MTA STRIKE!

N.Y. Post:

December 20, 2005 -- The city's transit union called for a strike early today after failing to reach a deal with the MTA following days of bitter labor talks, ensuring that 7 million bus and subway riders will be thrown into chaos this morning.

The authorization from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 came after it rejected the latest offer from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, defying a state law prohibiting strikes by public employees.

Union President Roger Toussaint announced just after 3 a.m. that workers would walk off the job immediately.

Daily News:

EW YORK (AP) -- Subways and buses ground to a halt Tuesday morning as transit workers walked off the job at the height of the holiday shopping and tourist season, forcing millions of riders to find new ways to get around.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had said the strike would cost the city as much as $400 million a day, joined the throngs of people crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in the freezing cold as he walked from a Brooklyn emergency headquarters to City Hall. Other New Yorkers car-pooled or rode bicycles.

"I think they all should get fired," said Eddie Goncalves, a doorman trying to get home after his overnight shift. He said he expected to spend an extra $30 per day in cab and train fares.

It is New York's first citywide transit walkout since an 11-day strike in 1980, and officials said they would seek quick court action, which could include stiff fines. Pay raises and pension and health benefits for new hires are main sticking points.

Authorities began locking turnstiles and shuttering subway entrances shortly after the Transport Workers Union ordered the strike. The buses and subways, the nation's largest transit system, serve 7 million riders a day.

At one subway booth, a handwritten sign read, "Strike in Effect. Station Closed. Happy Holidays!!!!" At Penn Station, an announcement over the loudspeaker told people to "please exit the subway system."

Huge lines formed at ticket booths for the commuter railroads that stayed in operation, and Manhattan-bound traffic backed up at many bridges and tunnels as police turned away cars with fewer than four people. All the while, transit workers took to the picket lines with signs that read "We Move NY. Respect Us!"

Commuters, scrounging for ways to get to work, lined up for cabs and gathered in clusters on designated spots throughout the city for company vans and buses to shuttle them to their offices.

New York City Transit Workers Strike

Pataki says the strikers will pay a heavy price for the walkout.

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MTA by the Numbers

A look at some numbers behind the New York subway system:

6,200: The number of subway cars.

352 million: The number of miles traveled by the fleet in 2004.

1.4 billion: Annual ridership.

7 million: The number of riders each day on average.

31: The number of miles from one end of the A train to the other.

468: The number of subway stations.

660: The miles of track in passenger service.

$2: The amount for a one-way fare.

Five cents: The amount for a single fare in 1904 when the subway went into service.

Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

"There were hundreds of people waiting for cabs, pulling doors left and right," said taxi driver Angel Aponte, who left his meter off and charged $10 per person.

Bloomberg has said the strike would be particularly harsh taking place during the holidays, predicting it would freeze traffic into "gridlock that will tie the record for all gridlocks."

He began putting into effect a sweeping emergency plan, including the requirement that cars coming into Manhattan below 96th Street have at least four occupants.

The union called the strike after a late round of negotiations broke down Monday night. Union President Roger Toussaint said the union board voted overwhelmingly to call the strike.

"This is a fight over dignity and respect on the job, a concept that is very alien to the MTA," Toussaint said. "Transit workers are tired of being underappreciated and disrespected."

The news drew an angry response from the mayor, governor and head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

"This is not only an affront to the concept of public service, it is a cowardly attempt by Roger Toussaint and the TWU to bring the city to its knees to create leverage for their own bargaining position," said Bloomberg at a news conference.

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow called the strike "a slap in the face" to all New Yorkers and said lawyers will immediately head to court. It is illegal for mass transit workers to strike in New York, and the 33,000 bus and subway employees could face fines of two days' pay for each day on strike.

"They have broken the trust of the people of New York," said Gov. George Pataki. "They have not only endangered our city and state's economy, but they are also recklessly endangering the health and safety of each and every New Yorker."

MTA spokesman Tom Kelly said the agency "put a fair offer" on the table before talks broke down. "Unfortunately, that offer has been rejected."

The union said the latest MTA offer included annual raises of 3 percent, 4 percent and 3.5 percent; the previous proposal included 3 percent raises each year. MTA workers earn around $47,000 to $55,000 annually.

But Toussaint said the union wanted a better offer from the MTA, especially when the agency has a $1 billion surplus this year.

"With a $1 billion surplus, this contract between the MTA and the Transport Workers Union should have been a no-brainer," Toussaint said. "Sadly, that has not been the case."

A key issue is the MTA's proposal to raise the age at which new employees become eligible for full pension from 55 to 62, which the union says is unfair.

The down-to-the-wire negotiations came as workers at two private bus lines in Queens walked off the job, a move meant to step up pressure on the MTA.

The contract expired Friday at midnight, but the two sides agreed to keep talking through the weekend and the union set a new deadline for Tuesday.

Commuter frustration was evident both before the strike and after it was called.

Darryl Padilla, a 20-year-old club promoter, was trying to get on the train at Penn Station when he found out that the strike had begun. He didn't have enough cash to take a cab to his home on the northern tip of Manhattan.

"I didn't think they were going to shut down. I can't take a cab," he said.

"Enough is enough," said Craig DeRosa, who relies on the subway to get to work. "Their benefits are as rich as you see anywhere in this country and they are still complaining. I don't get it."

I got to work MUCH faster than normal.

My boss picked up seven of us.

10 minutes from one of the "outer boroughs" to downtown Manhattan.

YOU GOT SERVED.

Excessive sleep, excessive dream.

whats fucked is the cab situation...if you can even find one...they got the zones...A, B, C, D ETC....so a ride that could usually cost $10 could cost you $20...glad i got the fuck outta there.

Fucking nuts... 8 million people walking to work and back in the snow. Four people minimum in taxi's. Sounds like chaos.

does that mean no ones guarding the yards??

Holy crap.

Originally posted by trackstand@Dec 20 2005, 10:57 AM

Fucking nuts... 8 million people walking to work and back in the snow. Four people minimum in taxi's. Sounds like chaos.

Quoted post

Umm...theres no snow actually.

No real chaos to speak of either.

Yes, I'm sure the yards are being guarded.

i caught the last train out of grand central last night at 1:08am knowing i had a flight out of hartford tomorrow. glad i did eject when i did. i can say this, the police presence was crazy. i rea some shit saying basically alot of the police overtime is to guard mta property from sabotage by both sides.

bump for sticking it to the man.

NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT STRIKE BY THE NUMBERS

• 7 million-plus -- Daily commuters affected

• 30,000-plus -- Transit workers on strike

• $440 million-$660 million -- Daily economic loss to city

• $1 million -- City damages sought against Transport Workers Union on first day

• 490 -- Subway stations affected

• 244 -- Bus routes affected

• 10,693 -- Buses and subway cars affected

• 55.7% -- New York City residents who don't own a car

• 23 F -- Temperature in New York at 9 a.m. ET

not really sticking it to the man. more like sticking to the working man. im curious what the average salary for a motorman or booth attendant is. im sure there are thousands of people who barely make $10. an hour, dont have ANY idea what health insurance is, cant fathom the idea of retirement who couldnt make it to work today. how do they feel? i can think of at least 15 at my work, and they're shit out of luck. glad the MTA employees are standing up for themselves though. get that 8% raise over the next 3 years.

Most MTA employees are RATHER well paid for the jobs that they do.

They have some of the best insurance.

They can retire at 55. Full pension. Even retiring at 62 like the MTA wanted isnt that bad considering I'll likely be working till I'm 70, and I have no idea when I'll get a pension, if ever.

I feel bad for the people with NO access to a car that are stuck working menial jobs and living way the fuck outside of Manhattan. Theyre the ones who are fucked.

Suburban lines are still running...

and they make stops within city limits..

Queens Residents have many options

Brooklyn residents have a couple..

Bronx residents have one..

and people from Staten Island are fucked unless they live near the ferry and work downtown..

Oh and P.S.

Jersey transit did'nt strike, so they're just fine..

I AINT HAVE TO WORK TODAY. SO ION GIVE A FUCK. THIS STRIKE SHIT IS BASICALLY A LITTLE EARLY VACAY FOR ME. I AINT MAD AT ALL.

MEROOOO

fuck them gready mutherfuckers I hope they all get fired like the airline workers

can't blame a nigga for wanting a raise..

I mean I'm sure the MTA IS CAKING...the workers just want a piece..

Originally posted by Shark Hammil@Dec 20 2005, 02:53 PM

Most MTA employees are RATHER well paid for the jobs that they do.

They have some of the best insurance.

They can retire at 55. Full pension. Even retiring at 62 like the MTA wanted isnt that bad considering I'll likely be working till I'm 70, and I have no idea when I'll get a pension, if ever.

 

 

I feel bad for the people with NO access to a car that are stuck working menial jobs and living way the fuck outside of Manhattan. Theyre the ones who are fucked.

Quoted post

Yeah I agree, but that’s the beauty of a solid union. Plus they (the TWU) know that they have the city by the balls. Unlike the UFT, the NYPD, and the FDNY who all are grossly underpaid (especially the teachers who HAVE to have a Master’s in order to keep their certification and their job's). If these unions had the leverage that the TWU has they would have been able to negotiate a better deal for their workers.

Yeah, it definitely sucks for the rest of the people in the city who get the shit end of the stick, but ultimately I think those same people should respect the fact that a union and its workers are actually doing something to defend their rights. Most of the people that make $10.00 an hour, have no benefits, and have no pension should support other workers that are speaking out for their rights. In all honesty there is nothing stopping any of the aforementioned from trying to get a union job so they actually have some security. I especially feel the MTA owes their workers something since they “found� that giant surplus.

I have to catch a flight out of here at 6:00 am. Anybody know if the car services raised their prices too?

Originally posted by MAGS156@Dec 20 2005, 02:09 PM

fuck them gready mutherfuckers I hope they all get fired like the airline workers

Quoted post

Its pretty ironic when people take this arguement against labor versus management.

Looks like a judge ruled the strike illegal and found the MTA in contempt. THe MTA will be fined 1 million dollars a day if they continue to strike.

Originally posted by nomadawhat+Dec 20 2005, 07:22 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nomadawhat - Dec 20 2005, 07:22 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-MAGS156@Dec 20 2005, 02:09 PM

fuck them gready mutherfuckers I hope they all get fired like the airline workers

Quoted post

Its pretty ironic when people take this arguement against labor versus management.

Looks like a judge ruled the strike illegal and found the MTA in contempt. THe MTA will be fined 1 million dollars a day if they continue to strike.

[/b]

Yeah I agree.

As for that ruling, the Taylor Law is unfair to begin with. It's all bullshit either way you look at it!

All I know is I didnt have to go to the gym today cause I walked at least 5 extra miles in the freezing cold.

Holla!

yyaaarr. too much traffic.

unions were good for a certain time period. they are dated and obsolete now.

The union is potentially getting charged one million a day. Not the MTA.

Originally posted by HESHIANDET@Dec 21 2005, 12:18 AM

unions were good for a certain time period. they are dated and obsolete now.

Quoted post

i disagree.

Here's what I know:

- 1day worth of work missed equals up to 2days worth of work.

- The last strike lasted 11days

- Traffic is insane

- The cold can lift flesh off a skull

- I need to buy a scarf

Ugg....I was going to go up to Ny next week but I may wait for this to blow over....

Union workers are good for nothing spoiled lazy fucks that get payed WAAAAYYYY more than most of us, have far superior benefeits than 90% of us will ever see to do a job that any highschool dropout could do, and STILL have the balls to bitch and moan and throw a temper-tantrum every few years if they don't get more.

It's because of the TWU that it costs 2 dollars to ride a fucking bus. They just got done pulling the same shit in Philly.

Yeah, but if everyone else who isn’t in a union would bitch and moan to their employers about fair wages or benefits they would be out of a job. It’s a union that protects you from being laid off and from wage/benefit cutbacks.

I worked in a hospital that was non union; they went through a process of “re-engineering�, which basically was them finding new ways to save money (via lay offs, early retirement “incentives� and pay cuts) so they could afford to build several new areas in the hospital. They went out of their way to make it seem like it would be a good thing and that our feedback would be heard and used. It was obviously all bullshit and the quality of the hospital declined for the several years this “re-engineering� process took place. Also, they reinforced the "fact" that a union coming in would be a bad thing, I wonder why…

I’ve been in several unions since and I have to say that I’ve always felt my job was secure when I was. I can’t say the same for any other job that I had that wasn’t a union one.

To each his own I guess, do what works for you. All I know is that I want to have job security and that I (as a worker) will not get taken advantage of by my employer.