Walk Proudly: Support the Survival of the Middle Class
It's on, the NYC transit strike, Well, actually it was on yesterday when 50,000 Queens bus riders were inconvenienced -- but that doesn't count in the Manhattan-centric New York City (a separate topic which is food for another posting). The union refused billionaire Bloomberg's and the MTA's offer which would have screwed the new hires -- negotiating away benefits affecting pension and paid medical. Some may consider that little, but the middle class keeps giving back and doesn't make it up. It has to stop somewhere and the union is courageous in standing up for those yet to be hired and indeed for all of us in the middle and working class. So I will dress warmly and walk proudly across the Queensborough Bridge 3.3 miles into work. (My company's bus, near a parking lot in Astoria for the convenience of car drivers, is 3.6 miles aways from where I live AND I would have to be there by 7:30 AM. Fahgedaboutit!)
As I left the subway last night after working entirely too late, I wished the MTA workers, "Good luck!" As I write this I am listening to NBC's coverage, which is a little more fair and balanced than that of CBS to which I was listening as the strike was called early this morning. CBS broadcast the billionaire mayor's cleverly crafted comments and followed it with a very anti-union rant from some blonde bimbo news commentator, Marcia Kramer. I was furious and immediately called CBS to protest the unbalanced coverage, It is about the survival of the middle class, I told them. And it is. Yes, it is inconvenient but what benefits the transit employees will benefit all of us who have to work for a living.
Today, I plan to call 311 and Peter Kalikow's office in support of the union and the survival of the middle class. I urge you to join me in standing up in support of the union and the middle class: walk proudly and speak up loudly. (And I am amazed that NBC is making some inane comment about people being afraid they may not be able to get three more people to join them in their car for the necessary 4 person minimum to gain entrance into sacred Manhattan and their jobs. Come on -- stop and pick up some of us walkers!!) The day promises to be interesting.
posted by Kate Anne @ 9:43 AM
3 Comments:
The middle class is being ruined by this strike. The Union is taking a stand against having to pay for benefits, having to pay more into their pensions and they want the age to retire lowered? Come on. This is crazy.
I am at a job where I make less than most Union workers and luckily I get benefits - pension? What is that? My pension = what I can put in the bank! However, with the strike I can barely afford to make it into work yet alone put anything into the bank.
I think they Union needs to wake up. The reality of life now is that we have to help pay for our benefits. Maybe it is a good idea to have to stake in our lives. Maybe if we have to pay for part of the insurance and part of the coverage, we will start eating better and take better care of ourselves. But that is for another topic.
The reality of this situation is that the Union put themselves in a corner and are not negotiating in good faith any longer - even the liberal Brooklyn judge agreed with this, which is why the Union will go bankrupt because of the fines levied against them.
Again, this is only my opinion and I respect Kates very much!
James, my dear, when the unions lose ground, we all do. When Ronald Reagan became president, 16% of workers were in unions and the middle class was doing pretty well. Then he started the attack by warring on the Air Traffic Controllers (PATCO) and there have been subsequent assaults and union membership is down to 8% and the middle class has lost ground terribly. No, James, you'd be worse off without unions. Indeed, we already are seeing the results of weaker unions. It is fear of union organizing that causes corporations to give us better benefits. Listen to Thom Hartmann's shows of the last few days -- wow!
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