New York City Mass Transit Strike...

[thethrillfactor]

[Musiclab]

you got that right

[djui5]

I was thinking of you when I got the "cnn breaking news" e-mail.

Good luck. Shitty situation if you ask me.

What's really fuk'd is instead of trying to resolve the problem for the clients (7 million a day), they take the union to court and bring them up on contempt charges.

Bullshit.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by djui5

I was thinking of you when I got the "cnn breaking news" e-mail.

Good luck. Shitty situation if you ask me.

What's really fuk'd is instead of trying to resolve the problem for the clients (7 million a day), they take the union to court and bring them up on contempt charges.

Bullshit.

Well the leadership in NY has to show some kinda backbone.


Honestly i am almost always on the side of the workers, but this time i don't know.


The whole MTA leadership and the workers are a bunch of greedy F*cks!!!


The workers are getting fined $1,000,000 a day.



Their surplus is $2,000,000.



That means that they will either strike for 2 days(which is stupid if you ask me) and piss all of the New Yorkers who were on their side or they will strike for longer and dig their own graves(utter lunacy).



Either way they are screwing everything for all of us here.


Last night i was lucky i made it as far as i could and then i took a cab from there to get home($15 cab ride).

I didn't go to the studio today(would have costs me $40 in transportation alone and i live in Manhattan).

Tomorrow i have sessions all day and i have to be there.


Looks like i will walk a couple of miles tomorrow.



It wouldn't be so bad if it was the summertime.



But noooooooo!!!!!!



The bastards had to choose 25 degree weather in which to strike.

[Musiclab]

Originally Posted by djui5

I was thinking of you when I got the "cnn breaking news" e-mail.

Good luck. Shitty situation if you ask me.

What's really fuk'd is instead of trying to resolve the problem for the clients (7 million a day), they take the union to court and bring them up on contempt charges.

Bullshit.

you got that right

[Jan Folkson]

It just plain sucks

[audioez]

Call me crazy but I like driving to work at 4 in the morning...I'll be doing it tomorrow
7th AVE BROOKLYN to MID TOWN MANHATTAN in 15 minutes, VW1.8t 5 speed(Jan!!!)
MTA

[bove]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

The workers are getting fined $1,000,000 a day.

Their surplus is $2,000,000.

That means that they will either strike for 2 days(which is stupid if you ask me) and piss all of the New Yorkers who were on their side or they will strike for longer and dig their own graves(utter lunacy).

Either way they are screwing everything for all of us here.

Unfortunately (for us), the Transit Union owns a small midtown office building where their headquarters is located... they have been recently been offered 60 million for the property by a developer, and from what I understand, many of the union leaders want to sell the building anyway and buy a cheaper place... So, if they feel the need to strike for even two months, they might have the financial resources to do so.

[Dickens]

That sucks big time. Especially this time of year.

[themaidsroom]

there was a cab at the williamsburg bridge last night doing
crossings of the bridge: minimum 5 people....$25 each
to cross the bridge.....


having been in london and paris last week and on both of their
excellent subway systems, i would have to say the
privitized thing is so lame in so many areas of our
lives in this country.........our subway stations were
last cleaned after world war II, and they don't run
as frequently as they could......

probably 1% of the military budget (the thing we do subsidize)
could really goose up our subways........


be well

- jack

[Jan Folkson]

Originally Posted by audioez

Call me crazy but I like driving to work at 4 in the morning...I'll be doing it tomorrow
7th AVE BROOKLYN to MID TOWN MANHATTAN in 15 minutes, VW1.8t 5 speed(Jan!!!)
MTA

I'm usually driving home at 4am

Give that 1.8t a workout, it was born to run

[brucegel]

If the freaking rent and homeprices weren't so high everyone wouldn't be pissing in their pants over every dollar they make.I lived in moolah town for 35 years and moved to Seattle where I bought a home on 8000sq ft of property 15 minutes from downtown by bus for 149,000 dollars in 2000.Try that in Sheepshead Bay.You can go home again....but only for brief visits during holidays.Happy New Year.

[cdog]

The MTA has a 1 billion dollar surplus.

The sticking point over pensions would have cost the MTA only 20 million over the 3 year life of the contract.

So intead of the MTA giving working class people a nice pension plan, EVERY business in NYC suffers.

To the tune of five hundred million + a day.

Including mine.

I don't blame the transit workers for asking for a decent pension, especially when the MTA can more than afford to give it to them.

What is truly a shame is that police, firefighters, and teachers unions don't have the power of the transit workers union, so they end up getting SHAFTED by the city, even when these are the people who raise our kids, protect our streets and save us from fires, often risking their lives to do so.

But don't blame the transit workers union for asking for every penny they deserve, just because other unions are not strong enough to do so.

In my book, teachers should get $60K a year, police and fire $75K.

Even if it means the city has to legalize gambling on Governers Island, or raise property taxes, or decrimilaize and tax marijuana.... DO IT!

[tedcrop]

I would fire them all and give the jobs to people who wanted to work. Whats next they will just strike again next year.

[brucegel]

They happen to not want to do important work for just getting by wages.The audacity of them to ask for more.The city is made up of cronies and you keep voting for bloomberg.Why don't you vote for a liberal already it's afterall how you vote in the primaries.SCHIZO N.Y.C.

[JHOOKS]

Originally Posted by cdog

The MTA has a 1 billion dollar surplus.

The sticking point over pensions would have cost the MTA only 20 million over the 3 year life of the contract.

So intead of the MTA giving working class people a nice pension plan, EVERY business in NYC suffers.

To the tune of five hundred million + a day.

Including mine.

I don't blame the transit workers for asking for a decent pension, especially when the MTA can more than afford to give it to them.

What is truly a shame is that police, firefighters, and teachers unions don't have the power of the transit workers union, so they end up getting SHAFTED by the city, even when these are the people who raise our kids, protect our streets and save us from fires, often risking their lives to do so.

But don't blame the transit workers union for asking for every penny they deserve, just because other unions are not strong enough to do so.

In my book, teachers should get $60K a year, police and fire $75K.

Even if it means the city has to legalize gambling on Governers Island, or raise property taxes, or decrimilaize and tax marijuana.... DO IT!

I agree with you 100% Im all for unions! the fact is that knowadays, especially in manhattan the value of the worker is worth shit! people do not respect the aveage working class person. the mta workers have a hell of a job to do each day, putting up with rude people, filthy working conditions and a out of date subway system is not easy.
I believe that the union did whats right! in todays age we have no backbone. we let the people with the money run the show. I say hell no! we have to stand up for whats right, that fact is that the mta is trying to break the union. by dividing the people up. give one group a nice pension, but give the new guys a shitty deal! thats divide and conquer! basic war tactics!if you have oneside caring and the other side not caring as much, because they have the sweet end of the stick, then you cause tension. among the union
**** it if some people are inconvience by the strike, the last time i read the United states constitution, the first amenment gave "the people" the right to assemble. How soon do we forgot! **** bloomberg **** the mta! they make double sided laws(taylor law) to take alway the power of the people.
if bloomberg is so concern with people breaking the law, then that asshoe should be worried about 90% of the mexicans of nyc that get slaved by employeers! but noooo! thats not in his interest to help does folks out! he turns a blind eye to those people getting paid 2 dollars an hour! the bottom line is that bloomberg and the mta are as corrupt as the devil! we need to wake up and stop acting like shit is all good, when its really not! last time I check bloomberg is a rich buisness man, what the hell does he know about the aveage working class citizen???

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by JHOOKS

I agree with you 100% Im all for unions! the fact is that knowadays, especially in manhattan the value of the worker is worth shit! people do not respect the aveage working class person. the mta workers have a hell of a job to do each day, putting up with rude people, filthy working conditions and a out of date subway system is not easy.
I believe that the union did whats right! in todays age we have no backbone. we let the people with the money run the show. I say hell no! we have to stand up for whats right, that fact is that the mta is trying to break the union. by dividing the people up. give one group a nice pension, but give the new guys a shitty deal! thats divide and conquer! basic war tactics!if you have oneside caring and the other side not caring as much, because they have the sweet end of the stick, then you cause tension. among the union
**** it if some people are inconvience by the strike, the last time i read the United states constitution, the first amenment gave "the people" the right to assemble. How soon do we forgot! **** bloomberg **** the mta! they make double sided laws(taylor law) to take alway the power of the people.
if bloomberg is so concern with people breaking the law, then that asshoe should be worried about 90% of the mexicans of nyc that get treated like shit by employeers! but noooo! thats not in his interest to help does folks out! he turns a blind eye to those people getting paid 2 dollars an hour! the bottom line is that bloomberg and the mta are as corrupt as the devil! we need to wake up and stop acting like shit is all good, when its really not!

Dude have you seen what they are making per year?

They make more than the cops, the firefighters and the teachers in this city.

Working class?

Try lower middle class.

Tough job?

Try asking a token booth clerk how to get somewhere and see what kinda looks they give you.

And they aren't striking because its for the people...they are striking because they don't want to put their own money towards their own pensions.

Come on.

They are greedy.

And the MTA ain't no saints either i know.

They are just as greedy.

As much as the cops get on my nerves sometimes at least they don't walk off the jobs to protest not having a fair contract.

This is NYC.

There ain't no such thing as fair.

You do with what you can but we don't screw each other over.

That's one thing that's changed about NYC.

In the 70's it was different.

It was very seperated.

At least we have one thing in common now.

Most of us are struggling.

But we don't screw each other over to get what we want.

I know i don't.

And yeah i am pissed.

A lot of people are and they have the right to be.

I had to walk 6 unneccessary miles and pay an extra $10 today for a service in which i buy a monthly card for so i can work.

Some people have it way worse than me.

I heard about people walking up to 4 hours to get to work and to go home.

Say what you want about Bloomberg but he is the right man for these times in NYC.

He is a tough and no nosense son of a bitch but he is a self made Billionaire and he is fair.

He is right in his stance.

You don't go crying off, grandstanding to get your point across when negotiating with money.

You stay at the table to you come to a compromise.

And yeah you have to give something to get something.

Especially if you want people's sympathy who are doing worse than you.

[tedcrop]

If you don't like the job you have, quit and get another one. Don't be part of a system that extorts from an organization and justifies it. I am on neither side but I am a believer that if what you are doing for a living aint cutting it, it is time to move on and time to do better for yourself.

And by moving on I don't mean converting our government into one that supports all the people as equals no matter what they contribute.

Again I say if they don't want those jobs they should be fired if they will not show up for work. Get rid of the unions and hire someone who needs that job and wants to work right now. The fact that an organization could pay someone so they should does not hold water.

Could the company that you work for pay you more? I am sure they could. Why don't you go on strike and see how long you last before you get fired.

[docformat]

well if it makes you cats feel any better trade unions in london have just called a strike for new years eve - no tubes for the 31 dec or 1st jan.

kinda makes me glad that i'm skint and decided to stay in this year!

[Resonater]

Originally Posted by tedcrop

If you don't like the job you have, quit and get another one. Don't be part of a system that extorts from an organization and justifies it. I am on neither side but I am a believer that if what you are doing for a living aint cutting it, it is time to move on and time to do better for yourself.

And by moving on I don't mean converting our government into one that supports all the people as equals no matter what they contribute.

Again I say if they don't want those jobs they should be fired if they will not show up for work. Get rid of the unions and hire someone who needs that job and wants to work right now. The fact that an organization could pay someone so they should does not hold water.

Could the company that you work for pay you more? I am sure they could. Why don't you go on strike and see how long you last before you get fired.

Tedcrop,

Thank you. My feelings EXACTLY. If you don't like the job you have or the wages you are making, QUIT AND FIND A NEW JOB. Do NOT extort money from your employer by INVOLVING INNOCENT NEW YORKERS BY LEAVING THEM WITHOUT TRANSPORT AT WHAT IS ARGUABLY THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR. If I owned the company, I'd put out a simple offer:

Here's the job description. Here's the wage we're offering. Anyone who wants a job, sign up here. Anyone who doesn't, no problem.

If the company ain't offering enough money to get workers, they'll have to come up with more money to offer. It's just that simple.

I don't like unions. I don't like strikers. If you don't like your job and its wages, quit and find one that does suit your hopes, dreams and pocketbook. I mean, do you really think you should be TELLING YOUR BOSS what he should pay you?

Sorry to all you New Yorkers who have to endure this.

[JHOOKS]

you guys raise good points. i agree that cops and firefighter should get paid more . but thats what happens when you have a strong union you demand whats right for the workers. not every position is a token booth clerk.(and yea does people are ****ing rude)lol. aaaa **** it your guys are right, this is a capatilistic society, no matter what its always about money,not about whats right. as far as a seperate city? well think its very seperated....

[Resonater]

Originally Posted by JHOOKS

you guys raise good points. i agree that cops and firefighter should get paid more . but thats what happens when you have a strong union you demand whats right for the workers. not every position is a token booth clerk.(and yea does people are ****ing rude)lol. aaaa **** it your guys are right, this is a capatilistic society, no matter what its always about money,not about whats right. as far as a seperate city? well think its very seperated....

Jhooks,

I can't agree with some of your wording. You said "...that's what happens when you have a strong union you demand what's right for the workers". It's not up to the employee to demand that the employer pay such and such, etc. That is back-asswards.

The employer offers particular work at particular wages. If there are workers who are satisfied with the job offer and the wage offered, they take the job, do the work and get paid the money. If there are no workers who are satisfied with the job offer and wage offer, the company will have to increase the wage offered or it will have no employees.

As a business owner, I feel strongly that it is only MY decision how I run my business. I want happy employees, so I choose to offer such and such. But the moment my workers feel that THEY should decide what they are paid is the moment I respectfully tell them what MY terms of employment are. AFter all, it's MY business.

I just find it so strange that the unions begin to feel as though THEY should dictate how the employer should run the business. Why doesn't the union just start their own transit company to compete with the MTA if they feel the MTA is unfair? If the union's position is so righteous, they'd get all the workers working for them and put the MTA out of business. But of course, the union won't do that...they'd rather simply complain about "the man" and his "greedy ways". Give me a break, Mr. Union. Go start your own transit company.

[JHOOKS]

shitt i dont believe in the system. s sucks, always will suck. thats the nature of greedy man! and the man thing is very much real. shiit most of the people that work for the mta are black, and most of the people that work for wallstreet are white... hmmm thats not hard to figure out. this "system" is fuccked up

[Ricey]

the MTA and the people that work for them are two different entities.

and anyway, 'Authorities' were originally dissolved once the structures they built were paid for by the fares. then they were handed over to the city, and fares were reduced to maintenance level.

Robert Moses changed all that - the original Darth Vader. for those interested in NYC politics, check out The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro.

not surprising that the current attitude in the States is very anti-union.
i mean, i don't need a union these days, but that makes me the exception, not the rule.

Mayor Bloomberg, a very rich man, couldn't have any direct experience with the need for unions - or the middle class, for that matter.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Ricey

Mayor Bloomberg, a very rich man, couldn't have any direct experience with the need for unions - or the middle class, for that matter.

Where do you think his money came from?

Do you think he inherited it?

Do you think the Bloomberg paper and radio station were around before he was born?

No he made it himself.

He is a smart business man but he has always been known as a fair business man.

That's why he is so respected among business and politicians alike.

Yeah he is no nonsense, but he really cares about people.

He is also a philanthropist.

Here is his bio:

quote

"There are days when you wake up and you read the newspapers and you want to shoot yourself. I'm always fascinated to find out where I was yesterday and what I said."
-Michael Bloomberg

biography

Michael Rubens Bloomberg was born on February 14, 1942 in Medford, Massachusetts. His family was middle-class, with his father in the employ of a local dairy as a bookkeeper. Bloomberg displayed his trademark drive at a young age and excelled in his studies, where he demonstrated a particular interest in technology. The latter led him to pursue a degree in engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Bloomberg took out loans and worked part-time on the side to finance his education. Upon graduation, he entered Harvard to obtain his MBA. Armed with a balanced and impressive college education, he then went to work on Wall Street in 1966 for Salomon Brothers (now Salomon Smith Barney Inc.).

a hefty severance package

In 1972, a mere six years after he was hired, Bloomberg made partner. He was appointed head of stock trading, sales and, his passion, information systems. When Salomon was acquired in 1981, however, Bloomberg became a casualty and sold his share in the company. Although the experience left him bitter at the amount of political backstabbing on Wall Street, he did cash out a stake worth $10 million.

What he then did with that share has become legendary. Bloomberg always had a fascination with the integration of technology and information to provide easy and rapid access to crucial financial data to Wall Street. At the time, there was no such process available on a wide scale. With the backing of Merrill Lynch, Bloomberg converted his stake from Salomon to create a computer information system to oversee the management and analysis of securities data. Little did anyone realize at the time, but a revolution had begun.

Two decades after Bloomberg LP was formed, it had grown to more than 8,000 employees and more than 100 offices around the globe. Revenue estimates are in the $2.5 billion range. Bloomberg himself is reportedly worth a staggering $4 billion, with charitable donations over the years in the hundreds of millions to his alma maters, as well as other causes close to his heart.

giving back

As his business grew and he was able to let go of the reins, Bloomberg threw himself into philanthropy, displaying an acute regard for the improvement of education and medical research. His attention to the needs of New York City was in full evidence even before his run for mayor. Bloomberg financed programs for victims of domestic violence, the homeless and high school education. He also found the time to sit on the board of over a dozen institutions, none more notable than the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Johns Hopkins University, where he served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In fact, his alma mater renamed its School of Hygiene and Public Health, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, in his honor.

big apple billionaire

As Mayor of the Big Apple, Bloomberg has sought to heal the socioeconomic wounds of the tragic events of 9/11 and apply his sharp business sense to a world as brutal and merciless as Wall Street: that of New York City politics. He has, for the time being, announced his intention of seeking a second term in office.

What else do you need to know?

Yeah does he needs things to learn?

Of course.

Calling the TWU thugs is a little out of line.

Does he come across as a little stiff sometimes?

Well he is no Ed Koch or Guiliani and i disliked both of them.

They both played to partisan politics.

Again to me he is the right guy for these times.

We are in for some hard and lean economic times here in the city.

But the only way to ensure a better future is through education and that will be his legacy.

[Tibbon]

I have so little sympathy for the MTA workers in NYC. Seriously, they have jobs that (in general) don't require any College education or too much special training (Ticket booth collector).

They have retirement ages of 55, and where whining about it being moved to 62 possibly. As I see it, if you are reading this board, you will never retire until your ears go bad- regardless of money. I'm sure Massenberg has enough money to not work if he wanted to, but he won't just retire when he hits a certain age. Retiring means that you don't like your job.

They also make more money off the bat than most engineers, and have guaranteed pay. If someone doesn't pay for the subway by some way, they will still get paid. If your clients don't pay, then i'm guessing that you don't get paid unless you have some interesting non-payment insurance! I think a Ticket Booth person makes around 55K/year. I know that's not much in Manhattan, but to sit there and not even have to be nice, or helpful to people... In Boston anyway the people will barely speak and nothing even resembling "Customer Service" is ever done. I am constantly late due to late busses and subways that are erratic. Japan has the mass transit down right. Why can't we do that here?

Benefits, retiring at 55, stable pay, little requirements for training/skill... and they want more? That gets a vote of NO for me.

If the MTA has a 1 Billion surplus, then they should have to lower their rates to reduce the surplus, not give these people even more! Or maybe any surplus of a public entity should go to charity or something. Do something nice for the world.

What would Bono do with 1 Billion?

[StoneinaPond]

I love all these comments from people who live OUTSIDE New York City.

I did not vote for Mike Bloomberg. While I think he has many good qualities, I think he is out of touch with the common man. His emphasis on growth within the city is on building expensive high rise buildings, while worrying very little on what goes under ground.

The subway system here is both truly incredible while having Dante's Inferno qualities about it.

When you stand on some platforms during August and it is hotter than any Swedish sauna, or in December when you feel like your limbs are going to get frostbite, while you wait for the never arriving train, than you begin to question Mike's commitment to the average New Yorker.

My morning commute is a daily exercise in practicing the Buddhist concept of equanimity. When a train finally stops and tries to load the p