Threat of Transit Strike in NYC

There's the possibility that a strike by New York City transit workers will take place Dec. 15. The Gotham Gazette provides some background on the situation here.

I wasn't aware that a transit strike had occurred in New York City in 1980. For a city so dependent upon public transportation, it boggles my mind to imagine how people would move about without it. There are taxis and car services -- though I heard a taxi driver say on public radio that he and other drivers would support the strike by refusing to make multiple pickups -- but that would mean spending more money when I already have an MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) pass. And because I travel between Brooklyn to Manhattan, I'd be even more concerned about the cost of using private transportation.

I'll refrain from making any judgments about the strike threat until I've learned more. In the meantime, you might want to check out the transit workers' union's Web site at http://twulocal100.org. The MTA does not seem to have released an official statement on the negotiations, but the agency's Web site is http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us.

Well, my commute is only 5.5 miles. Maybe it's time to break out ye olde running shoes.

Filed in: Politics