
Press Conference on Transit Strike

( Associated Press )
This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.
From card catalog: State of negotiations, appeals to the people of the city.
Mayor Lindsay updates the city, even though there's no update on the transit strike. The strike is unlawful, an injunction has been filed. Thanks to New Yorkers. Use nighttime hours for deliveries, leave early in the morning, group riding is a must. Suggestions to keep the city going tomorrow. New Yorkers walking were making better time than those on the streets. Tomorrow's poverty hearing is postponed. Q&A. Quill.
Reporter chatter continues after press conference.
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 70657
Municipal archives id: T1713
This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
Good afternoon fellow New Yorkers I want to report first of all that there is no significant change that I can report on the status of the negotiations between the striking union and the Transit Authority the mediation is continuous Dr fine singer just reported to me just five minutes ago. That the panel continues full time on into the night on their mediating function. And I wish that there was something specific that I could report but at this moment there is not. Actually we hope for breaks later on and meanwhile of course one delaying factor has been the present patients of the cases in the court house. To protect the injunction this is an unlawful strike and injunction was issued by the court. Ordering the Union not to strike the strike has gone forward and now the case is presented in the court by the transit authority lawyers seeking contempt of court citations. In respect of the continued strike. Secondly here's where we stand on the condition of the city. New Yorkers have responded nobley And again I wish to expects press my gratitude to every New Yorker for being very tough and very strong and very patient under these trying circumstances you've done well the evening is before us many people have by now started for home I urge truckers and store owners use the evening and night hours for deliveries wherever and whenever you possibly can don't wait until tomorrow to form your car pools tonight. Leave early very early tomorrow morning and group writing is of course a must it's it's not required by law but I do ask you to continue group writing. Now for tomorrow this morning worked it worked because only about half of the normal workers came to the city and casual visitors stayed away here three suggestions to keep the city going again tomorrow. As I expect it will the subway system and the busses will be remain closed down tomorrow also unfortunately I don't fall victim to any sense of false security I don't think many more cars can come in to Manhattan particularly tomorrow then came in today. If you take that attitude if you think that because it worked today that you can make an exception for yourself and take your car into Manhattan then will be plugged up. Thirdly this suggestion for all employers don't ask that more workers come in if it means another automobile. Your employees need from you specific directions just as you need their cooperation all employees are important they feel that they should come to work if they can you can help them realize that they serve the public interest and the city when it's in trouble if they stay home is requested by you in the event that their presence in the office would require their writing by their automobile. You can help them realize that they serve the public interest in this fashion continue with group writing have no empty car seats in your car. While group riding got off to a good start today too many cars had just a driver or just one passenger along with the driver. Continue walking. New Yorkers they showed that they are physically strong today and as I took a helicopter ride over the bridges as I mentioned earlier I was very proud of my fellow New Yorkers as I saw them walking across the bridges in Manhattan instead of riding in cars and indeed most of them were making faster time than where the automobiles on the bridges across the East River. Now do well in your power to to have everything shared fairly and equitably help your neighbor help the person you see on the street to pick him up and if you happen to be so fortunate as to have a car and those circumstances and need to use it then pick people up once suggested and advised that the regular commuter trains were not unduly crowded so leave your car missed a commuter and come in by train. Another suggestion is that if you must for various reasons travel by car into Manhattan avoid the fifty ninth Street Bridge because that was the one that had the most pressure on it today the other bridges had plenty of it also finally one announcement because of this emergency it has been necessary to postpone tomorrow's poverty hearing that I was going to conduct myself watch carefully for announcements of traffic conditions and be guided by them accordingly for telephone information call nine nine nine one two three four I'll repeat that nine nine nine one two three four Unfortunately this illegal strike is causing untold hardship in financial industry. And financial injury to many workers and business firms I'm sorry for that but I'm sure that we are serving the public interest. In continuing to be a strong. Now fan I have another brief announcement that is that I've been asked by Mr Howe than I was Dale Jr president of the New York City Central Labor Council after the L.C. I O. to offer the good offices of the city in the dispute between St John's University and United Federation of college teachers I'm glad to do so and have sent off a telegram to that effect goodnight have a safe trip home. And please remember that the best way you can possibly cooperate is to not use your automobile in New York City under these circumstances thank you very much. And this question is is for Mr O'Neill did Dr fine singer report any progress in the negotiations. And no he reported Dec continuing mediation and discussion which is very valuable under these circumstances the parties are talking in earnest which is necessary and needed but he can make no prediction at this moment about an immediate settlement. Well negotiations will be forced to continue by the mediating panel as they should. And there's no question but what under any circumstances no matter what the court does now it's in the lap of the court as you know when it's the court's power and and within its discretion to take any steps to protect its own its own injunctions and its own orders the court must do that is a matter of judicial process and and and and and good order. Meanwhile however the strike must be settled. And the dispute has to be finished and that is the function of the mediating panel which is to get on with that job and I encourage the parties to the struggle to do so. On one. Side. There's there's been an effort of that kind because you know to see that people did start going home this afternoon. At about three o'clock to four o'clock I'm sacked had to go to the midtown area from city hall and I returned at four o'clock and I noticed that there were large numbers of New Yorkers who were heading for the bridges and on the way home. And on the way back I did on the way up I had a group from here riding along on the way back I picked up seven New Yorkers who were. Pointing south and needed a lift no no spot of long we had shifts of them when one got out of picked up another one came in. We talked about the strike and where we were going and and they were very excited to get a lift and. This was it yes this was the mayor's limousine that we had we had some group Sarap in the car. Yes precisely. Yes. And I sent that telegram saying that the good offices of the city will be used and that means that I will designate a high ranking official to be present physically to help on that American. History while the deputy the deputy mayor of feels very deeply on this is a personal matter teacher and self and. I believe that he was he was acting on the basis of personal conviction which he said entitle to do. Well it doesn't look that it would be possible to. Finish this settlement tonight in time. To reopen they transport system in the morning if it's possible to finish it tonight in the first instance which also is doubtful. Well they have once again this question for the benefit of listeners is that do I think that the public interest is being served by prosecuting quill. The question here is they is the judicial process and the administration of justice and injunction was issued by the court directed to Mystic will and to the other offices of the Union. And that injunction ordered the leadership of the Union not to call a strike under the law as it exists. The injunction was disobeyed Now the court has no choice but to protect its orders any court must do that otherwise the rule of law collapses and it's the obligation of the transom to Sardi to present the case in the court and obviously the union has a right to defend itself before this but then the court and the judge must make up its mind as to the steps that would have to be requests taken in order to protect the integrity of the court order. Room. Oh. I mean these are some. I've had good reports today some retail stores which are busy and which need employees have reported that they are operating well in the station a with. A. Skeleton Crew a skeleton a groups of employees on hand but then of course a retail sales A full of down a bit because people are not in Manhattan and that's where the big stores are in the other counties and virals the damage is not as great. We have to face the fact that economic damage to. The economy of New York City is very large indeed and there are great losses involved in this. Congestion and a strike near. Me. That's very difficult to say Mr President. We can take an awful lot. And I think that New Yorkers can take it as long as is necessary. That point out however is that this strike is unnecessary it was unnecessary in the first instance should not have been called. And. The courts will now have to take appropriate action Meanwhile I had to have faith and confidence in the energies of the mediating panel they are working very hard and I while they are not. Unduly pessimistic at the moment they're not optimistic either but at least they're not they're not in despair and you. Know I have not thank you very much I didn't want to just. Go on with this you know I think that's enough for tonight thank you. Oh oh. Elaine.