Comments | markschaffer: The transit strike...

markschaffer

The transit strike...

Dec 22, 2005 11:36

I would like to offer my most heartfelt "fuck you's" to Roger Toussaint and the TWU for their noble strike during this holiday season. Three days now...three days I've commuted 6 1/2 miles for 2 1/2 hours (EACH WAY) in blistering 20 degree weather ON FOOT from Astoria, Queens to lower Manhattan. I'm gonna fugging die if this keeps up ( Read more... )

Comments 9

joshuagrosvent December 22 2005, 17:31:06 UTC

They get paid more than teachers and barely have highschool diplomas.
I agree -- Fuck Them.

Oh, also, Merry Christmas dude I never talk to anymore.
-j

simulacrum December 22 2005, 18:31:27 UTC

Jeez Mark that fucking bites. I'm sorry to hear you have to haul ass the pedestrian way.

When BART was threatening to go on strike here back in July, I heard many of the employees make upwards to 80K a year. And they have union protection. It blows my mind. But then, I never got the whole strike thing. Officials aren't scared of it, and the only people who get fucked over are the working folk who need to get to work on time.

One of the things they suggested, as an alternative in case of a potential strike, is "telecomuting" and also having your work "put you up in a hotel." Riiiiiight.

Coming from a proud union family. neutron_x December 22 2005, 22:34:44 UTC

I must protest this.

If you want a villain here, Michael "Oh he's not a real Republican, he used to be a Democrat" Bloomberg, is just as much to blame. Well he's sure acting like a Republican now isn't he?

Also Mark, there's a lot more nuance to it then this for instance how they treat their sick employees:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/story/376621p-319893c.html

On Monday, his doctor broke the news that the cancer in Casiano's spine had spread to his lung. He's already endured months of grueling chemotherapy. Now he faces applying to the MTA for disability ( ... )

Re: Coming from a proud union family. simulacrum December 22 2005, 22:52:27 UTC

I don't know anything about unions. I still have a lot to learn about how American economy & work system functions. All I'm saying is yes, this was a really rotten time. And why couldn't they run buses to the city?

I'm curious, what makes a strike lawful or not?

this is an unlawful strike neutron_x December 22 2005, 23:08:50 UTC

because of a piece of legislation passed in the state of New York, I can't remember all of the details, but it passed a few years ago. I think after the last time this happened when Koch was mayor or something ( ... )

Thread 5

bodlon December 22 2005, 21:49:52 UTC

Yeah, you're one of a handful of people I read who live in NYC, and I just can't imagine what a nightmare that is. Try to stay not-frozen.

BTW. neutron_x December 22 2005, 22:36:46 UTC

My response in no way should be seen as diminishing your personal suffering, inconveinence and threat to life.

-C.

Re: BTW. markschaffer December 23 2005, 15:18:08 UTC

Yeah...I should have included Bloomberg AND the MTA in my rant against Toussaint and the union. I wrote that post immediately following the conclusion of my 2 1/2 hour walk. I could barely feel my fingers as I typed out my rage. I really wanted to send a "fuck you" to EVERYONE involved for the strike, not JUST the union. However, I think the blame should be EVENLY distributed among all parties. I DO tend to side with unions in such debacles, but in this particular case it's very difficult for me to be sympathetic and place MORE of the blame on the city. Since their strike was illegal anyway, it seems that timing it at the end of their contract was unnecessary. I mean, if they're already breaking the law, they could have broken it when millions of straphangers would have been more apt to sympathize. The union did NOT win over the hearts and minds of the public in this mess, and now the citizens feel like hostages gearing up to face their captors in a prison lineup. MTA is going to need to implement some serious PR to win back respect ( ... )