A strike could be authorized by Thursday if negotiations between New York City doormen and landlords do not reach a conclusion by Wednesday, according to the president of the doorman's union.

"I would say that things are progressing, and hopefully, as they continue to progress, we'll find a path to a resolution," said Kyle Bragg, president of 32BJ SEIU.

During an appearance on "Mornings On 1," he said doormen played a vital part during the pandemic and deserve to be fairly compensated.

"Our members have been essential workers, who have shown incredible dedication and commitment over these past two years. The way to honor them best is to give them a contract that allows them to keep pace with the cost of living here in New York and provide family-sustaining wages and benefits," Bragg said.

The current contract for nearly 30,000 workers in about 3,000 New York City buildings expires on Wednesday, and the union has been in talks with landlords for several days. The two groups had yet to come to an agreement by Tuesday morning.

"Our demands are simple: We are asking for better benefits and pay increases that allow our members to live in the city where they work," Shirley Aldebol, assistant to the president of Union 32BJ SEIU, said earlier this month. 

The doormen's union has the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul, who spoke at an Upper East Side rally last week in support of a fair contract.

"Who showed up every single day? You showed up. You had our backs," Hochul said. "They call you essential workers. That sounds nice, but if they're that essential, why don't we pay them what they deserve?"

Hours prior to that rally, thousands of 32BJ SEIU members authorized their bargaining committee to call a strike if a contact was not reached.

Meanwhile, Bragg said Tuesday that he feels most residents throughout the city are in support of the union and are mostly understanding if a strike should occur.

"I think they are very aware and appreciate of the incredible sacrifice these workers have made over the past few years, many of whom had to work remotely and our members made life very comfortable for them," Bragg said.

"They are the gatekeepers. They are the ones that kept their homes and buildings clean and sanitized."

The Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, the coalition of landlords negotiating with 32BJ, issued a statement saying progress has been made.

"While we have made progress over the past few weeks of negotiations, we still have a gap to bridge," the coalition said. "We are committed to meeting with the union leadership every day to achieve a fair contract."

Bragg said the coalition's assessment of the situation was "fair," but noted "if there's no contract tomorrow - the deadline is tomorrow - then the strike could come the following day."