TWU's Toussaint released from jail

(New York-WABC, April 28, 2006) (WABC) -- Transport Workers Union President Roger Toussaint was released from jail just after 9:00 a.m. this morning. He's been behind bars since Monday night, jailed for leading the transit strike in December that hobbled the city.

Roger Toussaint turned himself in Monday to serve ten days for ordering last December's illegal transit strike.

With good behavior, that sentence was cut to seven days. And prison, rules against a Sunday release, means Toussaint actually goes home today, on day five.

It clearly paid-off for Toussaint to negotiate his surrender for last Monday.

But how are negotiations going with the MTA?

At this week's board meeting, MTA chairman peter Kalikow strongly endorsed putting Toussaint in jail.

Peter Kalikow, MTA Chairman: "There was a criminal act against the riders of this system."

Toussaint says Kalikow has no legitimate grounds for complaint.

Roger Toussaint: "I think that was mostly stage managed because (MTA)they're losing growing publicity wise. What does he have to be angry about? I'm the one in jail, our union is the one being subjected to millions of dollars in fines, while he has gotten away with highway robbery here.

Toussaint and his union still insist the MTA should accept the new contract which the union itself initially rejected and then accepted. Toussaint says Kalikow's comments are just a way of trying to squeeze an even better deal out of the union.

Toussaint was released from jail at 9:12 this morning.

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