to the belief that an informed membership is a powerful one. So please do your part by taking some time to review the material. Your union along with the LIRRBC will continue to provide pertinent information as it develops.
Stay tuned, stay informed, and stay strong. Remember nothing worthwhile ever comes without a fight…
In Solidarity,
IBEW L.U. 589 Bargaining Committee