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Stalled Bus Strike, Lack Of Negotiations Leave Thousands Of Borough Riders Seeking Alternate Transportation

Bus drivers for private lines in Queens walked off the job Monday, affecting 70,000 riders in the borough.
Drivers for Green and Command Buses were still on strike as The Queens Courier went to press Tuesday, with no resolution seemingly in sight until a proposed sit-down on Thursday.
The walk-out stalled negotiations in the MTAs takeover of the private companies. The city and bus companies blamed each other for preventing talks between the two sides last month that were intended to wrinkle out the details of the workers new contract under the citys ownership. The private company drivers have been working without a contract for two years.
"The fact is that the city wont sit down and talk to us," said John Longo, spokesman for Local 1179, which represents the striking workers (Local 1181 is also on strike). "Theyre playing games with us."
Longo maintains that the city scheduled several tentative meetings with the unions after the workers approved a strike in a vote December 20, but never gave definite times or just didnt show up.
Local politicians, including Councilmember John Liu, State Senator Carl Kruger and Assemblymen Jose Peralta and Brian McLaughlin, have supported the striking workers, blasting the mayor for failing to show up to meetings they and the unions have organized.
But Jordan Barowitz, spokesperson for the mayor, said it was the union leaders who didnt follow through.
"They didnt show up to the meeting," he said. Barowitz said the city sent a letter to the unions outlining plans to extend current worker protections, benefits and wage levels under a new union contract with the city. "Now weve provided what they want, why are they striking?"
Riders affected by the strike had to find other ways to work and school this week. The Citys Emergency Management Office hired dollar vans to pick up riders along five of the most remote routes where there are few transportation alternatives.
The MTA has missed several deadlines to take control of seven private bus lines, frustrating drivers who say buses are old and suffer from chronic mechanical failures. Workers are also worried they will lose wages, health and pension benefits after the transfers take place this spring.
In a statement following Tuesdays State of the City address, Liu called on the mayor to make ending the bus strike a priority.
"The Mayor needs to complete the long-delayed MTA takeover of the Citys franchise bus services and work to immediately end the bus strike in Queens and Brooklyn," Liu said.
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A Guide For The Inconvenienced
OUT OF SERVICE ROUTES
Q7 (Rockaway Boulevard) between Euclid Avenue subway station (A and C Lines) and JFK Airport.
Q8 (101st Avenue) between Euclid Avenue subway station (A and C Lines) and 165th Street bus terminal.
Q9 (Lincoln Street) between 165th Street bus terminal and Lincoln Street
Q9A (Linden Boulevard) between 165th Street bus terminal and Lincoln Street.
Q10A (JFK Airport Exp.) between Union Turnpike subway station (E and F lines) and JFK Airport.
Q21 (Cross Bay Boulevard) between Rockaway Boulevard subway station (A line) and Beach 116th Street.
Q22 (Rockaway Beach Boulevard) between Mott Avenue subway station (A line) and Beach 169th Street.
Q22A (Bayswater) between Mott Avenue subway station (A line) and Dunbar Street.
Q35 (Rockaway Park) between Beach 116th Street and Flatbush Avenue subway station (2 and 5 Lines).
Q37 (111th Street) between Union Turnpike subway station (E and F Lines) and 131st Street.
Q41 (Jamaica/Lindenwood) between 164th Street and 165th Street bus terminal.
Q60 (Queens Boulevard) between 109th Avenue and 60th Street, Manhattan.
ROUTES SERVICED BY
DOLLAR VANS
(The four bus routes will be monitored by the local police and inspectors from the Taxi and Limousine Commission.)
Q6 (Sutphin Boulevard) between JFK Airport and the 165th Street bus terminal.
Q10 (Lefferts Boulevard/JFK) between Union Turnpike subway station (A and C Lines) and JFK Airport.
Q11 (Woodhaven Boulevard) between Woodhaven Boulevard subway station (G and R Lines) and 99th Street/104th Street/Rockaway Boulevard.
Q40 (142nd Street) between 135th Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard subway station (F Line)
Compiled by Victor Ross