1980 New York City transit strike
Encyclopedia
The 1980 New York City transit strike in New York City
(often referred to as the Subway strike) was the first work stoppage at the New York City Transit Authority
(a subsidiary of the New York MTA) since 1966
. 34,000 members of Transport Workers Union
Local 100 walked off their jobs on April 1, 1980, in a strike
with the goal of increasing the wage for contracted workers. All subway
and bus
lines in The Five Boroughs were brought to a complete standstill for eleven days, during which the city lost an approximated $2 million a day in taxes and another $1 million a day in overtime expenses for city employees. Companies in the private sector lost approximately $100 million per day, and job absenteeism was estimated to be between 15 and 20 percent. The strike was resolved on April 11, with the TWU winning a 9% raise in the first year and 8% in the second year, along with a cost-of-living adjustment.
restriction, in which cars were not allowed to enter Manhattan
during rush hour
without at least three passengers.
The population of Manhattan is said to have increased by 500,000 people during the strike, primarily corporate employees staying in hotel
rooms. Bicycle commuters are estimated to have increased by 200,000 people.
Though originally uninvolved with the strike, Mayor Ed Koch
became a very popular and visible figure to the commuting public. He was widely seen crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
with the masses of people commuting on foot, famously asking people "How'm I doing?" He also famously suggested that commuters stop to have a martini after work in order to let rush hour congestion clear.
s were increased from 50 cents to 60 cents in order to offset the heavy losses suffered by the MTA during the strike.
The Taylor Law
, passed after the 1966 strike, specifically forbids any public union from going on strike. The 1980 workers were fined heavily for their strike and the union lost dues check-off rights for four months, and did not strike again until the 2005 New York City transit strike
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(often referred to as the Subway strike) was the first work stoppage at the New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
(a subsidiary of the New York MTA) since 1966
1966 New York City transit strike
The 1966 New York City transit strike was a strike in New York City called by the Transport Workers Union and Amalgamated Transit Union after the expiration of their contract with the New York City Transit Authority . It was the first strike against the TA; pre-TWU transit strikes in 1905, 1910,...
. 34,000 members of Transport Workers Union
Transport Workers Union
Transport Workers Union may refer to:* The Transport Workers Union of America* The Transport Workers Union of Australia* The Swedish Transport Workers' Union...
Local 100 walked off their jobs on April 1, 1980, in a strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
with the goal of increasing the wage for contracted workers. All subway
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
lines in The Five Boroughs were brought to a complete standstill for eleven days, during which the city lost an approximated $2 million a day in taxes and another $1 million a day in overtime expenses for city employees. Companies in the private sector lost approximately $100 million per day, and job absenteeism was estimated to be between 15 and 20 percent. The strike was resolved on April 11, with the TWU winning a 9% raise in the first year and 8% in the second year, along with a cost-of-living adjustment.
History
The transit workers contract was up for renewal in April 1980. Negotiations began on February 4, with the Union initially demanding a 21-month contract with a 30% wage increase; they justified the hike by claiming that the cost of living had gone up 53% since the last contract negotiation, and their contract did not account for changes in the cost of living. The negotiations were extremely confrontational. The MTA responded on March 31 with a proposal of a 34-month contract with a 3% wage increase each year. Negotiations failed early the next morning.Responses to the strike
In response, the city implemented drastic plans to curb urban traffic. Most significant was a mandatory carpoolCarpool
Carpooling , is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car....
restriction, in which cars were not allowed to enter Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
during rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
without at least three passengers.
The population of Manhattan is said to have increased by 500,000 people during the strike, primarily corporate employees staying in hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
rooms. Bicycle commuters are estimated to have increased by 200,000 people.
Though originally uninvolved with the strike, Mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
became a very popular and visible figure to the commuting public. He was widely seen crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
with the masses of people commuting on foot, famously asking people "How'm I doing?" He also famously suggested that commuters stop to have a martini after work in order to let rush hour congestion clear.
Effects
After the strike, subway fareFare
A fare is the fee paid by a passenger allowing him or her to make use of a public transport system: rail, bus, taxi, etc. In the case of air transport, the term airfare is often used.-Uses:...
s were increased from 50 cents to 60 cents in order to offset the heavy losses suffered by the MTA during the strike.
The Taylor Law
Taylor Law
The Public Employees Fair Employment Act refers to Article 14 of the New York State Civil Service Law, which defines the rights and limitations of unions for public employees in New York....
, passed after the 1966 strike, specifically forbids any public union from going on strike. The 1980 workers were fined heavily for their strike and the union lost dues check-off rights for four months, and did not strike again until the 2005 New York City transit strike
2005 New York City transit strike
The 2005 New York City transit strike was a strike in New York City called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100 . Negotiations for a new contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority broke down over retirement, pension, and wage increases. The strike began at 3:00 a.m. EST on...
.