Greedy, selfish NYC transit workers threaten strike

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Caligastia
They get 8 weeks vacation for ****s sake!!

Just because most Americans get shafted on vacation doen't mean all Americans should be. We should all get 8 weeks, like some civilized European countries have.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Why should the city have to shoulder the burden alone?

Because it was thier timid behavior before the unions in the past that got them into this mess?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Caligastia
In any case, the NYC subway system is poorly run. There is no such thing as customer service, the trains are always packed, organisation is almost non-existent. Go to Paris or London if you want to see a real mass transit system.

The subway trains aren't always packed, only when during rush hours.

Besides, there are only 2 million people in Paris. It doesn't count.

[GePap]

Well, as a user of the NY city Subway and Bus system for the last decade, i do not see what caligastia is talking about. The system is bare bones, yes, and with what one pays for it, I don't see how it could be much more. There are service issues, but those are funding ones, not worker ones. And managers are workers too. mybe its the managers screwing up?? No, couldn't, they are college educated! I mena, after going those four years to a high prestige pirvate university, I can safely say that everyone who goes to college is competent and usefull....

First of all, the Governor, not the Major, has control over the MTA, so if any politician needs to get his ass moving its Pataki, not Bloomberg.

I agree that the union demands are excessive, given the budget issues of the MTA. the city and the state. First, the MTA needs to raise fares. With the new passes, most people pay less then 1.50. if anyting, many in this city have seen a fare reduction over the last 8 years. They system can't handle that. They have to overcome pasanger resistance, as someone has to pay for service.
Second: the MTA needs to move their offer up, but they simply cannot grant what the union wants, and the union must bring its demands way down.

As for what to do with striking workers: Thank god none of you on this thread will ecver hold serious public office.

[St Leo]

First, the MTA needs to raise fares.

No, you need to raise gas taxes and funnel the money into mass transit. The two things that every city needs less of are cars and urban sprawl.

[Chris 62]

Originally posted by GePap
Well, as a user of the NY city Subway and Bus system for the last decade, i do not see what caligastia is talking about. The system is bare bones, yes, and with what one pays for it, I don't see how it could be much more. There are service issues, but those are funding ones, not worker ones. And managers are workers too. mybe its the managers screwing up?? No, couldn't, they are college educated! I mena, after going those four years to a high prestige pirvate university, I can safely say that everyone who goes to college is competent and usefull....

Nor is every moron who takes five minutes to make change...let's see, one...two....three

First of all, the Governor, not the Major, has control over the MTA, so if any politician needs to get his ass moving its Pataki, not Bloomberg.

He won't touch it.
He has said the MTA must SHOW it's losing money if they want more state assistance.

First, the MTA needs to raise fares.

Now THERE'S a solution.
Your the guy that should be kept out of office, the LAST thing New Yorkers need is another fare hike.

With the new passes, most people pay less then 1.50. if anyting, many in this city have seen a fare reduction over the last 8 years.

It should be even lower.
4 million people use the system dailey.

They system can't handle that. They have to overcome pasanger resistance, as someone has to pay for service.

So let's stick it to the strap hangers, right?

Second: the MTA needs to move their offer up, but they simply cannot grant what the union wants, and the union must bring its demands way down.

They are overpaid as it is.

As for what to do with striking workers: Thank god none of you on this thread will ecver hold serious public office.

Unions were good in the ol days of the 1930s, when workers were abused.
Now THEY do the abusing, with the help of their friends, like friend GePap here.
Thank god guys like you aern't calling the shots, or the fare would be through the roof.

I'm interested in hearing why you think every New Yorker should pay a fare hike for an aging system run by clowns, so that transit workers can get a 20% raise.

[GePap]

Chris62:

Fares need to rise. After the many changes done to the system in the mid 90's ridership rose, putting a significant strain on the system, which I can see first hand. And with new fare-payment systems it kept going down. It is fiscally irresponsible to demand even lower fares when the system is as it is, and I find the notion that it is all the fault of labor cost simply idiologically biased. Transit workers aren't unutrined workers. ny one of you people asking for their heads could not do their jobs without training, and certainly more training than most common private sector jobs (I love those idiots that think driving large vehicles, or on off tracks, is easy). As trained workesr, they deserve high pay. And I bet you that it is not conductors, but signalmen, mchanics and so ofrth that make the most money (yes, the TWU includes trained mechanical professional, but I guess you people nevr thought of that)

Fares need to go up to 2.00, as well as a rise in the price of weekly and monthly passes. That way, the average fare to be paid will be closer to the notion of 1.50.

Also Chris, do you live in NYC? If not, then why the hell do you care? This one rider is telling you that a fare increase is needed.

[DanS]

"I don't understand why the nannystate should forbid them to strike. Why isn't it just an employer/employees issue ?"

Hershell: Because it's the nannystate that's employing them.

Re the anger displayed here, it's probably mostly due to the fact that Bloomberg raised property taxes drastically in the city to close a budget deficit. It seems like most understand the need to do this. This also gives Bloomberg a bully pulpit to hammer away at the union demands, which he is using to good effect, apparently.

"We should all get 8 weeks, like some civilized European countries have."

Che: Well, until this is the accepted vacation time economy-wide (like, 500 years from now), this seems overly generous.

[Kropotkin]

Is there any European country that has 8 weeks vacation at all?

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
Is there any European country that has 8 weeks vacation at all?

France?

[Kropotkin]

On top of their 35h week? seems a bit much even for France...

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
On top of their 35h week? seems a bit much even for France...

I was just guessing anyway.

[Kropotkin]

I tried to look it up even if the use of the word 'vacation' on google isn't that effective. It seems to be quite common for up to eight weeks vacation in France partly due to a large number of special dates. The legal minimum is five though. Don't think any country has more than France. Might be wrong, lets see if some self proclaimed expert pops up (it's apolyton OT after all...).

[Chris 62]

Originally posted by GePap
Fares need to go up to 2.00, as well as a rise in the price of weekly and monthly passes. That way, the average fare to be paid will be closer to the notion of 1.50.

No way.
I would NEVER support another fare hike.

Also Chris, do you live in NYC? If not, then why the hell do you care? This one rider is telling you that a fare increase is needed.

This is another rider telling you we sure as hell don't need that.

We need the MTA to account for what it does with the money it makes now, they have been reluctant to open the books to inspection.

I have been riding this system for years, it's aging and poorly run, and it's emploees and overpaid and unmotivated.

You bet I live in NY.

[Ramo]

Because it's the nannystate that's employing them.

Why should that change anything? Workers should be prohibited from organizing because their employers have extreme amounts of authority over them?