news Laid off agents hand out postcards mocking MTA Chairman Jay Walder

[twty22]

The transit workers union is escalating its war on MTA Chairman Jay Walder's wealth Thursday by handing out fake vacation postcards from the south of France.

 

"Having a great time here in my summer getaway in St. Antonin Noble Val," reads the ersatz note to the city's commuters from Walder, who is relaxing at his villa in the Pyrenees.

 

The postcard's front depicts Walder frolicking in a suit on the beach at Cannes.

 

"Heard the weather's real hot and humid back in New York and that you're packed in like sardines on the trains and buses because of all the service cuts," it says.

 

"I'll be back in plenty of time to push through the fare hikes."

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/18/2010-08-18_union_asks__wheres_walder.html?r=news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fnews+%28News%29#ixzz0wymZjfYd

[NX Express]

Walder has been criticized for taking his $350,000 MTA salary and buying a $1.6 million upper West Side condo even as he cut 3,400 blue-collar jobs, scaled back service and promised fare hikes.

I agree, the salary of his is too high, it should be lowered.

 

However, did he take money directly out the MTA's budget to buy the $1.6 million condo? NO, so it's his business what he does with the money once he gets it.

The cuts and hikes are to offset MTA losses of about $900 million in expected revenues since the fall.

He should cut some managers too. That would save money much faster.:tup:

[Nova RTS 9147]

I agree, the salary of his is too high, it should be lowered.

 

However, did he take money directly out the MTA's budget to buy the $1.6 million condo? NO, so it's his business what he does with the money once he gets it.

 

He should cut some managers too. That would save money much faster.:tup:

 

How much do all of these cuts add up to? I've only seen the lost revenue figure go up ($800 million to $900 million), but nothing that has factored in all of these measures. Surely, you can't fire thousands of employees, cut service drastically and still manage to lose another $100 million.

[twty22]

I agree, the salary of his is too high, it should be lowered.

 

However, did he take money directly out the MTA's budget to buy the $1.6 million condo? NO, so it's his business what he does with the money once he gets it.

 

He should cut some managers too. That would save money much faster.:tup:

 

i agree with him buying the condo. i dont care what he does with his money. i just copy and pasted the story

[East New York]

If he was so concerned about us, he would take a voluntary pay cut like the CEO of Ford did. He worked for $1. Now Ford is in a position they have not been in since Henry Ford ran the company. I'm not going to go as far as bashing the guy because there are two sides to every story. But at the same time, he's not giving me any room to cheer for him either. I feel where they are coming from. At this point, all the riders, supporters and employees of the MTA feel left out of the loop. Do you think it ever occured to MTA Brass that people like us keep them running? I don't know how many hundreds of Unlimited Metrocards I have purchased over the years by choice! I'm quite sure I speak for many transit fans when I say that. If I was the CEO of MTA, I wouldn't be concerned about lining my pockets. I would be focused on my base, which are the employees, and the customers. It should be a state law in the future that the CEO needs to come through the rank and file, or at least have been an avid rider of the MTA system. I know you all will jump on me about this one, but you can't really blame Walder. He's a corporate big shot. He can't relate to any of us! It's not really his fault. It's the State of New York's fault for trying to run the MTA like a Wall Street firm! And we all see what happened to Wall Street! If Walder and I (and a few other users of this forum) sat down and had a meeting that lasted 8 hours a day for a week straight, he would know how to run the MTA! Unfortunately, that will likely NEVER happen, and he will remain clueless as to how to run the most unique company in the world. Sad, sad, sad.......

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Harry]

THEY AREN'T quite ready to say, "C'est la vie."

 

Less than a week after being laid off, former MTA station agents were in Times Square on Thursday, handing out phony French postcards mocking Chairman Jay Walder.

 

Transport Workers Union Local 100 members say they plan to pass out 10,000 cards in a bid to shame Walder, who is vacationing at his French country home, over service cuts and layoffs.

 

"Even with a job, I couldn't afford to vacation in France. How do you do that when you lay off 190 people on Friday the 13th?" said former station agent Sabrina Greenwood, 38, a single mom from Co-op City.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/20/2010-08-20_postcards_mocking_mta_boss_debut.html#ixzz0x9eJofQk

[Blatherskite]

THEY AREN'T quite ready to say, "C'est la vie."

 

Less than a week after being laid off, former MTA station agents were in Times Square on Thursday, handing out phony French postcards mocking Chairman Jay Walder.

 

Transport Workers Union Local 100 members say they plan to pass out 10,000 cards in a bid to shame Walder, who is vacationing at his French country home, over service cuts and layoffs.

 

"Even with a job, I couldn't afford to vacation in France. How do you do that when you lay off 190 people on Friday the 13th?" said former station agent Sabrina Greenwood, 38, a single mom from Co-op City.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/20/2010-08-20_postcards_mocking_mta_boss_debut.html#ixzz0x9eJofQk

 

 

 

I think this is going to backfire on the laid off station agents. The riding public is probably going to view it as childishness and sour grapes. Plus they don't want to be bothered by someone handing them postcards. All they really care about is their own jobs, since many not union employees don't like unions, whether it's out of jealousy or being fed whatever crap the New York Post tells them to think. Plus the president of the US and his wife do the same crap with vacationing while the country suffers, and it hasn't stopped them. The only difference is that the public can't vote Walder out like they can Obama. Oh and another thing. One looks like a plucked chicken, and the other is Obama.

[MattTrain]

I think this is going to backfire on the laid off station agents. The riding public is probably going to view it as childishness and sour grapes. Plus they don't want to be bothered by someone handing them postcards. All they really care about is their own jobs, since many not union employees don't like unions, whether it's out of jealousy or being fed whatever crap the New York Post tells them to think. Plus the president of the US and his wife do the same crap with vacationing while the country suffers, and it hasn't stopped them. The only difference is that the public can't vote Walder out like they can Obama. Oh and another thing. One looks like a plucked chicken, and the other is Obama.

 

They have a bad impression of station agents anyways, they wouldn't sympathize with them...

[Blatherskite]

They have a bad impression of station agents anyways, they wouldn't sympathize with them...

 

Exactly. Plus, someone might say "why are they here trying to bad mouth the head of their former employer and collecting unemployment, when they should be out looking for a job?"

[cdi919]

Exactly. Plus, someone might say "why are they here trying to bad mouth the head of their former employer and collecting unemployment, when they should be out looking for a job?"

 

maybe they should put all that time and effort into finding a new job like the rest of the general public.

[Blatherskite]

maybe they should put all that time and effort into finding a new job like the rest of the general public.

 

Some station have said they plan on living off the unemployment and not look for a job. That sounds like welfare, does it not?

[Blatherskite]

If he was so concerned about us, he would take a voluntary pay cut like the CEO of Ford did.

 

2 things. 1, he isn't concerned about us, and 2, he was not hired to turn a profit. He was hired to do exactly what he was doing. If you were hired to be the most hated man in New York state (well second most hated, after me of course!) would you do it for $1, or $350,000? Wouldn't you want top dollar to do a job (forget for a second of whether you would accept a job like that for any amount of money) that will make people want you dead, hate you, think you are the smelliest dog crap on the planet? The $350,000 is compensation to be Paterson's hitman.

 

I just realized something recently. All the whiners claiming the MTA is racist towards black workers in NYCT, and Walder is the racist behind it, you are aware a black man put him in that position right?

[Nova RTS 9147]

The service cuts saved a pittance from what was needed. him taking a pay cut, heck, him worrking for free, is like spiting into the harbor and expecting the water level to rise.

 

Okay, I get what you said, but I'm still confused as to how the agency managed to lose money while implementing massive cost cutting measures.

 

I just realized something recently. All the whiners claiming the MTA is racist towards black workers in NYCT, and Walder is the racist behind it, you are aware a black man put him in that position right?

 

I don't know (nor give a shit) if Walder is racist, but I should point out a few things.

 

1. Social views aren't used as hiring standards, and for good reason. You can be a liberal, conservative, socialist, misanthropic, racist, whatever and still manage to get a job, so as long as you don't make people too uncomfortable. No boss is going to ask if you support the 14th amendment in an interview, and no boss is going to ask you if you're a racist in an interview.

 

2. People do hide things about themselves. See: Eliot Spitzer. And if that's not enough, Tiger Woods

 

3. A racist being appointed by a black man has as much meaning as a black man being appointed by a black man.

[Blatherskite]

I don't know (nor give a shit) if Walder is racist, but I should point out a few things.

 

 

3. A racist being appointed by a black man has as much meaning as a black man being appointed by a black man.

 

The point I was getting at more so than anything else was that it's very unlikely the MTA's moves are racist, or race based since they have made cuts all over the place. The racist accusers have claimed, why NYCT Transit gets cut so much, but not LIRR and Metro North the "white" railroads, forgetting the fact that the other 2 railroads have much less staff and much less service than NYCT. These accusers seem to be forgetting that plenty of white people ride NYCT as well (I do recall that most of the riders I've seen on the now cut W where indeed caucazoids, so wait, maybe Walder is racist towards white people, or the Greeks and Italians that live in Astoria), and plenty of white people work for Transit, and also were laid off. It was pointed out that Walder was hired by a black man to call out the racist accusers' mass stupidity and their own racism more than anything else. Their racism accusation is a figment of their racist thinking's imagination. It's also to point out the childishness of blaming everyone else for their own problems and not blaming themselves first, or just stopping and realizing some crap is messed up and actually has nothing to do with race, it's just messed up. As I recall, Diana Jones Ritter is not a white woman, so what's the racist excuse for her being hired by Walder? Walder had some executive quota to fill or something, or a red herring to hide his alleged racism? Maybe all this has absolutely nothing to do with race.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/20/2010-08-20_postcards_mocking_mta_boss_debut.html

[Blatherskite]

Take a look at what some people have said online about the station agents and their postcards. I don't think their plan is working:

 

 

bwheep

9:09:25 AM

Aug 20, 2010

 

Where did the union get the money for the postcards? From Union dues! Where do dues come from? From salaries of union employees! Where do salaries come from? Rider fares and taxpayers! In actuality, these postcards were paid for using funds that originated from riders and taxpayers. Isn't that f**ked up?

 

Report Offensive Post.toeloop3

9:43:25 AM

Aug 20, 2010

 

To civil servants who keep thinking their "job is secure" - it's not. Go back to when Reagan laid off those Air Traffic Controllers in the early '80's - they were union. That should have sent a strong message about civil service job "security" and the true role of unions - they do nothing but take your $$. Right now NYS gov't.'s offering an Incentive to its' workers. If not enough people grab it, layoffs could be next.

 

Report Offensive Post.commonsense1971

9:49:44 AM

Aug 20, 2010

 

what are the quailificatons to be a station agent??? maybe the could be greeters at walmart.. no wait you have to be nice to do that job...

Report Offensive Post.ccb94

10:34:28 AM

Aug 20, 2010

 

Crooks!!!

 

Report Offensive Post.WMB-is-Back

11:10:06 AM

Aug 20, 2010

 

potobac,,,, can you afford to pay your bills if you get laid off??

 

Report Offensive Post.Pyrrhus

11:39:22 AM

Aug 20, 2010

 

toeloop3: what a selective memory! Reagan didn't lay off air traffic controllers, he FIRED them because they were on strike and refused to return. And so they re-named Washington's airport after him.

 

Report Offensive Post.Batsen

2:37:28 PM

Aug 20, 2010

 

Put the BLAME when it BELONGS, on Bumbucks and the MTA BOARD, who've been running the system INTO the GROUND for YEARS, not Walder who just got there! ... The $2 BILLION 34th St subway extension boondoggle is Bumbucks' pet project and the BOARD is STILL raking in the perks!

 

Report Offensive Post.elp2nd

2:53:43 PM

Aug 20, 2010

 

Now they want to gripe?? The dip*** union bosses otta be fired. Its a recession folks. EVERYBODY has to give a little to keep a lot. I had to take four weeks off WITHOUT pay amoung other cutbacks but it better than no pay at all. On top of that they wanna print postcards??? For what???..what a bunch of morons! Unions Suck

 

Report Offensive Post.RightNYer

4:18:00 PM

Aug 20, 2010

 

Hey agent001, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but government jobs don't bolster the economy, as the money to pay for them comes from the private sector which actually produces everything. You are a fool.

 

Report Offensive Post.yankee_fan15

[Zman]

The point I was getting at more so than anything else was that it's very unlikely the MTA's moves are racist, or race based since they have made cuts all over the place. The racist accusers have claimed, why NYCT Transit gets cut so much, but not LIRR and Metro North the "white" railroads, forgetting the fact that the other 2 railroads have much less staff and much less service than NYCT. These accusers seem to be forgetting that plenty of white people ride NYCT as well (I do recall that most of the riders I've seen on the now cut W where indeed caucazoids, so wait, maybe Walder is racist towards white people, or the Greeks and Italians that live in Astoria), and plenty of white poeple work for Transit, and also were laid off. If you look at the picture of the S/A shown with the postcard originally, that laid off station agent sure looked white to me (his name is Marty Goodman, link to the article with the picture below). It was pointed out that Walder was hired by a black man to call out the racist accusers' mass stupidity and their own racism more than anything else. Their racism accusation is a figment of their racist thinking's imagination. It's also to point out the childishness of blaming everyone else for their own problems and not blaming themselves first, or just stopping and realizing some crap is messed up and actually has nothing to do with race, it's just messed up. As I recall, Diana Jones Ritter is not a white woman, so what's the racist excuse for her being hired by Walder? Walder had some executive quota to fill or something, or a red herring to hide his alleged racism? Maybe all this has absolutely nothing to do with race.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/20/2010-08-20_postcards_mocking_mta_boss_debut.html

 

You're absolutely right. If there's one thing about "finance" people like Walder, it's not about race, nor creed, nor nationality, or anything like that. It's all about $$$ and cutting it wherever and whenever. All of these former CFO's are like that.

 

BTW, Marty Goodman was definitely not one of those who were laid off; he's a union activist with 20+ years as an agent.

[Blatherskite]

You're absolutely right. If there's one thing about "finance" people like Walder, it's not about race, nor creed, nor nationality, or anything like that. It's all about $$$ and cutting it wherever and whenever. All of these former CFO's are like that.

 

BTW, Marty Goodman was definitely not one of those who were laid off; he's a union activist with 20+ years as an agent.

 

Thanks for the correction on Marty Goodman. I did think it was a bit odd that he still had his uniform if he was indeed laid off. Also he looked a bit old to be a S/A for less than 5 years. He is a true union man then, for standing up and fighting for the union members that got laid off, not thinking, hey they lost their job, too bad, I still got mine.

[RTOMan]

You're absolutely right. If there's one thing about "finance" people like Walder, it's not about race, nor creed, nor nationality, or anything like that. It's all about $$$ and cutting it wherever and whenever. All of these former CFO's are like that.

 

 

Rich folk>>>>>>Working folk...

[SubwayGuy]

Rich folk>>>>>>Working folk...

 

Exactly when will people see?

[RTOMan]

Exactly when will people see?

 

That detective is the RIGHT question...

[rtype3995]

i have to laugh at some of the remarks in here.......

 

i dont think anyone wants to sit home and not work, but the reality is nyc has almost a 10% unemployment rate(and its probably higher)..........also who is going to hire a laid off transit worker? working for transit may have some perks, but when these guys go out there to look for work, they are at a servere disadvantage.....with the way transit workers are talked about, you think someone is going to run out and hire them over someone else?

now i do agree, the public has a very biased view of the clerks, and its unfortunate, because they do serve a purpose....case in point: the other day, a switch was out north of i believe times sq, forcing all trains n/b to go exp to 57th/7th........im on a N train, and you can see lots of people waiting there on the platform not knowing that NO train is stopping there........and there is NO clerk on that side for them to get that information(the clerk is on the downtown side)........now we do have some bad ones, because ive seen some of them in action, but for the most part they do serve a purpose and the public will regret not having a human presence in the station to help them.......

 

as for walder being bput in, im sure bloomberg had pattersons ear.because bloomberg and walder are related...........

[Olegkha]

....now we do have some bad ones, because ive seen some of them in action, .........

 

I have a station clerk who takes my bus every Friday from Geritsen Beach B31 to Kings Highway train station and enters the booth.

Dude is Middle age person and I am sure has lots of time in the booth.

 

The word Uniform does not really concern Him, but i am sure that is because no one will be checking up on him at night, but He has never sad Hi or Hello when he enters the bus, He just walks in and goes to sit down. Not even a courtesy smile.

[Blatherskite]

I have a station clerk who takes my bus every Friday from Geritsen Beach B31 to Kings Highway train station and enters the booth.

Dude is Middle age person and I am sure has lots of time in the booth.

 

The word Uniform does not really concern Him, but i am sure that is because no one will be checking up on him at night, but He has never sad Hi or Hello when he enters the bus, He just walks in and goes to sit down. Not even a courtesy smile.

 

I hope you make the ahole swipe his metrocard like those jackasses make other Transit employees do. You know, most of the public's bad perception of Transit workers is due to Station Agents. Really, how often do people interact with conductors, Train Operators, TSS's, line superintendents, dispatchers, tower operators, etc? A conductor has more interaction with the public than the other positions besides S/A's, but not as much as S/A's. I've never met anyone that had a bad Transit story about a rude ahole employee, that didn't include a Station Agent. They, for the most part won't be missed.

[Olegkha]

I hope you make the ahole swipe his metrocard like those jackasses make other Transit employees do. ....

 

No, He just has it hanging on his neck and He just passes by, like he owns the bus.