Roger Toussaint, head of the New York City transit workers' union, has blamed George Pataki and the MTA for causing his members to vote down the negotiated agreement. The union leader said some transit workers soured on the deal after Mr. Pataki indicated that he would block a provision that would have refunded thousands of dollars in pension contributions to 20,000 workers.
See "Union Chief Blames Pataki and M.T.A. for Pact's Rejection", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, January 23, 2006