Strike II

Roger Toussaint can't accept binding arbitration. His members clearly won't stand for it. So all the MTA is doing when they pull this shit is forcing the union back towards a strike posture. After all, as we at Left Behinds have been saying all along, that's what the MTA wants, a broken union that can't screw up the agency's corrupt land deals.

Harry C. Katz, dean of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, said the authority's tough stance appeared to reflect Gov. George E. Pataki's strong criticism of the settlement and in particular of the pension refunds, which would cost around $130 million.

"Management, by coming in this hard, is pushing the union leadership into the corner," he said. "Then they look really kind of weak. That's not what you want. All they're going to do is possibly get another strike."

Already yesterday, John F. Mooney, said he and other dissident leaders were prepared to call for another strike. "If they want to go to battle, we're ready," said Mr. Mooney, a union vice president who helped lead opposition to the settlement. "We need to hold a unionwide membership meeting and the possibility of a strike has to be readdressed. The membership should strongly consider going on strike again."

If you don't already have a bike, start shopping on Craigslist now.

Tags:transit strike,news york ,MTA,toussaint