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> 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...

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.

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

That's not bad pay for a low skill job. And then on top of that pay is substantial benefits worth probably 20% more.

With two people working in the family that's bringing in $100k plus a year. That will buy you a home with a mortgage in most places.

And last but not least, I suspect the cost of living here is substantially lower mostly due to lower taxes. If that family has children and a mortgage they likely pay less than 20% in income taxes. Food and other necessities are mostly inexpensive here.

So, doing the maths, that's about $85K NZ max -- not much to live on, in a city like New York.

BS Tell that to all the kitchen help, Bell hops, maids and cleaning crews and they will laugh their butts off!