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Exactly. I dont take the LIRR anymore since I work here but if I did, I would not bother. I remember taking the LIRR briefly when I first moved here, and once I realized what a racket it was, I started driving. It took me the same amount of time to drive from south Nassau to midtown Manhattan as it did for me to deal with the 'LIRR - transfer at Jamaica to LIC - transfer to the 7 to Grand Central' routine. Once I found a parking garage deal, my LIRR/MTA riding days were over.
The MTA needs to trim down the fat AT THE TOP. That means Management. Instead of socking it to the lower level employees and ticket punchers who do nothing but just show up to work and act as told by their superiors. Make all employees pay into the benefits. Teachers are already doing this.
LIRR has been subsidizing NYC subway riders for too long as well according to this chart:
Jealousy is an ugly trait. These people are hard working Americans getting thousands of people to and from work each day. They are the unsung heroes of the middle class. A $90k salary after overtime is barely surviving on LI.
So how do you think the staff accountant or customer service rep feels making 65K a year with a 401K and a 4 year college degree.
does the MTA own the trains and operating stations themselves? Why can't we get replacement operators like they do in sports? When is the contract up for reneg? Unions are ridiculous - they're useful if there are owners forcing their hand but I don't see that here.
Exactly why I say public sector unions should be illegal!
>Making 90K punching tickets with a guaranteed pension is absurd. We could deal with the pension or the salary, but both? <
Er both. Mostly the benefits end.
1) Phase out the guaranteed pension over 15 years. I wish we could continue pensions but they can not be afforded any more.
2) IMMEDIATELY END hours packing in all public pensions. That is your pension based on 2080 hours x $rate. Hours packing = making the new hires call out so you can do big overtime to make your pension 3000x $rate. This goes for COPS and administrators etc too.
3) Several years of no COLAS or 2x the number of years with half COLAS. LI is a horribly expensive place but sorry 90K is a bit much. No direct take aways tho.
While we are at it we need to hit the administration AND MANAGERS equally.
I can't see it happening in our lifetime. The union stranglehold on the state government supported by the attitudes of the guys like LIlurker will see to that.
Hey, at least I'm on the winning end of it. My wifes pension will be enough for us to both retire on. My 401K will be money to spend on fun stuff.
Complete mismanagement because of lack of any concern with budget- as they are an "Authority".
This increase does not have to be voted on, it can just be instilled.
If the voters were left with a choice of no increase (or 3% as school taxes are now capped at), and it were voted on- they would be forced to make cuts internally or improve efficiency.
The union protects the jobs of the workers from management, but management has NO incentive to cut spending as if they decided tomorrow to double fares, they have the authority to do so.
The MTA only answers to the Governor, who is a critic of how they operate but I am sure realizes no true solution can come without a SERIOUS overhaul that will create turmoil for some time.
At the very same time, while I try never to be too critical of Union employees, the MTA staff are more often than not incredibly rude and shrug off their work. Still though, Management could grind them on this, and strive for quality CS, but alas... they do not.
More competition is needed, but since MTA operates a monopoly it's quite a challenge.
Who usually does nothing, at least in the case of NY.
Remember the last MTA fare hike? The governor of Connecticut refused to allow them to raise the fares for the MetroNorth riders in Connecticut. Everybody else got their fares raised.
MTA/LIRR jobs are part of the gravy train feeding off the tax paying public. They are those "lottery ticket" blue collar jobs that require little or no education yet still award high salaries and platinum card benefits that never seem to adjust down to the economy. Making 90K punching tickets with a guaranteed pension is absurd. We could deal with the pension or the salary, but both?
The system will continue to inflate until the state eventually goes bankrupt.
Most Conductors in this region except the PATH do not make 90k....the average is 45k.... There are some Engineers who make 90k , but they've been employed since the 70s they've earned it....after 10 years you tend to move up to 90k on every Railroad higher for private up to 120k... While some of it is Unions , the bulk can be blamed on Politicians raiding the MTA for pet projects , this needs to stop , it also happens to NJT and PA...which then needs to raise there tolls and fares to fill the gap revenue... They tried to put a lockbox statewide but Albany shot it down this also affects your Gas tax...and Property taxes they raid those aswell. Unions are only part of the problem , its mostly Albany.
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