Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Are Subways, Buses Slow Due To TWU "Day Of Outrage"?
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 14, 2009
Modified Oct 14, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 14, 2009
Modified Oct 14, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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
Tagged
bus
MTA
slowdown
subway
TRANSIT WORKERS UNION
twu
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .