Transit Workers Poised For Healthy Raises
In a story that will be sure to piss off the anti-union & anti-blue collar workers that keep the MTA running, transit workers are poised for healthy raises as part of a new contract. The raises which come out to 4% annually would increase costs for the MTA by approximately $400 million. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this exclusive report:
Transit workers appear poised to win a generous contract with healthy 4% annual raises and lower health care contributions that could blow a huge hole in the MTA’s finances, sources tell the Daily News.
Despite recent fare hikes and the punishing recession, transit union officials argued that they deserve a 12% hike over three years, partly because city employees have received similar increases.
A three-man arbitration panel is expected to announce the terms of the new contract for bus and subway workers as early as Monday or Tuesday. The expected annual raises of about 4%, 4% and 3.5% would increase Metropolitan Transportation Authority costs by more than $400 million.
Transit workers and management had reached the framework of a deal in face-to-face talks last year, but the contract wound up going to arbitration in January after Mayor Bloomberg raised behind-the-scenes objections.
Both the MTA and the transit union agreed to abide by the panel’s decision, and workers are not expected to repeat their illegal strike of 2005.
Click here for the complete report.
I am exhausted at the moment so I will have to address this some more later. I expect to see a lot of people speak out against this as many feel that the typical MTA worker is lazy & overpaid. While those with a clue know that this is not the case, the niche that believe in such idiocy clearly exists & will be out in full force.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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[…] I blogged about the exclusive New York Daily News report which talked about transit workers being poised for healthy raises. The report was enough to spark a response from Mayor Bloomberg who yesterday afternoon, warned […]