By ELIZABETH LeSURE Associated Press Writer Dec 16 8:05 AM US/Eastern
NEW YORK - New York City's transit union called a selective strike against private bus lines Friday, after a night of bargaining failed to produce a deal involving 33,000 subway and bus workers. The strike could eventually extend to the subway system, the union said, but when that could happen was unclear.
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"We tried to bargain with the MTA," said Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100. "We negotiated well past our contract deadline because we wanted to get a deal done and we still do." The union had threatened a full strike at 12:01 a.m., when the contract expired. A strike would paralyze the nation's largest transit system at the height of the holiday season. Nearly 7 million people use the transit system each day. Commuters were relieved to find the subways still running Friday morning. Mayor Michael Bloomberg had warned people to car pool, walk or bicycle to work or telecommute in the event of a strike. "I didn't sleep too well last night," said Mary Marino, who arrived at Penn Station to connect with two subway trains for her job at a Manhattan nursing home. "I kept turning on the TV to see if they had settled." The partial strike escalates the pressure on the MTA by starting with two private bus lines that are in the process of being taken over by the transit agency. The union and the MTA negotiated for nearly six hours before breaking up around 4:30 a.m. In a new offer, the MTA offered a 9 percent raise over three years, an increase from its initial offer of 6 percent over 27 months. The workers want 8 percent annual raises over three years and contend they should get a share of the MTA's $1 billion surplus. And after the transit bombings in Madrid and London, they also want more terrorism training.
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נשלח ב-16/12/2005 17:33
Update on TWU Transit Strike Situation
The TWU has enacted a limited strike that will affect private bus lines after 12 PM today. As of now, Jamaica Bus Lines and Triboro Coach are the lines that will be affected by this strike. However, other private bus lines may join the strike. Riders of Jamaica and Triboro Coach should make alternative travel arrangements. Riders of the City's other private bus lines should consider making alternate travel plans in the event that these lines join the strike. At this time, all NYC Transit buses and subways are running. At this time, traffic and roadway limitations are NOT being enacted - this includes HOV and commercial limitations. Alternate side of the street parking remains in effect today and tomorrow. Schools will open on time.
Dec 16, 2005 11:19 am US/Eastern
NEW YORK (WCBS/AP) There will be no strike on prviate bus lines in Queens today. The TWU's Vice President for Private Lines Neil Winberry has just told WCBS 880's Catherine Cioffi that the Triboro and Jamaica lines will continue to operate until the rest of the day.
But he noted that the threat of a strike remained very real and the city should take their demands seriously.
Earlier Friday, the TWU's Executive Board had earlier voted to start a series of strikes throughout the MTA, starting with the Jamaica and Triboro bus lines in Queens. These two bus lines combined affect approximately 50,000 riders and 750 workers.
All others, including city subways and bus lines are still in service. The contingency plan ifor Manhattan and most of its surrounding areas is not in effect at the moment.
Jarrod Bernstein of the city's Office of Emergency Management says the city is implementing part of its contingency plan in the areas affected by the strike. That means licensed commuter vans and other vehicles will pick up people who are losing bus service.
By having these two private bus lines go on strike, the TWU is not breaking any law under the state's Taylor Law, which prohibits strikes by public employees.
The private bus company has been bought by the MTA, but will not be officially integrated with the MTA umbrella until January.
Earlier this morning, there was reportedly a proposal taken to the Union Executive Board by Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100. That proposal was denied.
Toussaint did not give a timetable as to when the other services will begin striking, or when talks will resume. Another big question is when the next deadline is for the next phase of negotiations.
To add to the stressful morning commute, New York City is on a Gridlock Alert Day, which means more cars on the road than usual.
