Liveblogging the Maybe Transit Strike, Take 2

2:04 AM - The media is being told they have to wait a while before the TWU will talk. So with that, Gothamist is going to bed to get ready in case there is a strike - we're going attempt to check out the Brooklyn Bridge in the morning, which is supposed to be really cold tomorrow morning. Dress warm and dream of the strike being resolved by the time you wake up. Thanks for waiting with us - we'll be all over this in a few hours as well!

1:51 AM - NY1 says that the TWU's executive board will talk to their legal counsel before issuing the official strike... we guess that it's probably because they need to figure out Taylor Law stuff, not to mention fines.

1:38 AM - Okay, so Bobby Cusa from NY1 is saying that the strike is on, that the board voted for it. But NY1's Dean Meminger, on the 6th Floor of the TWU headquarters says he hasn't heard anything - but pointed out that there's a podium for TWU President Roger Toussaint to speak at later. The other channels are not reporting anything, but we did see Carson Daly introduce a clip of Bai Ling singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and she really sounds like Yoko Ono.

1:26 AM - You know, the possibility of a strike was more exciting when it meant a possible three day weekend and it meant not coinciding with a deadline at work that we have this week. But we're just saying.

1:13 AM - Now we're hearing that a strike is not a slam dunk, but a commenter noted that the board seemed to vote in favor of a strike (we think we read it that way - it's late!).

1:01 AM - Trains are still running, now an hour after the latest contract deadline... what are the odds of 1) a strike; 2) another postponed strike; 3) a speedy resolution? We have no idea.

12:54 AM - NY1 reports what the MTA's last offer was: 3% raise for the first year, 4% second year, and 3.5% for the third year, which is 1.5% percent more than their offer last week. ~~Unclear whether or not that MTA asked the TWU to make concession with future hires, pensions, retirement, etc.~~ It seems that MTA would keep the retirement age at 55, but still wanted workers (the new hires?) to contribute to pensions.

12:50 AM - Still nothing. News crews are freezing at 80 West End Avenue, where the TWU headquarters are.

12:15 AM - The most dissonant visual so far is Pamela Anderson next to WNBC's "MTA Running" graphic (WNBC 4 went to the Tonight Show).

Updated at 1:23 AM: Toby sends us a much nicer screen capture of Pamela Anderson - the "MTA Running" bug is like a censor bug, it's totally hiding her ass!

12:09 AM - Apparently the Mayor's lady friend, NY State Banks Superintendent Diana Taylor, headed over the OEM with Bloomberg. She did this last week as well, though it's unclear whether or not she stayed over.

In other news, it's time to break out the heavy artillery: Some ice cream and fruit pops.

12:05 AM - So, Channels 4 WNBC, Fox 5, UPN 9, and WPIX 11 have coverage of the strike - or, rather, waiting for the TWU to announce SOMETHING - while Channel 2 WCBS has Jim Carrey on Letterman and Channel 7 WABC is showing a blowout football game. Please!

12:01 AM (Tuesday) - Deadline has come, Transport Workers Union board voting right now, most likely to authorize a strike.

11:56 PM - The waiting is killing us.

11:50 PM - The SubChat message board is going crazy!

11:46 PM - David Letterman cracks a strike joke: Mayor Bloomberg says the trains will be "U drive 'em."

11:45 PM (Monday) - Reports say a strike is inevitable...

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on December 20, 2005 12:00 AM

Comments [rss]

Can we the commuters sue TWU?

Are there any lawers who can represent us the commuters to sue TWU?

mrblue

Dear Bah....

me neither. and i went to college. maybe i should have been an unskilled laborer.

Osama loves TWU

Do you guys realize that this action is equivalent or even worse than a terrorist attack?!?!! Millions of lost revenue, business slowdowns, complete city standstill. This strike is going to paralyze NYC. Bring in the national guard, jail the strikers, they are the real terrorists. Its time that the federal government interfered and put people in their place.

Bah

screw them.

I don't get an 8% raise.

I don't get to retire at 50.

I don't get healthcare that I don't have to contribute a dime.

Let me also add, you "gave back" 4 days for the millions of excess money you had??? And now I can't take the freaking train??? WTF good is the 4 day extra holiday bullcrap??? They built in 4 days of free strike not free rides for the people of NYC.

Anti-TWU

SCREW the union. I would be all for the strike IF the workers were being exploited. However, they arent. After 3 years, they make well over the city median income. Furthermore the city firefighters, police and teachers have a lower salary than MTA employees. Mind you that the cops and firefighters have a much more dangerous job and their pay increases come only after 5 years and not 3 as in MTA's case.

Furthermore, the highest eduaction level that most of these bus and train operators as well as the cleaning crew have are at the high school and GED level. With U.S. and New York experiencing a recession and a high uneployment rate, I can vouch for countless people who are uneployed and much more educated than your average TWU member and would gladly accept any job at a much lower salary.

In their final offer, the MTA upped their offer to 11% over 3 years, reduced health benefit contribution from 2 to 1% and gave in to the retirement age of 55 instead of 62. Yet that still wasnt enough.

If our cops and teachers are content with their contracts, what makes TWU so different? They have no right to do this as city employees, I hope the mayor and the governor and the MTA do everything in their power to break this and fine them for everything they have.

BK

You're going to have underdressed people reporting with severe frostbite after this. And what about homeless who sometimes ride the trains all night to stay out of the weather?

petra

has everyone gone to bed? i guess those of us who have finals are still on the edge about this, right lil p?? lets hope for the best! (for us, at least) =)

BK

I'd be shocked if candidate Spitzer wants to touch this nightmare.

Time for Pataki to get involved.

pugsley

Maybe Spitzer can force it into an arbitration and get things resolved. Toussant just rattled off disingenuous rhetoric, but didn't say what exactly he wants. Early xmas vacation for everyone.

BK

If its up to the leadership, and not pressure from below or from the government, it could go on endlessly because I have no clue what these morons are even asking for at this point. Is this the '60s? Its like they're taking an ideological stand.

The more interesting bet would be whether Toussaint survives this.

Kojak

Hah wow, so they're on strike? Whoops.

I guess they have some balls after all. Not to mention that their demands are unreasonable.

Gothamist is going to bed?? TO BED??? Gothamist shouldnt sleep at a time like this. I need my blogging fix dammit. I'm dying over here!!!

Andrew

Wanna start taking bets on how long it lasts (the strike)? Im a little glad it happened, all this media hype needed to be relieved somehow (remember Y2k)

BK

I sure hope Toussiant spends the night in the slammer for his illegal conduct. But I guess he knows better than the International.

Fools. The MTA gave them tons of concessions. What on earth more did they want? Who do these leaders think they are?

I feel sorry for the rank-and-file, who have been deluded into thinking that their leaders have any idea what constitutes a good deal.

At least the media (watching Channel 7) is already stunned at the foolishness of this decision.

This better not affect my sedan ride to La Guardia tomorrow afternoon. Thank goodness I get to be away for two weeks while this madness unfolds.

mark

where does he live? Somewhere on the UWS? Because I.m going to go break his fucking legs.

Nathan

Thank God, now I can go to bed.

Anonymous

Well, it's official. Strike.

Screw you, Toussaint and Local 100. You're so worried about not "selling out [your] unborn" you've forgotten that your illegal walkout is selling out the 7 million New Yorkers who count on public transpo.

You should have joined the 21st Century. Now I hope that you and your union get busted and arbitration restores service asap.

Anonymous

Whee! It's on - Roger made it official minutes after 3 am!

Cue the shitstorm.

Isaiah

Toussaint, whatever.

Isaiah

Ny1!! Tuissant at the podium NOW!

su

WB11 says it's "probably on". ok i'm cancelling all my plans for tomorrow. oh, and to throw some perspective into this - google "transport strike France" and you'll find that Paris and the whole country have dealth with numerous tranport strikes that repeatedly bring the country to a standstill... hopefully New York leaders have more respect for the labor movement and the average person than the French leaders do... peace out.