Jail 'Possibility' for NYC Transit Leaders

[Voltron87]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/nyc_transit_strike

NEW YORK - The city and state stepped up their pressure on striking transit workers Wednesday in hopes of forcing them back to work, and a judge said sending union leaders to jail was a "distinct possibility."

State Supreme Court Justice Theodore Jones, who is hearing several legal issues related to the strike, directed attorneys from the Transport Workers Union to bring president Roger Toussaint and other top officials before the court Thursday to answer to a criminal contempt charge. He said he may sentence the union leaders to jail for refusing to end the strike, calling such a scenario a "distinct possibility."

Union lawyer Arthur Schwartz said Toussaint and the other officials are in negotiations with mediators and that hauling them into court could halt the talks.

The possibility of jail time for union leaders was one of several developments Wednesday as millions of New Yorkers trudged to work in another bone-chilling commute without subways and buses.





plz yes

[jokerthief]

So how much of a bitch is this for all you New Yorkers?

[mrkilla]

you have no idea, most manhattanites don't own a car, and anyone in an outerboro who does can't drive it in anyway...good times

[mrkilla]

[ QUOTE ]
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/nyc_transit_strike

NEW YORK - The city and state stepped up their pressure on striking transit workers Wednesday in hopes of forcing them back to work, and a judge said sending union leaders to jail was a "distinct possibility."

State Supreme Court Justice Theodore Jones, who is hearing several legal issues related to the strike, directed attorneys from the Transport Workers Union to bring president Roger Toussaint and other top officials before the court Thursday to answer to a criminal contempt charge. He said he may sentence the union leaders to jail for refusing to end the strike, calling such a scenario a "distinct possibility."

Union lawyer Arthur Schwartz said Toussaint and the other officials are in negotiations with mediators and that hauling them into court could halt the talks.

The possibility of jail time for union leaders was one of several developments Wednesday as millions of New Yorkers trudged to work in another bone-chilling commute without subways and buses.





plz yes

[/ QUOTE ]It's just going to make the LEaders Martyr's for the cause, and if the citty starts lcoking up members, other unions (LIRR and MetroNorth may walk or not cross the line into the Boro's)

[JordanIB]

Mayor Mike said today he would prefer no jail time. Just increased fines.

[Voltron87]

i don't really agree, the union looks awful to everyone right now, if this goes on much longer the whole city will truly hate them. i think the general concensus is "they have good benefits and are not really getting shafted, they should STFU and I should not have to walk to work in the cold".

either way the union is definitely losing the PR battle.

[Voltron87]

[ QUOTE ]
Mayor Giuliani said today he would prefer the death penalty.

[/ QUOTE ]

[RunDownHouse]

Can we keep all of this nonsense to one thread please? The rest of the world found it somewhat interesting for a while, but we aren't so fascinated that we need updates sorted by thread twice a day.

[mrkilla]

well sure they are the media is making them look like the enemy, There really not , its a 2 headed monster, Unions taking the fall.

I'm a bi fan of unions, like you couldn't tell, but they need a better PR person the prez aint do'n it

[RacersEdge]

I love to see a good ass-kicking given to a union.

The mayor of NY counters that the common workers are being hurt by the union strike. Pretty brillant move on his part I'd say given unions are suppposed to represent the common worker.

[Gugel]

it;s ahrd to win a PR battle when you are screwing over all the people you are trying to get on your side.

no PR in the world can help the union.

...

wait...

i got it. they have scantly clad, beautiful women protesting in the blistering cold. its foolproof. im a genious.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
Mayor Mike said today he would prefer no jail time. Just increased fines.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ed Koch said the same the day prior. There seems to be a perception that the fines in 1980 were abated, Koch said they were not... the union has to pay.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[tonypaladino]

From what I heard the union still owes on part of the 1980 fines.

They should order every [censored] worker back to work now and jail anyone who doesnt show.

I hope riots start soon, with citizens attacking the picket lines.