Because $58K to $63K a year, an 11% increase over 3 years, retirement at 55 and wildcatting against the parent union should never get in the way of a good nap. How did Homeland Security ever let Roger Toussaint in the country?
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Welcome
Jordan Hoffman is a New York-based writer and film critic working for The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Thrillist, Times of Israel, NY Daily News and elsewhere.
He is the host of ENGAGE: The Official Star Trek Podcast, a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and challenges you to a game of backgammon.
Oh, come on, man, those pictures aren’t fair! Nailing Toussaint is entirely fair — he even looks like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
But I’m with the rank-and-file, many of whom are not happy to be on the picket line. Talked to a few at the Ditmars station, and those guys had a look in their eyes that simply said, “please don’t attack me, this aint my idea.” Nearly all of these guys are basic working-class guys who know they lucked into a sweet deal for life with the TWU — for every shitbird like Toussaint, there’s bound to be a dozen guys who are grateful to have what they have.
And I’m willing to bet the MTA is no different from any other bloated, poorly-run, favoring-upper-management corporation. Thing is Toussaint could have had his day making these guys sweat AND getting nearly everything he wanted for the rank and file. (The pension stuff is going to be tough — don’t think he realizes how much that issue is going to change for all unions in the next decade.) Instead, he’s now the most despised man in New York, and while I don’t dig the cat, I don’t think he should be wearing that mantle alone.
My ankles are a bit sore after walking 18 miles in the past 24 hours, but fuck it, I’ve also received a tremendous kick out of doing it. It’s going to take a lot more than this bullshit to drag me down!
I agree — these pics aren’t fair, but they are very entertaining.
I’m ambivalent on the strike, too. Theoretically, all Americans who choose or try to work ought to have health care and a fund for retirement. So, in principle, a general strike on behalf of every worker who is uninsured is a noble cause. But Toussaint is a dick and — when you look at the facts — being a Transit worker is like falling in a bucket of golden shit — it is a pretty sweet deal.
I do feel bad for the average transit worker — I’m sure many of them don’t want this strike and don’t look forward to the hassle they are going to get from assholes on the street (or on the web, like me, posting photos of some of their lazy coworkers.)