Are Subways, Buses Slow Due To TWU "Day Of Outrage"?

Did your subway or bus commute seem a little slower than usual today? It's possible there really wasn't "train traffic up ahead"—apparently the Transit Workers Union wants to give the MTA (and riders) hell because the agency won't pay arbitrator-decided raises. And a text message last week suggested that workers were advised to "slow it down" today.

Over the summer, an arbitration panel ruled that the union could get 11% raises over three years, but the MTA won't pay them. TWU Local 100 acting president Curtis Tate said, "This time we followed the rules. This time we did exactly what they said we should do. And what did they do? Because they didn't like the way it turned out, they want a do over. You don't get do overs."

The Daily News reports, "Strikes or slowdowns are illegal under the state's Taylor Law, and the MTA in the past has responded with court orders mandating the union to obey," but of course, the 2005 strike happened anyway. The MTA said, "Obviously, we are prepared" for a potential slowdown, but what does that really mean, when your commute ended up taking twice as long?

Photograph by mpix123 on Flickr

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By Jen Chung in News on October 14, 2009 11:09 AM

Comments [rss]

k8nice

After the bus never showed I walked to the train and had "mechanical problems" on my train

k8nice

At least do this BS on a day when it is not raining, so I can ride my bike to work on the side walk and through red lights scaring grannies all the way across town.

carbomb

oh god, another day of outrage. seems everyone with their hand out is outraged about something

iloveanderson

was held in the 77th st station for 10 minutes this morning due to "mechanical problems" at 42nd street.

pudeljung

awesome photo!

JenChungsBaby

How do you know when the M96 is in a slow-down? Does it go backwards? I walk to work and usually beat that bus through the park.

nivek

The MTA is a state run organization...that's a problem right there, we could start with that.

Bozack

The 4 was slow as shite!

NannyState

A Third World transit system should pay Third World wages. Pay those jerks 30 cents an hour and let them play with the trains all they want.

Tower18

A train in from Brooklyn was definitely doing this. I was 10 minutes late, on the one day I actually needed to be on time. Awesome.

We crawled along the entire route, going about walking speed or a little more, stopping occasionally on the way for 30-60 second stretches...then proceeding again at 6-10mph.

chrissederstrom

Speaking of ads, we should subsidize the system with ad revenue, get rid of the turnstiles, and coordinate a closed-circuit tv network to broadcast train positions at track and street level. I wouldn't mind having the bedford L station named "American AppareL..."

Or somebody should just put slap some homing beacons on every train and track them with an iphone app.

http://dontwastemymotherfuckingtime.ytmnd.com/

SighR

waited 9 min. for the L this morning (usually come in 3-4 min)the train was stuck for about 10 minutes between 1st and 3rd ave for a while this morning.

Confession:

I usually get really antsy waiting for the train and start drawing on the Ads.

elpollodiablo

The L train into the city from Lorimer this morning was _fucking terrible_. Trains running every 8-15min. at 9am rush; had to wait for about 30 minutes before I could squeeze onto an overcrowded train.

Alex

Yeah the L train was worse than usual for me too.

mzungu

the 1 train held was " being held" "due to train traffic" on nearly every third stop this morning. got to work about 12 minutes later than usual.

junkrabbit

The 5 express was unusually slow this morning, it took forever to get from Grand Central to Union Square with no traffic ahead with frequent breaking.. It arrived with the same 6 train that left Grand Central at the same time.

Scott

I take the 1 Train from 79th and the operator and conductor of the train I was on were clearly in cahoots trying to slow down service. There's no doubt in my mind. It took an extra 10 minutes. I loathe the TWU for always taking it out on other New Yorkers who are just trying to make a living.

SC

Didn't commute today, but the 1 train coming from the Bronx last night was unusually slow, and they pulled the same thing some of the other commenters mentioned... "get off this train, no, wait, get back on."

They've got a lot of fucking nerve.