Small Businesses Say Threat Of Transit Strike Hurt Bottom Line

ny1.newsx.cc

Small Businesses Say Threat Of Transit Strike Hurt Bottom Line
12/16/2002 08:57 PM
By: NY1 News

Although it never came to pass, just the threat of a transit strike was enough to hurt small retailers Monday. NY1’s Susan Jhun filed this report.

To strike or not to strike? That was the question small business owner Amrik Singh, the owner of Ricky New York, says cost him 30 percent of his day's profits on Monday.

“We don't see that many people around today because they're scared about the strike, so it's kind of slow,” Singh said Monday afternoon, hours before a strike settlement was announced.

Next door at Republic Wireless, they felt the effects of a strike threat as well.

“It was pretty slow today,” said Marcello Chi, the store’s manager. “We usually get a lot more people walking in here, but today was kind of slow.”

Corporate offices didn't seem to take nearly as big a hit, as many workers told NY1 it was business as usual.

“It seemed to be the normal staff we always have,” said one man.

“It was like usual, although a lot of us are out for Christmas vacation already,” said Ronda Moses.

Robert Jon added, “There were a few less people at work today, but I'm not sure why because the transit strike was delayed.”

Regardless of their opinion on the strike, many small business owners and workers NY1 spoke with said the transit workers couldn't have had worse timing.

“The economy is bad, and they're talking about a fare hike in the spring anyway, so to have that compounded with a strike, it's a bad time. It's never a good time,” said worker Gladstone Williams.

“Just to think about it, a couple of the things they're saying a lot of people want too, but a lot of people are here struggling as bad as they are, yet they're not complaining about it,” said Chi.

But they are complaining about a hit to their bottom line.

- Susan Jhun