Potential Transit Strike Would Cripple NYC

By SARA KUGLER, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 23 minutes ago

Millions of New Yorkers might be stranded if the city's transit workers strike when their contract expires in a matter of days, a scenario that would be especially crippling in the middle of the bustling holiday season.

Workers face big fines if they stage a walkout, which is illegal under state law. But the union representing 38,000 transit employees has not ruled it out, and its president recently praised their counterparts in Philadelphia who forced a deal after a weeklong strike.

The talks do not appear to be going well. Union president Roger Toussaint said this week that Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposals to cut sick days and raise the pension eligibility age are an "insult" to the members of Transport Workers Union Local 100.>>

<<The MTA proposes giving workers a 3 percent raise in the first year and a conditional raise of 2 percent the second year.

Labor negotiations can take many turns in a week, and it is far too early for anyone to say whether a strike is likely. But the union is set to vote Saturday on whether to authorize a strike Dec. 15, and as the contract deadline approaches, city officials are hauling out the contingency plan they created in 2002 — the last time the union and the MTA tussled over a new contract.

That year, the two sides reached an agreement hours after the deadline passed, relieving millions of commuters who feared they would have to walk, bicycle or find a car pool.

The system shuttles more than 7 million riders throughout the city on an average day. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office says a transit shutdown would cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars a day.>>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051209/ap_on_re_us/nyc_transit_talks&printer=1;_ylt=ArDkIbjdpQaEN6T057P0F3lH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

strikes in NYC, and they are indeed hell.

If not then I'll be okay in terms of getting to and from work, but geez--I can imagine this'd be quite a mess!

if you ride the 33rd St. branch, prepare for living hell once the train reaches Christopher. As you know, the trains are already overcrowded coming in from Jersey. Good luck...

And get off at 33rd, so I basically have to grab a spot and stick to it. People are gonna get crushed, tho'.

they'll both be loaded with people looking for alternatives or avoiding traffic gridlock. Same with the buses.

:sarcasm:

no trains, no searches. It's as simple as that. :grr:

and I go to some of the more 'high-profile' stations often: Wall, Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central, Penn Station. Actually at Penn Station I did once see a table for searches....it was empty with no cops at it.

Just what I've seen...or haven't.

They might have a table outside the police station near the Union Square West exit but I haven't seen them actually search anyone.

The last time was some time in November

Anyone living here knows how bad the service has gotten. There are almost ALWAYS 'service disruptions' - even on the "big" lines, like the Lex and 7th Av, including trains completely NOT running at certain stations. They keep touting things like the Second Avenue Subway (which they haven't actually gotten anything DONE on since the 30s) when the money would be spent on other things. Like, oh, FIXING THE FUCKING PA SYSTEMS WITH SPEAKERS FROM THE 1950S!

Sorry for ranting, I use the subway every day so these kinds of things really tick me off.

I'm planning on going into the city a few times during the holidays by Metro North. Does the strike including Metro North & LIRR?

I lived through a few NYC transit strikes- they are not fun at all. And this one is particularly ill timed- between the (dare I say it)- HOLIDAY season and the cold weather. The LIRR will run-expect it to be packed at Jamaica with E & F train riders using the more expensive railroad as an alternative.

a problem, but I expect an extra workload due to the people who won't be able to get in from the boroughs and burbs.