A Stitch in Haste

For every new opening for a transit worker position, there are 30 applications.

Oppression...

I wonder which union represents the 29 people who were more than willing to work — for the going wage — and were turned away in favor of people who now claim to be "oppressed."

Some more facts:

--Transit workers pay exactly zero out of their paychecks for health care benefits. This would not change for existing workers — only new hires would, under the MTA's current offer, pay (an apparently unconscionable) 1% of their wages for health insurance.

Oppression...

--The average salary of a unionized New York City Transit employee is $48,000. The salary of a New York City police officer with five years experience is $44,100.

Oppression...

--Unlike the rest of the country, which is awakening (albeit slowly) to the realization that retirement should be pushed back to reflect both economic and life expectancy realities, the transit workers, who are already able to retire with full pension at age 55, now think that's somehow unfair and want to be able to retire at 50.

Oppression...

I wish I were that oppressed by my employer...

Michael Goodwin sums it up nicely:

That the transit union would strike over such minor changes reflects what one labor leader called "an ideology." It is the notion that every new contract must enhance wages and benefits and that no provision should be given up. At its extreme, it's an ideology that says an illegal strike today is justified because a worker hired tomorrow will get fewer benefits in 30 years.

While 29 willing applicants get turned away.

Oppression...