NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- The New York transit workers union voted overwhelmingly to end a three-day strike Thursday and return to work while contract negotiations continue.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that rush-hour Friday morning should be close to normal for the first time since the strike began Tuesday, Newsday reported. Some buses were expected to begin running Thursday night.
"It can't be turned on and off with a flip of a switch," the mayor said of the huge transit system.
A judge had imposed fines of $1 million on the union for each day of the walkout.
One labor analyst told National Public Radio the outcome is a victory for the Transport Workers Union and Local 100 President Roger Toussaint because the Metropolitan Transit Authority has backed off a demand that new hires contribute to their pensions.
More than 30,000 transit workers walked off the job Tuesday, stranding some 7 million people who rely on the system each weekday.
Union members are seeking pay raises, improved health plans and a stronger pension fund, which union leaders claim faces a $1 billion shortfall.
During the strike, the city allowed only vehicles carrying at least four people to use bridges and tunnels during extended rush hours and allowed taxis to carry multiple fares. Bloomberg said those emergency measures would end at midnight Thursday.
