[proudofthesouth]

Can't Mayor Bloomberg do to them what Reagan did to the Air Traffic Controllers when they went on strike? Fire all those that haven't crossed the picket line!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Bloomie couldn't do that...Pataki would have to.

[cll]

On other threads they're saying that the MTA is a quasi-public NY state agency and that the Mayor can't fire anybody there. I think only Gov. Pataki or the Board of Directors of the MTA.

[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

[voletti]

Yup. Also recall the balls maggie thatcher showed in breaking union spine in Britain in lockstep with Reagan's actions.

[OldFriend]

Not only did Mayor Blooming-idiot say he thought it would be a terrible idea to fire the strikers.

Further he went on to say that he didn't want the leaders jailed either.

Is it any wonder the strike goes on.

[DM1]

"Can't Mayor Bloomberg do to them what Reagan did to the Air Traffic Controllers when they went on strike? Fire all those that haven't crossed the picket line!"
I was wondering about that myself - i know that Reagan basically used the airforce until new airtraffic controllers could be trained but what would Bloomberg call upon for the trains etc?

[gridlock]

Call in the National Guard and start training them in how to operate the Subway. You'll have the workers back on the job by lunchtime!