

			    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.


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