November 22, 2005
Transit Union Continues to Threaten Strike
Are there more chilling words than "subway workers on strike"? The Transit Workers Union is not above considering a strike for its bus and subway workers, because its negotiations with the MTA over a new contract have been moving slowly. The contract talks have been happening since October 14, with a number of issues to discuss (single-person operated trains, token both closings), but the latest thing to upset the MTA is how the MTA has essentially spent its $1 billion surplus before meeting with them. The discounted holiday fares and holiday unlimited Metrocards, for instance, cost the agency $50-100 million; the union calls this effort a way for the MTA to buy public good will, and Gothamist can hardly argue with that. Mayor Bloomberg is warning against a strike, reminding New Yorkers that a strike is against the law, no matter how much you might agree with the union. Mayor Mike: Stop talking and make the MTA and union settle this. This could be your holiday gift to us - and we've technically been good in your book since you were reelected!
And one MTA board member (a non-voting one, though) wants to offer free December 31 rides once again to encourage people not to use their cars on New Year's Eve.
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Of the $1 billion, $450 million is going to pay for the "free" pension benefit passed by the state legislature in 2000.
The TWU wants its members to be able to retire at age 50 after 20 years of work, being paid with health insurance to do nothing from then on. Meanwhile, most private sector employees don't even get defined benefit pensions anymore, and those that do might lose them. Younger generations won't be able to collect Social Security until age 67, if then.
If transit workers want more money to do good work, I'm sympathetic. Asking those less well off -- the majority of the riders -- to sacrifice so they can do less work, on the other hand, is pathetic. Those pension benefits can go up with there is a surplus, but they don't go down when there is a deficit.
It is naive to suggest that Bloomberg has the power to negotiate a contract with the union. As we saw the last time we went through this (four or five years ago?), the mayor's only tool is threatening legal action against the union. The MTA, aside from a few board members, does not answer to the mayor.
In a battle between the union and the MTA, it's hard to root for either side.
I agree. The surplus might have paid for their demands in the short term, but in the long term it will mean higher prices for the riders. The TWU is going to have a lot of trouble getting support from the public, especially if they cause insane amounts of chaos and damage to the city's economy by striking. Look at how much people hate the London Underground workers after their strike fiasco, there have even been songs about the public's disdain.
Free fares for Dec. 31 is good, but only halfway there. They need to also make Jan. 1 free - since everyone gets back on the subway after midnight - also I'm sure people would be willing to pay if they knew that more trains were running from 12-2 (3? 4?), since there'll be a lot of traffic then, and no one will want to wait.
Well remember the famous words of our Mayor during the last threat of a MTA strike, he told all New Yorkers to "Deal with it, Buy a Bike" and then held up an $800 dollar Mountain Bike.
After the awful 1966 transit strike, New York's Taylor Law was passed making it illegal for essential public employees to strike. There is a great book called "More Profile Than Courage" by Michael Marmo (published by SUNY Press) about the 1966 strike and TWU president Mike Quill. It almost reads like a work of fiction, since the real life events were so crazy.
As for current events, the threat of an illegal strike is just a bargaining tactic.
Unions should be outlawed. Organized crime, that's all they are. In addition to dictating all sorts of working conditions to companies, they even perpetuate their own power by demanding all or nothing. Companies with any unionized employees must hire only union members or face the wrath of the union. Nice racket if you can get it.