Thousands of TWU Local 100 members filled the entire length of New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday chanting, “No Contract, No Peace.” Local 100 members led “Day of Outrage 2,” to take action against the MTA and Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s refusal to comply with the result of a binding arbitration award from the New York State Public Employment Relations Board.

This summer, an arbitration panel award gave Local 100 members 11.3 percent wage increases over three years, as well as a reduction in employee contributions towards retiree medical benefits and other gains. The MTA, with the support of Bloomberg and editorial boards, has attacked the award, with its enforcement now up to the courts, so Local 100 has launched a multi-faceted campaign to secure the contract awarded for its members. “Date of Outrage 2” was just one of many aspects of the campaign that has been taken to the streets, to communities, to the media and to elected officials.

Despite the gloomy weather on Wednesday, TWU protesters energetically marched across the bridge to City Hall, where the march culminated in a rally. An array of labor leaders and elected officials spoke at the rally, condemning the MTA and Mayor Bloomberg. Labor leaders included New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes and representatives of AFSCME District Council 37, AFSCME Local 375, the United Federation of Teachers, Teamsters Local 111, Domestic Workers United, and two ATU Locals 1056 and 1179. Political figures included Working Families Party’s Bob Masters, New York State Assembly members Hakeem Jeffries and Nick Perry, and City Council members Charles Barron and Melissa Mark-Viverito as well as Council Member and candidate for Comptroller John Liu.

The MTA’s refusal to comply with the arbitration panel’s decision is a threat to the entire framework of labor law for state and local government workers in New York. The Taylor Law makes it illegal for such workers to strike, but the law also requires that the parties submit to binding arbitration in the event of a bargaining impasse. If other government employers follow the MTA’s lead and thumb their noses at arbitration results, the law’s ban on strikes will leave public-sector unions with no legal options.

Acting President Curtis Tate had the last word, “The mayor thinks that there’s one set of rules for the rich and the powerful and another set of rules for the people who do the hard work in this city. He should be ashamed of himself. We need a mayor who understands that the rules apply to everyone. Mike, take a hike!”