NEW YORK, NY March 24, 2006 —A state board has ruled that it's time to send the contract dispute between the Transport Workers Union and the MTA to binding arbitration. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

A three-member panel will now hear from both sides before making a binding decision. The union opposes arbitration and instead has been asking its members to vote again on the deal struck in December. That contract would have given workers a 10.5 percent raise over three years and required them to contribute 1.5 percent of their wages toward health care premiums.

The contract was rejected by seven votes and the MTA says that offer no longer stands. The state board says nothing in its decision keeps the TWU from proceeding with a revote and in a written statement the union says it will go forward with it.