Strike? Or Not?

“Abuse of power. Extortion. A Union leader who refuses to compromise. It's winter. It's the holiday time. They are extorting the MTA, the city, and the people of the city.

I say F*CK the TWU of NYC!


”

“Yes you do.”

“I find it fascinating that, once again, a relatively civil, fact-based conversation has degraded into name calling by a Union Organizer, namely, our own Buddha Bear.

What is it about you BB that prevents you from engaging ion civil discourse? Why must someone who is philosophically opposed to you be labled be a MORON?

And why do you have to lower yourself to name-calling and debase the entire discussion?

Why can't you debate the issues?”

“i havent read the whole thread, but man the beginning has got me scared. libbies and connies in total agreement. its the 7th sign of the apocalypse, man!”

“"Why must someone who is philosophically opposed to you be labled be a MORON?"

as opposed to a sad, sorry dickwad?”

“CB, I thought that post was deleted, as in, "Gee, I shouldn't have posted that, that's not exactly what I intended to say?"

Was I wrong??? Did I not delete it???”

“youre only wrong if you get caught”

“I withdrew it because I thought better of it.

Sorry you can't see that CB, but I'm beginning to see that, perhaps, you have very limited capability.”

“withdrew it because I thought better of it."

you withdrew it because you didnt want people to see the real you, a hateful, spiteful boor”

“"....What is it about you BB that prevents you from engaging ion civil discourse? Why must someone who is philosophically opposed to you be labled be a MORON?....”
wanderer2
5:04:48 PM
12/15/05

Perhapes the MORON label fits the issuer rather than the intended receiver?
All the guy has is name calling.

I gave up on getting any kind of civil discussion from BB long ago.
After a series of unnecessary personal attacks, I put him on ignore.

My primary reason for reading and posting to TT is to find backpacking folks to hike with.
Jay has shown himself to be so disagreeable, nasty, and downright unstable, that I can not see myself ever hikeing with him again. That's saying a lot. I can get along with just about anyone on the trail.”

“i have to agree wholeheartedly, stovie. he seemed so nice when i met him in person, but boy does he get ugly online”

“If I may interrupt you guys, we're facing a situation here. Sorry if I don't want to take a back seat to your feelings about Jay. Right now, it's not looking real good. I hope that, in the event of a strike, that the TWU (and the MTA, because they are hardly innocent here, Twinks) can compromise to the point where they can, at least extend the talks beyond this deadline. Twinks is dead on about this affecting New Yorkers significantly and it being holiday season. Our teachers, firemen and police have all worked while negotiations have continued with the city and have come away with favorable contracts. Why can't these workers do the same?
last edited: 12/15/05 7:34:35 PM”

“Why can't these workers do the same?

Damned union people!”

“tree, does this affect the staten island ferry?”

“BTW, I am not overdramatizing when I say we have a serious situation here. I have examined just about all possibilities over the past few days and this is the best I came up wiith for getting to work.

Maple can get me to the Staten Island ferry. That's not a problem. The ferries will be on their usual schedules. That's good, too. Now, the kaka gets deep once I get to the ferry terminal in Manhattan by Battery Park. I have the choice of spending money (that I don't really have) to take a taxi ride, racking up the meter while I sit in endless traffic and getting to work whenever I arrive. Or, I can walk the 3 to 4 miles from the Battery to midtown east, where I work. It takes about 45 to 50 minutes from when I leave my house to get to the Battery. Then, I have to resort to one of the other alternatives, which should add one to two hours to the trip. Oy!”

“ok, so the ferry does run. thats what i was wondering about

and let me see if i get this straight: a guy posting on a backpacking site complaining about walking to work. at least its flat and there are no bears

;-)”

“Then again, I can use the one vacation day I have left for 2005 and take tomorrow off. That way, I have the weekend to let these nuts battle it out in the Grand Hyatt hotel and worry about it come Monday.

BTW, as far as the walk goes for tomorrow morning, we are looking at cold rain. Prime walking weather, eh?
last edited: 12/15/05 7:44:57 PM”

“Here's hoping it ends well, Treebeard---hopefully before it even starts. I can't imagine what it'll be like if it all shuts down, especially this time of year.”

“I thought about that, crash! However, think about spending that much time and energy to go to work. Then, work a full day. Then, do it again on the way home. Let me know how enticing the thought is, Buddy!”

“I really don't care one way or the other on the local NYC strike subject.

Looks to me like y'all in NYC are reaping what you have sown. Any other time you would be calling conservatives bad names for not supporting any Union strike elsewhere in the US.

I find it very odd, this instant reversal of principles.

Boycott WalMart but whip them Subway workers back in line!!!!!!!!
LOL”

“I tried public transportation once but it was too unreliable.

Good luck Treebeard.”

“Thanks, NC. I really don't want to see this an amount to anything. It could be a lot of lost energy, time and money for lots of parties involved. And, also----good for no one!


We'll probably also wind up with a fare hike, too!”

“Seriously, I think combining two evils, "public transporation" and "unions" is just asking for trouble. That is not a troll Treebeard, and I know you disagree and that doesn't help you right now, but it's my opinion. Seriously wishing you luck though.”

“The transit strike in Philadelphia went down the tubes when the strikers realized the public thought they already had a great deal.

Generally, when SEPTA goes on strike, traffic moves a lot more smoothly. That would not apply in NYC though.

What some people do not realize is that the general public is not made of money. Teachers want more, transit workers want more, municipal workers want more, state legislators want more, hospital workers want more, landlords want more, the utilities want more, and that money has to come from people who are lucky to get one percent raises.

We managed to get the Pennsylvania General Assembly to rescind a pay raise that would have made them the second highest legislature in the country (after California) after a popular judge went down to defeat at the polls. That was a warning shot that was hard not to pick up.”

“Thanks, Sarge.


Suck my dick, Stove.”

“tree, i think your idea of taking a vacation day is probably your best bet

or, put your running shoes on. youll be there in a half hour, tops”

“Oh, Stovie!!!!!


lololololololololololol”

“Geo, there was an article in the paper the other day about the Philly strike. It was interesting and sounds like it was well handled down there. There were also some folks on the tube before that were saying that the TWU is not going to sit very well tomorrow morning in the minds of the people that are trudging to work in the freezing rain. That's true.”

“DRUDGE HEADLINE:

NYC Transit Contract Standoff Intensifies”

“I don't have a good feeling about this one, Sarge. There are too many hot issues on the table. It's different than it was the last time they negotiated...”

“By SARA KUGLER
Associated Press Writer
Dec 15 8:29 PM US/Eastern

NEW YORK - With a midnight deadline looming, the city transit agency and its bus and subway workers struggled to reach a new contract Thursday and avert a strike against the nation's biggest transit system at the height of the Christmas rush. As of midafternoon, the two sides remained far apart, and leaders of both groups expressed frustration as the prospect of New York's first transit strike in more than 25 years seemed to grow.


ADVERTISEMENT

Transit workers are barred by state law from striking. The workers could lose two days' pay for every day on strike, and the city is seeking much larger damages against the union and its individual members.

New Yorkers were left wondering how they could manage without the system, which serves about 7 million riders a day. Many companies were encouraging employees to telecommute or work outside the city, and some were arranging buses and ferries for their workers.

"Hopefully it will work out," said Kyle Bazemore, 28, who lives in Brooklyn and takes the subway to his job at a clothing store in Manhattan. "A friend who works with me said I could stay at her apartment."

As the day wore on, Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Peter Kalikow suggested that an arbitrator might be the best person to help reach a deal _ a statement that infuriated the union.

Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, put the chances of reaching an agreement at "less than 50-50 at this point."

Gov. George Pataki urged the union to keep working with the MTA. "When it comes to a strike, I have three words: Don't do it," Pataki said.

The city would lose hundreds of millions of dollars a day in overtime and lost business and productivity in the event of a walkout, according to some estimates.

The city drew up a contingency plan that would require cars entering the busiest areas of Manhattan to carry at least four people at certain times. Taxis would be allowed to pick up multiple fares, and commuter rail lines would increase service.

The MTA and the union's 33,000 members were at odds on such issues as wages and pension contributions. The old contract was set to expire at midnight.

The MTA proposed 6 percent raises spread over 27 months. The union, contending workers should get a share of the MTA's $1 billion surplus, asked for an increase about four times that.

Train operators, station agents and cleaners earn between $47,000 and $55,000 a year before overtime.

The last transit strike was in 1980, when subways and buses sat motionless for 11 days. Tens of thousands of people rode bicycles, walked or embraced other modes of transportation, such as private helicopters and roller skates.

___

Associated Press writers Pat Milton in New York and Michael Gormley in Albany contributed to this report.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. (sHHHHHH!)”

“Geobeet, and the rest of y'all, sounds like those evil Repubs!
LOL”

“That's about the size of it right about now, Sarge!
last edited: 12/15/05 7:58:39 PM”

“I would not suggest smoking a joint at this point Treebeard to help calm your fears because I do not condone drugs use.”

“Hey Tree...we're in for an interesting time if those jerks strike. I know the MTA is no peach pie but I'm frankly getting pretty damned tired every couple of years having to worry about these folks striking. We are being held hostage by a bunch of 6th grade educated extortionists.

Oh a SS - I don't like Unions....so, if I had a dick, I'd tell you to suck it too...instead, suck Treebeards.

lol!”

“How you going to handle getting to work, Twinks?”

““I would not suggest smoking a joint at this point Treebeard to help calm your fears because I do not condone drugs use.”
Sarge


Ooooookay! Now, what brought that up?”

“You sounded tense and it made me think of weed.”

“Don't sweat it! I'll just mainline some heroin instead! :) j/k

Seriously, Yes! I'm concerned. But, you know what? I'm not losing sleep over something I can't do anything about. We're New Yorkers. Call us what you want (if you don't know a derogatory term for us, just ask the Mississippi boy), but we're resilient. We have been known to work around some pretty adverse circumstances. We'll be ok.
last edited: 12/15/05 8:05:29 PM”

“Mark Twinks off the Christmas list. LOL”

“I don't know, I guess it all depends on the details to me. If the workers are being shafted then they should retain the right to strike. I don't see why they should get screwed over because of the job the do. But if what they are asking for isn't fair, then they are out of line.

SS, - I say you should suck TB's dick too.”

“They had strikes in London a few times, it really screws things up.”

“They have some very valid points, Y2. They also get paid pretty well, too. They get good bennies and have to be total f-ups to get fired. They don't have it so bad. But, there are areas the MTA has to bend also. It's all about compromise and being reasonable. And, God forbid, taking the riders and the public int6o consideration!

Like I said before, they can also negotiate and continue working, so as not to cripple the city.


Just heard that the chances of compromise are less than 50-50. That was about 30 seconds ago...
last edited: 12/15/05 8:12:28 PM”

“But how long have the negotiations been going on here? I would imagine striking is the last option for them... though I could be wrong.”

“It's been going on for weeks, actually. The media hype gets louder and louder as the deadline approaches...

About midnight tonight, the union executive board will evaluate the MTA's offer and vote on whether to authorize a strike...
last edited: 12/15/05 8:14:40 PM”

“Do they have the right to view porn?”

“Nawwwwwwwwwww Y2.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Hypocrisy? Or Not?

You peeps are makeing Liberals cry all over the US. Shame, shame.

Trust the Union Label!

The nanosecond you are inconvenienced, you turn on the Union like rabid dogs.

I hear Bush, Karl Rove, and Tom Delay hate Unions like y'all do too.

LOL Think about it.”

“"Fear leads to Anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to suffering."”

“hush, stomper, before i send another hurricane mississippi way”

“Could this guy be more clueless? The thread was about a specific situation. Not a general indictment of unions! Not a forum to dump on Buddha Bear! Not a partisan issue! Now, stop trolling because I know you're not this stupid. Take your hatred for the northeast to a fuego thread already. You are not the nice guy you pretend to be. You can stop sucking now, BTW!”