Finally!

by jhamrahi @ Talking Chop on Dec 22, 2005 5:10 PM EST

Well it looks like the MTA strike is finally over. Maybe life will get back to normal now.

This strike had me thinking back to the last work stoppage in Major League Baseball. Man, the whole process really does suck. Because in the end, it's the customers (US!) who get screwed each time. I understand that unions were needed back in the 1920s and 1930s when civil rights barely existed. People were exploited and needed protection. But do MLB players need protection? When the average salary is $1 million? Or do the MTA workers need additional protection when they have retirement benefits kicking in at the age of 55 and some of the best fringe packages around? I don't think so.

Well anyway, it's all over. I'll recoup and get back to baseball. Hopefully I'll have at least one, if not both, of my interviews up by tomorrow evening.

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strikes

I'm sorry you had to deal with the strike but workers should always have the right to strike, period. I have self censored (read: deleted before posting) the rest of my opinion and commentary on the matter because I don't feel it is appropriate on a baseball blog at this point in time. Cheers, and Happy Holidays!

by Mr C on Dec 25, 2005 1:26 AM EST reply actions

In this case...

It was actually illegal. The workers are the ones who agreed to that provision when they signed their contract. Apparently the contract means nothing then.

And if they have the right to strike, then they also should have the right to be fired. Just my personal opinion.

Joe Hamrahi

by jhamrahi @ Talking Chop on Dec 27, 2005 6:48 PM EST reply actions

Tru dat

Yes, I know it was illegal. Historically, many strikes have been illegal. Anti-strike and anti-organizing provisions in contracts are usually just a strong arm tactic by owners/management to control workers, big surprise there. My Dad, as a member of management, crossed the picket lines of violent wildcat strikes in the 70's and even he still believes in the rights of workers to strike. I think we can probably just agree to disagree on this one.

by Mr C on Dec 29, 2005 1:11 AM EST reply actions

re: The right to be fired

As an aside, I did a little looking around (I'm bored and I'm a sucker for details) and the consequence of striking, according to the lawyer for NYC (via cnn.com), is that the workers lose 3 days pay for every day that they strike, in accordance with their contract. Sounds fair to me. It has to be noted that Bloomberg certainly won the propaganda war on this one, fo sho, but I'm glad it worked out to everyone's agreement pretty quickly, relatively, in the end.

I promise not to bring up this waaay non-baseball stuff again until the next baseball strike, I swear. :O)

by Mr C on Dec 29, 2005 2:59 AM EST reply actions