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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA MTA) recently reached tentative agreements with its three largest labor unions — the first time in the authority’s history that it’s negotiated contracts before current agreements expire.

LA MTA reached agreements with the United Transportation Union, which represents 4,500 rail and bus operators; Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents 2,000 mechanics and service attendants; and Transportation Communications Union, which represents 700 telephone information operators, clerks and other workers.

To negotiate the pacts, the authority used an interest-based negotiating approach under which both sides first try to understand each other’s interests and then work together to develop a mutually agreeable solution.

If the agreements are ratified by union members, the LA MTA board is expected to approve the contracts at its July 27 meeting.