New Yorks first Transit Strike in over 25 Years

[ems-buff 81]

Well it's offical at 0717 Hrs. There will be a series of strikes in New York City transit systems. There are alot of talks that it will happen maybe later today or tommorow for the morning rush hour traffic, but they don't have a set time on when it will happen.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Negotiations continued Friday past a deadline to reach a new contract for New York transit workers, as the city braced for the possibility of the first transit strike in more than 25 years.

The Transport Workers Union threatened to walk off the job if they could not strike a deal by 12:01 a.m. with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

A strike -- which could come as early as the Friday morning rush hour -- would paralyze the city's transportation system at the height of the holiday season. About 7 million people rely on the buses and subways to get around each day.

"As of this moment we have no progress to report and that's not good because we have precious little time left before the deadline approaches," Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said hours before the deadline.

Many companies were encouraging employees to telecommute or work outside the city; others were arranging buses or ferries to transport their employees.

"Hopefully it will work out," said Kyle Bazemore, 28, who lives in Brooklyn and takes the subway to his job at a clothing store in Manhattan. "A friend who works with me said I could stay at her apartment."

A strike could cost the city hundreds of millions each day in lost productivity, by some estimates. Department stores such as Macy's and Bloomingdale's -- popular stops for visiting shoppers in the nation's retail capital -- were predicted to see a drop in sales.

Transit workers are barred by state law from striking. The workers could lose two days' pay for every day on strike, and the city is seeking much larger damages against the union and its individual members.

Earlier in the day, Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Peter Kalikow suggested that an arbitrator might be the best person to help reach a deal -- a statement that infuriated the union.

The city drew up a contingency plan that would require cars entering the busiest areas of Manhattan to carry at least four people at certain times. Taxis would be allowed to pick up multiple fares, and commuter rail lines would increase service.

Gov. George Pataki urged the union to keep working with the MTA. "When it comes to a strike, I have three words: Don't do it," Pataki said.

The MTA and the union's 33,000 members were at odds on such issues as wages, health care and pension contributions.

The MTA proposed 6 percent raises spread over 27 months. The union, contending workers should get a share of the MTA's $1 billion surplus, asked for an increase about four times that.

Train operators, station agents and cleaners earn between $47,000 and $55,000 a year before overtime.

The last transit strike was in 1980, when subways and buses sat motionless for 11 days. Tens of thousands of people rode bicycles, walked or embraced other modes of transportation, such as private helicopters and roller skates

[dadbo46 50]

That's not quite correct. The TWU has called for a strike against some of the remaining private bus companies in NYC who have been working without a contract for a couple of years.

[ems-buff 81]

That's not quite correct.  The TWU has called for a strike against some of the remaining private bus companies in NYC who have been working without a contract for a couple of years.

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You are correct sir. There are only trying to strike two bus companies in Queens and Long Island I think, but I think it's a matter of time before Roger Toussaint tells us it's going to be a full out strike. I think he's a horrible leader. I mean look at what he did when the Beeline buses went on strike. The county lost alot of money because of his leadership, but again that's my opinon.

[calhobs 110]

The TWU should be ashamed of there selves, how can you do this. Just walk out yoursleves why have an ohter union walk out for you while your workerscollect a pay check. This is not going to do anything, these twobus companies only serve 25000 people between them, It would be different to have them walk in sympthay, but to have them go before TWU 100 even goes is really stupid. I just lost all respect fot them. If your gonna walk then walk, crap or get off the pot

Edited December 16, 2005 by calhobs

[JBE 328]

They crapped, and they walked. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

[calhobs 110]

they sure did

[ajsbear 11]

Just my opinion but I think the strike is wrong. To put all the comuters, those who live all over NYC and those who don't in the position of having to be totally inconvienienced like they are is wrong. With all the extra traffic, with all the people walking long distances. There is a risk. What if Fire, Police, EMS cannot get to the emergany, what if someone out of shape or if they have medical conditions they don't know about but walk the long distance to work and something happens. To put the city in this position is wrong. Also, NYC teachers, police and firefighters all worked for some time without contracts. They all got new contracts and they were retroactive.

Isn't this the same union head who kept the Bee Line out for so long asking to reduce the retirement age to 52? He heads this union, makes twice as much as the average worker in the union plus gets perks. He's drawing pay while his union is on strike, of cause only until the union runs out of money which at $1 million a day in fines will be real soon. Mayor Mike should take a page out of President Regans book when he dealt with the Air Traffice Controllers. You're all fired, whowever those who return to work within 24 hours can keep you jobs. Already close to 1,000 have crossed the picket lines.