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2005 Transit Strike's Boffo Debut
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 20, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 20, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Okay, take a deep breath in...and exhale. It's been a doozy of a day. To recap: Millions of New Yorkers managed to (1) figure out how to get to where they needed to without buses or subways, (2) learn how to share cabs, (3) swarm Penn Station like it's Macy's on Black Friday, and (4) complain in new and interesting ways. The MTA and Transport Workers Union are still bickering over things, with various injunctions and lawsuits against the union pending from the city and state. In fact, as we mentioned earlier, Justice Theodore Jones of State Supreme Court in Brooklyn levied a $1 million per day fine on the union for striking, calling it a "sad day" for labor relations. Mayor Bloomberg got angry during his afternoon press conference, saying, "There are no winners in a strike. Everybody is a loser here." Tell us about it! Gothamist was just watching WNBC 4's "special" broadcast, and while Penn Station really did look terrible - apparently 45,000 extra riders took the LIRR today - there was some oaf who yelled (with understandable frustration), "FIRE ALL THE MTA WORKERS - NOW!" If they were all fired, then Penn Station would probably be a mess all the time, mister. We think this AP quote from Brooklynite Kenny Herbert says it better, "It's two arrogant groups not caring that 7 million people are inconvenienced." Word. MTA and TWU - can you just kiss and make up?
The only thing we want to know is how much longer there will be a strike and how long it'll take for the subways to be up and running again. And we're still a little stunned the Transport Workers Union actually striked. Of course, the MTA should have been negotiating much earlier than they started, but still. Also, former Senator Alphonse D'Amato? You're kind of an idiot - he was just on NY1's Road to City Hall, and said the TWU was "militant": "I don't want to be ethnic..." Okay, this is the problem with multitasking - TV, posting, IMing, our head is a little muddled. D'Amato did not use "ethnic" to refer to the union. We would, however, love for him to shut up. [Thanks, Dan]
Gothamist hopes you were able to get home safe tonight... get your rest, 'cause there's more of the same tomorrow!
Photograph from citycrab on Flickr
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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