Roger Toussaint - 2005 Strike

2005 Strike

On December 20, 2005, Toussaint announced the start of the 2005 New York City transit strike after a protracted contract dispute with the New York City Transit Authority, concerning worker salaries, retirement age, pensions, and working conditions. Both the MTA's attempts to negotiate pension benefits for public employees as well as the strike were illegal, as they were in violation of New York State's Taylor Law. State Justice Theodore Jones has fined the union 2.5 million dollars and suspension of automatic due deductions to all members for striking. He also sentenced Mr. Toussaint to 10 days in jail, which began on April 25, 2006. However, due to good behavior, he was set free on April 28. On November 10, 2008, a State Supreme Court judge reinstated the Transport Workers Union's dues checkoff. The privilege was stripped from the union as a penalty for its illegal three-day strike in December 2005. The city's Law Department says it will not stand in the way of the ruling because the union has pledged not to conduct illegal transit strikes in the future.