Transit Workers Threaten to Slow Things Up

Transport Workers Union Roger Toussaint may be in jail, but that doesn't mean the union isn't trying to strongarm the MTA into re-offering the contract that the union accepted. Union officials are >floating the idea of "targeted slowdowns" if the contract isn't accepted, which is scary to Gothamist, as that means our weekend subway and bus trips could be even more unpredictable! But the MTA says the board won't approve the contract. At any rate, there are still union supporters/members keeping a vigil outside The Tombs (the Bernard Kerik complex) downtown - am New York finds out that most people have been nice to those camped out, though one did yell, "This ain't no ---- jail, I've been here before. It's a hotel. They should send him to Rikers." And the Reverend Al Sharpton did stay there for a night ("One fellow camper said he had a personal assistant to escort him to the bathroom.") Hee hee. AM New York also calculated the cost of camping outside The Tombs for the Toussaint vigil, including a headlamp ("May also scare away any rats") as well the sleeping bag and tent. Any takers to join them out there?

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By Jen Chung in News on April 26, 2006 10:58 AM

Comments [rss]

Brightliner

Brilliant, TWU members. Facing possible arbitration, you decide to see if you can make things even worse for yourselves. Now, if I were an arbitrator, I wouldn't look kindly on yet more scofflaw activity on top of an illegal strike.

pugsley

I didn't see the Post article, but I wouldn't doubt that 'protesters' are paid to show up as I've seen this with other NYC unions - in some cases where a union can't even pay their own members to show up, they'll pay students to attend rallies. NYC union leaders are more concerned with their own pet P.C. causes than the demands and needs of the rank and file.

rev pays

Went by the "camp".

They have a porta potty, generator and a propane heater for the "tent".

And, one cop car parked on the curb.

rev pays

Regarding the union members getting paid to camp out. Could be true.

When I was a union delagate I get $30 to attend the monthly meetings. That was my drinking money for the week. When there were protests, I'd go with another delagate and hang out at a bar.

bklynd

That's just something that unions do - create phony public events. They can act as a particularly dumb political machine because, really, what matters most is the members' own perceptions.

A slowdown, though, will matter to real people.

eel

"Does anyone know if there is any truth to the story in today's Post that the "protesters" are really paid TWU workers?"

You must be joking. Who you think they are? Concerned citizens? Of course they are paid TWU members.

hr

Make them pretty qualified to work for the French transit system.

Toby

Can those who are "camping out" be charged with something? I don't think what they are doing is legal.

And yes, a slowdown would most likely make the average straphanger hate the TWU even more.

JW

It's time to bust that union. It was disgusting seeing Toussaint heralded as a hero on his way to jail.

MT

Does anyone know if there is any truth to the story in today's Post that the "protesters" are really paid TWU workers? If that's true, that is beyond disgusting grand standing.

pinboy

I think that if targeted slowdowns are implemented, then what little, and I mean VERY little, sympathy that the transit union has left with the public would be thrown out the window. I read in the Times that the march and the 10-day jail sentence for Toussant were used to drum-up public support. And now slowdown threats! What are these union leaders thinking?