(no subject)

[camwyn]

Morning, folken. We're in day 2 of the transit strike here in New York City, and, y'know, I think I'm gonna live.

No, seriously, for all that the news is showing MONSTROUS SWARMS OF DISGRUNTLED PEOPLE pludging their way over the Brooklyn Bridge and the newspapers are frothing at the mouth and calling for the head of Toussaint, the head of the TWU, there are those of us here in the city who are not terribly put out by the strike. I mean, yeah, it's inconvenient for me- but the PATH workers aren't on strike, because PATH is run by the Port Authority, not the MTA. I get a train into midtown and get out at the 30th street exit (they won't let us near 34th for some reason). I walk to 47th. That's about it. Not that I wouldn't like a taxi ride but it's not as if I expect to get one. I've walked longer distances before on equally little notice and I need the exercise, so as long as I get up half an hour earlier than usual (which I did this morning), I'm good.

I know the rest of the city has worse to deal with and there are other people having much harder times, but I just wanted you to know that not everyone who works in New York is steaming with rage right now. (Although a little steam might not be a bad thing given the temperature outside, I'll take mine from standing in front of a vent.)

Comments

[illmantrim.livejournal.com]

Yay for living~!

I hope the rest of this mess is as easily survivable for you!

Also, Hi! First commentness from Illmantrim, from the Milli-place.

[dancing-moon.livejournal.com]

This is the first I've heard from it. Should read the paper more carefully

good to hear you're surviving and the other people... well, at least they are keeping their blood running

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

Word.

I was able to find a group of friendlies carpooling right to my neighborhood in brooklyn last night, and got a ride in with them today. Easy peasy, just had to get going a little earlier. Got a ride home set up already.

Way I hear it anyway, it's MTA who totally messed up the talks by calling for that increase of contributions to the pension from 2% to 6%. Hell, I'd strike over that. Arise, ye workers from your slumbers... If the rest of us stood up like that, a sight more of us would have health insurance.

[not-croaker.livejournal.com]

I heard that it was the unions demanding something like a 25% pay increase across the board.

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

Wages weren't so much the issue, though they did want wage increases to stay ahead of inflation (when wages fall behind inflation it amounts to a pay cut.) The more crucial issues were contributions to the pension fund and the retirement age for full pension qualification.

Since the pension contribution hike would have only saved the MTA something like 20 million, when the MTA is operating with a 1 Billion dollar SURPLUS, it was a really, really stupid provocation.

The transit workers are essential to the running of the city, their working conditions are crap. Our safety requires that they be competent: lower their benefits and wages and competent people will not look for careers there. I'd hate to have to ride the train knowing that the people running it couldn't get jobs anywhere else, you know?

I don't know the last time you took a good, hard look down a subway tunnel. Would you work there? I sure as hell wouldn't. But if I did, I'd want to get paid pretty darn well.

[avram]

The north end of the 33rd St Station station is just for entering, because of the much-larger-than-normal crowds.

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

Nifty icon. Loved Lain.

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

Telecommuting is a wonderful thing.