October 1, 1982
The President announced today that he has established, effective October 1, 1982, three
Emergency Boards (Nos. 196, 197, and 198) to investigate disputes between rail labor unions and
local commuter authorities operating in the Northeastern United States, and to recommend
settlements for new collective bargaining agreements.
Establishment of the Emergency Boards was authorized by the Northeast Rail Service Act of
1981, passed by Congress last summer at the administration's request. Commuter rail service in
the metropolitan New York/New Jersey and Philadelphia areas, currently operated by Conrail,
will be transferred to local commuter authorities by January 1, 1983, in preparation for the
Federal Government's planned sale of Conrail's freight operations to the private sector.
Separate Emergency Boards are being established to investigate the disputes between the
commuter authorities and more than a dozen rail labor unions in the following service areas:
-- New York/Connecticut -- for Conrail's Harlem and Hudson lines, which are being transferred
to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and the New Haven line, which
will be operated jointly by MTA and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT);
-- New Jersey -- for Conrail's commuter lines in the northern part of the State, which are being
transferred to New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJTRO), a new subsidiary of the State transit
authority;
-- Pennsylvania/Delaware -- for Conrail's Penn Central and Reading lines, which are being
transferred to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), including
service sponsored by the Delaware Transportation Authority (DTA).
Collective bargaining between the unions and the commuter authorities has been underway since
midsummer on a variety of issues, including wages and work rules. Although the 1981 act
required appointment of the Emergency Boards by early October, the parties have indicated that
they will continue to negotiate as the Boards begin their fact-finding proceedings. Each Board is
required to hold public hearings on the disputes in its service area and issue a report within 30
days. If the parties are still unable to reach agreement, they will then submit final offers to the
Board, which will recommend the ``most reasonable'' offer as the settlement.
Note: The White House press release included a fact sheet on Conrail and the provisions of the
Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981.