M a r k D i l l e y

Too tired and overworked myself to write an adequate and coherent commentary on the NYC transit strike, but at least I have the energy to quote somebody else. Once in a while, I really do have to agree with the Trotskyists of the World Socialist Web Site, who are actually providing the best coverage of the topic that I can find right now. I’m going to quote my favorite paragraphs from the article The New York transit strike: A new stage in the class struggle (although I think the title overrates it somewhat – though this is pretty good as labor union strikes go these days). Of course, I have stopped the quote just short of the suggestion that we all help to build the Socialist Equality Party. I’m not so sure about that…but I like this:

The workers are in a powerful position. The MTA and the ruling establishment are unable to replace 34,000 workers and run the huge transit system with scab labor, as was done against the PATCO air traffic controllers. It cannot outsource public transportation or shift it to a low-wage haven. And the cost of the walkout to the city’s businesses is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars daily. The frenzied ultimatums and threats cannot conceal the weakness of the city’s and state’s position.