Thread: Just Bitching

We are having a transit strike here in NYC. Let me tell you it is hard to feel sorry for these guys. This is day 2 and it has caused my family and myself some iritation. Here are the points they are striking for

1. The right to retire at 55 with full benefits
2. Not having to contribute to their health benefits.
3. Not happy with 3% raises for the next 3 years. They want 8%

Well I and everyone I know contributes to their health plans (talking non union)
Our raises have been running about 3% for the past several years
As for retiring at 55 well I'm 51 with a 6 year old daughter so retirement does not appear to be in the cards for me. I am sure they will find me dead at my desk one day. I really wish these people would come to their senses and remember who they are hurting.

At least you're getting raises. Since 2000, I've managed to receieve single raise of less than 3%.

The sense of entitlement in this country is really beginning to hack me off.

I didn't know the specifics of the strike, other then I hear it's an illegal strike, but yeah, I'm with you. From what you posted, the want more then the common worker gets. And why should they. Raises? I may get 3%, I may not, mostly I get a raise when I change jobs. Retirement at 55? Federal standard is what? 63? With the cost of health benifits, everyone is having to contribute.

But hey, if they can negotiate a better deal, more power to them. But it's going to cost the taxpayers if they do.

Voluntary retirement at age 55? Really!
The only way I got to retire that early was to have 5 heart attacks!

As an ex New Yorker and someone who lived through the last transit strike 25 years ago (am I dating myself) I know what your going through. It just seems that lately the standard of living in this country is going down the tubes and its open season on the working man. Lets not forget that before we had unions people worked for a pitance and at the whim of their employers. It was the union movement that changed all that. Things are now regressing back to they way they were in the early 20th century and if someone doesn't start to stand up to corporate America in a few years the only jobs left for the average joe will be under ten bucks an hour. Its this world economy thing where we get pulled down to the level of some third world country's economy.

Personally I think if they can get the best package for their members all the more power to them. It has always seemed to me that there has always been this feeling amongst people that civil servants should never be better off than them. As a retired federal worker and I retired at age 56 I can tell you that we all have somewhat of a choice of our careers when we start out. When I started out working for the Gov't any civil service was looked down on and my friends at the time laughed at me. So they over the years have made far more in wages then I ever did but now I'm retired and secure and they are struggling to figure out if they ever will be able to retire. They an't laughing now.

So my point is don't be pissed off at someone else because they are in a situation that creates more opportunities for them as opposed to what another person has. If you had made other choices maybe you would be in that more advantegeous position. Sorry for the rant.

I don't have a problem with them trying to arrange the best package they can. What I have a problem with is their blatant breaking of the law, and even worse, the effect they are having on others. If your gonna pee in the pool, that's one thing. Just don't do it from the high dive!

RT

I personally think there strike is BS. It doesn't matter how much they get they will still bitch. I was self employed for 20 years before I went to work for the City of Woodland. self employed means you work your ass off for what you earn. Our benifit package at the city is:

2.7% at 50. it increases with years of service to a max of 90% of salery after 30 years. If I retire after 20 years i come away with about 60% of my salery.
3% raise anually
Medical, dental, eye paid by the city
Lifetime medical after 5 years with CalPERS
2 weeks vacation the 1st five years, 3 weeks til 10 years and 4 weeks after that.
I day sick leave a month.

we have a damn good package and you should here how some people complain about it. Most of those have never worked in the private sector. They complain that the city doesn't appreciate them. I'm not getting paid to be appreciated, I'm getting paid to work.

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

I don't have a problem with them trying to arrange the best package they can. What I have a problem with is their blatant breaking of the law,

Those laws are written and changed by men who stand in opposition to the workers. George Washington's actions were illegal, but they were still just. There's no such thing as a law which denies workers the right to strike. I admit that they seem to be asking for a lot compared to many others, but what are the big corporates getting every time they deny the worker? They get more profit for themselves. I know these guys are civil servants so it's not that simple, but it's a mistake to say the workers are in the wrong and that's the end of it.

British Columbia teachers just had an "illegal" strike and the neo-liberal media did their best to paint them as the bad guys. The people of BC, however knew the score (for a change) and didn't buy it. All the teachers wanted were smaller class sizes so they could give more top the individual children. They asked for NO more money. The laws were changed just two years earlier by the new gov't to deny such actions.

It's actually the system which is driving this problem, but that's a discussion for another board.

Is that 3% or 8% per year or over the three years?

X

PS Thanks for opening Pandora's Box Rich. (Oh, I didn't mean THAT )

From what I have heard they were offered 3% per year for 3 years. and they said they wanted 8% . I would like to know what color is the sky in their world. This is day 3 of the strike still not fun but New Yorkers are flexible and we are getting around. I remember the strike in 1980 it was a pain but people find ways to get around and before you know it they are used to it and that is that. This is one that the union will lose more than they win. This mayor is a tough one and New Yorkers will remember this for a long time.

Originally Posted by RichZ

From what I have heard they were offered 3% per year for 3 years. and they said they wanted 8% . I would like to know what color is the sky in their world. This is day 3 of the strike still not fun but New Yorkers are flexible and we are getting around. I remember the strike in 1980 it was a pain but people find ways to get around and before you know it they are used to it and that is that. This is one that the union will lose more than they win. This mayor is a tough one and New Yorkers will remember this for a long time.

Unfortunately, Rich, there's no Ed Koch to cheer people across the Brooklyn Bridge, and it's 20 degrees in December instead of 60 in April. I don't live in NY anymore, of course, and I don't remember much of the 1980 strike, but I understand that the weather is one of the main reasons the TWU wants their contract to end at this time of year.

Of course, strikes have been threatened before, but they were always hollow threats because of the Taylor Law. I guess they thought they needed to show they meant business.

Personally, I think the final offer was pretty fair, though I understand the basic premise is that you don't shaft other workers (in this case, the new guys coming in) to make your life better.

On the upside, the news this morning said they may compromise on a few things and there could be a deal as early as tonight. Here's hoping that's the case.

And, hey, it could always be worse. Remember the Sanitation strike?

-Keith