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NEW YORK, NY September 26, 2006 —The president of the city's transit union is facing a tough challenge for re-election this fall, almost a year after a 3-day strike that shut down all buses and subways. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

Roger Toussaint led the Transport Workers Union in its first strike in 25 years. But nine months later, the union is still in mediation after rejecting a contract offer from the MTA; and its members have been socked with fines.

At least four slates of candidates are now challenging Toussaint's re-election campaign. The latest contender is Ainsley Stewart, an executive board member who's also been a vocal dissident. Stewart calls Toussaint a dictator and says the union should have pressed for higher wages. Another slate of candidates, led by bus driver Barry Roberts, wants to re-organize the union of 37,000 workers to make it more democratic.

Meanwhile, the union's second in command, Ed Watt, says the union would have had a contract by now if these opponents hadn't campaigned against it.