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The New York transit strike: A new stage in the class struggle
The World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Party salute the 34,000 transit workers of New York City, whose courage in the face of draconian threats has provided an inspiring example of determination and solidarity to the working class throughout the United States and, indeed, internationally. The strike by transit workers is an event of international significance. Defying massive fines and even the threat of jail, the strike represents a direct challenge to a super-rich Wall Street elite that is accustomed to imposing its economic interests and its will not only on New York City, but on the world.
In no other country is the existence of social class, not to mention class struggle, so vehemently denied as in the United States. But in no other country are the class divisions so deep. And nowhere else is class war practiced with a viciousness that equals that of the American ruling class. It has taken less than 24 hours for the strike of transit workers to expose before the eyes of the world the brutal reality of American society.
The strike exemplifies the unbridgeable class divisions in American society, in which a corrupt and reactionary financial oligarchy utilizes the most brutal methods to smash all resistance to its lust for profits and personal wealth. One has only to look at the cast of characters leading the assault on transit workers to get a sense of the real social issues at stake in this conflict.
First, there is Michael Bloomberg, who spent lavishly out of his vast personal fortune of more than $5 billion to buy the mayoralty. He had the effrontery to go before cameras Tuesday to denounce bus and subway workers as “selfish,” “thuggish,” “disgraceful” and “shameful.”
Second, there is real estate mogul Peter Kalikow, with a net worth of more than $1 billion, who is negotiating on behalf of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
Third, leading the anti-transit worker hate campaign of the gutter media is Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the New York Post and Fox News. His personal fortune is estimated to be approximately $8 billion.
These individuals pocket in one day more than even the highest paid transit worker takes home in a year.
These are the people demanding that transit workers—whose wages barely cover basic necessities in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world—sacrifice their wages, pensions and benefits in order to meet the interest payments to rich investors, who augment their fortunes by purchasing high-yield MTA bonds.
The Bloomberg administration and MTA have secured multiple injunctions against the transit workers. Under the provisions of New York state’s anti-labor Taylor Law, each individual worker faces fines of two day’s pay for every day on the picket line. The city, meanwhile, has convinced a judge to impose $1 million a day in fines against Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents the bus and subway workers.
More
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/dec2005/tran-d21.shtml
The strike exemplifies the unbridgeable class divisions in American society, in which a corrupt and reactionary financial oligarchy utilizes the most brutal methods to smash all resistance to its lust for profits and personal wealth. One has only to look at the cast of characters leading the assault on transit workers to get a sense of the real social issues at stake in this conflict.
First, there is Michael Bloomberg, who spent lavishly out of his vast personal fortune of more than $5 billion to buy the mayoralty. He had the effrontery to go before cameras Tuesday to denounce bus and subway workers as “selfish,” “thuggish,” “disgraceful” and “shameful.”
Second, there is real estate mogul Peter Kalikow, with a net worth of more than $1 billion, who is negotiating on behalf of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
Third, leading the anti-transit worker hate campaign of the gutter media is Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the New York Post and Fox News. His personal fortune is estimated to be approximately $8 billion.
These individuals pocket in one day more than even the highest paid transit worker takes home in a year.
These are the people demanding that transit workers—whose wages barely cover basic necessities in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world—sacrifice their wages, pensions and benefits in order to meet the interest payments to rich investors, who augment their fortunes by purchasing high-yield MTA bonds.
The Bloomberg administration and MTA have secured multiple injunctions against the transit workers. Under the provisions of New York state’s anti-labor Taylor Law, each individual worker faces fines of two day’s pay for every day on the picket line. The city, meanwhile, has convinced a judge to impose $1 million a day in fines against Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents the bus and subway workers.
More
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/dec2005/tran-d21.shtml
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You've got to be kidding!
Sure, Bloomberg and Kalikow are wealthy, but what about the tens of thousands of low-income workers who can't get to work or are making a small fraction of what they normally would because their customers are missing? More than 40% of the businesses along Eight Avenue were closed yesterday, and most of the hourly wager earners at those stores, delis and restaurants will never recoup those lost wages. Is that a “Socialist” goal? Waiters and waitresses across the city are losing income because their tables are empty. Garment workers cannot get to their factories. Health care workers cannot get to their patients. These people will never make up those lost earnings. So, while praising your allegedly valiant Proletarian Workers for standing up for their rights, you completely overlook the thousands, indeed millions, of people who are unable to work or earning less money because of the illegal MTA strike. I thought the Socialist Party was in favor of things that do the most good for the most workers – it is completely disingenuous to suggest that this strike is helping “the worker.” They are only seeking to enrich themselves.
Also, let's look at just what these allegedly beleaguered MTA workers make:
Subway operators earned an average of $62,438 a year, including overtime, under the previous three-year contract, the MTA said. Train conductors averaged $53,000, subway booth clerks $50,720, and bus drivers $62,551, the state agency said. The MTA wasn't able to provide the average amount of overtime those workers make.
And let’s look at this “unacceptable” contract offer:
The MTA offered a three-year contract with raises of 3 percent, 4 percent and 3.5 percent through 2008, Kelly said. The transit agency also agreed to retain the union's full pension eligibility age at 55, on condition new hires contribute 6 percent of their annual earnings for 10 years to help finance future pensions. The state agency also offered to give workers Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday.
So, do you really expect me to pity these overpaid, underskilled drones who drive buses and make change in token booths? Hell no! Jeeze, I could take over their jobs tomorrow – and would if given the chance. A well trained monkey could do the work. These valiant Workers make a helluva lot more money than I do and get much better benefits. These scumbag strikers have millions of people – many if not most of whom make less money and receive far less lavish benefits than they do – walking in the cold or functionally out of work for what? To protest raises of 3% to 4% to salaries that make them very solidly “middle class,” even in expensive/high income NYC? To protest what is one of the most lavish pension plans around? To protest having to pay 1% of their health care costs?
Frankly, these people are greedy, moneygrubbing slime who should be fired. I take delight in thinking of them being fined two days’ wages for every day they’re out and hope the courts impose the $25,000 fines the city is seeking. I also pray to the Goddess that their scumbag leader (who went against his national union’s recommendations) has a bologna sandwich for dinner tonight as he sits in a cage in the Tombs surrounded by thieves and junkies who are spitting phlegm on the floor at his feet.
If this is any indication of typical Socialist thinking it’s no surprise you have few supporters – your logic and allegiances are warped. What type of fools could support this strike by people making a minimum of $50k a year?
But, hey, it’s nice to know that you fools in San Francisco support a strike that is hurting millions of your allegedly fellow “workers.” I wonder how much you’d support a BART strike – hah!
A big, fat Bronx Cheer for your misplaced rhetoric.
Sure, Bloomberg and Kalikow are wealthy, but what about the tens of thousands of low-income workers who can't get to work or are making a small fraction of what they normally would because their customers are missing? More than 40% of the businesses along Eight Avenue were closed yesterday, and most of the hourly wager earners at those stores, delis and restaurants will never recoup those lost wages. Is that a “Socialist” goal? Waiters and waitresses across the city are losing income because their tables are empty. Garment workers cannot get to their factories. Health care workers cannot get to their patients. These people will never make up those lost earnings. So, while praising your allegedly valiant Proletarian Workers for standing up for their rights, you completely overlook the thousands, indeed millions, of people who are unable to work or earning less money because of the illegal MTA strike. I thought the Socialist Party was in favor of things that do the most good for the most workers – it is completely disingenuous to suggest that this strike is helping “the worker.” They are only seeking to enrich themselves.
Also, let's look at just what these allegedly beleaguered MTA workers make:
Subway operators earned an average of $62,438 a year, including overtime, under the previous three-year contract, the MTA said. Train conductors averaged $53,000, subway booth clerks $50,720, and bus drivers $62,551, the state agency said. The MTA wasn't able to provide the average amount of overtime those workers make.
And let’s look at this “unacceptable” contract offer:
The MTA offered a three-year contract with raises of 3 percent, 4 percent and 3.5 percent through 2008, Kelly said. The transit agency also agreed to retain the union's full pension eligibility age at 55, on condition new hires contribute 6 percent of their annual earnings for 10 years to help finance future pensions. The state agency also offered to give workers Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday.
So, do you really expect me to pity these overpaid, underskilled drones who drive buses and make change in token booths? Hell no! Jeeze, I could take over their jobs tomorrow – and would if given the chance. A well trained monkey could do the work. These valiant Workers make a helluva lot more money than I do and get much better benefits. These scumbag strikers have millions of people – many if not most of whom make less money and receive far less lavish benefits than they do – walking in the cold or functionally out of work for what? To protest raises of 3% to 4% to salaries that make them very solidly “middle class,” even in expensive/high income NYC? To protest what is one of the most lavish pension plans around? To protest having to pay 1% of their health care costs?
Frankly, these people are greedy, moneygrubbing slime who should be fired. I take delight in thinking of them being fined two days’ wages for every day they’re out and hope the courts impose the $25,000 fines the city is seeking. I also pray to the Goddess that their scumbag leader (who went against his national union’s recommendations) has a bologna sandwich for dinner tonight as he sits in a cage in the Tombs surrounded by thieves and junkies who are spitting phlegm on the floor at his feet.
If this is any indication of typical Socialist thinking it’s no surprise you have few supporters – your logic and allegiances are warped. What type of fools could support this strike by people making a minimum of $50k a year?
But, hey, it’s nice to know that you fools in San Francisco support a strike that is hurting millions of your allegedly fellow “workers.” I wonder how much you’d support a BART strike – hah!
A big, fat Bronx Cheer for your misplaced rhetoric.
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