Jonathan Tasini has the rundown, and he chalks it up as a bad deal overall because of the increased cost in health care. I say differently. To my mind, the key issue wasn't health care, but the idea that new workers would have different benefits and pension rights than more senior workers. The TWU might have had a rough go of it by increasing costs in health care, but to accept a tiered wage and benefit package would have been long-term suicide. To that end, I'd say it was a success.
Tasini also points out the attempt on the part of the mayor (who was labor backed by the way--great job guys!) to pit the striking workers agains NYC commuters--other workers. I'd take his analysis one step further by pointing out that it failed generally. People in NYC probably didn't enjoy the trevails of a transit strike, but according to Survey USA more than half supported the union over management.
In the transit strike, whose side are you on...the union? Or Management?
Union--52%
Management--40%
Unsure--8%
So there you have it. By and large, people expressed solidarity for workers whose struggle for economic justice made their own lives a living hell. Sometimes, although rarely, humanity does not disappoint.
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