Two New York city bus lines shut down
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-19 19:34

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in his weekly radio address Sunday, called a possible strike "reprehensible" and said it would drain $400 million a day from the economy.

Shortly after the strike at the Jamaica Buses Inc. and Triboro Coach Corp. bus lines began at 12:01 a.m., taxi and livery cabs circled a Jackson Heights transit hub looking for fares.

"If I pay them $10 every night to go home, then there's no money left for Christmas for my children," said Bobby Chen, a chef, who was trying to get to his home more than 25 blocks away.

Some 20 workers were picketing in front of the Triboro Coach Corp. bus depot early Monday. One protester held a sign reading, "We move New York. Respect us!"

Brunilda Ayala, commiserating with two strangers who were also stuck at the Jackson Heights hub, said she had no sympathy for the union's position.

"How can you give a raise to a bus driver who would make three old ladies walk home in the cold?" asked the 57-year-old, who said she was worried the hike would be unsafe.

"We would not strike if there was any alternative, but there is none," the union said in a message on its Web site. "The sooner the MTA, the Governor and the Mayor do the right thing and negotiate a fair deal, the sooner all of us get back to work."

More talks were planned for Monday.

The 33,000-member union announced plans for Monday's strike on Friday. The two private bus lines, which employ about 750 union members, are being taken over by the MTA but are not yet covered by the state's Taylor Law, which forbids strikes by public employees.

The union has opposed an MTA plan to raise the age at which a new employee becomes eligible for a full pension from 55 to 62. The MTA has said it made its best offer to the union hours after its contract expired. The MTA also has offered the transit workers, who make between $47,000 and $55,000 a year, 3 percent annual raises for each of three years.

A citywide bus and subway strike would be New York's first since an 11-day walkout in 1980.