BART Strike Thread

[zrex]

Thanks!



Why jump my shit, Gabe? I'm as entitled to my opinion as you are yours. Having a Human Resources background, I'm aware of what the labor laws are. The laws are in place to protect the workers. FYI- I've managed to make a living WITHOUT a union carrying my ass- because I WENT TO COLLEGE (paid for it myself, BTW), got an education, got JOB SKILLS. I made an effort to get an education and acquire job skills- and I've done it without ever having a union's protection.
Personally, I think it's ludicrous to pay anyone doing such unskilled labor the types of salaries the BART employees are getting. Hey- let's reward lack of education, and support professional lethargy.





Yeah- and I guarantee you every one of those guys busted his ass to get a college education. They EARNED those salaries. Wish I were that smart.

//Rant on//

You got a college education!

Whoop De Freakin' Doo!!

Lets give a big round of applause!

Want a cookie!

Not everyone is college material.

Some of us work something called jobs! Not careers.

Why is it that workers like me in a Union get portrayed as fomenting class warfare when we ask for a little more, (like affordable healthcare)
when theres people walking around with attitudes like yours.

Jiminy Cricketts lady!!

AS a member and former Union Shop stewart, I would have to say the timing of this strike is not very good.

When many are hurting, it's not a good time to strike unless your just trying to keep what you have.

Someone else mentioned, that there's been no mention in the news over WHY they are going to strike?
And he is right, buts that's the media for ya!

We need some more facts about this.

But with the attitude represented by the "Educated Elite" shown here,

I think I'll support it.

If only to piss off and inconvenience the "educated elite" around here.

//Rant off//

 

[zrex]

Calling you on what I see is BS is not jumping in your shit specifically, and I would say yu started it by dumping your OT opinion into this thread. When I see BS I call BS. We can get together over a burger at the Junction and I'll lay out my case for the class struggle, and why we need to make ashtrays out of the skulls of everybody making over $250k a year.

I'm with Gabe!!


Rise of the Proletariat!!

(hope I spelled that right)

 

[zrex]

Calling out my name specifically & blaming me for your rant is jumping my shit, Gabe. Again, I've got just as much right to my opinion as you do yours- and just because I don't agree with you doesn't make my opinion "bullshit". We don't see eye to eye, but I'm not being disrespectful to you. You want to champion the BART unions, that's your right. Personally, I think they're being seriously overpaid for the non-existent skillsets required to do their jobs. I mean, really- do you honestly believe that their skills and education warrant their current rate of pay?

Yes!! It DOES make it BS!!

 

[zrex]

You really think like this?
What are you, a Marxist?
What the fuck is the matter with you?

It's called a joke!

 

[Arminius]

So if people who busted their ass to get a higher education (and are rewarded for their efforts because the market has decided that they are worth $X amount because not everyone has their knowledge and skill set), are the educated elite, what does that make those people who earned a GED then got into a trade union starting at $30/hr (even though the only thing they know how to do is use a chalk line) only because their father was a shop stewart? Are they the uneducated ordinary?

 

[sanjuro]

BTW, I thought we would discuss riding strategies and stories when BART goes strike.

 

[Arminius]

It;s called a joke!

Of course everyone knows the part about turning their head into an ashtray is a joke, but we also know that he is envious of people who have more than he thinks he will ever attain. I have no doubt whatsoever that he would change his tune if, say he started a business and did very well and became a multimillionaire.

You'll never have peace with yourself if you always feel like the victim and are envious of those that have more than you do. It is liberating to be thankful for what you do have and who you have selected as your partner instead of always wanting what/who you don't or can't have.

 

[DESMOnic]

Fuck BART union. Ok, I take it back. Fuck all unions.

 

[Arminius]

BTW, I thought we would discuss riding strategies and stories when BART goes strike.

Thank you for bringing us back on topic.

I think riders are going to have a lot more unpredictable, frustrated, and angry cagers out there, so drop your lane splitting speeds way down from your usual pace, and maybe even split lanes with your hazards on and wear a reflective vest.

 

[sixtytwo]

So if people who busted their ass to get a higher education (and are rewarded for their efforts because the market has decided that they are worth $X amount because not everyone has their knowledge and skill set), are the educated elite, what does that make those people who earned a GED then got into a trade union starting at $30/hr (even though the only thing they know how to do is use a chalk line) only because their father was a shop stewart? Are they the uneducated ordinary?

Whatever, life isn't fair. Plenty of kids out there get "internships" from the company that one of their relatives works at, do nothing but screw around, and don't know the first thing about the line of work they're supposed to be in. Some of us have to stare down adversity and overcome huge obstacles to get ahead in life. Some of us inherit several million dollars and never have to work a single day in our lives. That's life for you.

That said, the University of California has cut employee pay across all campuses, across the board by 8%. However, the guys who direct traffic at the construction site on Centennial get paid $22.50 an hour prevailing union wage. Every time I ride on by I just think "hey, whatever... good for them." It's not like whining to the contractor or the UC regents will make life any more fair.

 

[intortus]

It's difficult for me to feel any sympathy at all for unions in the public sector. There's a very slippery slope between worker's rights and an inappropriate level of power when a government monopoly is involved.

 

[zrex]

Fuck BART union. Ok, I take it back. Fuck all unions.

Back at ya!

 

[zrex]

Whatever, life isn't fair. Plenty of kids out there get "internships" from the company that one of their relatives works at, do nothing but screw around, and don't know the first thing about the line of work they're supposed to be in. Some of us have to stare down adversity and overcome huge obstacles to get ahead in life. Some of us inherit several million dollars and never have to work a single day in our lives. That's life for you.

That said, the University of California has cut employee pay across all campuses, across the board by 8%. However, the guys who direct traffic at the construction site on Centennial get paid $22.50 an hour prevailing union wage. Every time I ride on by I just think "hey, whatever... good for them." It's not like whining to the contractor or the UC regents will make life any more fair.

And the Top Executives gave themselves a pay raise for the great job they did for UC.

 

[Arminius]

Whatever, life isn't fair. Plenty of kids out there get "internships" from the company that one of their relatives works at, do nothing but screw around, and don't know the first thing about the line of work they're supposed to be in. Some of us have to stare down adversity and overcome huge obstacles to get ahead in life. Some of us inherit several million dollars and never have to work a single day in our lives. That's life for you.

That said, the University of California has cut employee pay across all campuses, across the board by 8%. However, the guys who direct traffic at the construction site on Centennial get paid $22.50 an hour prevailing union wage. Every time I ride on by I just think "hey, whatever... good for them." It's not like whining to the contractor or the UC regents will make life any more fair.

+1

My biggest gripe about the unions isn't the fact they are paid more than free market has determined their skill set is worth, but the fact that have a history of using intimidation to get their way in addition to making companies uncompetitive and demanding an unfair percentage of the profits even though they haven't taken any the financial risks to start, maintain, and expand the business they're working for. They expect the entrepreneur(s) and investors to make them equal partners without equal investment or risk.

 

[zrex]

Of course everyone knows the part about turning their head into an ashtray is a joke, but we also know that he is envious of people who have more than he thinks he will ever attain. I have no doubt whatsoever that he would change his tune if, say he started a business and did very well and became a multimillionaire.

You'll never have peace with yourself if you always feel like the victim and are envious of those that have more than you do. It is liberating to be thankful for what you do have and who you have selected as your partner instead of always wanting what/who you don't or can't have.

Don't tell me what I freakin' feel there bubba!!

I work for $17.00 an hour.

I'm only working for the medical benefits.

Two percent pay cut and have to pay more for medical.

I take it because there are people out there with less!

I'm happy with what little I have.

Yes, I am the over payed public worker!

I'd agree with most folks here that this is a useless strike.

It doesn't make the union workers any friends.

The other two unions voted to settle.

Me thinks the BART operators have been in their bubble a little too long.

But the attitudes displayed by some towards workers here just burns my bacon!!

 

[sixtytwo]

And the Top Executives gave themselves a pay raise for the great job they did for UC.

Tell me about it. It just sickens me to know that if they fired the damn bean counters and their overlords who came up with this "brilliant" idea to cut everyone's pay, we wouldn't have this pay problem.

 

[Arminius]

Don't tell me what I freakin' feel there bubba!!

I work for $17.00 an hour.

I'm only working for the medical benefits.

Two percent pay cut and have to pay more for medical.

I take it because there are people out there with less!

I'm happy with what little I have.

Yes, I am the over payed public worker!

I'd agree with most folks here that this is a useless strike.

It doesn't make the union workers any friends.

The other two unions voted to settle.

Me thinks the BART operators have been in their bubble a little too long.

But the attitudes displayed by some towards workers here just burns my bacon!!

You are not over paid at $17/hr. In fact, without even knowing what you do, I would say you are underpaid if you are reliable, your performance is good, you get along with your coworkers, and you have drive and ambition to work your way up. Most of us have had jobs that barely pay the bills when we started out in life, and it was those very jobs that made us want more and found a way to get it either through hard work, education, training, or just plain out hustling others doing the same thing. If you have drive and determination you will rise above the rest whether you are a union employee or a fresh graduate from college with a social sciences degree.

 

[zrex]

You are not over paid at $17/hr. In fact, without even knowing what you do, I would say you are underpaid if you are reliable, your performance is good, you get along with your coworkers, and you have drive and ambition to work your way up. Most of us have had jobs that barely pay the bills when we started out in life, and it was those very jobs that made us want more and found a way to get it either through hard work, education, training, or just plain out hustling others doing the same thing. If you have drive and determination you will rise above the rest whether you are a union employee or a fresh graduate from college with a social sciences degree.

I've worked the job for 25 years!

It's a job! There are no promotions!

I am there everyday and do get along, do it well, great relationship with kids, parents, teachers, superindendent, etc.

No accidents in 25 years!!

I'm a School Bus Driver for a Bay Area School District.

9 months ago I made $25.00 an hour!

Sign of the times.

 

[Arminius]

And the Top Executives gave themselves a pay raise for the great job they did for UC.

This is where we are in agreement. I don't like it but I don't like the government setting wages and telling private and publicly owned companies how to run their business, even more. Nobody is outraged that people like Al Gore and Bill Clinton have made tens of millions just from speaking engagements. They, like a CEO making $15M/yr make that much because their service has been determined by free market to be worth the cost. Zrex could go up on stage and say the exact same thing as Al Gore, but Zrex isn't going to have the same influence Al Gore has and therefore Zrex isn't going to be paid $350K for a 20 minute speech, and also have all transportation and accommodations paid for.

 

[Arminius]

I've worked the job for 25 years!

It's a job! There is no promotions!

I am there everyday and do get along, do it well, great relationship with kids, parents, teachers, superindendent, etc.

No accidents in 25 years!!

I'm a School Bus Driver for a Bay Area School District.

9 months ago I made $25.00 an hour!

Sign of the times.

And because of your performance I am sure they have made more effort to keep you on the payroll than others that were given pink slips. You'll rise above the rest again or find something better because you have already proven to any future employer that you are very good at what you do. I know from being a manager that the people that are hired don't always have the most experience or highest level of education. Many times people are hired without any experience in the job they are applying for simply because they can show that they are able to learn new things, are reliable, and have great work references from previous or current employers.