Strike!

As of 3 AM today the Transit Workers Union called a strike. At Forest Hills station today there were lines about 3/4 of a mile long and they were moving very slowly. It was organized, but it was not efficient. There was only one person selling tickets, and you could not buy tickets at the machines. They were also not filling trains to their full potential. Since Forest Hills is a small platform, only four cars could open their doors. However, after only four cars were loaded the train would depart. They should have pulled the train up a bit so the last four cars could also board.

The crowds at Jamaica and some Atlantic Branch stations were much, much larger. By the time you read this, shuttle trains will be running between Jamaica and New York to accommodate the Forest Hills service. This morning an effort was made not to hold the regular trains. Otherwise they would lose their slots in New York and cause massive congestion. Delays were kept to about 20 - 30 minutes.

Forest Hills should have four people checking tickets this afternoon, and the ticket machines should be programed to sell the special $4. Strike Tickets. Some temporary ticket booths are being opened, though I am not sure what the manning for Forest Hills will be.

The biggest impact to Long Island riaders is yet to come. This afternoon, riders to different branches will have to wait outside at different enterences to access Penn Station. Those purchasing tickets will have to wait on two lines. This morning at Jamaica, passengers waited two hours on line to buy tickets. If you plan on leaving from Penn Station tonight and don't have a ticket, a good way to spend your lunch hour would be to buy one in advance. Otherwise, you're not getting home for a long, long time.

Clem

There is a horrible crime being committed here by that union on the MTA. Strikes are ILLEGAL by State workers and they chose to disregard the law and strike anyway. Just who do they think they are? Is this what this Country is becoming? A place where people just do what they want and disregard the law? I demand that the MTA and the State fine these workers into bankruptcy. We cannot have anyone who disagrees with the law just ignore it and do what they want. I heard that the motormen on the LIRR were going to strike in sympathy but the LIRR served an injunction on them to prevent that. Good going LIRR!

If this lasts more than a day, they should call in the Army to run the trains and fire everyone of the strikers. And if the motormen on the LIRR try anything like this then they should be fired too! They should all be happy with their inflated salaries considering what little they do to earn it!

Hey "Nutcase" I guess the worker ants on the Subway that you turn your snot encrusted nose up to are a bit more important than the even the MTA Executive Board. I saw Peter Kalikow on TV today. He showed up at work and shockingly, the trains still don't run. Now why is that? Mr. Kalikow's salary and perks far exceed anything that a "worker" on the TA would receive yet the trains and buses are still idle.

Maybe, the MTA Executive Board should make what the "workers" do, and the "workers" should earn what Mr. Kalikow and the Board does. Apparently, the "workers" are far more important to the operation and the Board is not.

By the way, when you stand in the 15 degree weather, you should exhale slower and stop wasting all that hot air you seem capable of producing.

Form 19, you couldnt of said it any better!!

Honestly, do you think anyone who stands in front of a microphone and tells you that the M.T.A. is bargaining in 'good faith' is telling you the truth?

BTW nutcase,
LIRR employees are not under the Taylor law. Thank the Supreme court for that.

point88 wrote:BTW nutcase,
LIRR employees are not under the Taylor law. Thank the Supreme court for that.

True and some one should tell the nutcase that on the LIRR we have engineers not motorman.

Do members of the Army have Federal locomotive engineer's certifications? Do they have NORAC quailfied, conductors, operators and dispatchers? I doubt it- This isn't like the old days, like the General Strike in 1926 (?) if Great Britian, where many train buffs filled in to run the railroads.

I listened to Governor Pataki today and he made me proud. The subway strikers are bonafide criminals. They are terrorists under the new laws that were passed to protect people from terrorists. They have to be put in jail and the army or national guard brought in to run the subways. Or they can pay NARP members and railfans to run it. The city cant be held hostage by these band of illiterate mutts.

When I get into LIRR executive management Im sure Ill be able to get the LIRR under the Taylor Law also. Then anytime someone breaks the law and has a strike I will fire them on the spot. I'm sure there are enough Certified Railfans who can run the LIRR if there motormen had to be fired. If there ticket-takers were all on strike, I dont think it would matter. In fact -- my mother told me that the ticket-takers had a strike once and walked off the job and the trains all ran anyway.

Brock
Certified Railfan
NARP Life Member.

Ok people listen up. I'll let this post go on as long as there isn't any name calling and fighting about who's right and who's wrong. No strike is ever a good thing and that's from me a union worker. Give the strikers your support if you support them, send a letter to all government people & the MTA stating your support, if you want.

Mike

This is alot more then just TA vs MTA why they went on strike and you just dont strike for nothing there needs to be something they feel is worth strikeing for.

Brock,
The Supreme Court ruled that the LIRR cannot be held under the Taylor Law. Someone please explain it better why the court ruled that way so we stop any silly posts.

Lets see, the 9 Supreme Court justices or Brock the certified railfan, who do you think matters more? Sorry Brock I think you lose out on that one!! Hey Brock, I can call myself certified, but it isnt as a railfan

Can someone tell me what NARP stands for? I have a bet with my son that it means National Association of Retarded People. Let me know because 50 bucks is riding on it!

RRChef wrote:Can someone tell me what NARP stands for? I have a bet with my son that it means National Association of Retarded People. Let me know because 50 bucks is riding on it!

Ill raise you and your son to 100!