Posted on 12/15/2005 8:54:13 PM PST by systematic
With time ticking down, negotiators with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Transit Workers Union are continuing their last-ditch attempt to work out a contract agreement that would avert a debilitating strike before the midnight deadline.
With half an hour to go until the deadline, MTA Chief Negotiator Gary Dellaverson appeared at a press conference to defend the MTA's position in the face of comments made half an hour before by TWU Local 100 President Roger Toussaint.
At a 10:45 p.m. press conference, Toussaint criticized the MTA for failing to put forth what he said was an acceptable offer.
(Excerpt) Read more at ny1.com ...
The TWU's idea of an "acceptable offer" is a three year contract, 8% annual raises, no givebacks, no work rule changes, no reduction in sick leave usage, and lowering the retirement age from 55 to 50 with half pay.
As a public employee, I say fire every striker and replace them with the hundreds of qualified applicants waiting for every vacant position at NYC transit.
negotiations will continue past the deadline - no strike.
I read in the paper that NYC Transit people start with $55,000 salary --- WOW!!
Figure that 55K is the unburdened cost.
Try double.
But they are amazingly skilled:)
its their pensions that are the killer - their pensions are so outside the norm of what private industry persons might get.
Or other public employees.
I'm in Tier 4 of the NYS employee retirement system. I can't retire before 65 without taking a large hit in benefits. I can collect a partial pension at age 55 with 30 years service, but not anything close to half pay.
I paid into my pension up until the last contract, when the State (in a shameless vote-buying attempt cancelled) the contribution for employees with ten years service. Of course, this hurt the pension fund, and when the stock marked dropped the taxpayers had to make up the difference.
I also contribute towards my health insurance, and it's significantly more expensive for family coverage. The TWU pays nothing and gets free family coverage.
The TWU refuses to allow a second retirement tier for new employees that would require them to work to age 62 and pay into their pensions and health insurance. Touissant called this "selling out their unborn." Since when do Libs have a problem with that?
As an example, a bus driver for NYC Transit makes about twice what a DOT plow truck driver does, with much better benefits.
Unlike the TWU, which refuses to adopt one-person train crews, DOT's CSEA-represented drivers have accepted one-person plow truck crews. Not as safe, and much harder on the drivers, but it saves the taxpayers a ton of money and puts more trucks on the road with the same number of employees. DOT drivers also "shift", working either early morning or afternoon/evening during the snow & ice season in order to cut down on overtime.
Thanks for your comments, and your info on the various benefit programs. I just heard some transit worker whining on TV about the idea of having to pay a dime on her health care. Join the club, honey.
Man you know this transit strike is sure going to hurt us here in Florida.
Enjoy the snow.
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