NY Transit Worker Strike

[Dazzer]

https://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/20/nyc.transit/index.html

i'm sure glad i ain't in the juilliard at the moment

how are our NY PSers holding up?

[pianistimo]

one million a day fine?  that's having a real effect.  why don't we bring out tanks?

of course, higher pay is what everyone wants.  i realized when i broke my leg that the answer was simple.  just stop doing housework.  let it all pile up.  someone eventually will do it. 

they might lose their jobs, but i wonder how many thought it was worth it for the pay anyway.  i do feel for them.  getting up early, putting up with so many people, etc.  and plus, it's a high risk job.  there's so many people that do work really hard.

*i hope they come to an agreement soon, though.  these poor people in the cold!
 

[lisztisforkids]

Well... The city had it coming to them.

[e60m5]

The city really didn't have it coming to them.

Toussaint is selfish and inconsiderate, and now has himself backed into a corner. I will refrain from saying such things about the TWU itself because I am aware that many of its members do not support the strike, but are instead striking because they have to.

To cause a strike in the biggest economic centre of the USA in the week before Christmas and in doing so to affect thousands of businesses not only convenience-wise but also financially is unnecessary to prove the point of the TWU and completely inconsiderate.

That's not even getting at the selfishness with which they've inconvenience me and millions of other New Yorkers. Making people walk around in sub-zero temperatures all day? That's not cool.

I hope Toussaint is happy with himself.

[prometheus]

the city/government/employer should pay a fine to the sub-urbans(?)/travellers because they can't manage their employes. I am not sure if the strikers are to blame in any way but that doesn't really matter considering they aren't responcible.

Judging by the 'class war' and the 'war' against trade/tabor unions in the US I guess those strikers didn't have much choice. It's the first stike in 22(?) years and they instantly get labelled as traitors by their mayor, 9/11 analogies are made etc.

It's absurd this is world news. But it is because of the dependency of the influencal finance industry in NY on the public transport it is. They should have realised this and the transit workers should get their part of their contribution to the world economy.

But I never understand why the transit don't have user friendly strikes. Like making public transport free of charge for a period of time. This does happen sometimes but very rarely. I guess this kind of strike is way more damaging for their employer.

[musik_man]

Poor guys, only have an average 55k salary for driving busses.  And the greedy government didn't want to give a 8% raise, only a 3%.  What's more, the niggardly government won't even let them get their pensions at 55!

They aren't going to lose their jobs for the same reason that the strike is illegal.  The last strike disrupted the city so badly that they passed legislation that makes it illegal for them to strike.  The same bill makes the city unable to fire them for striking.  Otherwise I think that Pataki would've done what Reagan did to the air traffic controllers.

Prometheus, how is the city responsible for this.  They pass legislation making the strike illegal.  When the strike occurs, they fine the union 1 million a day and the individual workers 2 days of pay a day.  Short of physical violence, the city can't do anymore to manage their employees.  It's costing the city's economy 200-400 million a day.  There are going to be alot of poor people who go into debt because tehy can't get to work, and alot of small businesses that go under because of this.  If the city could stop it, they would.  Of course, I haven't even mentioned the people who will die from this strike.  Either from the stress to the infirm of walking to work or medical care, from the lower response times for EMS because of the increased traffic, or because medical workers can't get to their jobs.  I think the TWU is gonna walk away from this with public opinion against them.

[pianistimo]

if they cared what the public thought, they wouldn't have gone on strike.  it's about a pay increase.  that's ny for you.  you could be freezing flat on the sidewalk - and probably get stepped on.  but, then, there's very many good things about nyc too.  julliard, julliard bookstore, the park, the museaum.  a lot of nice people, too.

what people in general need is not just more money, but peace of mind.  everyone is anxious because they don't know what's coming next.  we had a sermon last week about anxiety.  it doesn't really do anything for anyone.  so, it's better to roll with the punches and be happy.  we live in trying times.  better to recognize it might not get better right away. 

rental car sounds like a good idea for people who are stuck that can afford it and find a place to park.  of course, maybe walking is better - since you don't have to pay for parking (let alone find the parking lot and then the spot).   that huge barnes and noble is probably a good hang-out right now.  books, coffee, danishes.