New York Transport Workers Go On Strike

New York Transport Workers Go On Strike

Mayhem struck the city as New York witnessed its first public transport strike in a quarter of a century. As the New York Transport Workers Union and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) failed to reach a compromise, 33700 bus and subway workers went on a strike early Tuesday morning. The union is demanding an increase in wages and benefits.

Citizens had a rough time as they tried to go to work on foot, on bicycles or roller-skates in the chilling cold. Some car-pooled while others shared taxis. Crowds inundated suburban railway stations forcing the police to seal the entrances. “This strike is hurting a lot of people,” said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, branding the union's actions as “selfish” and “shameful.”

The strike will cause a lot of economic damage to businesses. The union has been fined a $1 million for every day of the strike for breaking the law that prohibits public employees from going on strike. “This is a very, very sad day in the history of labor relations for New York City,” said State Justice Theodore Jones who imposed the fine. The workers can also be fined two days pay for every day of the strike and even imprisoned. The union has found the fine to be excessive and will appeal against it.

The New York mass transit system is the nation's largest and is used by as many as 7 million people per day. The strike has come at a point when the city is busy preparing for Christmas; shopping and tourism are at their peak. “This is not only an affront to the concept of public service, it is a cowardly attempt by (union president) Roger Toussaint and the TWU to bring the city to its knees to create leverage for their own bargaining position,” said Bloomberg slamming the union.

The last time there was a mass transit strike in New York in 1980, it lasted for 11 days.