Posted on 12/23/2005 2:29:31 AM PST by Sociopathocracy
We noted in this space yesterday the inevitability of serious injury, or worse, to innocent people as a result "of the illegal, immoral strike engineered by [TWU President Roger] Toussaint and his merry band," warning that "soon he will have blood on his hands, too."
Little did we know.
At 52nd Street and Third Avenue yesterday morning, a private bus struck 39-year-old city firefighter Matthew Long — who was riding his bike to work thanks to the subway shutdown.
Critically injured, he's now fighting for his life at New York Weill-Cornell Medical Center.
Mayor Bloomberg asked that "New Yorkers pray for him" — and, of course, most will.
The bus that hit Long had been hired by the Bear Stearns investment banking firm to shuttle employees during the strike.
The bus was northbound on Third Avenue at about 6 a.m. when it made an illegal right turn and hit Long. The driver, an Albany resident, was ticketed.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
> Further proof that Roger the Thug's illegal strike had a devasting effect on New York City.
I don't know the issues in NYC, but if it's anything like Auckland, our Transit workers are notoriously underpaid and scandalously treated by Management, doing a jolly dangerous hi-stress job for no thanks at all.
If it's at all like that in NYC, then I'd be in full support the strike.
But, like I said, I don't know the situation in New York. Maybe it's a safer place than Auckland.
Bus operators make $50,000 - $65,000 a year.
All MTA employees have fully funded pensions and health care. This is a rarity in the USA.
He is Trinidadian.
> Bus operators make $50,000 - $65,000 a year.
So, doing the maths, that's about $85K NZ max -- not much to live on, in a city like New York.
Sure, lots of people make do on less.
They'd be renting, in a place like New York. Probably in a grotty neighborhood somewhere in New Jersey, in the outskirts if they have a Family to also support. Almost for sure would not be owning their homes, or even have that dream as a realistic prospect in their far distant future.
You couldn't pay me enough to trade places...
I hate the litigious route, but why not sue? Illegal strike led to losses and death.
“I don't know the issues in NYC, but if it's anything like Auckland,”
On the other hand, if it’s like London, then the subway workers are paid quite enough and just like going on strike at regular intervals.
The probably just want ot do the Christmas shopping.
Can someone explain?
Apart from that, if there was any greed or negligence in business, pre-union days, the pendulum has fully swung the other direction.
Not true, my friend. $85,000 a year won't buy you a home in the NYC you see in movies and TV (which means Manhattan south of 96th St.), but you'd do just fine in the vast boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, or the hundreds of enclaves around the city proper.
No, you won't own a Park Avenue penthouse. You're just a damn bus driver.
These folks make more than alot of Americans doing harder jobs. Also, a judge issued an injunction to prevent the strike, but the union leaders ignored the judge and began the strike anyway. This strike has many similarities to the air traffic controllers' strike of the early 80's.
The widow should sue the union for 1 Billion. Heck getting hot coffee spilt on you these days gets you millions.
On a side note . . . I can't confirm this (and it may be in the story if someone wants to register for the NY Post to read the entire article), but I thought I heard on the radio yesterday that the victim here is the son of New York Conservative Party chairman Mike Long.
NYC is a dump.
Pataki should still fire all those transit scum.
Actually it's the exact opposite in NYC... transit workers get good pay and benefits, are nearly impossible to fire, and are reasonably safe, considering that they're surrounded by bombproof plexiglass in most places that they're exposed to the public. And it's not as if they are particularly good workers, or even care at all about the folks riding the subways.
I submit that nowhere on this planet earth is $65,000 a year "scandalously underpaid". If you think that, I can't help you - you need some perspective.
The union is demanding 24% across the board raise over three years - nealry 8% a year. It's outrageous.
The city, which is already going bankrupt, is asking for the employees to contribute just 1% of their salary towards defraying increasing health care costs, which is a small fraction of the yealy increase. The city is also proposing slightly reducing the lavish pension benefits ONLY FOR NEW WORKERS.
Of course, the TWA's pensions are not the only things that are 'lavish'. The TWA has greased the palms of most prominent NY democrats - which explains their resounding silence on this outrage.
I read this headline expecting to read a story about the number of people who have died because their ambulance was stuck in the horrendous traffic. Surely, in a city the size of NY, this has happened dozens of times already. But NO - it's about how a person is almost dead because and evil BROKERAGE firm hired a private bus in subverting the strike.
Outrageous.
-R
TROLL or simply dense?
> I don't care if they are overworked, and treated like do-do.
Nobody deserves to be treated like do-do. If your attitude reflects the common attitude in NYC, then it is offensive and it is no blimmin' wonder why they are on strike: NYC would collectively deserve a strike, and I hope it goes on until NYC learns to treat its hard workers with Respect.
Hard work is what Conservatism is all about: until we learn and appreciate its value, we will be doomed to learn what walking to work is all about.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.