New York, N.Y. (December 20, 2005) – Stefan Gleason, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that provides free legal aid to employees suffering from compulsory unionism abuses, made the following statement in response to today’s illegal mass transit strike that shut down the New York City subway system: “Transportation Workers Union (TWU) officials are not only holding New York City and its economy hostage to their self-serving demands, but they are potentially jeopardizing the jobs of New York City’s 30,000 mass transit workers. “These union officials have a public-be-damned attitude and are holding a gun to the head of New York City’s business owners and workers. The costs of this illegal strike to New York’s working families will be enormous. “Moreover, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials may ultimately have no choice but to fire the illegal strikers in order to uphold the rule of law and to preserve New York’s security and economic vitality. President Ronald Reagan took similar action to protect the travelling public when he ordered the firing in 1981 of illegally striking air traffic controllers who refused to return to their jobs. “This illegal strike is a direct result of the coercive privileges union officials have gained under New York law that empowers them to force workers into union affiliation – like it or not. As long as union officials in New York enjoy compulsory unionism privileges, individual workers, the economy, and the public in general will continue to pay the price.” To schedule an interview with a Right to Work spokesperson, contact Justin Hakes at 703-770-3317.