So I wrote a post about the potential strike of the NYC transit workers last week (Linked here) and after their pathetic attempt to bluff the system yesterday with a 2-line private bus strike in Queens, they finally pulled the plug on the NYC commute. The first transit strike in 25 years has commenced and a walk around NYC today feels like a stroll in my home town suburb of P-town.
The TWU’s strike, initiated as a counter move in negotiations for more money, is yet another reason American Unions are deflating the US economy and these days its all about greed. These no education-having fucks make more money than the average NYer (public defender, cop, firefighter, teacher, nurse, EMT, etc.) and still think they deserve more of the financial pie from an already corrupt MTA.
It’s quite ironic actually, that through their strike, NYers are forced not to work and spend their income in the city. Thus the TWU is helping reduce the amount of taxes incurred by the city to pay their own salaries. An 18% raise, retirement at 50 and MLK day designated as a holiday for their job of driving around in circles, getting NYers to work, so we can pay for their homes and 9 person families. Well what about my family! My bills! My house er uh Apt!
“Transit workers are tired of being under appreciated and disrespected.” – Roger Toussaint (President of the Transit Workers Union). I think I deserve a thank you first for riding the train Mr. Toussaint, before I even contemplate appreciating the job a 5th grade education can afford.
If you pick a silver lining out of this, at least the BnT are stuck outside Manhattan – its quite livable in the city this morning! But if you’re forced to walk to the island today, bundle up kids, its going to be a balmy 23 degrees today!
A side note, I heard the Red Cross was set up at all the bridges in Manhattan for those walking into work today, handing out free coffee to the refugees.
Strike halts New York transport {BBC News}
Gawker has some interesting updates, comedy and posts on the strike as well.
MTA Transit Union workers threaten to walk off the job on Friday, should the MTA not agree to the Transit Worker’s Unions demands for a renewed contract of more money and better benefits. With out public transportation, the city would not exist and so the TWU believes a threat of strike, has the city by the balls. Of course a full strike of public transportation in NYC is illegal and could result in fines and/or jail time for those that participate.
My opinion is FIRE every single one of them. Kill the TWU and start up a new workforce under non-union labor conditions where the MTA is run more like a private sector company than a subsidized public utility. The average MTA worker is under educated (or not at all), lazy, rude, and has a nonchalant attitude toward customer service.
Here’s what the build up is all about: The city of New York is over 9 million strong in population, and on average 7,711,945 people on a weekday are moved around the city by fleet of almost 5,000 buses and more than 8,250 subway and rail cars (
The original asking raise for the transit employees was 10% raise, year-over-year, for the next 3 years… a 30% raise! They came down to that figure to a “comfortable” 8% raise request, year-over-year for 3-years. This is still a 24% raise increase in three years. Oh and this is what we get with that extra money???