Union heads could face jail over NY transit strike

New York City commuters take to their pushbikes as a solution to the transit workers' strike, which entered its second day today. Picture / Reuters

The leaders of the union behind New York's crippling mass transit strike could face jail, a judge warned today as commuters were forced to improvise for a second day to get to work.

The day after a court slapped US$1 million ($1.49 million) a day in fines on the striking union, a judge ordered union lawyers to bring TWU Local 100 leader Roger Toussaint and other top officials to court on Thursday, warning that jail was a "distinct possibility."

The bus and subway strike by some 34,000 transit workers is New York's first for 25 years. Staff walked out on Tuesday after talks on pay, health care and pensions broke down.

State law prohibits public sector employees from striking, and the judge is considering imposing fines on individual workers as well as jailing three union leaders.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg denounced what he called the "illegal and selfish" strike, but said jailing union heads would risk making them martyrs and that he would prefer heavier fines.

Public opinion was divided in response to the strike, but feelings were high. One bar ran a newspaper ad saying it would charge Transit Workers Union members $1 extra per drink to compensate for the loss of business, adding: "Bah Humbug!" Two local tabloids showed little sympathy for the strikers. "Mad As Hell" the Daily News screamed on its front page. The New York Post had this message for strikers: "You Rats."

Many commuters were just worried about getting to work.

"I am a fifth grade teacher, and I need to get to my class!" read one posting on www.craigslist.com seeking a ride from the Bronx to Brooklyn.

"Anyone driving from the Met to Brooklyn tonight?" read another message from somebody hoping not to waste their tickets to the Metropolitan Opera on Wednesday evening.

Todd X, a 36-year-old bicycle mechanic, said his shop, Bicycle Habitat, stayed open three hours late on Tuesday to cope with the extra work tuning up old bikes.

"We're getting a lot of flat tires, mostly on decrepit pieces of garbage that people unearth from the basement at the last possible moment," he said.

Rudi Hiebert, a 42-year old medical researcher, said the lack of subways was a good excuse for him to brave the cold and get back on his in-line skates, unused for over a year.

"I need the exercise," he said after crossing Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn. "It's a beautiful day -- I think I might keep skating to work even when the strike is over." Officials have said the strike will cost the city US$400 million on day one and US$300 million a day until Friday.

With temperatures below freezing despite bright sunshine, commuters walked long distances to work. Some were lucky enough to hail cabs that were picking up multiple passengers.

Bloomberg said there had been some reports of price gouging by taxis and authorities were investigating.

Strict car-pool rules were enforced during rush hour, bicycle rickshaws were out in force and ferries were packed.

A 1980 transit strike lasted 11 days, but in a sign that the Transport Workers Union Local 100 may face pressure to end the strike sooner rather than later, its parent International TWU advised against the strike, urging continued negotiation.

Bloomberg said that "many" MTA workers had defied the strike to go to work on Tuesday, but he did not say how many.

John Levine, 29, said he had started work at 4. a.m. to beat the traffic on his route delivering beer. "People still need their beer, just like normal," he said.

- REUTERS