New York Subway Strike
There's not much good to say about this strike, which could be a long one. But one good thing is that it will make us realize how great it is to have a safe and reliable 24 hour transit system that can take you anywhere in the vast city for $2. You don't miss it until you lose it.
The strikers are, I think, very unpopular, and its not just because people have been inconvenienced. Its that this strike is wrong. Their pay and benefits package --retirement at age 55 for Gods sake -- is better than most of their passengers get.
The subtext is that President Roger Toussaint has lost control of Local 100 of the Transit Workers Union. He's afraid to look weak before an influential militant faction.
This strike has not been sanctioned by the International TWU. The parent union knows that the strike will damage the union. The city too.
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The strikers are, I think, very unpopular, and its not just because people have been inconvenienced. Its that this strike is wrong. Their pay and benefits package --retirement at age 55 for Gods sake -- is better than most of their passengers get.
The subtext is that President Roger Toussaint has lost control of Local 100 of the Transit Workers Union. He's afraid to look weak before an influential militant faction.
This strike has not been sanctioned by the International TWU. The parent union knows that the strike will damage the union. The city too.
More comments next door on Bay Ridge Blog
