Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
In New York City, Commuters at Their Jobs
Aired December 16, 2002 - 10:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In New York City, commuters are at their jobs this morning, largely because the transit workers are as well. The union for now has shelved plans to launch a strike that would surely paralyze the city during the frenzied shopping season.
Our Jason Carroll made it work. He joins us from New York.
Jason, good morning.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.
Last week, New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg bought a bike, thinking he might have to use it for today, but he took the subway this morning on his way to city hall, just like millions of other people this morning took the subway as well.
Last night, just before a midnight strike deadline, the union that represents the city's bus and subway workers came out and said enough common ground had been reached in non-economic areas in order to keep at the table and keep talking.
Caught in the middle of this of course is the seven million people who ride the city's subways and buses every day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there will be a strike at all. There's too much involved. The economy stinks. Everybody's having so many problems. Nobody needs a strike. So it's just a lot of posturing. I don't think there will be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm hoping that they settle, because, you know, it's going to be a strain on everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It still is a possibility. It's clear that the workers are unhappy right now, so you never know what's going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: It is illegal in the state of New York for public workers to go out on strike. If the union and its members were to go out on strike, they would be fined very heavily.
Mayor Bloomberg also wants to point out that this is not just a New York story, not just a local story, he says, a strike would cost the city $350 million each day, but he said the fallout would be felt all across the country -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Jason Carroll in New York. Glad to see you made it into work, and glad I made it out of Dodge before it all started.
This could still happen, though, Thursday, right? They're not done.
CARROLL: They're not done yet. It could actually happen at any time. Both sides are still at the bargaining table. No more deadlines have been set, so to speak. Both sides still talking, but you know, you never know with these type of things. Negotiations could fall apart. It's really sort of hard to predict. So we're all just sort of standing by, waiting to see what's going to happen on either side.
KAGAN: Enjoy your transportation while you can. Jason, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 16, 2002 - 10:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In New York City, commuters are at their jobs this morning, largely because the transit workers are as well. The union for now has shelved plans to launch a strike that would surely paralyze the city during the frenzied shopping season.
Our Jason Carroll made it work. He joins us from New York.
Jason, good morning.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.
Last week, New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg bought a bike, thinking he might have to use it for today, but he took the subway this morning on his way to city hall, just like millions of other people this morning took the subway as well.
Last night, just before a midnight strike deadline, the union that represents the city's bus and subway workers came out and said enough common ground had been reached in non-economic areas in order to keep at the table and keep talking.
Caught in the middle of this of course is the seven million people who ride the city's subways and buses every day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there will be a strike at all. There's too much involved. The economy stinks. Everybody's having so many problems. Nobody needs a strike. So it's just a lot of posturing. I don't think there will be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm hoping that they settle, because, you know, it's going to be a strain on everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It still is a possibility. It's clear that the workers are unhappy right now, so you never know what's going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: It is illegal in the state of New York for public workers to go out on strike. If the union and its members were to go out on strike, they would be fined very heavily.
Mayor Bloomberg also wants to point out that this is not just a New York story, not just a local story, he says, a strike would cost the city $350 million each day, but he said the fallout would be felt all across the country -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Jason Carroll in New York. Glad to see you made it into work, and glad I made it out of Dodge before it all started.
This could still happen, though, Thursday, right? They're not done.
CARROLL: They're not done yet. It could actually happen at any time. Both sides are still at the bargaining table. No more deadlines have been set, so to speak. Both sides still talking, but you know, you never know with these type of things. Negotiations could fall apart. It's really sort of hard to predict. So we're all just sort of standing by, waiting to see what's going to happen on either side.
KAGAN: Enjoy your transportation while you can. Jason, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
