MTA on Strike...

So the MTA is on strike. Mike and I are pretty much split in our opinions. He supports the strike because he feels the MTA wanted to take benefits away. I have to be honest, I have very mixed feelings about the MTA and striking, to me, does not garner the public sympathy vote. By striking, you are pissing off a lot of people. And asking for the Mayor to come down on you, because it's illegal to do so in NYC.

Then you have the genius corporate reaction to the strike. For instance, my mom had to leave her home at 4:30 this morning. She walked from Port Authority to 14th & 7th to be at work by 6:30. Her company figured that in the event of a strike, when everyone is going to have trouble getting into NYC to begin with, why not start the day at 6:30 so they can be magnanimous and let 'em out at 3. Anyone who didn't show up to work today will not be paid. Does the MTA regret that inconvenience? Will the TWU reimburse these people?

Watching news this morning, Good Day New York had a message from the MTA on their crawl: "We regret the inconvenience." Are they fricking kidding me? They offer the same lame excuse they give to us when we're stuck in a tunnel for 45 minutes because of an imaginary sick passenger or red signal to explain the inconvenience to millions of people who have to travel on foot in freezing temperatures?

My dad is a union man. Many of my friends are union. But this is one strike I just can't get behind because of so many factors.