Around 2:30 p.m., the union's executive board voted 36-5 to end the strike. Two abstained. A half hour later, Toussaint, low-key ed in contrast to the defiant tone he took on Wednesday, told reporters and union members gathered in the cold: "I'm pleased to announce that the Local 100 executive board just voted overwhelmingly to direct transit workers to return to work immediately and to resume bus and subway service throughout the five boroughs of New York City, and we thank riders for their patience and forbearance."

The mediators, union officials and the transportation authority all said there was a blackout on news about the negotiations.

As soon as Toussaint made his 3 p.m. announcement, many of the union's 33,700 members put down their picket signs and began heading to bus depots and subway yards.

Even though the strike violated a state law barring walkouts by public employees, many New Yorkers backed the union in its fight with the authority, even as many others criticized the union. As a result of the strike, the union faces a $3 million fine while individual strikers face the loss of two days pay for each day on strike.

Justice Theodore T. Jones of State Supreme Court in Brooklyn had fined the union $1 million a day and originally threatened to have Toussaint jailed on Thursday. However, reacting to the end of the walkout, he adjourned hearings for a criminal contempt order and the possible jailing. He set a new hearing for Jan. 20. He also has the power to alter the fine.

"I am pleased on behalf of the people of the city of New York, and indeed hopeful that we will be able to salvage Christmas," Jones said.

Bloomberg said that as of Friday the city would end its emergency plan that allowed taxis to carry multiple fares, increased ferry service and barred cars with fewer than four passengers from entering Manhattan south of 96th Street during the morning rush.

The agreement framework seemed carefully designed to allow everyone to save face.

After Pataki said the authority should not negotiate until the union ended its walkout, the agreement gives him some cover because the negotiations will not resume until the strikers return to work.

After Toussaint said the strikers would not return to their jobs unless the authority took its pension demands off the table, the agreement allows him to save face because the framework hints strongly that the authority will soon drop its pension demand.

And the authority's chairman, Peter S. Kalikow, can save face because he can maintain that the authority has not taken pensions off the table in response to the union's demand.

While many workers seemed relieved to return to their jobs, there was at least a small undercurrent of anger from some directed at the strike's result.

"I'm very disappointed to have to come back now, I think we should have held out," said Larry Powell, 55, while returning to work at the 239th Street maintenance facility in the Bronx. "I feel bad. I don't know what we got."