A powerful force in New York public affairs for more than a half-century, the transit union has seen the number of workers decline during the last 30 years. Labor costs have risen, primarily because of pension liabilities, but now consume a smaller share of the budget. Debt service has climbed.

New York City Transit paid $6.2 billion in wages and benefits for the 44,256 workers and bosses who operate the subways and buses. That works out to average compensation of $140,000, essentially the same as workers in city agencies, according to Jamison Dague, the director of infrastructure studies at the Citizens Budget Commission.