REPOST: To all of you who blame only TWU for this strike

I graduated LAW SCHOOL and went to work for the city as a prosecutor - I was paid $30,000 a year my first year out of law school - this was after earning a college degree and a professional degree. I had to work weekends and holidays without overtime. I realize that I chose that career path, buy my point is that the transit workers are not the poor, poor hard working every man that they claim to be.

Furthermore, their strike is hurting the TRUE hard working everyman. The people that can't afford to take a cab, or the more expensive LIRR, can't get a ride and don't get paid if they go to work are the truly the ones that are going to suffer.

---

Posted by BRod-Cheng

I graduated LAW SCHOOL and went to work for the city as a prosecutor - I was paid $30,000 a year my first year out of law school - this was after earning a college degree and a professional degree. I had to work weekends and holidays without overtime. I realize that I chose that career path, buy my point is that the transit workers are not the poor, poor hard working every man that they claim to be.

Furthermore, their strike is hurting the TRUE hard working everyman. The people that can't afford to take a cab, or the more expensive LIRR, can't get a ride and don't get paid if they go to work are the truly the ones that are going to suffer.

---

WOOO!!! The flood gates have opened! You go girls! We all have our stories to tell.

AND, my FSIL had rats in her classroom. Yep, she's a teacher. Was it in her bathroom? No, in her 3rd grade class.

As someone who works in HR, these employees have it GREAT to many!

And in regards to calling a day off 30days in advance, our whole year of leave needs to be submitted by 1/31! (of course if necessary alterations may be made based on business needs, but no guarantees...)

it's hard to feel sorry for ANYONE but the commuters today! it was 20 degrees outside this morning and 5 days before Christmas.

the commuters are the REAL victims here!

I completely agree. As harsh as this may sound, there are many employees out there (blue AND white collar) that haven't gotten raises in years and who's benefits suck. Many are college educated employees who, in theory, are expecting to make more $$.

They sound like some pretty hefty raises if you ask me. I personally think that raises like that should be performance based with the exception of basic cost of living increases.

Employees receive compensation for their work... it's a paycheck. I think if rats in the bathrooms is the concerns than there should be requests for pest control or cleaner facilities, or whatever. To me, that's justified... but a 12% raise with even greater than great benefits for even less... that's ridiculous. I just don't see the justification.

The strike is ridiculous, and I am sorry for your sister and many of the other workers. They're probably going to wind up losing their entire raise in fines.

However, asking for vacation a month in advance is not bad at all. I work for the library, and like the police and fire departments, we have to put in for vacation a year in advance. When I was planning my wedding, I luckily had an understanding supervisor who cleared my honeymoon in advance (it was in July, and our budget year begins in July), but some people can't even plan that. Some of the sanitary conditions for workers aren't the best there either.

To me, the plan that was offered was not that bad. I'm not a fan of the MTA at all, but it sounded fair to me. And yes, like many people on the board, I earned less than most MTA employees until recently, and I need a masters degree. I know other city employees who earn less as well.

---

Posted by N.Y.bride

holy moly! What a generous father. Well I know a ticket collector on Howard Stern (dont know how reliable that is) Said she makes $53,000. I dont know how long she was working or anything, but thats more than I make after years of college as a teacher.

---

tell me about it

---

Posted by Sapphire77

Basically transit is asking for the same raise amounts that the teachers, the fire department and the police gets. I think they deserve it because they do alot for this city. Without them millions of people wouldn't be able to get to work. And they also put up with alot of BS from some passengers sometimes even putting their lives at risk.

---

NYC Transit train operators have a starting salary of $52,644. Police officers and firefighters currently start at $25,100 while sanitation workers start at $26,000. Clearly I can understand why that just isn't enough for them.

Who among us doesn't put up with BS as part of our job? When the police renegotiated their contract, they lowered the pay for incoming NYPD to $25,000--the union said they will pay for the contract by taking from new hires. This transportation union said it will not take away from new hires. Well, they are fighting for employees that aren't there yet, and asking for demands that I do not have as a state employee. I get 3% raise every year, increasing with the cost of living. An 8 percent increase every year for three years is just unreasonable, IMO, especially for salaries starting over $50,000 with no education or experience required. I think Toussaint has gotten too large an ego, and has gone against the international union who strongly said they should not strike. As someone with an HR background, I think binding arbitration would be the best bet, but Toussaint will not agree to it, so everyone suffers. Regardless, the strike is ILLEGAL. The Taylor Law outlaws transit monopolists from striking, so this isn't a matter of whether the strike is right or wrong, but a matter of them choosing to do something clearly against the law.

---

Posted by Sapphire77

Basically transit is asking for the same raise amounts that the teachers, the fire department and the police gets. I think they deserve it because they do alot for this city. Without them millions of people wouldn't be able to get to work. And they also put up with alot of BS from some passengers sometimes even putting their lives at risk.

---

They are asking for more than the teachers, fire department, and police

Lots of people 'do a lot' for the city. Not everyone can have a raise, though.

Everyone who works in NYC puts up with BS...and put our lives at risk just walking around all day.

This isn't directed at you, but I'm still not seeing a compelling reason for them to receive the 'bounty' that they are asking for...

all i know is that i had a very sh*tty commute this morning in the freezing cold and i'm not getting any raise this year!!
also, does this have to happen 5 days before christmas? NYC looked eerie this morning.. what a shame, it's supposed to be a happy time!!

Just my $0.02..

It's illegal...plain and simple.

Fh is a corrections officer for suffolk county and he hasn't had a contract since he started 18 months ago because the contract expired 18 months before that. Are they striking? Of course not. It's too dangerous. Instead his union went into binding arbitration.

The union had other options - they chose not to take them. I feel bad for the workers who want to work, can't afford not to work, but can't because of the union. Now the union must pay all these fees and who will it hurt? The workers since they pay the dues to the union, which will probably go up now because of this.

It's all so ridiculous.

---

Posted by nov04LIbride

---

Posted by Sapphire77

Basically transit is asking for the same raise amounts that the teachers, the fire department and the police gets. I think they deserve it because they do alot for this city. Without them millions of people wouldn't be able to get to work. And they also put up with alot of BS from some passengers sometimes even putting their lives at risk.

---

NYC Transit train operators have a starting salary of $52,644. Police officers and firefighters currently start at $25,100 while sanitation workers start at $26,000. Clearly I can understand why that just isn't enough for them.

Who among us doesn't put up with BS as part of our job? When the police renegotiated their contract, they lowered the pay for incoming NYPD to $25,000--the union said they will pay for the contract by taking from new hires. This transportation union said it will not take away from new hires. Well, they are fighting for employees that aren't there yet, and asking for demands that I do not have as a state employee. I get 3% raise every year, increasing with the cost of living. An 8 percent increase every year for three years is just unreasonable, IMO, especially for salaries starting over $50,000 with no education or experience required. I think Toussaint has gotten too large an ego, and has gone against the international union who strongly said they should not strike. As someone with an HR background, I think binding arbitration would be the best bet, but Toussaint will not agree to it, so everyone suffers. Regardless, the strike is ILLEGAL. The Taylor Law outlaws transit monopolists from striking, so this isn't a matter of whether the strike is right or wrong, but a matter of them choosing to do something clearly against the law.

---

AMEN!!!! I understand that the original poster has family that is in transit, and is a bit biased...but at the end of it all, people forget the largest thing: BENEFITS!!!!!!!! A TWU member gets health benefits, and can retire at 55, and receive a pension. To hold a job that gives you such benefits is a great advantage in this day and age. My FH will be able to retire in 20 years, receive pension, and be covered in his benefits...and that is how I see the big picture of it all. All the things that they are moaning and groaning about are things that the regular average Joe who works in NYC has to deal with, the only difference is that the transit workers have a much larger leverage against NYC.

All this garbage that you see on t.v., 'We're doing this for the average middle class!' from the picketers--well who the hell do you think is being affected by this strike? Rich aristocrats?? No, average NYer's who just want to get to work, so they can earn an honest living.

Why not b*tch and moan about all the concessions they want to the single mother who couldn't get to work today and now will lose a day's pay because she isn't part of a big union? Perhaps you can explain how upset you are about waiting giving 30 days notice for a vacation day to the group of kids I saw on the news today who had to walk 159 blocks to get to school? Or maybe they could cry about their how 27% pay raise over 3 yrs instead good enough [they want 30%] to the elderly home bound patient, who couldn't receive care today, because their nurse wasn't able to travel to them?

Striking 5 days before Christmas was selfish disgusting act, and quite frankly I am ecstatic that the court requested a $1 million dollars a day fine on the TWU...get back to work and get back to the negotiating table.

oh and PSA--NYPD & FDNY officers have to chose their vacation time nearly a 1 yr in advance, by marking a calendar at the beginning of the year. And at current time, contrary to what some might believe, the NYPD is actually technically WITHOUT a contract. The last one they signed that gave them the 10.25% increase (but lower incoming classes salaries), expired the day it was signed, because it was a contract covering the previous 2 yrs.

These workers have it better than a lot of people.

Right now 50% of companies in the country DO NOT GIVE THEIR EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE.

That's right. Right now there are millions of New Yorkers who are working without health insurance. I was happy to pay 50% at my last job. It might have been a lot out of my paycheck, but at least I had an option. A lot of people don't.

As for complaining about the working conditions, hello! It's the NYC Subway!! What did you expect?? We all know it is not pristine and clean like the transit systems in other cities!! So to complain about working in transit and dealing with rats is like being a teacher and complaining about kids!! It goes with the territory! And complaining about vacation?? I have worked jobs where it was a 12 hour day, 6 days a week and there was no such things as a vacation!!

I also have a family full of cops. They are all from the NYPD and I lost count of how many times they worked without a contract. I was actually going to become a cop years ago, but I didn't want to contemplate taking a $10K pay cut!! Hell the train conductors starting pay is about as much as Nassau and Suffolk county cops!! And that's still more than what some of make now even with an education and experience.

I have little sympathy for the union. Having rode the transit system for years up until last year, my sympathy goes out to all of those that are affected.

i laughed all day just picturing my sister inlaw walking across the brooklyn bridge..i know thats not nice to say but come on..if i had a camera and i was there i would of taken a picture!!! her all bundled up cause its windy!! thats why i love my car and long island!! but i feel bad for the people i don't knonw...i thankfull i don't go to school at parsons and i.c.p. anymore...no more commuting!

I was speaking with someone today who's husband is a transit worker and she said they expect this to go on until after the holidays Give it up already!