Respect, yo.

[theyuck]

Strike! Yes people, unbelievable and surreal as it may sound, that's what it's come to.

Here we have what I feel is an eloquent speech given by the Transit Workers Union spokesman Roger Toussaint.

Here are various links to articles about the strike.Keep an eye out for the all the anti-union spin that you're sure to find.

Look people, a transit

Comments

[ravenaithne]

I kinda think this is seriously awesome. Is the city basically shut down?

[theyuck]

Not exactly, I would say that a lot of people made their way to work somehow, on foot, bike, carpooling (rules are 4 people to a car to get into manhattan), paying 10 bucks each to share a taxi, private bus companies. But it sure isn't pretty. My boss gave me a day off, but tomorrow I will have to find a way to get to work, supposedly our client will pay for our taxi fairs.
But yes, I too find things like this to be awesome, for so many reasons. Like the black-out a couple of years ago, that was so surreal and insane, I had a great time honestly. For the first time in my life, I could actually see the stars while standing on the city sidewalk. The strike is cool for a different reason of course, but it's the same kind of NYC, big event awesomely, insane and surreal feeling. Plus, I'm totally for saying fuck you to authority, in a big, organized & meaningful way.

[ravenaithne]

I can't imagine New York without the subway working. That's gotta be insane.

I still love that city, politics aside.

[theyuck]

It is hard to imagine. I mean the city was built around the subway. People are mad and blaming the strikers of course, but in my mind they are failing to see the bigger picture. Plus, many of them still have not learned how to dress for the cold. I saw some chick on her bike this morning wearing a mini skirt and see through tights, no hat, no scarf, no gloves. What the fuck? It's 30 degrees outside. Of course you're cold, you nincompoop. Oh well.

Like every New Yorker, I have a passionate love/hate relationship with this town. I was born and raised here, and as edgy and crazy a city it may or may not be, I just can't imagine growing up anywhere else.

I guess me not having to work today seems to have given me the energy to write too much... Interesting.

[theyuck]

I just posted on that thread!
Unfortunately I'm not surprized by that kind of attitude. People are taking this so personally and selfishly, as if the union were doing this to them personally for no reason. They refuse to see what's really going on here. It's insane and totally disrespectful. I mean these people work a hard, rather thankless job everyday running only like one the most important services of this city, they deserve some respect.

[redbstrd]

The strikers have my respect. The only reason working Americans can make living wages is because of our history of engaging in strikes.

[theyuck]

Exactly. If you watch/listen/read any coverage of the strike, don't listen to a word our mayor says, he's billionaire, and he really couldn't give a crap about the working class.
So you are a friend of faerie eyez? Feel free to add me to your friends list if you like. I like your user name. Lemme guess, you are either a pinko type, or you've got red hair. Or both. I could be totally wrong, but the point I'm making is: I like your username. Probably because my company is named redyuck.

[redbstrd]

Yeah, I kind of dated Faerie Eyez or something (not sure, we were young) during part of high school. We are still friends, so I use this to keep in touch. I do not have red hair - it is more of the whole pinko thing. Thank you for the friend add.

[theyuck]

I like new people. Most of the folks on my friends list are people from another online community that I frequent, so things become a bit too incestuous if I don't branch out here on livejounal. With the exception of one girl that I have only met once, I don't know anyone on my friends list in the flesh.