Posted on 12/21/2005 12:44:55 PM PST by areafiftyone
NEW YORK (AP) Members of the striking Transport Workers Union's face the loss of two days pay for every day they are on strike. Aside from the loss of pay, the strikers have lost the backing of their union, The International Transport Workers Union. The international union is urging strikers to go back to work.
Bus driver Bill McRae who has worked in transit since 1985 says ``The union executives called for a strike, and we have to do what we have to do.''
Lawrence Reuter, President of the NYC Transit, told NY One News that about one thousand transit workers came to work yesterday. He said ``they are doing a little cleaning and a little paperwork'' in a safe location. He added ``we will pay them.''
The union also was bashed in the editorial pages of New York's four major newspapers. The Daily News, New York Times, New York Post and Newsday all criticized the union and it's president Roger Toussaint for taking his workers off the job.
This Manhattan commuter will because 1) 2 wrongs don't make a right, and 2) many of these workers don't want to be on strike, but are afraid to cross picket lines. When I cross paths with a transit worker, I'll have no way of knowing if that was one of the anti-strike workers.
The NY Daily News, in today's editorial "Throw Roger from the train!", suggested that New Yorkers might want to throw him off the Brooklyn Bridge into the "icy waters".
You want to throw him down a long flight of stairs, and the most pro-union paper in town thinks he should be either tossed from a moving train or thrown into a freezing river. And the judge handling the case is publicly suggesting that some time in the slammer may be in order. The man is in a tough spot . . .
If they throw him in jail he'll only become a hero. Look what happened with Mike Quill back in the 60's.
To whom? He doesn't have a great deal of support from the rank and file, and the parent union wants to get rid of him in the worst way.
I meant with the rank and file but you may have a point. I've been out of the city for a while so I'm not sure of the climate beteen them and the leadership. As for the international stepping in, I doubt it. The int. gets far too much money from it's members in the MTA. I can't see them putting it at risk.
But hey, we are talking unions here...so who knows?
The international has ordered the strikers to go back to work, and said it will not provide any financial support to the local union. Local should be out of cash right about now, so who's going to pay the strike benefits? Rank and file's loyalty to a union that orders them out on strike and then doesn't pay strike benefits will be ZERO.
Mayor needs to take a lesson from Reagan re Air Traffic Controllers.
Here's the official position of the TWU International, from their website:
http://www.twu.org/index.html
TWU International President Michael T. O'Brien Issued the Following Statement Regarding the New York City Transit Strike.
"TWU (International) hereby notifies all members of Local 100 of their obligation under the December 13, 2005 preliminary injunctions and the December 20, 2005 temporary restraining orders issued by the New York Supreme Court to cease any and all strike or strike-related activities and to report to work at their regularly assigned work hours and work locations.
"As has been reported in several media outlets, I personally spoke before the Local 100 Executive Board when it met on the morning of Dec. 20, and told them that I would not approve this strike. I told them that the only road to contract victory for the membership was not by strike but continued negotiation. I continue to believe this. It should not be construed in any way that my refusal to sanction this strike lessens my resolve to secure the best possible contract for this membership."
"I stand ready to assist the Local leadership in returning to the table."
When I heard that the Union was being fined $1 Million each day, it made me want the strike to go on for awhile. That's money they won't be able to give to the Dems in the '06 and '08 elections.
Is my thinking screwed up on this?
Thanks for the info. I was unaware that this is a wildcat strike. Things are looking very interesting. What do you think are the chances of the international de-certifying the board of the NY local and stepping in to take over?
Very big. First they refused to support the strike in advance, then they marched into court and asked the judge to order the workers back to work, then they ordered the workers back to work themselves, then they publicly announced that they won't provide any financial support to the local. Toussaint and his cronies are out of control, and won't be tolerated for long. I suspect the only reason the international hasn't already formally moved to oust him, is because that would prevent the judge from throwing him in the slammer tomorrow, as threatened. I think the international WANTS Toussaint in the slammer.
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Mikey B's point exactly. He says hit them where it hurts - the wallet.
I was looking for a post by Mikey B. LOL
Shows I've been away from fun city for a while. LOL
I don't think 25G/day fine would stand up. However, changing the Taylor law to 3 or 4 for one may.
Sorry, sun went down and I've lost my edge.
Too late to change the law, ex post facto and all that. Still, though 25G's has a nice ring, 500 or so a day would have a better shot. JMHO
Ain't internecin (sp?) fights fun?
}:^)
Join a union = be fired.
LOLOL!!! You'd have one suicide bomber and six guys just standing around....
I invested much more than 6% so that I could retire at 50. Should have joined their union I suppose.
In fact, as far as I know that age-you're eligible after having put in 25 years-applies to most MTA employees, even those who are no longer members of the union.
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