Threat of Transit Strike Hangs over NYC

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 16, 2002

Threat of Transit Strike Hangs over NYC

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Subway and bus workers were poised to shut down the nation's largest mass transit system as early as Monday if they didn't receive a new contract giving them raises and changing work rules they call demeaning.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned New Yorkers Sunday afternoon to plan for a strike and declared "we are all in this together." Gov. George Pataki rejected demands that he intervene in negotiations.

Across the city, businesses prepared by reserving hotel rooms for employees and chartering buses, while residents bought bicycles, organized car pools and flooded city stores to buy holiday gifts and food. Millions pondered how New York would operate if the 34,000 union workers launched a strike in defiance of state law.

Negotiations continued through the day between the union and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs a subway and bus system that averages 7.2 million rides a day.

Union negotiators have said privately that the talks could continue into Monday without an immediate strike, however Watt said Sunday that extending the 12:01 a.m. deadline was "not under consideration."

Transit Union Suspends Strike Deadline

The union representing New York subway and bus workers reported progress early Monday in the intense negotiations to avert a strike and said a midnight strike deadline had been suspended.

"We have made sufficient progress to stop the clock," Transport Workers Union secretary-treasurer Ed Watt said.

The union's 34,000 workers had been poised to shut down the nation's largest mass transit system if they did not receive a new contract giving them raises and changing work rules they called demeaning.

The progress was made primarily in noneconomic areas, Watt said. He said talks would continue "as long as there is progress being made."

As the deadline passed, transit workers continued on the job.

Source: Agencies

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