Last month I went to NYC to escape DC and while I was there, I spent an afternoon wondering about Central Park. It was a gorgeous day and I knew a bike ride was absolutely necessary. I remembered renting a bike for pretty cheap near the Boathouse a few years ago, so I figured why not rent from there again. Well as soon as I reached the Boathouse, I was confronted with people banging drums and chanting. I looked around and noticed all the large banners that were hung off tents and realized I was in the middle of a strike. I had my Pentax with me so I started shooting vigorously. The banners told me the general reason for the strike, but I wanted to know more details so I asked one of the strikers what was up.
I forgot the striker’s name but he told me that the Boathouse owner was strongly against his employees forming a union and that he was illegally firing those that tried. The striker was very friendly and even let me take a photograph of him. After I was done shooting, I remembered why I was there and asked the striker if the bike rental was part of the Boathouse or a separate entity. He told me it was owned by the Boathouse and I instantly knew I wouldn’t be riding any bikes that day. I wished the striker luck and continued my walk. I admit, I was bummed I couldn’t go bike riding through Central Park but I wasn’t going to support an asshole that was illegally firing his employees.
However, the next day I was able to go on a bike ride after all but in Brooklyn instead. So yeah, things worked out and in fact, they worked out pretty well for the strikers too. A couple of weeks after I left NYC, the strikers won in a settlement with the Boathouse owner and were given their demands. Details of the strike and the aftermath can be found here.
Below are a few photographs I took of the strike and the rest can be seen on my Flickr.
