7 Million Displaced Riders

Today was one of those rare days where I feel happy to not be working in New York (yet?). Frankly, I cannot imagine being in the city without the buses and subways running. Ever since my mom would let me go to Mets games on my own, I would just get the 7 train at times square and sit for the half-hour ride on the Main Street, Flushing bound train. I remember taking the N or the R downtown to Ground Zero and Soho (to see my then girlfriend), I can take the 4,5,or 6 down the east side from my cousin's apartment. He said it took him 45 mins to walk less than 40 blocks today ... not bad considering the situation, but it just shouldn't have to be like that. For New Yorkers who always seem to persevere, whether it was 9/11 or even a Yankees loss to the Sox, not having the subways or buses to rely on is an inconvenince, and a large one at that, but more importantly, for the tourists of the city, who bring their money and spend it in New York, especially during the Christmas season, it is intolerable. Upwards of four hundred million dollars lost every day of a strike - unfathomable! I don't care that the TWU-100 will have to pay an extra 6 percent into their pension funds; I don't care that new employees will have to retire at 62 instead of 55; and I don't care that the significant yearly pay-raises aren't enough. Make it so, TWU. I hope your war chest empties quickly, and you see that what you are doing is a disservice not to the MTA, but to the people of the city of New York. Was this worth the shameful glances you will get from riders when this all ends, will it be worth being docked two (or three?) days pay for every one day on strike? Will it be worth it when the next time contract negotiations are at hand, that the MTA may, and frankly I hope they do, kick your ass at the bargainning table. It is already the case that you get paid more than the average teacher does, you get to retire at 55, sooner than most workers in any other industry. Now that a judge has declared your actions illegal and held the union in contempt, I hope that the million dollar per diem fine that will inevitable come out of your members' collective pockets will be worth it. I have a feeling that in the end, someone will come out of this mess with a little pie in the face and it sure as hell is not going to be Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, or the MTA -- it will be you, TWU management, shame on you.