Strike!

Perhaps I jumped the gun here, though I don't think so.

I believe you are saying that the MTA can no longer afford paying pensions; that this is a trend in the US post-global-economy.

What I am saying is that the MTA has a vast surplus, which is between $1 billion and $3.5 billion, depending on which of their press releases you choose. The surplus is partly from paying less than standard wages to a workforce who considered the pension in lieu of better salaries.

Even if the pension cost is $20 million per year, this one year's surplus could fund the full pension costs of the MTA for a long, long time.

The MTA is exploiting the "I-can't-have-it-so-neither-should-they" class envy mentality here.

Among skilled workers, generous pensions are alive and well. I was recently offered a position in the private sector that would pay a nice pension after ten years' service.

Didn't mean to insult, call names, or otherwise pi$$ you off -- too close to Christmas for that.

Best regards,
Clemuel

Merry Holidays(?) Clem,
What I'm saying is that it is the rawest deal by management yet. Your right on about the MTA ability to pay and the class envy thing. What will happen is goverment pension will be the LAST to go, their laying the ground work now.
UA unloads theirs, AA, Delta, Continental...follow suit (look at how Southwest pays/401ks) or go under. GM the same, with Ford, Chrysler right behind. Like XMAS bonuses they'll become a thing of the past. This is due to the Global Economy, there is no longer a Corporate America. It's not a conspiracy or mantra, its like gravity, capitalism finding the most efficient way of doing business, and god help us all, maybe. I cling to the fact that things always seem to get better generation to generations (with occasional hic-cup).
The question then is, can the governments (Feds, State, & County) keep their's, like you said, there will be a lot of forces against them out there (please look at the pension part of the FED budget). The fact is that pensions ARE not being serviced properly, private or goverment, and they (along with medical) are and will be the #1 problem facing the bean counters of ours and the next generations. As long as there are trains to ride, we'll be all right....

i heard from one of the lirr motormen that they don't have a contract either. but everyone else on the lirr is settled. he told me some of the perks for motormen on the lirr and i think that they should be happy with what they have. he asked me to give him a resume if i wanted to work there but i have no interest in working for the lirr. i want to earn my pay and be real. personally i think that it is unfair for motormen to have all the perks and everyone else on the lirr to not have them as well. he even said that the engineer makes the same hourly rate as the conductor. i think that is crazy. the conductor is the captain of the ship, resonsible for everything and the last say in how anything is done. i can't believe why did the lirr ever agree to the perks for motormen in the first place? no wonder the lirr wants them back. nah, i'm happy right where i am and i can at least look at myself in the mirror and say i'm honest.

It's simple Shawn. Without the motorman, da motor don't go anywhere.

So an ENGINEER is a cheater on the LIRR? Also, what are the perks of being an ENGINEER? Finally, no ENGINEER would offer to help you out talking on about puffing on anything in the cab.