STRIKE!

At 03:02:28, Transport Workers' Union Local 100 initiated a strike against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus and subway operations in New York City. This action is in violation of Article 14 of New York State Civil Service Law, which provides for the following:

• grants public employees the right to organize and to be represented by employee organizations of their own choice;
• requires public employers to negotiate and enter into agreements with public employee organizations regarding their employees' terms and conditions of employment;
• establishes impasse procedures for the resolution of collective bargaining disputes;
• defines and prohibits improper practices by public employers and public employee organizations;
• prohibits strikes by public employees; and
• establishes a state agency to administer the Law- The Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)

The Transport Workers' Union has not followed the impasse procedure, and in fact has resisted even the first step of mediation.

14 NYSCSL 210(2)(f) specifies that each striking employee shall lose two days' pay for each day on strike. 14 NYSCSL 210(3)(a) specifies that "dues checkoff" privileges for an organization engaging in a strike will be revoked.

As injunctions against this strike were granted to the MTA, it is to be hoped that all possible legal action will be taken to end this strike, including contempt-of-court procedings and the fining and imprisonment of the union officials who called and encouraged this illegal action.

The Battle Hymn of the Strike-Bound Commuter

Oh, mine eyes have seen the story of the coming of the strike!
I've seen people using roller skates and people using bikes.
Oh, I've seen commuters struggling with taxis and the like.
The strike is going on!

<Refrain>

Transit workers out to screw ya's!
They don't care about commu-tas!
Don't let anybody fool ya's!
The strike is going on!