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**Pashtet** · 12-20-2005, 06:32 PM

...Well, if you read newspapers and tried to educate yourself (not sure if it's possible) you would know that the reason they walked out is that MTA wanted to increase the retirement age to 62 and ask new workers to contribute towards the health plan - that's what all of working in private sector do and have always done. So making more money was not the main issue...

ACTUALLY, the fact that working people are being saddled with the kind of financial burdens you are talking about is due to union busting practices that have destroyed the gains American workers have made in the 20th Century. If you had the benefits that they have and someone suggested to you that you negotiate them away, you might put up a bit of a fight rather than saying, "Wait, they've rolled everyone else on these costs. I should just let them pick my pocket."

Our failures to secure the same protections are due to the nature of the "me, me, me" work cultures. All of these companies citing huge increases in health insurance and pension liabilities are not unprofitable. They are failing to meet projections. There's a big difference. The failure to meet projections becomes their excuse to further cut into worker's benefits. The erosion of union support and power hurts American workers overall.

The retirement age for cops wasn't raised. The retirement age for teachers wasn't raised. The retirement age for firefighters wasn't raised. A trade-off of a three year contract for seven more years service is nothing I would take. And, if you would read more than newspapers and refer back to their last agreement you will see the crap raises the union got last contract.

The fact is that the MTA is not honest in its bookkeeping and the riders suffer. Then, the workers suffer. The workers are going to get their contract and THAT will be the catalyst for fare increases even though a billion friggin dollar surplus has materialized six months after the MTA was crying poverty and talking about fare increases.

And, let's not forget the $100 million dollar holiday discount. Anyone siding with the MTA on this one has their head in the sand. It is definitely an inconvenience, but I'm glad they're out there. The transit workers have traditionally been a union of minorities and immigrants. The white-led and dominated police, fire and teachers unions all got decent contracts. Teachers work 10 minutes more a day now - not the seven years more in their lives the city wants from Transit.

12-20-2005, 06:32 PM	#43
Pashtet Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 421 Senior Member	...Well, if you read newspapers and tried to educate yourself (not sure if it's possible) you would know that the reason they walked out is that MTA wanted to increase the retirement age to 62 and ask new workers to contribute towards the health plan - that's what all of working in private sector do and have always done. So making more money was not the main issue... ACTUALLY, the fact that working people are being saddled with the kind of financial burdens you are talking about is due to union busting practices that have destroyed the gains American workers have made in the 20th Century. If you had the benefits that they have and someone suggested to you that you negotiate them away, you might put up a bit of a fight rather than saying, "Wait, they've rolled everyone else on these costs. I should just let them pick my pocket." Our failures to secure the same protections are due to the nature of the "me, me, me" work cultures. All of these companies citing huge increases in health insurance and pension liabilities are not unprofitable. They are failing to meet projections. There's a big difference. The failure to meet projections becomes their excuse to further cut into worker's benefits. The erosion of union support and power hurts American workers overall. The retirement age for cops wasn't raised. The retirement age for teachers wasn't raised. The retirement age for firefighters wasn't raised. A trade-off of a three year contract for seven more years service is nothing I would take. And, if you would read more than newspapers and refer back to their last agreement you will see the crap raises the union got last contract. The fact is that the MTA is not honest in its bookkeeping and the riders suffer. Then, the workers suffer. The workers are going to get their contract and THAT will be the catalyst for fare increases even though a billion friggin dollar surplus has materialized six months after the MTA was crying poverty and talking about fare increases. And, let's not forget the $100 million dollar holiday discount. Anyone siding with the MTA on this one has their head in the sand. It is definitely an inconvenience, but I'm glad they're out there. The transit workers have traditionally been a union of minorities and immigrants. The white-led and dominated police, fire and teachers unions all got decent contracts. Teachers work 10 minutes more a day now - not the seven years more in their lives the city wants from Transit.
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