Walking the Picket Line

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the workers must take a stand and the stand must be on principle if the company goes bankrupt so be it.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the exact stupidity that bankrupts companies and lands their stupid union workers in the street where they belong.

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
This is a government agency that ran a 1 billion dollar surplus last year.

[/ QUOTE ]

So the answer is to charge the customer less, not give tha already-overpaid union jackassses more.

[CORed]

Forcing the striking workers back to work would be slavery. Firing them and replacing them, however, should be considered.

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
Despite what you say are bad working conditions, public employees should be forced to work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure what your definition of forcing them to work is. Being forced to work and not having right to strike are two different things. Giving workers like this right to strike is insane. Anyone that doesn't show up for work should just be immediately replaced. It's that simple.

A few years ago, the firement in the town I lived in had right to strike put on a ballot. They were going door to door in uniform with some sob story asking people to vote to give them the benefits they deserved w/o telling these people that what they really wanted was the right to strike and just not show up for work when the person's house was burning down. It was insane. People are stupid.

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
Forcing the striking workers back to work would be slavery. Firing them and replacing them, however, should be automatic.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
Most unions vote on proposals and conditions. It isn't renegade union leaders, the workers probably support it as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

My experience, including working several union jobs, is that union leaders keep their members in the dark and only ask them to ratify a contract after the fact.

A major issue in this strike appears to be union opposition to a two-tier contract, with future new employees getting different (i.e., lesser) benefits than anyone now working. Why would any rank and file member care if that kind of concession is needed to keep his wages and benefits? The new workers come in knowing what the deal is, and can take it or leave it.

Just like the current workers came in knowing that it was illegal for them to strike, and that they would be fined if they did.

[lehighguy]

That's rediculous. Forced to work? Why should they even pay them? If they don't work why not just crucify them in the public square.

If replacing these workers was so easy, the mayor would already have done it.

[Wes ManTooth]

[ QUOTE ]
A lot fo jobs are necessary to society. That is why they are jobs. That doesn't mean we need to institute slavery to get it done.

[/ QUOTE ]

your "slavery" reason does not fit in what I previously mentioned. You said the media was giving the union/strike a bad rap, I stated reasons why. Not argueing with the right for them to go on strike, but I stated the TIMING for the MTA to do this is a very poor selfish decision.
This has nothing to do with "slavery".

[BCPVP]

[ QUOTE ]
the TIMING for the MTA to do this is a very poor selfish decision.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why? Seems smart to me. This puts a lot of pressure on the gov't to give in. Why should they not do the smartest thing and use the most leverage available?

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
the TIMING for the MTA to do this is a very poor selfish decision.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why? Seems smart to me. This puts a lot of pressure on the gov't to give in. Why should they not do the smartest thing and use the most leverage available?

[/ QUOTE ]

There may be some confusion here. The MTA is the company. The union is the TWU.

The illegality of the strike aside, the timing makes it even more likely that the government will crack down. The union is facing a $1 million a day fine, the union leadership is facing jail time, the workers are facing a fine of 2 days pay for every day on strike, and the workers' families are facing a pretty grim Xmas.