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After 'constructive' meeting, Metro worker strike still on the table

Held in a secret location, it was the first such meeting since members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 voted to strike Sunday.
Credit: Steve Johnson
Photograph of a Washington DC metro subway as it comes to a stop at the Foggy Bottom station.

WASHINGTON -- A strike by the largest union of Metro employees is still a possibility after a meeting with officials from the transit agency Tuesday.

Held in a secret location, it was the first such meeting since members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 voted to strike Sunday.

"There has been no change in either party’s position," said a statement by union spokesman David Stephen.

RELATED: In face of strike threat, Metro says finances are 'unsustainable'

Metro called the meeting "a constructive and frank discussion." Another meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday.

A Metro strike, while illegal, could bring trains and buses to a standstill. Workers held a "wildcat" strike 40 years ago this week, causing massive traffic jams on city streets. Today, more than one in three federal workers ride Metrorail.

RELATED: Worried about a Metro strike? Here's how it looked before

Monday, union leaders said Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld was "pissing on" the union's collective bargaining agreement, which expired two years ago.

Union workers insist that they are being replaced by contracted workers and the transit agency is changing policies, such as those on absenteeism and worksite locations, without consulting them.

Union representatives will not say where and when Wednesday's meeting will be held.

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