Press Release
December 20, 2005

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce released the results of an informal survey of some of its Members today. The survey gauged the early effects of the transit strike on local businesses. The results show a highly negative impact on some Brooklyn businesses with hundreds of employees failing to get to work and for many businesses a loss of revenue.

“This is the first day of the strike and with no immediate end in sight business owners fear the long term impact on their companies. This survey puts hard numbers on what we suspect, and that is, the strike is really having a negative effect,” Brooklyn Chamber President Kenneth Adams said. “If the strike lasts it’s going to hammer restaurants, retail and small businesses across the borough. With four days remaining in the Christmas shopping season this couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”

Fifty-seven business owners responded to the impromptu survey.  The results are as follows:

• A total of 675 employees failed to show up to work;
• 796 employees arrived at work late;
• 44% of employers say their employees will suffer lost wages;
• 32% say their businesses will suffer lost revenue;
• 44% of that number say they will lose 50% or more of the day’s revenue and;
• 47% say major meetings were cancelled.

A number of the respondents went on to say they shouldered an additional burden by assuming costs related to providing transportation for their employees. Some businesses hired private taxis while others contracted with transportation companies – these costs are certain to mount as the strike continues.

“One day will not impact us, multiple days will,” said Steve Hindy, Co-Founder and President of The Brooklyn Brewery. “We can’t get trucks in to pick up deliveries to other states, and our New York City distributors will have a hard time making its deliveries resulting in loss of sales.”

Another survey respondent says morale at his company is low and the effort to get to work has exhausted employees.