Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 08:21:41 -0800 (PST)
From: Cathy Green <dalek_cag at yahoo.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Odd events
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

--- "Mike B." <omni at omniphile.com> wrote:
What I've heard so far is that this was triggered by
management saying that new employees would have to
contribute 6% of their pay towards their pensions.
That's still a better deal than most workers in the
country have...I'm kicking in well over 8% toward
mine, and mine isn't even guaranteed like theirs is.
They have a much better deal as far as benefits go
than most of those in the city, so what are they
griping about?

------

I have to admit to not being particularly sympathetic
to the union on the pension and health plan issues.
When I worked for the NYC Law Department, the City
didn't contribute anything to my pension.  According
to one NY Daily News article, motormen and conductors
make on average between $54-68,000.  That's for a job
that requires a GED or high school diploma and a civil
service exam.  My attorney job with the law dept.
would have capped out at $68,000.  Of course, we
weren't union.  Lawyers at other city agencies made
slightly more money and were Teamsters.

And the TWU Local isn't just violating the Taylor Law,
the parent union did not authorize the strike and has
calle on workers to go back to work.

However, the MTA violated the Taylor Law by bring up
the pension issue.  Pensions for union employees
covered by the Taylor Law are not a collective
bargaining issue.  as I understand it, pensions can
only be altered by the legislature.

Cathy

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