THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release April 18, 1994 STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY Emergency Board Selects Final Offer and Urges Further Bargaining to Settle Contract Impasse on the Long Island Railroad A final offer to resolve long-running contract disputes between the Long Island Rail Road and its workers has been recommended by a Presidential Emergency Board. The recommendation includes adoption of a uniform health care package proposed by both parties as well as a series of periodic 3% wage increases over a 52 month period. The recommendation is intended to settle the contract disputes between the commuter railway and over 2300 of its workers in five separate locals represented by the United Transportation Union. The three-member Emergency Board was created on February 15, 1994 by President Clinton, pursuant to the Railway Labor Act, to forestall a potentially crippling commuter strike in the New York Metropolitan area, which could have affected more than 250,000 commuters. The Board submitted its recommendations on April 16, l994 to the White House. Although not legally binding on the parties, it is anticipated that the Emergency Board's selection of the carrier's final offer will form the basis for a settlement of the disputes. If the parties fail to reach agreement, the Railway Labor Act provides that either party may exercise self-help 60 days after the Emergency Board's report. The Act, which is administered by the National Mediation Board, governs labor management relations in the railroad and airline industries and provides the authority for creation of Presidential Emergency Boards. The Emergency Board was chaired by Dana Edward Eischen. Tia Schneider Denenberg and Irwin Martin Lieberman served as members of the Board. Copies of the report may be obtained at the office of the National Mediation Board, 202-523-5335. -30-30-30-