My post-strike rant
I've heard both sides of the issues. The thing that gets to me is all these people who think that they're supposed to support the TWU because it is a union. When a political issue comes up, do you take the time to understand it so that you can make an informed decision? Or do you just pick the side that your political party's on?
As for people who think that MTA workers already get paid enough, or that they get paid too much... I don't have enough facts to make either claim so I won't. I'm fine with the TWU fighting for more pay. They're a union and that's what unions do.
But to strike... Strikes should be for extraordinary circumstances. If Toussaint had said that the main issues for them were the fact that women don't get maternity leave, or that disciplinary actions are too strong, I might have been able to support them. But he said that the main problem is the pension, which is really a pay-rate issue. You're saying you're not getting paid enough, and while that might be true, that's not a good enough reason to walk away from negotiations and strike. That's a reason to keep negotiating and either get them to take pensions off the table or get a raise big enough to compensate for the increased amount your paying towards your pension.
Could it have gotten to a point where striking seemed like the only way to get what they deserved? Maybe, but they went on strike less than a week after their contract ran out. Other employees in this city worked for years without a contract. I'm not saying that's the ideal situation, but it seems clear to me that they could've worked on this a little longer before going to the picket line.
For anyone who's never lived in New York City, to not have subways and buses is like tearing out the roads in Los Angeles. If you think that we've been going through a minor inconvenience, then you don't comprehend public transportation in this city. Don't get me wrong, I was only inconvenienced minorly because I didn't have work this week. Bear wasn't inconvenienced too much more because we live less than a mile away from a LIRR station. But if this had been back when I lived in Brooklyn and worked in the Bronx, I would've been screwed. I would've either had to miss work and therefore not get paid, or spend a huge amount of time and/or money getting to work. Some of my friends were lucky in that they could use up sick days or telecommute. I've never had a job in which that was an option. If I don't work, I don't get paid. That's true of many people in the city. Some people wanted to go to work, but their stores closed. Walking down 8th Street and Saint Marks Place I passed three stores which should've been open but weren't. Their employees weren't given the option of earning a living during the strike.
For the TWU to strike made it impossible for people who earn far less than them to make a living, and if you ask me that's criminal. In fact, it's also actually criminal, and I'm completely fine with the huge fines the union is going to be forced to pay. I feel sorry for some of the union workers, since not all of them wanted to strike but they felt forced to by the TWU.
Also, if you're feeling bad because you're supposed to support unions, please remember that TWU's parent union told them not to strike and asked the workers to go back to work. And some of them did. 35% of the TWU's executive board did not vote for the strike. Clearly, this was not something that all of them agreed on, so I don't see why we should all feel like we were supposed to give the strike our support.
As for people who think that MTA workers already get paid enough, or that they get paid too much... I don't have enough facts to make either claim so I won't. I'm fine with the TWU fighting for more pay. They're a union and that's what unions do.
But to strike... Strikes should be for extraordinary circumstances. If Toussaint had said that the main issues for them were the fact that women don't get maternity leave, or that disciplinary actions are too strong, I might have been able to support them. But he said that the main problem is the pension, which is really a pay-rate issue. You're saying you're not getting paid enough, and while that might be true, that's not a good enough reason to walk away from negotiations and strike. That's a reason to keep negotiating and either get them to take pensions off the table or get a raise big enough to compensate for the increased amount your paying towards your pension.
Could it have gotten to a point where striking seemed like the only way to get what they deserved? Maybe, but they went on strike less than a week after their contract ran out. Other employees in this city worked for years without a contract. I'm not saying that's the ideal situation, but it seems clear to me that they could've worked on this a little longer before going to the picket line.
For anyone who's never lived in New York City, to not have subways and buses is like tearing out the roads in Los Angeles. If you think that we've been going through a minor inconvenience, then you don't comprehend public transportation in this city. Don't get me wrong, I was only inconvenienced minorly because I didn't have work this week. Bear wasn't inconvenienced too much more because we live less than a mile away from a LIRR station. But if this had been back when I lived in Brooklyn and worked in the Bronx, I would've been screwed. I would've either had to miss work and therefore not get paid, or spend a huge amount of time and/or money getting to work. Some of my friends were lucky in that they could use up sick days or telecommute. I've never had a job in which that was an option. If I don't work, I don't get paid. That's true of many people in the city. Some people wanted to go to work, but their stores closed. Walking down 8th Street and Saint Marks Place I passed three stores which should've been open but weren't. Their employees weren't given the option of earning a living during the strike.
For the TWU to strike made it impossible for people who earn far less than them to make a living, and if you ask me that's criminal. In fact, it's also actually criminal, and I'm completely fine with the huge fines the union is going to be forced to pay. I feel sorry for some of the union workers, since not all of them wanted to strike but they felt forced to by the TWU.
Also, if you're feeling bad because you're supposed to support unions, please remember that TWU's parent union told them not to strike and asked the workers to go back to work. And some of them did. 35% of the TWU's executive board did not vote for the strike. Clearly, this was not something that all of them agreed on, so I don't see why we should all feel like we were supposed to give the strike our support.