Let's share info on how the strike is affecting our commutes, eh?

Being that I have a broken leg, I've been having friends and family drive me to work so that I could avoid walking on crutches for any distance.

How does this effect me? One word - PAIN!

-Franky

My commute is about 15 miles. I was frozen all the way in. The only traffic I had was by the bk bridge. The cop didnt even bother talking to me. I hope the transit workers get fined alot for this.

Quick & painless due to the lack of auto traffic. Miho even rode on the back this morning! Miracles never cease.

Lots of bikes out today despite the cold. Bike night at the Ear should be a goody tonight...

You know that saying "we only get together during funarals & weddings" well, I'm adding one to it "transit strikes". I got to pick up friends a haven't seen in a while & made some new friends, picking up people on the way down Flatbush Ave. on my way to the bridge. I wish I could commute with the scoot but too many people our counting on me to drive.
Alan

Ps Don't go to the Ear, come with us on the !st annual X-Mas light something or another ride.

I made sure that I kept my scoot out of storage anticipating a strike so I think the daytime traffic will be the only real problem for me. I feel for the people and children that have to walk in the cold instead of riding in heated buses and subway cars.

Roger Toussaint should be ashamed of himself for calling for such action only days before Christmas. Dont let the TWU fool you, this is completely illegal and I personally can't wait for the judge to throw the book at them.

Though I stored the scoot for the winter a coupel weeks back, I didn't have too bad of a walk to work, only about 2 miles. Kinda chilly but nothing too bad. It was amazing to see how few cars there were on the roads. I totally wish I did have my scooter to take advantage of it.

I can only hope that Pataki calls out the National Guard and forces the union to get back to work, while at the same time levying millions of dollars of fines, and (major wishful thinking here) dispands the TWU's monopoly over NYC transit.

So much for heading downtown for last minute Christmas shopping....the internet it is.

Oh, believe me, I agree with you.

Yeah I feel no sympathy for the workers or the union. All they want is money. How about providing better service and then they will talk money. Roger Toussaint should be removed from power. He has done nothing to help this situation. All he wants is his way or no way. It doesn’t work like that. Watching the people cross the Brooklyn Bridge today for no reason broke my heart. Sorry for venting. I know a few people in the MTA and I seen how lazy they are. This is really pissing me off.

jason, not to mention that this is a shitty time of year to do this to people, not only is it fucking freezing, but it is the holiday season!

no problem with my commute, besides the cold.

They are all corrupt. Especially the MTA management who apparently have no clue how to run a company. We, the sole remaining super power have less than third world train service in this city. Mexico City has superior service. This is inexcusable. The F train during the summer was in a state of continious disrepair on weekends. Those who had to work on Saturdays where forced to pay for a cab.

Craps trains, crap health care system and we have the nerve to preach democracy to others. Give me a break!

There is no question that corruption runs rampant in unions but without them management would continue to run roughshod over their employees.

Being DJ has many advantages, one being that I work "vampire hours". The only reason I'm awake now is because my crazy father called to make fun of me -- "HA HA, I hope you got your good sneakers on -- I saw your nutty Mayor walking over some bridge!" He lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. And he's a jackass.

This whole scene stinks, and I'm hoping that things are working in rhythm when I have to go to a gig in Midtown tomorrow night. My scooter is down for the winter, so I'll be using a car service. Maybe I should get in line soon.

!*#&%()$)@&!*!! MTA, TWU, PATAKI, etc. This shit is costing over four hundred million a day!

Agreed that this whole thing stinks. It is a shite time to have a strike. Everybody loses...unless of course you have a scooter!

This city and our fantasic residents continue to amaze me.

While waiting on the corner of 32nd and 3rd, for a co-worker to pick me up in her car, I was offered rides by 3 random cars passing by and who stopped at the light. I was also asked if I needed a lift by 2 cabbies. Amazing acts of kindness. One cabbie even mouthed the words "Free, no charge." I say screw the TWU and their insane demands and cheers for New Yorkers who are much stronger than anticipated! Go Bloomberg make the bastards pay!

Granted I am in NJ...but I feel that every worker deserves to be fairly compensated (bennies count towards this)...that is unless they are making fake Gucci purses...then the simply deserve not to be beaten...

The MTA is squandering the budget surplus by giving this silly holiday commuter discount...people who ride public transpo do not need a 20 buck savings as it does not do much..(much like the 300 buck check that W sent to me a few years back)....that money should go for the health care concessions that te MTA wants....

oh well what do I know...I know that NJ transit was running this am...

but this is why orgainized labor is dangerous...I am sure that there are a lot of people that are pissed that they are not working today but they have to stand with the "brotherhood"

Fairly compensated?

Transit workers here make good money (avg. pay > $50K, more than NYC cops, firemen, teachers), pay almost nothing for benefits, and can retire with a pension at the tender age of 55. We should all have it so bad.

The MTA's final offer, which was rejected as "unacceptable" included a 3 percent raise in the first year, 4 percent in the second year and 3.5 percent in the third year of a new contract, dropped the earlier proposal to raise the retirement age for a full pension to 62 for new employees, but provided that all future transit workers pay 6 percent of their wages toward their pensions, up from 2 percent. Instead, the Union wants to get 18-24% raises over 3 years, to continue to pay virtually nothing for benefits and be able to retire with pensions at 50.

Having a billion $ surplus proves the MTA is full of it with respect to the fare increases, and they should have been rolled back. But just because there is money in the system doesn't mean the rank and file is entitled to it.

And it certainly doesn't justify an illegal strike which hurts many many New Yorkers, particularly those who make a lot less.

I was just going to post and ask why people are being so harsh against the Union. Yeah its a shitty time to strike, but they are loosing money too. And without a union, they would probably be making Walmart wages. BUT, I didnt realize they made so much. I cant see how their jobs require some special skill, like operating a back hoe or something. Im not familiar at all with union politics, having been self employed for allotta years. So, who decides what they want? and how much? Because I was watching the news and most of the workers didnt look to willing to go on strike. Kinnda like they were happy with what they were getting, and the union president was just Bord and decided they need more after just negotiating like a year ago I think? It sucks when greed gets to people. There are plenty of people out their that would love that wage and benefits. O well, Staten Island Rail and ferry services are their own system

Yeah, despite their grievances, and I'm sure some of them are justified, it is hard to feel bad for them when they punish the public for not getting what they want.

This is their blog by the way. Comments are running 90-10 against them.

http://twulocal100.blogspot.com/

Back to the original topic, I took the Manhattan Bridge, up 1st Ave to 55th, accross town to drop my wife off, down 7th Ave to Broadway, over to Centre St and the level of traffic felt like a Sunday afternoon... light. Skooterskirt was great, kept me warm. I'm very happy I have my scooter.

Shame on the union. They ought to have a conversation with the majority of the United States labor force that has no job security and no pension. Pension have been all but discontinued in every company in the United States because they caost companies too much money. So now, you and I, the taxpayers, get to pay a pension for a special class of people who think THEY are still entitled to it in city state and federal government. It is one thing to promise a firefighter or police officer who risks his or her life every day a pension and retirement, but it just does not make sense for people who operate trains.

This union should be BUSTED, as most unions should. If these people don't like the pay they get on their job, then they ought to go find a new job like I have to when I want more money than my employer offers.

The union has become nothing more than the protector for the lazy, shiftless, selfish worker.

If I were the MTA, I would inform the union that for every day they strike they will LOSE x amount of benefits. Lets see how long they strike then. After a week of striking maybe the MTA will double their surpplus!

drunknpirate said:


Here's your answer: