Neil Silver, the leader of the MTA's mechanics union, has announced that he may allow his workers to vote on the latest contract offer made by the transit agency. If the offer is declined, Silver would like to see the issue go to arbitration. A spokesman for the MTA has said that the agency is unwilling to allow an outside party to decide the contract. While the mechanics remain on strike, drivers who work for a private company that contracts with the MTA have worked out a contract with the company and returned to work.
See "MTA Union May Vote", Kurt Streeter, Los Angeles Times, November 2, 2003