Re: NYC transit strike
 

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Actually, there is a state law in New York which does make it illegal for them to strike.

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Yes. An oppressive law. How can legitimately you force someone to labor against their will?

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They're not being forced to work. They simply aren't being allowed to strike. They have the freedom to quite their job if they don't want it.

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Is there another (oppressive) law preventing them from being fired if they "strike" (as opposed to "not showing up")?

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I dont understand how this law is oppressive. A strike would cripple the economy of the city, thus the workers are not allowed to strike.
Their salary increase demands are pretty damn steep if you ask me, they will never get what they demand.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

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I dont understand how this law is oppressive. A strike would cripple the economy of the city, thus the workers are not allowed to strike.
Their salary increase demands are pretty damn steep if you ask me, they will never get what they demand.


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My understanding that the strike was mainly over pension and benefits.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

Not realy, initially they wanted 8% salary increase a year for 3 years. The MTA offered 3 percent, 4 percent and 3.5 percent, considerably lower than what the union demanded. The previous proposal included 3 percent raises each year.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

The city must have thought that because there are laws against striking in New York, that they can exploit the workers forever without any consequences.

I think it is repulsive that a state can have laws that punish workers to such a high magnitude.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

It's amazing that, despite the fact that Unions are all but gone in this country, people can still find time to hate them.

Anyway...This quote clearly shows that, considered just from a practical standpoint, it is the city leadership that doing harm to the city, not the Union.

"Indeed, not just Mr. Toussaint but some other New Yorkers are questioning whether it was worthwhile for the authority to go to war over the issue when the authority's pension demands would apparently save less over the next three years than what the New York City Police Department will spend on extra overtime during the first two days of the strike."STEVEN GREENHOUSE NewYorkTimes.

And That's not even including the big loss... which is to the city economy and the loss of the citizen mobility.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

This is my response from the other thread:

It is funny how liberal media usually fails to fully report all the details in union strikes. It is not enough to say a corporation or the MTA made this much of a profit last year, but also to show what average wages at different levels are for union members including all their benefits. Only then is there enough informtion to make judgements on wage fairness. But of course the reason such things generally aren't reported is that all the other blue collar workers who make far less would have little sympathy for the union's position.

The key element in this matter though is that public employees are rightly held to a different standard regarding strikes which can imperil people's lives and cause severe economic hardship for all other workers. The union is breaking the law pure and simple and deserves to be harshly treated for that alone.

But they are also forcing workers to walk in freezing tempartures or not get to work and lose pay during the holiday season. Shame on them and their selfishness.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

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The city must have thought that because there are laws against striking in New York, that they can exploit the workers forever without any consequences.

I think it is repulsive that a state can have laws that punish workers to such a high magnitude.

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The subway operators are being "exploited" at a current salary of $62,438 a year. Train conductors make $53,000. Subway booth clerks make $50,720. Bus drivers make $62,551.

The increase in salary being asked for would push subway operators salaries up to $78,654 a year.

Exploitation indeed. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../rolleyes1.gif

Re: NYC transit strike
 

Q.E.D.

Re: NYC transit strike
 

Re: NYC transit strike
 

They should treat these strikers the way Reagan handled the Air Traffic Controllers.

We should end the Tammany-like corruption and over spending in transit system.