Negotiations Monday broke down once again over pensions. Pensions? A Roth IRA yeah, a pension? No way. After bitterly criticizing the MTA's desire to raise the current retirement for new employees to 62 from 55 (IMAGINE THAT!), the authority wussed out and dropped its demand. How nuts is that? Lifespan increases every year, it's now at what, 77? So these people retire at 55 and we pay a fat pension for 22 years. Touissaint had the gall to push to reduce the retirement age even further to 50! Read that again! Instead, the MTA countered with new employees having to pay 6% of their salary toward their pension instead of the current 2%. Madame Touissaint said nyet.
The Union's 33,000 members were at odds on such issues as wages, health care and pension contributions. I don't know about you, but I ain't got know pension and I pay for my medical. Hellloooooooooooooo are they crazy?
Train operators, station agents and cleaners earn between $47,000 and $55,000
a year before overtime. Brand spanking new subway drivers already make 52,000 a year. The
MTA's final offer exceeded 10% over a three year term, far too generous
if you ask me. Still, Touissaint that bon vivaint summarily rejected out of hand. [Hits forehead]
Mind you, this is worst week of the year for
this to happen for retail. DEADLY. Deadly for an already struggling
city. Adding devastating economic in$ult to serious injury.
The Judge Fined the Union One Million Dollars a Day. That's a good start. Now it's time for Pataki to lead.
Governor Pataki, someone I have had little use for, has an opportunity to here to make an historical stand (much needed) while shoring himself up for a presidential run. Previous to this idiotic suicidal move by the leftarded union, I would never consider Pataki a contender. But history has a way of ripping the status quo to shreds. PATAKI SHOULD FIRE THEM ALL IF THEY DO NOT RETURN TO WORK. This is really a no brainer, a gift to Pataki from the political gods.
Pataki is no dummy. He had enough saychul to get out of Giuliani's way on 9/12/01 and stand just to the left of him, one step back. Smart.
On Friday, Gov. George Pataki urged the union to keep working with the MTA. "When it comes
to a strike, I have three words: Don't do it," Pataki said. Now, has he got the testicular fortitude to back that up?
"We have two words for the governor, which is 'respect us,'" Mr. Toussaint said.
I got two words for you Touissaint: "You're fired." (I kept it clean, notice that?)
Mr. Toussaint ordered the city's subways and buses to be shut down "immediately," WTF died and made him Caligula?
The handful of dissenters included the president of the Transport Workers Union International, the union's parent organization, Mike O'Brien, indicating internal fissures within the union that could deepen as the transit strike continues. Those who attended the meeting of the executive board said Mr. O'Brien urged Mr. Toussaint to hold off on calling a strike, arguing that contract talks were heading toward an equitable resolution for the union.
The Transport Workers Union opposes any real cost-cutting efforts, such as a plan to restructure all above-ground rail operations into a single new subsidiary, and all bus operations into another—a consolidation that could save $210 million over three years. Why the resistance? The new bus division would have the authority to cut civil-service protections for new employees—who would still have their union security, of course, but transit workers are accustomed to two layers of insulation from management.City Journal via:Winds of Change
“Transportation Workers Union (TWU) officials are not only holding New York City and its economy hostage to their self-serving demands, but they are potentially jeopardizing the jobs of New York City’s 30,000 mass transit workers.
“These union officials have a public-be-damned attitude and are holding a gun to the head of New York City’s business owners and workers. The costs of this illegal strike to New York’s working families will be enormous.
“Moreover, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials may ultimately have no choice but to fire the illegal strikers in order to uphold the rule of law and to preserve New York’s security and economic vitality. President Ronald Reagan took similar action to protect the travelling public when he ordered the firing in 1981 of illegally striking air traffic controllers who refused to return to their jobs.Stefan Gleason, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation
Fausta says Bust Toussaint
UPDATE: Bloomberg make a tough, smart, ballsy speech at his press conference. Tells the Union get back to work now. "CALLS STRIKE ILLEGAL AND SELFISH" "Hurting the working people. People making 10, 20 30 thousand a year, not 50 60 thousand without overtime. If those people don't get paid, those people dont eat." Bloomberg says we shouldn't be negotiating while they are on strike. Bloonberg ROCKS! If you can catch on TIVO or Dish it's a spech worth seeing. I have a new respect for him
Pataki press conference on now. WTF? He is talking about a crime law?!?! FOX pulls the press conference, promises to return if he talks transit strike. Is this guy lobotomized? Someone take him off his meds! Geez, if he gets elected dog catcher in 2006 it will be a miracle.
OK PATAKI speaks. Comes on strong. "You can't benefit from illegal acts". Pointing a finger, 'YOU CAN'T WALK AND TALK AT THE SAME TIME!"
Very good Georgie boy.
UPDATE:
A Non-Teaching Moment Opinion Journal
Add another person to the list of irresponsible characters involved in New York's wretched transit strike: Randi Weingarten, head of the city's teachers' union.
Ms. Weingarten appeared at a rally on behalf of the transportation union to cheer for its efforts to grab a 24% three-year pay raise as well as write into its contract a limit on the number of disciplinary actions that can be taken against its members for misconduct. Of course the looter comes out to stand up for her fellow looter. She told a local TV station that the illegal strike was justified because the playing field "isn't fair" between the union and management. She said that justified the union's "civil disobedience." LOOTER!
Weingarten did nore to hurt our children than one person. No school vouchers, no charter schools, no firing, no reductio in tenure, she destroyed whatever shot we had to teach our children well. That's another union whose day wuill be numbered.
