[Wheldcobchoto]

Quote, originally posted by Cozz »8% raises every year? What are they, retarded? I like how unions price themselvs above the US market conditions. The MTA can easily pay for it by raising prices but it looks as if the MTA cars about the customer while unions continue to show they could give a rats ass about them.
IMHO, The TWU are a bunch of jerks. Not only do they get paid considerably above the average salary for workers in New York (about $62,000/year for workers, most of whom lack a college education), but also have all their benefits paid for by the company. these benefits include things such as vacation time, full healthcare and dental insurance, Tuition reimbursement, and a traditional retirement pension (not a 401K plan) begining at 55 years of age (how many of you can retire at 55?). That's what they have NOW and these greedy people want more. They claim to want to do their best for the citizens who use their services, but anyone who has ridden a subway train and had to interact with a transit worker can easily tell you that that's a load of hogwash. I'm sure as individuals they are very nice people, but on the job they tend to be rather curt (in general) with people. On top of that, stations and trains remain filthy. They want a pice of the MTA's current surplus, but don't seem to care that their demands can't be guaranteed permanently of they are paid out of the surplus, and that the only way to meet them is to pass the cost on to the very public they are already holding hostage.
IMO, they should go on strike, and then the MTA and the state Government should start applying individual fines and dismissals, to see how they like it.