Supporting the NYC Transport Workers

December 22, 2005 / You call us "irresponsible." New York City and New York State have slashed their subsidies for mass transit. Mayors and Governors have created a seemingly permanent Structural Deficit for transit which much be filled by costly borrowing. Wall Street has profited, but Main Street has suffered.

Toussaint to Bloomberg: You are Shaming NYC

From TWU Local 100 President Roger Toussaint on December 21st:

You call us “irresponsible.” New York City and New York State have slashed their subsidies for mass transit. Mayors and Governors have created a seemingly permanent Structural Deficit for transit which much be filled by costly borrowing. Wall Street has profited, but Main Street has suffered. But you knew that already from your previous career. Now that the debt-servicing bill has come due, the MTA demands that we pay the price: worse health care and worse pensions.

[…]

I guess illegality is in the eye of the beholder. A confessed lawbreaker has the gall to lecture 34,000 hard working people whose only crime is standing up for their families and for dignity and respect on one of the toughest, most dangerous jobs in New York.

The New York City Transport Worker’s Union is currently striking for decent pension benefits, fair wages and good health plans. They are doing it tough against a hostile city hall that not only helped to precipitate the strike but is using it’s substantial media access to demonise participants. These workers livelihoods keep New York City runnning, it’s that simple. They deserve a fair go—in a democratic society that means the right of workers to organise collectively.

Please consider signing the petition at the link below:

“People for TWU Local 100 Petition”

If you ever lob in at Grand Central Station you’ll be glad you supported the people whose job it is to get you in and out and keep you moving around the Big Apple. Few, if any, of us could do without them.

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