QUEENS, N.Y.
Don't get on the bus!
As of June 24, Transportation Workers Union Local
100--representing drivers, mechanics, cleaners and
inspectors-had been on strike for a week against three
privately owned but publicly subsidized bus companies in
Queens, N.Y.
While New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg claims it's a
private dispute between the companies and their unionized
employees, the city gives these companies over $100 million per
year in subsidies. The city government is also deeply involved
in contract negotiations with the union.
The city owns many of the buses and some of the facilities.
It holds the franchise to the routes the companies run--which
it doles out every two years. The union and many of the 116,000
affected commuters, who currently have to use alternatives to
get to work, feel that these companies are just a fig leaf for
the city to pay substandard wages and benefits.
While the city has demanded that the union accept the same
wage package offered to the main municipal union, AFSCME
District Council 37, it won't contribute money to bring Local
100's medical benefits up to par.
The total amount in dispute is less than $1 million, but the
union feels it can't submit to a loss of parity with other city
workers.
"This is a Bloomberg bus strike. This is a billionaire's bus
strike. We have to turn up the pressure on City Hall," Ed Watt,
secretary-treasurer of Local 100, told 500 workers at a rally
June 21.
--G. Dunkel
Reprinted from the July 4, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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