TWU Approves Same Contract It Previously Rejected

After December's crippling transit strike, the Transportation Worker's Union here shot down MTA's proposed contract by 7 votes. Yesterday, they overwhelmingly (71%) voted in favor of the same deal. The MTA is calling the revote "an empty gesture" and the Local 100 is gettin fired up again.

"It is entirely up to the union how and when we ratify a contract," Mr. Toussaint said.

Unfortunately for Mr. Toussaint, a labor expert pointed out that contract law dictates, "when an offer is rejected, it expires." Imagine that.

So the two sides will meet again next week, but without the union's fearless leader. He is not without a trick or two up his sleeve:

Local 100 officials said Mr. Toussaint, who has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for his role in the December strike, planned to begin serving the sentence on Monday — earlier than ordered by the court — so that he will be in jail when the transit authority board meets next Wednesday. The decision to be in jail at that time appeared to be intended to strike a chord of sympathy with the public.

Good luck with that Rog. I can't speak for the rest of the city, but my shallow well of sympathy for you and your union dried up the first hour into the strike.