hey if they're not satisfied with their existing high wages and benefits, feel free to go try and find an equivalent job somewhere else - and good luck with that. so what if we'd have to hire, as you put in such a racist manner - "mexicans" and "chinese" - why f-ing not?! you'd rather satisfy domestic greed and selfishness than employ the tons of other people, immigrants or not, who'd take these jobs eagerly?

I'm going to die when i get into Penn today. Hooray for two mile walks with hardcase luggage! Marathon!

David, the misquote is my fault; I was transcribing as best as I can and there was so much cross-talk on Road to City Hall that I must've mistyped. My apologies.

get a bike and ride to work.

The MTA and the City of NY are the ones that are screwing everyone!

Eyes wide open

Jen,

D'Amato said "I don't want to be ethnic" after he hesitated to use the phrase "young turks" to describe the faction of the TWU that was pro-strike. Carl McCall threw out the word militant as an alternative.

He might still be kind of an idiot, but at least you now have an accurate quote on which to base your opinion.

Way to contradict yourself, Anonymous. You're so busy being argumentative, you seem to have forgotten what side you're supposed to be on. We're not the ones saying the pay, benefits and security of those jobs is poor. We're saying they have too much pay, benefits and job security thanks to collective bargaining. Maybe that's why "lots of people apply" and why openings for TWU jobs don't appear often.

About the $55k figure people keep tossing around:

This is an *average* rate of pay across the *entire* union. The person who drives your bus every morning starts at about $16/hr, escalating to a whoppping $20/hr as the driver is only job for longer, and even that job requires a CDL and relevant experience. Bus maintenance workers get paid more, but you also need experience working as a mechanic, as you do for many of the other higher-paid jobs in the MTA. For those of you complaining that your job as wait-staff or graphic designer doesn't pay that much: your relevant skills are nil w/rt the MTA's high-value jobs, so discussion of how much they make comparatively is a non-starter.

Given the amount of job security TWU members have, It's not a bad job by any means, but to imagine the MTA workers as living off the fat of the land is just a farce. Further, imagining that people come with no skills to a job that pays $55k/yr just demonstrates a woeful misunderstanding of the situation.

Here's some food for thought: Openings/exams for these TWU jobs don't come about very often, lots of people apply, and a fairly small percentage of applicants are offered positions. If the jobs/pay/benefits/security of these jobs was so poor, would this be the case?

"But am pissed off at the MTA and the Mayor who by their sheer greed and "bring it on" bravado have brought this to us."

By their "sheer greed"? Do you really think the Mayor and the MTA Board get to keep whatever money they "save" in these contract negotiations? The MTA budget is paid from (a) transit fares and bridge/tunnel tolls, (b) sales tax, (c) property tax, and (d) income tax (city, state, and federal). All this money ultimately comes from us, the riders and taxpayers.

How the fuck do you expect to hire 33,000 replacement workers? Are you gonna quit your job and work around deadly electricity? Are you? Then stop COMPLAINING. Put up or shut up, buddy, and try to imagine a job where you don't sit around all day and stare out the window. And then, what makes you think the replacement workers aren't going to want enough money to live on? Do you want to go hire "Mexicans" or "Chinese" or something? Working people aren't as stupid as you think they are - they know when they're getting screwed.

yes all of TWU, especially Toussant who's clearly on some selfish power trip, should be thrown into jail PRONTO. NYC DOES NOT NEED THEM. everyone got along just fine today and we New Yorkers will find a way to get ourselves where we need one way or another, WITHOUT these thugs. I personally would rather walk everywhere and carpool forever then pay those already well-fed (55k per year, 55 retirement...hello!??!?) selfish bastards ONE MORE CENT. I say fire them all, fine them till they're broke and crawl back to MTA, and rehire better workers who (a) have better attitudes than 90% of the cranky workers (b) won't put 7m people and the city's economy at stake so they can demand some ridiculous benefits (c) they're totally replaceable anyways. I'm sure now that everyone knows how damn high their salary is and how damn good the benefits are there're TONS of better educated people who'd love to work at the MTA instead. We don't need these selfish fools!

Have you seen the TV commercials the TWU has been running on NY1 since a few short hours after the strike began? Interesting that the TWU said it didn't want a strike, yet decided to go to the trouble and expense of making commercials (there are 2) and purchasing commercial airtime. Both of these acts would need to have been done well in advance. Both also would have been a complete waste of funds had there been no strike. These people are nothing but lying thugs.

the YANKEES JUST GOT JOHNNY DAMON. FINALLY WE get a leadoff hitter.

Have you seen the TV commercials the TWU has been running on NY1 since a few short hours after the strike began? Interesting that the TWU said it didn't want a strike, yet decided to go to the trouble and expense of making commercials (there are 2) and purchasing commercial airtime. Both of these acts would need to have been done in advance. Both also would have been a complete waste of funds had there been no strike.

So the TWU didn't want a strike, huh? Ticket to the clue train: they're lying to us about that. Start throwing them in jail NOW.

Have you seen the TV commercials the TWU has been running on NY1 since a few short hours after the strike began? Interesting that the TWU said it didn't want a strike, yet decided to go to the trouble and expense of making commercials (there are 2) and purchasing commercial airtime. Both of these acts would need to have been done in advance. Both also would have been a complete waste of funds had there been no strike.

So the TWU didn't want a strike, huh? Ticket to the clue train: they're lying to us about that. Start throwing them in jail NOW.

Aw come on!!!

The fault of this thing is entirely the governments and the MTA. I am SURE the MTA workers wouldn't risk the millions upon millions in fines that they face if it weren't really worth it...

This idea that somehow this are two side of the same coin simply doesn't have any logic to me...

And yes am pissed off at my 6 hour round trip commute from Brooklyn.

But am pissed off at the MTA and the Mayor who by their sheer greed and "bring it on" bravado have brought this to us. If I where an MTA employee, I would have gone on strike too!

So, um... what happens to my special 40-day unlimited MTA card? Will I get those days back? Curse you MTATWU, curse you...

The MTA is extending any 'Happy Holidays' bonuses for each day of the strike, so you do not lose any value on the cards.

Just bought new insoles for my five mile hike from downtown Manhattan to Red Hook. Thanks to the "selfish thugs" at the TWU, I will probably be let go and not make a dime and have to walk back again. Merry Whatever.

Some strike pix here!

In regards to the metrocards question, the MTA will extend all unlimited and unlimited bonus cards for every day that there is a strike. So as you can see, the MTA somewhat cares for its riders.

In fact we, the riders have more at stake than you think. The MTA simply cannot give in to the unreasonable 24% raise the union wants. Yes they have a billion dollar surplus, but they have other things to pay for other than transportation workers. Any further increase in the current offer will legitimately put the MTA in deficit in the coming years and force a fare raise.

So if youre still supporting the union so they get their 24% instead of a reasonable 10.5%, the next time your unlimited metrocard increases to $120/month and one way fares become $4, blame the TWU and not the MTA. The union says they are doing it for the people? Ye right

Here's a question: What happens with 30-day (or 34-day) Metrocards? Will the MTA extend their expiration to compensate for the strike, or will they expire on schedule?