NEW YORK — The New York Racing Association and a local union have reached an agreement after a contentious labor battle that threatened the running of the Belmont Stakes in a Triple Crown year, union reps said.
According to a spokeswoman from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, a threatened strike, which may have disrupted I'll Have Another's chance of becoming the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 34 years, has been averted.
"NYRA and Local 3 have reached a tentative agreement and Local 3's demonstrations have been called off," the union spokeswoman said.
The deal is still being finalized and no details were immediately available.
Contract negotiations between NYRA and the union have been ongoing for two years. One of the main barriers was a disagreement over a shift in hours for NYRA, which union officials said would have led to a decrease in overtime pay for the maintenance workers and starters.
NYRA declined comment.
