Monday, April 24, 2006

When Will Peter Kalikow Be Going to Prison?

Hat tip to Tasini for offering more info about the after effects of the NYC transit strike a few months ago:

Today, Roger Toussaint, the president of the transport workers union, begins his ten-day jail sentence in the infamous Tombs in NYC. Yours truly will be among a large crowd of unionists who will gather in Brooklyn and march with Touissaint across the Brooklyn Bridge. John Sweeney, the president of the AFL-CIO, will apparently also be there--and good for him. (For those of you who want to join, assemble at the Brooklyn Supreme Court, 360 Adams Street, on the Court Street side).
The march will certainly be a sign of support for Toussaint (there will also be vigils in front of the jail over the next few days). But, it is likely to be as much a rally to denounce the vile Taylor Law, which prohibits public workers from striking and allows the imposition of penalties against strike leaders (witness the jail sentence meted out to Toussaint), sanctions against the workers (who still face three days of lost pay for striking) and penalties against the union as a whole (which has lost, at least temporarily, the right to have dues automatically deducted from its members' paychecks).
Steve Greenhouse of The New York Times has a "news analysis" piece on the recent developments in the struggle between the transit workers, the transit authority and the legal system.

There are laws in many states, NY included, that prohibit public employees from striking. This is disgusting and antithetical to democracy. Peter Kalikow, the head of the MTA, caused the NY transit strike and will be sipping Mohitos while Toussaint will be in the Tombs.
For those of you in NY, think about joining the march with Toussaint to his prison.

2 Comments:

At 5/02/2006 , Blogger Ruby K said...

Wow, it's like showing up at a party, not realizing someone has the same outfit as you, but seeing a picture later and noticing it. I got not one, but two on this subject in the last week, and will keep going till these clowns ratify the deal they already signed.

 
At 5/02/2006 , Blogger ZT said...

hopefully my choice this morning to wear a SEPTA shirt will lead to a breakthrough.
i am not holding my breath.
Any thoughts on ways to hold Kalikow accountable?

 

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