New York, NY —
The Transport Workers Union lowered its salary demands during negotiations yesterday, saying it would accept an 18 percent raise over three years instead of 24 percent. But the MTA did not budge on its latest contract offer which includes no raises in the first year. Meanwhile, both sides are battling for the hearts and minds of the riding public. WNYC's Andrea Bernstein reports.
AB: For days now, the Mayor and the Governor have been warning of dire consequences if there's a transit strike: gridlocked streets blocking emergency vehicles, companies brought to a virtual standstill, hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses and direct costs to the city. Yesterday was no exception. Mayor Bloomberg:
Bloomberg: it would not be in the Transport Workers Union or their members' interest to try to hurt this city and New York will not be cowed, not while I'm mayor.
Underground, Jean Melons says he's not for a strike, either.
Melons: because the city as it is cannot afford any strike because the TWU member don't want the strike because we know it would be bad for the city
Melons fixes metro card vending machines. He's had his job for eleven years. In those eleven years, he, his wife and two children have moved to New Jersey because he says, he can no longer afford to live in the city.
Melons: that's what they propose to us a bunch of loss cut here cut there we have to come up with a bunch of money for pension, health care its all loss to us.
Yesterday, TWU Chief Roger Touissant promised to be flexible, and lowered his wage demands from 8 percent a year to 6 percent. Melons says he'd take even less than that.
Melons: If they can change the medical assistance and come up with ten percent wage increase
AB: ten percent over the life of the contract? That would be fair?
Melons: that will do it I think that would be fair enough
The union has been running radio ads to win over public opinion,
(Radio Ad plays .)
But the voices speaking the loudest on the strike - the Mayor, the Governor, have been putting the blame squarely on the union. On the Times Square shuttle, this accountant, who was in New York City during the 1980 strike, said the workers were aiming to inflict maximum harm.
accountant: I think it's a terrible thing to do to NY right before Christmas and it's going to create the most horrendous traffic problems I've lived through it and its terrible
But most straphangers were leveling criticism at the MTA.
AB: would you be angry at the transit workers if they went on strike?
Straphanger: You can't be angry at them cause they're looking out for their families also.
AB: so if that happened whose fault do you think it would be?
Straphanger2: The MTA, really you can't blame the workers
And the workers, like Michael, this train driver, think the MTA, though in dire straights, does have money for raises.
Michael : even before when World Trade Center went down our work was increased by 2 hours when it snows we have to be in three hours early holidays we work the system never shuts down and they don't want to give us an increase
Michael is putting the blame on Governor Partake. Unlike most unions, the TWU didn't endorse Partake, and many members feel this is payback. Partake says the MTA professionals are handling the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Josh Freeman, a Queens College history professor, isn't surprised there's public support for the workers.
Freeman: I think since 9/11 actually there's been a greater appreciation of the contribution of blue collar workers in general kind of brought to the fore transit workers, he still thinks the dollars are there for a raise.
Freeman he says a job in the Transport Workers Union has been a ticket to a solid middle class lifestyle for many New Yorkers, especially minorities, who make up 2/3 of its members. Most of the union members have families, own homes. But like the MTA, they say it's harder and harder to make ends meet.
For WNYC, I'm Andrea Bernstein.