N.Y. Transit Union Chief Is Jailed for Strike
The city’s transit union chief on Monday began serving a 10-day sentence for leading last year’s transit strike, turning himself in at a Manhattan courthouse after marching across the Brooklyn Bridge with supporters.
The walkout, which crippled the city just before Christmas, violated a state law banning strikes by public employees. A judge ruled that Roger Toussaint should be jailed for 10 days and fined $1,000 for contempt.
“I stand here today because a judge has found me guilty of contempt of court,” Toussaint said. “The truth of the matter is that I have nothing but contempt for a system that gives employers free rein to abuse workers.”
The 60-hour strike ended without a contract between Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Union members voted last week to approve an offer they had rejected in January, but the MTA has said it doesn’t have to accept the vote because the dispute is in binding arbitration.
The 33,000-member union was fined $2.5 million for the strike; it plans to appeal.
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