[sgtbono2002]

If memory serves me correctly ,when Reagan fired the air traffic controllers he replaced them with military people who basically did the same job that controllers did only for the military.

Now I suppose the Governor could get National Guard drivers for the buses, but I doubt they could run the Subways, since the military doesnt have a subway. It might mean a few more accidents until the drivers became more competent and I am sure the liability would be great.Especially in a city as litigious as NY

[wideawake]

1000 MTA employees decided not to join in their union's illegal strike. They are not enough to run all the subways but there are enough to train replacements in short order.

And contrary to the implication of your post, there were not as many military air traffic controllers as there were private air traffic controllers. There were enough military ones to form a skeleton crew and to train replacements.

If the MTA uses their loyal employees plus pays recent retirees a consulting fee to come in and help train, they could replace the existing workforce swiftly.

Also, the complexity of air traffic control compared to subway conducting is on an entirely different level.

There have been various cases where subway train enthusiasts (like the wannabe cops that you see elsewhere in the country) have dressed in MTA uniforms and illegally driven subway trains along their routes without the TWU workers realizing that they were impostors until hours later.

In each of those cases, passengers did not notice any difference in the quality of the service. One teenager was arrested multiple times for scamming his way into driving the A train (the subway with the longest route in the system).

[wtc911]

Now I suppose the Governor could get National Guard drivers for the buses,

===========================================

Except for the fact that the NYS NG just returned from Iraq five weeks ago and are seeing their families for the first time in 11 months.

[ElTianti]

You’re correct about the air traffic controller strike.

However, if Bloomburg announced that anyone who didn’t report for work on time tomorrow would be fired and could never be re-hired, I’d bet 70% would be back at work. The rest could be fill-in for by management.

[7thson]

From what I heard on Special Report the other night, the Mayor could hire the retires at 1.5 pay.

[petercooper]

Now I suppose the Governor could get National Guard drivers for the buses, but I doubt they could run the Subways, since the military doesnt have a subway.

Yes, you have to be a real rocket scientist to drive a subway train on tracks. Ever have a remote control car with the 3 button handset? There ya go.

[Sisku Hanne]

Maybe Pataki could threaten to fire them, starting with bus drivers first. National Guard could operate the buses and the subway workers would be next if they did not end the strike...buying a little time.
As a quasi-agency, are the salaries of these workers paid by the taxpayers? Personally I don't think that anyone whose salary is taxpayer-funded should be allowed to be in a union (and I'm a former teacher).