The next mayoral election may be more than two years off, but it's never too soon to start courting the union vote, especially when it's the Transit Workers Union. The men and women who make sure the trains run on time have the ability to derail any politician's campaign, so Democratic hopefuls took turns addressing the rank and file at a TWU "Save Our Union" meeting yesterday. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke of her......

Where do the MTA's executive director and the TWU's president lunch? The Old Homestead! The NY Times reveals that Executive Director Elliot Sander ordered the rack of lamb while TWU President Roger Toussaint had the herb-rubbed roast chicken (what, no one ordered the Kobe Beef Hamburger?) and split the bill. If only we were a fly or a cow on the wall! We bet they discussed how much Pataki sucks, how the real time information......

What a way to (almost) end 2006 - with an arbitrator making a decision about the MTA's transit workers' contract! And the decision is pretty anti-climactic - it's basically the deal that ended the strike last year, though it was later rejected by the Transit Workers Union, then passed but then denied by the MTA. Anyway, arbitrator George Nicolau said the deal was "the most just and reasonable" solution. From the AP:Both the Metropolitan......

am New York reports that transit strike constract arbitration will start tomorrow, which is crazy. Because we're in the throes of crazy heat and stuffy subway platforms, and when the strike was on, it was cool (cold over the bridge) and we were holiday shopping. Nice for the MTA and TWU to work together so well and get this thing locked up quickly. Remember when the TWU members rejected the contract? And then the MTA......

It feels like 2005 again! TWU President Roger Toussaint and Straphangers Campaign attorney Gene Russianoff want the MTA to delay its vote on the West Side rail yards. The vote, scheduled for Wednesday, would consider the city's $500 million bid for the area Mayor Bloomberg hopes to turn into Hudson Yards. After the Jets stadium debacle last year, the rail yards were appraised at $923 million, which is why Toussaint and Russianoff are asking that......

- Guess what? With more police officers in the subways, crime goes down. At least crime like smoking, drinking alcohol, and turnstile jumping is done, as some new NYPD stats say that the number of summons issued was down 18% versus 2004 - even in spite of the new rules of conduct (but the MTA did collect more in fines). However, a man was stabbed around 7AM this morning on a 4 train in Midtown.......

It's not really a surprise that the NYC Transit Authority found that only 17% of the NYC subway stations had audible delay announcements - if the NYCTA stood on the platform every once in a while, they'd know (especially during rush hour). But they got official and issued findings from a study during the second part of 2005. AM New York has the stats:-17% understandable -17% partially understandable -31% marginally understandable -35% not understandable......

The Transport Workers' Union executive leadership is trying to get the new contract passed by the membership - the deadline is Friday. What does that mean? TWU President Roger Toussaint launched an offensive of, as NY1 puts it, "radio ads, phone calls and threats to convince his members to approve the deal." Yes, threats! Going from threatening the city and state politicians (okay, they need threatening) and the bus and subway riders of NYC......

- The men rescued from the Hudson River after their plane went down talk to the media - NJ got snow, we got rain that kept us awake all early AM - Donald Trump isn't running for governor of NY... we hate you Joe Bruno for even floating the idea - The NY Sun is worried about City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's...ideas - TWU President Roger Toussaint uses a messenger bag with his name......

With the Transport Workers Union set to mail out ballots for its members to vote on the new contract, there's continued debate about whether or not the transit workers got a good deal... but it looks like many members are getting a sweet payout, as there's a new "twist" in the contract. The MTA agreed to give a "unique pension refund for thousands of senior employees" (as Newsday put it) can mean $8,000-20,000 in checks......

The MTA and Transport Workers Union are supposedly talking again at the Grand Hyatt in Midtown, after a day of threats and fines, yet no action. To summarize: Justice Theodore Jones threatened to jail union leaders for contempt (and the strike) which threw the Post into a tizzy, the Mayor called the union a bunch of "frauds," and Governor "Not Doing Nothing" Pataki said talks would only begin when the strike ends. MTA Chairman......

Oh, yes, it's on. After 3AM this morning, the Transport Workers Union announced they would strike a couple hours after rejecting the MTA's latest offer. Thousands of subway and bus workers walked off the job, leaving millions of New Yorkers to find new ways to go to work (sneakers, meet 60 blocks of walking). Now, New York City is in a state of emergency, in its special "contingency plan," with restrictions on vehicles (only......

2:04 AM - The media is being told they have to wait a while before the TWU will talk. So with that, Gothamist is going to bed to get ready in case there is a strike - we're going attempt to check out the Brooklyn Bridge in the morning, which is supposed to be really cold tomorrow morning. Dress warm and dream of the strike being resolved by the time you wake up. Thanks for......