A judge issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday barring New York City transit workers from striking.

The workers are set to strike at 12:01 a.m. Friday if a contract agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is not reached. The ruling, however, doubles the fines for those striking. Some of the sticking points of the negotiations are salary and retirement age. The union representing the transit workers again shot down the MTA's most recent proposal.

State Supreme Court Justice Theodore Jones said a strike would cause 'irreparable harm' to the public. A lawyer for the transit workers union pleaded with the judge not to order the injunction because it may be used as a bargaining device by management.

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