Wolf: No transit strikes here!

If you spent any time last week reading Gothamist's coverage of the NYC transit strike and got to wondering whether something similar could ever happen in Houston, Metro Chairman David Wolf had reassurances for you in a letter to the Chronicle on Sunday:

In August, we approved a three-year agreement with operators, mechanics and cleaners that gave union members yearly wage increases, increased contributions for benefits and significant pension increases without sacrificing sound financial principles.

Reaching an agreement on salary and benefits is never an easy process, but both sides recognized that our riders' needs must come first and acted responsibly. Our lines of communication always remained open. Thanks to our 2,500 employees, Metro remains one of the safest, cleanest and most efficient transit systems in the country, and one that continues to attract a growing number of riders.

In short, then, Houston shouldn't see a transit strike for at least three years, which is excellent news for a city where people who walk are looked on with extreme suspicion.

Though Houston hasn't had a recent history of transit strikes, they were more common in the old days. One of the biggest labor actions in the city's history came in 1904, when streetcar employees went on strike for four months to oppose the Houston Electric Co.'s attempts to break the union.