Primary sticking points in the ongoing negotiations with the Realty Advisory Board are salary, the maintenance of various health-care programs and the need for more security training.

In a prepared statement, union president Mike Fishman noted that, "The residential real estate industry is holding up well despite New York City's shaky economy. Property-value increases far surpass inflation.

"But those who take care of the apartment buildings and residents are making wages that barely keep pace with inflation," he continued. "Thanks to inflation, and rising costs, we're bringing home less for our families." Fishman quoted studies revealing that a single parent with two children in Manhattan would require a minimum income of $48,396 annually. But he claimed that most apartment workers' wages "fall far short of that standard. A starting porter, for example, earns $27,482 a year."

The safety and security training is being called for in light of increased responsibilities apartment workers have shouldered in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Our contract must reflect the increasingly visible, front-line role we play in keeping buildings and residents safe and secure," Fishman said.

Jim Berg, president of RAB, sees the strike-call as a fairly commonplace occurrence. "Basically, the possibility occurs each time a contract comes up," he tells GlobeSt.com. "It' doesn't mean there's going to be one. It only means they have the authority to do that."

But the regularity of the event doesn't mean he's not taking it seriously. "We are in negotiation, but we remain far apart," he says. "That isn't unusual at this point in the process. We have meetings scheduled, and we are continuing to talk in an effort to avert the problem. Nevertheless, both sides are readying themselves in the event that we can't find a solution."Steven Spinola, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, which represents managers and owners of many of the buildings in question, also expresses cautious confidence that the strike would be averted. "We expect that negotiations will go well in the end," he tells GlobeSt.com. "The vote yesterday was a normal vote that permits the union to move forward in their positioning. But I expect that it's not in anyone's interest for a strike to happen."

Nevertheless, Spinola revealed, REBNY and RAB over the past few weeks have "prepared in case the worst happens."