What is the average pension pay out our members are receiving assuming modest OT and 30 year minimum service time? I’m not sure I’m doing the formula correctly to figure out that leg of the stool so to speak.
Today was a good day for the 5 MTA unions. They came close to their original asking percentage raises without surrendering work rules or selling out the unborn. All of the other unions will be helped greatly as they too deserve to be compensated with fare and reasonable wages.
With that being said I feel that the most important aspect of the union victory is how they went about getting there. The LIRR unions have great power because they have the ability to strike. I saw first hand what it was like as Long Island came to a stop. It wasn’t horrendous as many people most likely stayed home or changed when they traveled to avoid gridlock for the three days there were no trains. However, if the strike would have lasted even just a week longer the result would have been apocalyptic.
These unions, after requesting the PEB themselves, still lowered their original 6% ask to 4.5 after the MTA wouldn’t budge much at all. Nothing was stopping them to settle with that 4.5, they could have gave everyone the middle finger and said the strike doesn’t end till we get 6%.
These unions showed great patience and restraint. Striking was truly their last resort. These unions did not abuse the power they have. This is how collective bargaining should be done. All unions should have the same right to strike because as we see, the state unions continue to flounder. When done responsibly, the union way is the best way so that everybody wins.
The Budget is rarely on time but I don’t remember the last time it was over a month late (before cuomo?) Do we know if we are even close or is this going to be a long haul wait?