LIRR Union Negotiations/Newsday Editorial

Mr. Tool,

You are correct that the NY Congressional delegation is on the side of labor. However, all of them, with the exception of one, have a "D" after their name

In Washington, the majority of members have a "R" after their name and they are likely to view the PEB decision as a tool (no pun intended) of President Obama

Even though this is a local issue, it may have national significance. If there is a strike, Mr. Simon could be caught between a do-nothing Congress and some very angry commuters

I was trying to find out if New York State politicians contribute to their health and retirement plans.

I came across this article that has some interesting insights into retirement plans in NYS for public employees:

http://www.nyfiscalwatch.com/html/fwm_2005-07.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The odds of legislation being passed by both houses of Congress and signed by Obama are slim. Tommy boy went to DC and got laughed at. It won't be long until the public starts to scream about the MTA contingency plan. When Ten school buses (with no a/c or rest rooms) roll into Ronkonkoma for five thousand people things will get ugly. After a short period of time people can no longer stay home , they have to go to work. During the second week The Mets come home and need their parking lot back as they have three day games scheduled . How long can Cuomo hide? Will the DOT cancel overnight road work? Will Fidel De blasio cancel his vacation? The unions can last for a month with no problem can the MTA?

LongIslandTool wrote:The LIRR has killed between nine and 16 in-service employees in the past 25 years, depending on when death occurred. Its employee fatality rate is significantly higher than any railroad in the nation, according to a 2009 Railroad Retirement Board investigation.

The NYC Sanitation Department has killed ten in the past 12 years. (Best statistics available)

There are 7150 uniformed sanitation workers (NYCDS); about 1900 "hours of service" LIRR Operating Employees.

I have no idea how you relate this to the merit of cost of living raises. What's your point?

Heavy industry is dangerous work. But so is driving a gypsy cab. Are you saying a guy has to be in the path of death to warrant a fair wage, adjusted for the cost of living? Now I should call you names.

I am not sure where you get me linking path of death to a fair wage from nor how I related this to the merit of cost of living raises. Do you imply that by picking on sanitation workers you have some pre-determined notion that they belong at the "bottom of the totem pole" and have "less worth than us in society" so of course if they got "pay raises of 17% so should we?" It is faulty logic. It should be true for all jobs that the longer you are at it, you earn more (and not just living cost increases). You mentioned "fair" which by all means is a subjective term. The report already says that LIRR workers already enjoy some of the highest pay rates of the industry. Are you going to go down the line by heavy trade profession, pick a higher paid one and say it's only fair that all LIRR employees part of the union get paid that much "over six years"? Comparing professions this way is like comparing apples and oranges.

I am not siding with the MTA. It has its own share of imperfections. But it is not as if they have not budged. As far as I know, LIRR has negotiated far above its original proposal. I do not think someone will say "I will lose my house" with the new terms.

It will take 1 to 2 days of MASSIVE gridlock across the island,and the lack of inbound goods to the stores
to force Cuomo to cry uncle,due to the loss of tax $$ alone,along with the counties.
Most of the Owner/Operator Truck Drivers will avoid delivering on Long Island,fearing to spend days stuck in traffic,
The LIE(I-495)is bad enought on normal traffic days,the nightmare would be to spend 14 hours stuck or barely moving,
and there are no truck stops or rest areas to take required rest to boot.
This will HURT way too many people.
The garbage problem now will get real BAD(+RIPE),real fast.

The NYC/LI area is the most expensive place to live in the united states..even more expensive then Hawaii.
My Father, who is 94, Just sold his house in queens and moved to south Carolina to be near my Brother and his family.
He had an attached house In Bayside that needed work. A Korean Family showed up and offered him close to 600,000 as is with no inspection. Needless to say, its their house now.
Yes I made a good salary as a Conductor, but factor in how much NYC costs, and it can get tough getting by, especially putting kids through school.
I only had one Child, I cant imagine how some bigger families do it.
I have moved to Northern Illinois Near the wisconsin Border. Its only 75 miles to Chicago, and only 55 Miles to Milwaukee if I want to go to a ball game or someplace nice for dinner. At first I did not like it, but I've been here 5 years now and have grown to like it. Right now I rent, my plan is to get a condo in florida when im 65.... My rent here is 580 a month. This is a complex where I have my own Backyard, My own Patio, the Place has a fitness center and a year round indoor pool. I also have my own garage. This is 1/3 of what NY costs. I Am paying less in rent, than most LIRR Employees pay in property taxes, with no mortgage.
Yes NYC was my home, but I will never live there again because of the inflated costs. The only Thing I miss is the ocean, and of Course The Mets. But even then I can see them several times a year here, when they Play the Cubs, Brewers or Cardinals. As an example I just Got tickets to see the Mets-Brewers at Miller park, 12 rows behind the Mets Dugout.. tickets were 56 dollars each. Field Level Boxes. Try that in NY. I know I made it sound like its all about me, I did not intend that, my intent was to show how hard it is to live on a Conductors salary in NY, and its only getting worse. They deserve every penny they get.

What happens if there is a strike and on Monday --- and armageddon does not happen?

Now the pressure is on the unions

Due to the advances in technology, it is foolish to compare this strike to previous ones

Many folks, myself included will be working from home.

There probably is a large percentage of workers that live paycheck to paycheck. How long can they hold out before the mortgage payment is due, or their auto insurance payment is due?

Again, I have no dog in this hunt, except if there is a strike my 3 hour round-trip commute will now consist of a trip downstairs to my "man cave" and login to my firms computers

Excellent question, X. I suppose the reality will be somewhere in the middle between your thoughts and Backshop's.

As usual, the little guys will be crushed -- the luncheonettes, the dry cleaners, the truckers. Government doesn't care about them. As small independent businesses, they are now government's enemy. It's summer, so the first week will be enjoyed in vacation for those who can't tele-commute. Summer strikes have never been as effective as those in the winter and fall. One summer strike had members' cars breaking down on bridges to raise havoc because things were running so well.

The State is probably banking on what you mention, X. Cuomo's people figure that at least the first week won't be too bad.

There's an old railroad trial office expression that most employees are "two paychecks from homelessness". And yes, the pressure will be on the union from those who haven't any savings. A weak link here is the new City Administration, which I am told is in shambles. Virtually every Bloomberg professional has been ousted and replaced by a political hack with no experience. The City can quickly turn into a traffic mess.

Public support of LIRR labor? Support of unions? Six years of the Class Envy War in America has taken its toll. To say that LIRR represented workers have no public support would be an overstatement.

It will be interesting indeed.

Currently the NYC Mayor plans leave for his Italian vacation on Friday. "He is confident the city could manage a strike effectively". We will see

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/07/14/ ... ike-looms/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Additionally, it appears our President has taken early retirement and will only do fundraising for his last 918 days in office

Marge s wrote:During the second week The Mets come home and need their parking lot back as they have three day games scheduled.

That's least of problems. The games can be relocated to Philadelphia (Mets vs. Phillies that week), citing "civil disorder".

The coalition's latest letter.

http://www.goiam.org/images/articles/tc ... letter.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would have benefited the cause had Anthony let someone more literate proofread his grammar.

LI Tool,

I left college to go pursue a career with the railroad at nineteen years of age. Compared to today's average college term paper the syntax of that letter is probably scholarly, no?

The PR war is a distraction to the real negotiations taking place

Any real progress (if there is any) will happen late Saturday

Until then .... no reason to speculate what will happen

I'm pretty literate and the letter seemed reasonably well written to me.