I've got this mental image of Jabba the Hutt "moving".
Posted on 12/22/2005 10:00:33 AM PST by libertarianPA
NEW YORK - Striking bus and subway workers agreed Thursday to "take steps" to go back to work while their union and the transit authority resume negotiations, a mediator said.
The deal with the Transit Workers Union could pave the way for a resumption in service by Friday, if the union's executive board gives the final OK. The strike, the system's first in 25 years, halted service for millions.
"Both parties have a genuine desire to resolve their differences," said Richard Curreri, head of a three-member state mediation panel. "They have agreed to resume negotiations while the TWU takes steps to return its membership."
Gov. George Pataki, a strident critic of the union, said the announcement was "very positive for all New Yorkers."
The announcement was in contrast to the harsh rhetoric of the last two days. The deal was approved by union leaders who met with the mediator but still needs final approval from the executive board of Transport Workers Union Local 100. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has said it would take at least 12 hours to restore service once the board votes, expected sometime Thursday afternoon.
The two sides had returned to a Manhattan hotel around 1 a.m., the first time both sides were in the building since the strike began. On Wednesday, union president Roger Toussaint raised the possibility of an agreement to halt the walkout when he said negotiations could resume if the Metropolitan Transportation Authority took its current pension proposal off the table.
The announcement came 56 hours after workers walked out at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, costing the city hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues over the first two days.
Curreri said there would be a news blackout during further negotiations, as agreed to by both sides. He spoke at the same time lawyers from the city and state were due in a Brooklyn courtroom in an effort to get union workers back on the job. That session was postponed until 4 p.m.
The contract covering 33,000 transit workers expired last week, and the union called the strike Tuesday morning despite a state law banning public employee strikes.
The pact was announced after a day of sometimes bitter comments. At a news conference Wednesday, Toussaint angrily replied to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had said the union "thuggishly" turned its back on New York.
"We wake up at 3 and 4 in the morning to move the trains in this town," Toussaint said. "That's not the behavior of thugs and selfish people."
Millions of New Yorkers braved another frigid commute Thursday morning, streaming into commuter rail hubs, hiking over bridges and pouring into cars and cabs. Some tried to hitch a ride.
On Thursday, in the first serious injury since the strike began, an off-duty firefighter was critically injured when he was struck by a private bus while riding his bike to work.
Groups of commuters huddled at designated areas to be picked up by company vans or buses or prearranged car pools. The scarves, hats and warm coats were back paired with running shoes or hiking boots.
On Manhattan's East Side, traffic was moving smoothly during the early part of the morning rush. But the story was different the night before, said Yves Desrmeaux, 47, a Manhattan parking lot attendant who lives in Brooklyn.
"Traffic was dense coming over the Manhattan Bridge," he said. "It (the strike) has really made a significant difference. But the transit workers work hard. I hope the MTA gives them something to make them happy this Christmas."
Others were not daunted by the strike.
"Rain, sleet, snow or strike, we'll get to work," vowed Paul Jensen, the office manager at the Weber Shandwick public relations firm in midtown.
A judge had imposed a $1 million-per-day fine on the union for defying an order barring the strike — a punishment that would not take effect until appeals are complete.
But in an effort to put more pressure on the union, city lawyers Wednesday had asked the judge to issue another order directing union members to return to work under the threat of further fines.
Bloomberg, who isn't directly involved in the strike talks, said he didn't think putting union leaders in jail was appropriate.
"The fines are what is going to hurt," he said. "Fines don't make you a martyr and fines you don't get back."
Bloomberg should declare a "Spit on a TWU worker day". Just so NYers can show their support.
Bloomberg is in the odd position of having to cope with the chaos and bedlam in his city that has been caused by the strike, but he has no authority to do anything except oversee contingency plans, police operations, etc.
Really? They were talking on it on FOX as though it was one of his options. Not that I think he has the cajones to do it, but that's disappointing if he doesn't have that option.
Umion figuring they better get back to work before they become totally rejected by the masses.
Ah. I see. Dang. Can Pataki do it if he wanted?
to tune of Fats Domino, Walking to New Orleans:
I'm walking to Manhattan
Walking to Manhattan
It's a long way from the Bronx
No trains, so I gotta walk
So now I'm walking to Manhattan
He can't fire them but he does have options.
He can sue them (he has moved slowly towards that) and he can also legally side with the state and take other actions against them.
So far, he has chosen the "rhetoric" option along with moving slowly (but talking about) option of lawsuits and has avoided any other actions that he thinks would be harsh.
FWIT, Pataki actually does hold all the cards, and hasn't played them, you know its bad when Elliot Spitzer is looking more willing to hit the union and doing all the legal heavy lifting.
Granted, Spitzer is a political oppurtunist, but he sees an oppurtunity here, and he is trying to move in on it, on the side of the people and against the unions (who have never liked him anyway).
More like a coup.
Most of the union membership is blaming the leadership for screwing this up.
The idiot head of TWU has been a jackass, and his own members see it, he is only doing this to avoid jail, he also knows if he goes to jail, they'll coup him (the national, is not backing him, and has made it clear they want him out) and settle.
Ironically, the folks who are opposed to him the most, are other minorities, his race baiting didn't work.
Guess the Union leaders see their skimmed big bucks dwindleing with the hefty per day fines. That cannot go on for long.
Their first couple of days on the job won't be pretty. I wouldn't be surprised at any spitting incidents.
You make an excellent point!
But its about respect...LOL
If I here one more underskilled transit worker making 55 K annum complain about disrespect from passangers I am going to friggen spit on one of them real soon.
They truly have nerve.
Cops start at 28 K.....unfriggenbelievable nerve by the TWU. Someone ought found out what the last 2 cops killed this past month were making.
The RAT union better be required to pay the 1 mil a day fines. Bloomberg should see to that, for every day and part thereof. And any other fines and penalties on the books for this strike.
And no relief for this union, no saving face.
I've got this mental image of Jabba the Hutt "moving".
How many RNC folks are digging thru archives looking for photos of Senators Clinton & Schumer at a TWU rally?
Can you imagine what a freelance photograher could get for good pics of John Kerry at a rally with union thugs holding TWU posters & "Elect Kerry" signs?
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