Tentative Pact Reached in Transit Strike

LOS ANGELES–The 32-day strike that has idled most of the city’s buses and trains and crippled many businesses appears to be over, pending ratification of an agreement announced by the city’s Metropolitan Transit Authority and union negotiators early this morning.

“We’ve done it,” a tired but happy Mayor Richard Riordan said at a hastily called 7 a.m. press conference Tuesday outside the Pasadena Hilton, where negotiations have been held for the past month. “I’m pleased to announce that we’ve reached agreement with the bus drivers’ union.”

Riordan led the negotiations in his position as a member of the MTA board. He was recently joined by Rev. Jesse Jackson, who volunteered to help mediate.