New York City Doormen Threaten Strike

New York city's 30,000 doormen and porters are in the midst of negotiating their new union contract this week. Talks resume March 17, and if no agreement is reached, residents in some 3,200 of New York's apartment buildings may find themselves hauling their own dry cleaning and Tibetan delivery up from the lobby.

Jerry Seinfeld once unkindly noted, "you would think if any group of people would not want to demonstrate what life would be like without them it would be doormen," asking "who's gonna walk out next? The guys who clean your windshield at the traffic light, with the dirty rag?"

Seinfeld may underestimate the threat of labor solidarity if the doormen strike and other workers refuse to cross their picket line.