Fare increases just a contract ploy?

Check out this Phoenix article, which notes that the T's contract with the carmen's union expires June 30, along with other fun facts (has it struck anybody else as odd the way Dan Grabauskas has emphasized the fact that the increases will go into effect UNLESS lots of people protest)? Then again, given how T employees are among the highest paid in the country (with high absenteeism to boot) is this a bad thing?