------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Dec. 19, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
AS BILLIONAIRES DEMAND BUDGET CUTS, NY TRANSIT WORKERS GET READY TO RUMBLE By G. Dunkel and Deirdre Griswold New York Can anyone deny this is a class struggle? New York Gov. George Pataki is a multi-millionaire. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is a billionaire. Together they are telling the workers of the state and city that they have to suffer cutbacks, layoffs and wage freezes because the public treasuries are going into debt. What they don't say is that their class of super-rich bankers, businessmen and realtors have bled the city and state dry. The workers aren't buying it. New York City faces what could be its first transit strike in 22 years because the Metropolitan Transit Authority, under Pataki's control, wants the subway and bus workers to take what amounts to a pay cut in their next contract. So on Dec. 7, at two huge rallies at the Javits Convention Center, over 10,000 members of Transport Workers Union Local 100 unanimously authorized their union to strike if necessary. The present contract expires on Dec. 15. Striking by public employees is illegal in New York under the reactionary Taylor Law, so the resolution to strike was raised from the floor instead of by union officials. Union president Roger Toussaint, asked by reporters afterwards if there would be a strike, said that would be up to the union's executive board. The MTA came up with its proposals just 10 days before the contract expires. They include no wage increase in the first year but a hike of 2.4 percent in the workers' contributions to their pension plan and more for health coverage--adding up to a significant pay cut. The workers were already boiling mad over safety conditions, with two deaths of track workers on two consecutive days. The big business media, as usual, are trying to whip up the public against the workers, saying a strike would be their fault and would destroy the city--and Christmas. An editorial Dec. 6 in the racist New York Post called for an "arrest warrant" for Local 100 President Toussaint and fines of $25 million a day under the Taylor Law to stop his "jihad." The more sedate New York Times on Dec. 11 threatened a strike could "destroy the union." Billionaire Bloomberg, conveniently forgetting his chauffeured limousine, hopes to win public sympathy for his strike-breaking efforts by saying he'll bike to work if he has to. At the same time, the politicians are telling the riders that service will have to be cut and the fares raised because times are tough. Drivers who use the bridges and tunnels run by the MTA also are told they'll have to pay more. The TWU has offered a plan to keep the fares down while giving the workers the raise they deserve. The only thing that will make the politicians summon the "political will" to find the money, however, is when they realize that the workers have the power to shut the city down and would use it. After the bust on Wall Street, New York City's economy has been contracting for seven quarters, even before the catastrophe of 9/11. The surpluses in the city budget of the last two years have turned into huge deficits--about $1 billion this year and a projected $6-billion deficit for 2002. The $129 billion in the state pension fund in 2000 dropped to $97 billion this Sept. 30, which is not just a blow to the state's retirees but indicates that the city and state are going to be getting a lot less from activity on the stock exchanges, a major source of their revenue. New York State is facing a $2-billion shortfall this fiscal year, according to Governor Pataki's probably understated figures. The budget crunch comes after huge tax cuts for the rich and an orgy of pumping money into corporate cronies through privatizing services. The "war on terror" and the impending war against Iraq are also cutting into the civilian budgets. President George W. Bush himself acknowledged this when he proclaimed federal workers would not be getting their normal raises because "our national situation precludes granting larger pay increases ... at this time." Because of statewide tax cuts for the rich, cities and counties throughout New York have had to jack up property taxes to pay for increased Medicaid costs that the state has shoved their way. Many New York counties and municipalities that had drop ped the sales tax on some clothing sales have re-imposed it since they lost $2 billion in revenue. (Associated Press, Dec. 7) If the MTA gets away with shoving a rotten contract down the throats of the transit workers, then the bosses and their politicians will feel free to implement all the other cuts they have on the drawing board. A train operator leaving the TWU meeting where the strike vote was taken explained, "They can't ask us ... to pay more money for pensions and health coverage, especially when the mayor is telling us we have to pay higher property taxes. What do they want us to do, live in the trains?" That's why 10,000 transit workers were on their feet at the Javits Center, yelling "Strike! Strike!" - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. 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