news Ax, buyouts loom for nearly 700 of MTA's white collar workforce at headquarters...

[Harry]

The MTA will lay off hundreds of administrative workers in the coming weeks as it struggles to close a budget gap without slashing service, the Daily News has learned.

 

Looking to eliminate about 700 slots, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority offered buyouts to white-collar workers at its Madison Ave. headquarters and other offices.

 

But fewer than 350 staffers, ranging from clerical workers to at least one senior vice president, signed up for the package.

 

The rest will be axed or reassigned, officials said.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/19/2010-05-19_ax_buyouts_loom_in_mta_budget_mess.html

[RTOMan]

The rest will be axed or reassigned, officials said.

 

Yeah sure.

[LRG]

Just fire 'em, oh the IRONY!!!

We have to pay them to leave. What is the world coming to???

 

Good riddance to the line general managers, one of them screwed up the car assignments for not one but TWO lines anyway.

[Urbanfortitude]

Buying out the suits while the people who actually do the work get dumped out on their asses. How fair.

[Blatherskite]

Buying out the suits while the people who actually do the work get dumped out on their asses. How fair.

 

It's cheaper to buy them out because that way they resign and are not eligible for unemployment. If they are fired or laid off, the MTA has to pay for part of their unemployment.

[MattTrain]

Erased/

[Blatherskite]

What has the world come to, sad that station agents didn't get paid after having to hand out their uniforms!

 

It's a reflection of American society. A plumber is worth less than a doctor because he is blue collar. A plumber does a lot for your health as a doctor does by making sure you have running water in your house, or else you would get sick. In New York you are judged by what you are, and not who you are. Doesn't matter if you are the nicest person in the world. Like when you watch the news, an accountant is stabbed in Queens. If he was not stabbed because he is an accountant, then why tell us he is an accountant? Is it so we can measure how much sympathy to steer his way, so we don't waste it on a trash man who was stabbed? Stupid society. That's why this country is dying. Josip Tito knew how to run a country. The republicans and democrats need to be put in prison for raping this country. Don't know who Josip Tito is? Look it up.

[Olegkha]

It's a reflection of American society. A plumber is worth less than a doctor because he is blue collar. A plumber does a lot for your health as a doctor does by making sure you have running water in your house, or else you would get sick. In New York you are judged by what you are, and not who you are. Doesn't matter if you are the nicest person in the world. Like when you watch the news, an accountant is stabbed in Queens. If he was not stabbed because he is an accountant, then why tell us he is an accountant? Is it so we can measure how much sympathy to steer his way, so we don't waste it on a trash man who was stabbed? Stupid society. That's why this country is dying. Josip Tito knew how to run a country. The republicans and democrats need to be put in prison for raping this country. Don't know who Josip Tito is? Look it up.

UA

 

I agree with most of what you sad, but comparing plumber to doctor??? cmone , yes both of them take care of us, but plumber did not go to school for 1000 years to learn the art of medicine. Heck, you can learn to be a plumber just by observing some one for short time. Would you go to the doctor who learned open heart surgery just by observing ?

[Blatherskite]

I agree with most of what you sad, but comparing plumber to doctor??? cmone , yes both of them take care of us, but plumber did not go to school for 1000 years to learn the art of medicine. Heck, you can learn to be a plumber just by observing some one for short time. Would you go to the doctor who learned open heart surgery just by observing ?

 

"Would you go to the doctor who learned open heart surgery just by observing ?"

Isn't that what medical students do? Isn't that how most professions are learned? Observe then practice?

 

 

When your sewer backs up and the stench is making you nauseous because feces is flooding into your basement, a plumber is very valuable. In fact more than a doctor at that moment. They both have pretty high value in an emergency depending on the emergency.

 

Some doctors I have come across, I honestly would feel safer with a plumber doing the same thing. You're falling for the same thing. Just because someone is a doctor does not mean they are automatically more valuable as a person. They could be the biggest dumbf*ck on the planet, but are great at taking tests.

 

 

Listen to the Lyrics of the song working class hero. It basically has my thoughts written out about this country. Great song for being angry and uniting to revolt against this oligarchy (if you think this country is a democracy, you've come to the wrong place baby) that is The United States.

[Nova RTS 9147]

It's cheaper to buy them out because that way they resign and are not eligible for unemployment. If they are fired or laid off, the MTA has to pay for part of their unemployment.

 

So? Fire them. The saw no problem with telling station agents and bus drivers to go **** themselves, why not these white collar a**holes?

 

And I like the Josip Tito reference.

[Igor Gaysinsky]

agree about the white collar workers part

[Blatherskite]

So? Fire them. The saw no problem with telling station agents and bus drivers to go **** themselves, why not these white collar a**holes?

 

And I like the Josip Tito reference.

 

It's like I said. They work in an office and have clean white collars which is human to the MTA, everyone else gets dirty like the pigs on a farm so they get discarded when they aren't needed. That's really the only reason they get bought out, and given respect, unless I am overlooking something else.

 

 

It was actually 30 years ago recently that Tito died. With him died Yugoslavia. He was probably the only dictator that actually led, insted of controlling for the most part. This country needs a government that thinks like that. Stop trying to control people and they will do what you want them to do.

[BT704]

SOCIALISMS GREAT UNTIL YOU RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES MONEY. THIS COUNTRIES SYSTEM HAS WORKED FOR 233 YRS. IT HAS ITS UPS, ITS DOWNS. OLD SAYING IS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE.

[BroadwayBuffer]

So? Fire them. The saw no problem with telling station agents and bus drivers to go **** themselves, why not these white collar a**holes?

 

 

It says fewer than 350 were offered the severance package. That's still another 350 or more that are being axed just like the S/As. Just because you work in an office to you is automatically < a station booth? Both have their roles and in both cases it's ordinary people losing their jobs. I'm sure many clerical workers are making near the same range as the S/As despite the "collar".

[Blatherskite]

SOCIALISMS GREAT UNTIL YOU RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES MONEY. THIS COUNTRIES SYSTEM HAS WORKED FOR 233 YRS. IT HAS ITS UPS, ITS DOWNS. OLD SAYING IS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE.

 

You really think this countr's system has worked for 233 years? So the lynchings in the south that went unpunished were part of the working scheme? Women having no rights really until the past 40 years or so was this country's system working? Humans being seen as property and not as humans is the country's system working? Setting up a system designed to make 90% of the population fail, while 10% is ridiculously rich is a system that's working? What color is the sky in your country?

 

Under Tito, everything was great for most people. Everyone could go to college and had medical coverage. When he died is when the place fell apart and the 4 wars happened. Now the place is broken up republics turned into small 3rd world countries.

 

I don't know what I've got until it's gone you say? Buddy, I miss the United States. It's been gone for about 30 years now. This is the United States INC. In the USAINC. Any workers that cause trouble are replaced by 10,000 cheaper immigrants thanks to the Corprations involved. Any laws passed to help people are given numerous loopholes to keep from being enforced. A country that allows lawyers to become politicians so that they can manipulate the law is not a country, it's a criminal's den. Would you put a snake in charge of the antidote for its venom? That's pretty much what you're doing when you put a narcissistic lawyer in charge of the law. Yes This country's system has been doing quite fine the past 233 years.

[BT704]

Buddy, lol. the sky is blue in my country, seems to be gray in yours. regardless of why socialism failed it always fails.tito or no tito always. here you, yes you control your outcome in life, take responsibility for yourself don't rely on someone to do it for you.

[Blatherskite]

you control your outcome in life, take responsibility for yourself don't rely on someone to do it for you.

 

That's easy to say from your keyboard. Have you left your house at all? Have you seen the tax increase on your property if you own any? Have you seen the increase in other taxes, tolls, utilities, food, fares, but income has not gone up? When Bloomberg came in he added a bunch of parking restrictions so you are basically forced to break the law while at the same time he doubled and tripled the fines? I'm sure you haven't. If you own a house and have tenants, you have to go through all the garbage or risk multiple tickets, then you have to watch the bottle collectors like a hawk so they don't leave a mess and cause you yet another ticket. It's a little tough to do things on your own when the thieves destroying this country have their hands in your pockets, and continuosly keep ripping you off. The sky is not blue in your country unless you are on narcotics.

[Rutgers Tube]

You really think this countr's system has worked for 233 years? So the lynchings in the south that went unpunished were part of the working scheme? Women having no rights really until the past 40 years or so was this country's system working? Humans being seen as property and not as humans is the country's system working? Setting up a system designed to make 90% of the population fail, while 10% is ridiculously rich is a system that's working? What color is the sky in your country?

 

Under Tito, everything was great for most people. Everyone could go to college and had medical coverage. When he died is when the place fell apart and the 4 wars happened. Now the place is broken up republics turned into small 3rd world countries.

 

I don't know what I've got until it's gone you say? Buddy, I miss the United States. It's been gone for about 30 years now. This is the United States INC. In the USAINC. Any workers that cause trouble are replaced by 10,000 cheaper immigrants thanks to the Corprations involved. Any laws passed to help people are given numerous loopholes to keep from being enforced. A country that allows lawyers to become politicians so that they can manipulate the law is not a country, it's a criminal's den. Would you put a snake in charge of the antidote for its venom? That's pretty much what you're doing when you put a narcissistic lawyer in charge of the law. Yes This country's system has been doing quite fine the past 233 years.

 

That's easy to say from your keyboard. Have you left your house at all? Have you seen the tax increase on your property if you own any? Have you seen the increase in other taxes, tolls, utilities, food, fares, but income has not gone up? When Bloomberg came in he added a bunch of parking restrictions so you are basically forced to break the law while at the same time he doubled and tripled the fines? I'm sure you haven't. If you own a house and have tenants, you have to go through all the garbage or risk multiple tickets, then you have to watch the bottle collectors like a hawk so they don't leave a mess and cause you yet another ticket. It's a little tough to do things on your own when the thieves destroying this country have their hands in your pockets, and continuosly keep ripping you off. The sky is not blue in your country unless you are on narcotics.

 

Phrasier, I may not necessarily care for a lot of your posts, but I'll give you credit where credit is most certainly due. Those are some of the most accurate statements regarding our country that I've read in a while, and you're more on the money than people who haven't left their space under a rock, let alone their house, will never be able to understand or even acknowledge. At this point, it's almost better to have holes in your pockets so that everything falls out before it's all stolen by the long-armed smile-flashers who serve themselves under the guise of serving the people who entrust them with power and wealth.

 

I've been trying to see a blue sky lately, but I just can't afford the acid to hallucinate that gray skies are going to clear up.

[BT704]

Yes i own a home, you're just full of assumptions. Are the leave my keyboard comments insults? OUCH. You seem to be blaming the system when its the elected officials who are taxing and spending. Those socialist governments in greece, spain, and the like are just flurishing. speak to any average venezuelians lately? I have, my wife has family there. running water and electricity are golden. carry on.

[Nova RTS 9147]

It says fewer than 350 were offered the severance package. That's still another 350 or more that are being axed just like the S/As. Just because you work in an office to you is automatically < a station booth? Both have their roles and in both cases it's ordinary people losing their jobs. I'm sure many clerical workers are making near the same range as the S/As despite the "collar".

 

If they have the same roles then why offer one group a buyout and another group a pink slip? I understand that its not feasible to offer every bus operator and station agent a buyout, but why have a different standard for paper pushers? That's all I'm asking.

[Nova RTS 9147]

Those socialist governments in greece, spain, and the like are just flurishing. speak to any average venezuelians lately? I have, my wife has family there. running water and electricity are golden. carry on.

 

Greece, Spain and Venezuela all have running water and electricity. And our financial situation isn't any better than the aforementioned countries (sans Greece). We're one financial scandal/another war away from a depression.

[SubwayGuy]

Greece, Spain and Venezuela all have running water and electricity. And our financial situation isn't any better than the aforementioned countries (sans Greece). We're one financial scandal/another war away from a depression.

 

Not to mention if every American was to decide simultaneously to pay off the national debt in contributions (let's just pretend people), each of us - man, woman, child, senior citizen, handicapped, EVERYONE would owe more than $42,000.

 

Nevermind that most of that money is owed to China, who is increasingly aggressive with us because they know we have to cave in to their demands lest they demand repayment, so they are dictating policy, even though the newspaper refuses to make it sound like they are. Why do you think we've let them manipulate their currency so long so that their cheap shit continues to be imported to the US, causing consumer product illness, long term sickness, and death?

[Rutgers Tube]

Not to mention if every American was to decide simultaneously to pay off the national debt in contributions (let's just pretend people), each of us - man, woman, child, senior citizen, handicapped, EVERYONE would owe more than $42,000.

 

Nevermind that most of that money is owed to China, who is increasingly aggressive with us because they know we have to cave in to their demands lest they demand repayment, so they are dictating policy, even though the newspaper refuses to make it sound like they are. Why do you think we've let them manipulate their currency so long so that their cheap shit continues to be imported to the US, causing consumer product illness, long term sickness, and death?

 

"America is the Greatest Country in the World." I'm not sure from when or from where or from whom or how or why that statement came to fruition, but it's become the declaration of every single foreign market due to our dire dependence for imported goods and our need to continuously stimulate the global market in order to keep our own afloat. Both of those, in turn, lead to our bending over backwards to accomodate demands from abroad. The United States has become the largest bank doormat in the world, and our "financial whiz kids" on Capitol Hill have let every single foreign country wipe their muddy boots all over us before they walk into our vault and take what they want.

[Blatherskite]

Yes i own a home, you're just full of assumptions. Are the leave my keyboard comments insults? OUCH. You seem to be blaming the system when its the elected officials who are taxing and spending. Those socialist governments in greece, spain, and the like are just flurishing. speak to any average venezuelians lately? I have, my wife has family there. running water and electricity are golden. carry on.

 

 

 

Your response of Ouch sarcastically makes you sound 16 living off daddy's and mommy's paycheck. Most of your responses on this site to people making valid points have been juvenile like the way you spoke to primo a couple of weeks ago. Another keyboard tough guy.

 

Comparing yourself to paraplegic countries does not make you a pro athlete. The USA used to be an all pro athlete, now it's become lazy banking on former glory and expecting a victory parade. The point of the US was that it wasn't Greece, it wasn't Spain, it wasn't Venezuela. It was better. A lot better. Now it's mediocre. People like you are part of the reason this country is going down. Instead of actually looking at what's wrong, you sit under a rock and say, well compared to a 3rd world country it isn't all that bad here. And compared to Pluto, I guess Antarctica isn't all that cold. At one time in this country, both spouses didn't have to work, and one could take care of the children and have a functioning family while being able to save money without having to borrow any besides their mortgage. If they had an apartment, then they didn't have to borrow any money at all. Credit has ruined this country in the financial aspect (and everything else followed after).

 

The great depression happened because of credit. Once you start introducing credit, prices go up because people will buy more things, then all the businesses start raising their prices as a chain reaction to it since people don't have to pay right away. Why do you think the credit mess happened? It happened because of the system. Deregulation. It's not just Obama's fault. The fault lies in every president and congress since Carter. I vote every election, but most of my votes have been wasted because I usually voted for the other guy, so there isn't much I can do to fix things because unfortunately everyone is allowed to vote whether they know exactly what they are voting for or not. You don't vote for people with catchy phrases or because they were a POW, you vote for people who are going to fix the problem, and unfortunately most people in this country don't vote that way. The Great depression was extended because of government interference, just like today's problem has been extended because of it. There were a couple of depressions (they were originally called panics, Hoover called it a depression to make it seem not as terrifying as panic) but they only lasted a year because the US government didn't get involved and let capitalism take it's course. By allowing credit, then later deregulating, the government ruined everything.

 

It's the system, it's the voters, and the politicians that are all to blame. The politicians are in there because of the voters, and the system is a mess because of the politicians. It's one big cycle that you seem to not understand. This country sold its soul a long time ago, now we all are paying for previous generations' greed.

[Blatherskite]

Phrasier, I may not necessarily care for a lot of your posts, but I'll give you credit where credit is most certainly due. Those are some of the most accurate statements regarding our country that I've read in a while, and you're more on the money than people who haven't left their space under a rock, let alone their house, will never be able to understand or even acknowledge. At this point, it's almost better to have holes in your pockets so that everything falls out before the long-armed smile-flashers who serve themselves under the guise of serving the people who entrust them with power and wealth.

 

I've been trying to see a blue sky lately, but I just can't afford the acid to hallucinate that gray skies are going to clear up.

 

 

 

Holy crap. I never thought I'd see the day that you agree with me on something or think I wrote something that you approved of.