Metro Bus driver highest paid city employee $160,000

[likeitis]

Here's another little bit of truth: The history of private sector unions is entirely unlike the history of public sector unions.

The rise of unions in the private sector was largely based on workers who were terribly exploited and worked in very unsafe conditions.

For most public sector workers, there has never been the level of hostility toward their demands. In fact, many politicians fear the employee unions greatly, giving them a power over the state and local governments that is disproportionate.

When public workers unionize, they lose any real sense of job accountability. This is very unlike a private sector union workers, who still have to be careful to make sure their company survives.

Also, let's admit something else that is true.

The whole basis of unions was to protect "the worker" - the man who actually does the dirty work of producing the wealth.

Most public sector employees are superfluous pencil-pushers. They don't actually produce. They collect taxes, enforce rules, etc.

But that is not production. While we do need some government, many governmental bodies do more to hinder production than help it.


The key issue here is that many private sector union workers will automatically, reflexively, and unthininkly support public sector unions because, well, because of the work "union".

"I'm a union man. Therefore I support all union workers."
Well, that is sweet of you, and kind of cute, but what you need to see is that public sector unions are going to give private sector unions a bad name.

In reality, private sector union workers should be distancing themselves from public sector unions, since they are altogether a different thing.

I realize that many people will refuse to see the difference, however, since their mental process is only union=good. Well, go ahead, but when the public sector unions get clobbered as their greed is being discovered, the public may lose sympathy for us as well.

4 uncles and a brother work in the public sector. They would make the exact same and sometimes more in the private sector. Either sector they fall under the same contract and same union. Only reason they work in the public sector is because they have better consistency of work.

 

[Metro752]

Go team go.

 

[likeitis]

UHHHHHH!! So let me get this straight, we should cut the taxes of the rich, so that they can get richer, and HOPEFULLY create some jobs, and keep their money here. To pay for this rich man tax cut, we, the middle class, should pay more taxes, and be thankful that we have rich people in this country at all!!! Now this city bus employee who worked his BUTT off to make what he made, is a crook for it? Though if you read the whole article, the city is really at fault for this because they are running short staffed! (Sound familiar ASAer's) Let me put it this way, if you want a strong middle class, vote democrat, if you want the wealthiest 2% to do REALLY well, vote republican. If you're a really big moron, respond to this post telling me how great the republican party is.

Exactly. The last time we had such disparity of wealth was 1929.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

A very similar thing happened at many of the legacy airlines after 9/11. Their management laid off so many of their ground personnel that they always needed additional people to work overtime. The most senior ramp workers got first choice at working overtime. Rather than keep the lower paid junior workers they already had, they ended up paying the highest paid senior workers time and a half to cover their shifts. It ended up costing them more in the long run. And that is why we have rampers making $70,000/year.

It was the stupidity and short sightedness of their managment, not the employees at fault.

 

[j3tdr1v3r]

UHHHHHH!! So let me get this straight, we should cut the taxes of the rich, so that they can get richer, and HOPEFULLY create some jobs, and keep their money here. To pay for this rich man tax cut, we, the middle class, should pay more taxes, and be thankful that we have rich people in this country at all!!! Now this city bus employee who worked his BUTT off to make what he made, is a crook for it? Though if you read the whole article, the city is really at fault for this because they are running short staffed! (Sound familiar ASAer's) Let me put it this way, if you want a strong middle class, vote democrat, if you want the wealthiest 2% to do REALLY well, vote republican. If you're a really big moron, respond to this post telling me how great the republican party is.

They didn't teach compound interest where you went to school did they?

Understand this... the rich WILL ALWAYS GET RICHER!!!
The debate should be how to make more people rich, not to punish those that have at the expense of the poor.

Here's a hint... the libs hate the rich, so why would they want to create more of them?

 

[CX880]

Exactly. The last time we had such disparity of wealth was 1929.

You're not talking about wealth you're talking about lack of regulation. There's is nothing wrong with people trying to get wealthy. You're blaming the player when you should be blaming the people that allowed the game.
Which party was in control the last 4 years? Exactly.

It's not about republican or democrat. Liberalism is the gateway to socialism. Do you know what happens when you focus is to "strengthen" the middle class which means spreading the wealth? Europe happens. They're rioting because the retirement age was raised by a couple of years. Most people here are in the right of center and do not depend on the gov. As far as the wealthiest go, who do you think is paying your salary? The guy from the middle class or the wealthy?

 

[likeitis]

They didn't teach compound interest where you went to school did they?

Understand this... the rich WILL ALWAYS GET RICHER!!!
The debate should be how to make more people rich, not to punish those that have at the expense of the poor.

Here's a hint... the libs hate the rich, so why would they want to create more of them?

Here's a hint...the repubs hate the other 95% who can't compete in a society based in greed.

 

[likeitis]

You're not talking about wealth you're talking about lack of regulation. There's is nothing wrong with people trying to get wealthy. You're blaming the player when you should be blaming the people that allowed the game.
Which party was in control the last 4 years? Exactly.

It's not about republican or democrat. Liberalism is the gateway to socialism. Do you know what happens when you focus is to "strengthen" the middle class which means spreading the wealth? Europe happens. They're rioting because the retirement age was raised by a couple of years. Most people here are in the right of center and do not depend on the gov. As far as the wealthiest go, who do you think is paying your salary? The guy from the middle class or the wealthy?

The people who allowed the rules weren't in control the last 4 years.

 

[CX880]

The people who allowed the rules weren't in control the last 4 years.

Who do you expect to regulate and make the rules, Washington or the guy living in a Mansion in upper East side? Sorry you're wrong, the dems were in control well before the bubble burst.

 

[likeitis]

Who do you expect to regulate and make the rules, Washington or the guy living in a Mansion in upper East side? Sorry you're wrong, the dems were in control well before the bubble burst.

And you think the republicans will regulate anything? The only regulation republicans endorse are methods to keep those not in the top 95% where they are. What turnip truck did you fall off of?

 

[outtahere]

They didn't teach compound interest where you went to school did they?

Understand this... the rich WILL ALWAYS GET RICHER!!!
The debate should be how to make more people rich, not to punish those that have at the expense of the poor.

Here's a hint... the libs hate the rich, so why would they want to create more of them?

I couldn't agree more on making more people rich, here's the problem though. Everytime the middle class claws it's way to the top, the super rich scream "uncompetitive wages, evil unions, socialism!!" and then the middle class is hit with job cuts, and bankruptcies. The game is severely rigged to the wealthy side, and the only chance the middle class has right now is the democratic party. Don't believe everything you hear on the Fox entertainment channel, the lie ALOT!!! Plus, Glenn Beck cries WAY to much to be trusted.

 

[Medeco]

Actually, it's you who should try expanding your understanding of capitalism.

Big biz cannot use the threat of a gun or jail to take the money you earned. The Govt can and does.

Those of you who want so badly to be a peasant society should go live elsewhere. The only thing holding anyone back from getting rich In America is their own self.

 

[likeitis]

Actually, it's you who should try expanding your understanding of capitalism.

Big biz cannot use the threat of a gun or jail to take the money you earned. The Govt can and does.

Those of you who want so badly to be a peasant society should go live elsewhere. The only thing holding anyone back from getting rich In America is their own self.

No big biz can only buy off all of the gov't. You think only the ATA has the resources to block any safety regulations? You think the ATA is the only one who has a uneven field when negotiating with it's employees? Look at the mining industry. They basically ignore all regulations and you think republicans will change anything. I suppose you are one of those dreamers who think corporations should be allowed to self regulate. The top 1% control this country and will allow you to get a rich as they want to. Not the government as the elite play them like a puppet.

 

[Jiminmem]

Do I think this driver was over paid, of course. One sentence that everyone seems to be over looking is the one about limiting they're pay to $70,000. They tried that a few years ago and no one would take the job. Imagine if that happened in the airlines.

 

[Jiminmem]

As for politics, I don't see it from this issue. Not everything that hapens in America can be traced to politics. The contracts had loop holes in it and people took advantage of them. happens in every industry, it does tick me off. On the flip side I see it at my current employer and al my previous ones. A number of people spend more time figuring out ways to work the contract then they do with their own jobs.