New York's 3-Day Transit Strike Ends

[j_shady]

NEW YORK - Faced with mounting fines and the rising wrath of millions of commuters, the city transit union sent its members back to work without a new contract Thursday and ended a crippling, three-day strike that brought subways and buses to a standstill.

Union members were told to return to their jobs and start preparing to restore service. Buses were expected to roll around midnight, and most trains were expected to be running by the Friday morning rush, just two days before Christmas.

"I'm ecstatic that it's over, but I'm still really mad that they did it," said Jessica Cunningham, 21, who was in town for the holiday. "I really think it's screwed up that they decided to strike the week before Christmas."

The breakthrough came after an all-night session with a mediator. Around midday, leaders of the 33,000-member Transport Workers Union overwhelmingly voted to return to work and resume negotiations with the transit authority on a new three-year contract.

"We thank our riders for their patience and forbearance," said union local president Roger Toussaint.

While the deal put the nation's largest mass transit system back in operation, it did not resolve the underlying dispute

[Shadyluva]

new york city was goin crazy ppl were walkin miles and miles to get 2 work
im glad its over

[j_shady]

yeah that mustve sucked to be bumpin into people all day long...did you go out when the strike was goin on?

[Shadyluva]

yes i still went 2 skool but most of the kids weren't there
yea thats the only place i went 2 and o0o yea in the mornin we used to pick up ppl from queens to take to my dads restaurant
that was about it.