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CNN Saturday Morning News
New York City Transit Workers Threaten to Strike
Aired December 14, 2002 - 08:58 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.
CHARLES MOLINEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it looks like it will not be legal for New York's transit workers to go on strike. Will they anyway? What happens? Employees have been threatening to walk out when their contract expires at midnight on Monday.
CNN's Deborah Feyerick looks at the winners and losers if the wheels do stop rolling.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The countdown to a showdown, as more than seven million subway and bus riders brace for what could happen Monday morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how I'm going to get around.
FEYERICK: The union representing 34,000 transit workers is threatening to strike if it doesn't get the six percent yearly salary hike it wants.
ROGER TOUSSAINT, TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION: We deserve to be treated with respect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a Brooklyn bound A train.
FEYERICK: A strike socking the city during the holiday shopping season would affect every business, every tourist, everyone bar none.
SAM SCHWARTZ, GRIDLOCK SAM: We're still suffering and still reeling economically. We've lost so many jobs. We can't take a blow during the holiday time.
FEYERICK: Mayor Mike Bloomberg reckons the city could lose between $100 to $350 million a day. Tourism, finally picking up after September 11, will be hit hard again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of the visitors are wondering whether they should still come in, especially those that aren't familiar with New York City.
FEYERICK: Throughout the city, backup plans are being made, car pools filling up, a minimum of four riders required. Bicycle stores are bringing in extra wheels.
LEOPOLD LINVAL, METRO BICYCLES: We ride every day to work, so it's not that bad. If you really get on the bike, you warm up. FEYERICK: Mayor Bloomberg, an avid subway rider, shelled out 500 bucks for a new bike. And hotels are filling up fast for Sunday night.
KATHLEEN DUFFY, NEW YORK CITY MARRIOTT HOTELS: They want their employees to be sure that they can show up for work on Monday morning.
FEYERICK: Under state law, it's illegal for transit workers to strike. Both the mayor and Metropolitan Transportation Authority have gone to court seeking to head it off. Still, the workers could walk. But it'll cost them. Two days pay every day they're out, plus the mayor wants the court to fine the union a million dollars the first day and double that every day of the strike. As for people who live in the city...
SCHWARTZ: It's not going to cripple New Yorkers. We already know how to walk. We're not from Los Angeles.
FEYERICK: Though many say if the strike does happen, people walking to work will bear little good will for those who normally get them there.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 14, 2002 - 08:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHARLES MOLINEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it looks like it will not be legal for New York's transit workers to go on strike. Will they anyway? What happens? Employees have been threatening to walk out when their contract expires at midnight on Monday.
CNN's Deborah Feyerick looks at the winners and losers if the wheels do stop rolling.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The countdown to a showdown, as more than seven million subway and bus riders brace for what could happen Monday morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how I'm going to get around.
FEYERICK: The union representing 34,000 transit workers is threatening to strike if it doesn't get the six percent yearly salary hike it wants.
ROGER TOUSSAINT, TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION: We deserve to be treated with respect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a Brooklyn bound A train.
FEYERICK: A strike socking the city during the holiday shopping season would affect every business, every tourist, everyone bar none.
SAM SCHWARTZ, GRIDLOCK SAM: We're still suffering and still reeling economically. We've lost so many jobs. We can't take a blow during the holiday time.
FEYERICK: Mayor Mike Bloomberg reckons the city could lose between $100 to $350 million a day. Tourism, finally picking up after September 11, will be hit hard again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of the visitors are wondering whether they should still come in, especially those that aren't familiar with New York City.
FEYERICK: Throughout the city, backup plans are being made, car pools filling up, a minimum of four riders required. Bicycle stores are bringing in extra wheels.
LEOPOLD LINVAL, METRO BICYCLES: We ride every day to work, so it's not that bad. If you really get on the bike, you warm up. FEYERICK: Mayor Bloomberg, an avid subway rider, shelled out 500 bucks for a new bike. And hotels are filling up fast for Sunday night.
KATHLEEN DUFFY, NEW YORK CITY MARRIOTT HOTELS: They want their employees to be sure that they can show up for work on Monday morning.
FEYERICK: Under state law, it's illegal for transit workers to strike. Both the mayor and Metropolitan Transportation Authority have gone to court seeking to head it off. Still, the workers could walk. But it'll cost them. Two days pay every day they're out, plus the mayor wants the court to fine the union a million dollars the first day and double that every day of the strike. As for people who live in the city...
SCHWARTZ: It's not going to cripple New Yorkers. We already know how to walk. We're not from Los Angeles.
FEYERICK: Though many say if the strike does happen, people walking to work will bear little good will for those who normally get them there.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
