Walder and Samuelsen meet to discuss options

[East New York]

After the strike Toussaint announced that MLK's birthday was now a Transit paid holiday and acted as if he had the ultimate triumph and the strike was worth it. There are not very many paid holidays at Transit. I think they are MLK day Memorial day Independence day Labor day Veterans day Thanksgiving and Christmas I think. Correct me if I am wrong people, or if I am missing any.

 

It should be a paid holiday everywhere in the country. But its more to it than just that. Its the issue at hand. Times are different now in so many ways. Rules have to be broken in order to keep the ship floating. No one is disagreeing with you on how things should be. But unfortunately its the way things are sometime. There are other TA's around the country that have b/o's who would love to make more than the $10! Where is their union? What have they done for them? All I am saying is its better than nothing. Some cities have nothing at all, and would love to have 2% of what the TWU and MTA offer. When times get better, I'm sure things will look up. Its not really selling them out, but selling them short.

[Blatherskite]

It should be a paid holiday everywhere in the country. But its more to it than just that. Its the issue at hand. Times are different now in so many ways. Rules have to be broken in order to keep the ship floating. No one is disagreeing with you on how things should be. But unfortunately its the way things are sometime. There are other TA's around the country that have b/o's who would love to make more than the $10! Where is their union? What have they done for them? All I am saying is its better than nothing. Some cities have nothing at all, and would love to have 2% of what the TWU and MTA offer. When times get better, I'm sure things will look up. Its not really selling them out, but selling them short.

 

Apples and oranges my friend. In most cities with maybe the exception of San Fransisco, New York is more expensive to live, and also more crowded, so the quality is much lower. If I didn't own my house, I would sell it and probably move to San Diego, Canada or Europe. This is not a city to raise a family in. I know, love it or leave it, but my investments have me stuck here for now and I will eventually leave it and let the crazies destroy each other.

 

I see that MLK thing as something about him and his race. And If that's the case, why isn't Easter a paid holiday, or Passover, or Ramazon, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Chinese New Year, etc to represent all transit workers backgrounds? There was only one reason he fought for that holiday, but why not others for other employees that are not like him? That is my point, he didn't look out for all the workers, or the entire union as a whole. He just looked at what was important to him, and that's how many Transit employees are acting right now. No better than Toussaint. That's why the ball is in the MTA's court and right now it appears to be a good shot they will win while everyone else loses severely.

 

 

Sorry I meant to say if I didn't own my house myself as the only owner.

[East New York]

Apples and oranges my friend. In most cities with maybe the exception of San Fransisco, New York is more expensive to live, and also more crowded, so the quality is much lower. If I didn't own my house, I would sell it and probably move to San Diego, Canada or Europe. This is not a city to raise a family in. I know, love it or leave it, but my investments have me stuck here for now and I will eventually leave it and let the crazies destroy each other.

 

I see that MLK thing as something about him and his race. And If that's the case, why isn't Easter a paid holiday, or Passover, or Ramazon, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Chinese New Year, etc to represent all transit workers backgrounds? There was only one reason he fought for that holiday, but why not others for other employees that are not like him? That is my point, he didn't look out for all the workers, or the entire union as a whole. He just looked at what was important to him, and that's how many Transit employees are acting right now. No better than Toussaint. That's why the ball is in the MTA's court and right now it appears to be a good shot they will win while everyone else loses severely.

 

I get where you are coming from, but the "MLK thing" is not about African-Americans at all! Its about equality. That day is designated for man kind of all races, nationalities, and ethnic backgrounds. Unless you live in another country, and are just visiting NYC, USA, that's YOUR holiday too my friend! If it were not for him and people like him all those other holidays would be totally irrelevant. The union would be worse than it is in some places as well! But I'm not teaching American History today, so I will get back on topic and say this. If you don't like what's going on protest! Its your right!

[Blatherskite]

I get where you are coming from, but the "MLK thing" is not about African-Americans at all! Its about equality. That day is designated for man kind of all races, nationalities, and ethnic backgrounds. Unless you live in another country, and are just visiting NYC, USA, that's YOUR holiday too my friend! If it were not for him and people like him all those other holidays would be totally irrelevant. The union would be worse than it is in some places as well! But I'm not teaching American History today, so I will get back on topic and say this. If you don't like what's going on protest! Its your right!

 

I am protesting. I'm trying to rile up all the other tranist workers here to unite. I also do it every where else. I tell people if you don't fight for what's right you deserve to have what's wrong.

 

Anyway. I honestly don't really celebrate any holidays. The only one I liked was Thanksgiving, and my father died 2 days before it when he died, so it lost it's value to me especially when it falls on his anniversary.

 

I'dlike to say a couple of more things about Toussaint and the race thing, but I'll leave things the way they are. This is about the current state of the union, not the past.

[Rutgers Tube]

Phrasier, the main issue I have with your posts in this thread is that you constantly refer to "all employees" and "all union members," but then follow that up with "future employees" and "future members."

 

Please choose one or the other, because they are not one in the same, and that fact is clearly evident when the sore topic of Tier 5 is raised, since it was developed and passed into law with regards to new employees in affected unions and titles hired AFTER the established date, that is future employees who are not yet working and not currently employed.

 

Here's an interesting article I dug up on how pensions are supposedly bleeding our country's financial system dry, and how our past has led to our present, both of which are now greatly influencing our future:

 

Crisis Ahead: $2 TRILLION Hole In Promised Pensions Threatens Financial Future Of States, Cities

 

(Thanks goes to Jonathan R. Laing and Barron's at online.barrons.com)

[Trainmaster5]

I was always told, and am still being told, that a union's responsibility is to it's current dues payers. I got this from my father, NYPD, father-in-law, UMW, 2 uncles, USPS, 1 uncle, UAW, and mom, UFT who are all retired now. Unions negotiate for current dues payers which also affects future retirees. Any benefits accrued are mainly for current dues payers, with retirees a very distant second. The "unborn" may choose to come aboard a job or not but the benefits were not bargained for, or won, with them in mind. As far as Tier 5 in the city or state workplace is concerned the unions will always choose to protect it's current people first over potential members. It's dues and financial well-being are derived from it's current members. It's job is to protect the jobs of those here today as any reduction in the workforce hits that union in the pocketbook. There has been a concerted effort in the last 30 years across this country to denigrate or break unions, manufacturing or (civil) service and today we find all city, state, and industrial financial problems being blamed on the unionized workforce. Maybe the unions and the "unborn" should be trying to find some common ground to fight this guantlet. There are many young people who are on civil service lists waiting to be called by transit or some other municipal jobs in the area who don't even realize that the powers-that-be want to remove these jobs from civil service completely. Tier 5 and the like are only the FIRST step. Instead of arguing about the TWU, transit, or some new subway or railcar or bus I think you'd better start organizing and voting to protect yourselves. This is for the current and the "unborn" out there. If I've gone on too long please forgive me. Just my 2 cents.

[RTOMan]

he also messed up the health care funds,back when the union used to run it.

 

Oh yeah BIG TIME screw up.

[Igor Gaysinsky]

well one person who demands something to happens can`t get it down u need more then one person to demand something and it`s done what i`m saying is if want sumthing let`s all team up and go after what we really want and maybe it will be done

[motorman2085]

If Mr. Walder has his way, he would eliminate all station agents, conductors and cleaners and perhaps contract out the work. All of us as TWU members also must put pressure and sense on our Union Leaders to focus on our members. When Walders was talking about Layoffs, our Union Leaders was protesting and focusing on saving student passes!! If the Union and our Union Members cannot protect the layoffs of 266 station agents, is there even a reason for having a Union or any Union Employees for that matter? I'm pretty sure they can try to implement a self sustaining transit system like the airtrain. Good luck trying to fight them then. The Budget excuse is bogus, for which if they so choose could find the funds elsewhere, (ie, raise fares, charge for maps, cut student fares, give more tickets to fare evaders, get more ads revenue, rent out more transit property, sell bonds to get more money until tax reveue improves, etc.). What I was piss at is our union was protesting against raising fares and eliminating student passes yet had allowed for the layoffs of 266 station agents to save MTA a measly $15millions. Raises and benefits can be negotiated, but for them to even think about layoffs, our Union and Union members should Strike for them to even think about it the next time. If we don't show our solidarity now in support of our members, is there anything to stop MTA from doing what they want later?

[Rapid Transit TO]

I've just gone thru this whole thread, and some good point are raised, and illustrated.. Everyone wants to defend this, push for that, sacrifice newborns, protect future worker embryos, ect, ect.. Protests, march, who? the elected officials followed by the homeless? Samuleson and a camera crew? Be real. Something that I did NOT read about, was turning your computer off, and getting your concerned @ss to a Union Meeting. The RTO meetings I've been to have been very informative, but a bit light on attendance.. Yes, family members ridicule me for 'wasting' 5-6 hours of my RDO, and I could have been fishing or something else, but I feel speading some union news on the job is worth it to me.. Get involved at any level, even if it is just going a few times a year..

Take out your pocket planner, pen in "Attend UNION meeting, 180 W.End" on the appropriate day, and make it happen..

[Messino]

From what I've read on these forums,posts coming from current employees...Sounds like the Transit Workers Union doesnt really do much but screw its workers over.. Its just another mafia run gang taking everyones money and giving nothing of much value in return... Like when the mafia goes to stores and collects "Protection Money" but doesnt do anything but somewhat protect you FROM THEM..