Wait, what? I think you’re responding to the wrong person.

17,000 write-ups is a lot, but I have no way of telling whether or not that’s a good thing or a bad thing. If those people were not doing their jobs, then a write-up is probably the least responsible action that should be taken by their supervisor. If all of those write-ups are warranted, then it would support the argument that the organization is bloated with incompetence or negligence. I only hope those people photographed sleeping on the job got some kind of slap on the wrist at least.

Coming up with all these superlatives is more than a little silly to me, especially when it comes to calling the Trash Collectors THE STRONGEST. And calling corrections officers “The Boldest” is just confusing. It’s nothing more than a marketing ploy that will succeed in nothing but making “NY’s Finest” and “NY’s Bravest” less meaningful.

If you had to pick an EST to be called by the mayor or anyone else, what do you think is the most appropriate for transit workers?

That sentence is rather clearly directed at the people who were sleeping on the job and not every single TWU member. This is even more clear when you look at the statement that follows:

“They should be stripped of the union raise that is just handed to them, and it should be given to other workers that actually manage to stay AWAKE during their shift.”

“They” are obviously the ones caught sleeping and not the ones who do good work.

But you responded to that calling SB an asshole. (We all know you meant “asshole” and that juvenile substitution of symbols doesn’t soften the blow or mean that you didn’t call him a name.) And then you’ve gone on about how good the TWU is. The TWU is the same organization that got those guys a raise and it’s the same organization that keeps those workers who do better work from being paid more and the slackers from being paid less. So, the only logical conclusion that we can draw is that you do, in fact, defend these people and think that they are worth the money they’re being paid.

Sure, all of those people may have had some really, really good reasons for sleeping on the job and, really, that isn’t the absolute worst thing they could have done, but we all agree that it’s unacceptable. Perhaps we even agree that they should be punished (Do you get citations or demerits or something?) for the lapse.

But then you put these numerous examples of sleeping in the context of the subway system which could stand VAST improvement in terms of service, cleanliness, and security and there is a legitimate complaint here from riders and tax-payers alike. This complaint is exacerbated by fare hikes, strikes, and realizations that other city employees like police and firefighters are paid far less.

Although we all here may agree that ultimate responsibility for the subway lies with management, the fact is that everyone in the organization contributes to its success or failure. You won’t gain any supporters by giving the appearance of defending or justifying failures large or small at any level of the organization.

The only thing unions accomplish today is undermining the rights of employers to do the same to the detriment of the businesses and industries where Unions have become most prominent and influential.

Workers in the U.S. have always had the only right they need: to leave if they do not find working conditions and pay to their liking. The only thing unions have accomplish today is undermining the rights of employers to do the same to the detriment of the businesses and industries where they have become most prominent and influential.

Some people are bastards, idiots, and twits, Tom. You yourself called our host, The Subway Blogger, an “@$$hole.” Further you make presumptions and imply things about my reading habits and life that are neither relevant to nor reflected in this discussion.

While a base level of courtesy is to be granted to strangers, you’ve not demonstrated qualities that warrant anything more and your comments have been so erratic, uninformed, and even unjust that the only characteristic that I find tempers my disdain is your good humor.

That makes sense though. The MTA isn’t exactly the kind of company that’s going to attract the best and brightest business people. It is by no means a glamorous job.

The assertion that landlords in proximity to transit stops subsidize the MTA is ludicrous. We already pay a premium for our location. Constant vibrations under and around my offices on Park Ave mean that we’re constantly replacing sidewalk pavers and we’re constantly venerable to trip and fall lawsuits.

Oh, and have you ever noticed how it takes twice, sometimes three times longer for the MTA to complete a construction project than a private developer? We (landlords) all pay more thanks to the MTA’s inability to complete anything on schedule.

“You’re the with the dodgy arguements, read books on the history of unions in this country, what rights workers had before they were formed.” Yes, it’s true that unions helped to improve working situations. That doesn’t mean what unions do is good or right. Unions have a bloody and violent history. They get what they want through brute mob force. I have no problem with workers organizing. In some cases, this makes the employer’s job easier. But unions lose their argument the moment they use force, and picketing a business and intimidating or stopping those who dare cross the line is an act of force.

Don’t be a twit on top of everything else.

My lunch break is my time and I’m not paid for it. Further, you are not aware of what arrangements I’ve made with my employer, while I am aware of the arrangements your union and your employer have made. You do not have the same privileges that I enjoy at my work, so the comparison would be invalid.

As for my thoughts on bad meetings, I do make them clear to my boss and the people who “organize” them. And I do not sleep through meetings, although I sometimes struggle to stay away during the really bad ones. Again, my make my feelings about these meetings very clear.

And in all cases, I get all of my work done and done very well. Unlike sleeping TWU employees who are supposed to be providing a watchful eye for the security of riders.

If you’d like to discuss my work, feel free to comment on my site or write me an email directly, but it’s not germane to this discussion. This particular discussion is about your work and your job.

“Landlords profit from mass transit, (Appt. for rent close to transportation.)Is this not a use of the system?” No, the landlord is not using the system, nor can you be sure that he even wants a subway line near his business or building. To charge building owner for being near a subway line would be akin to a protection racket.

“When the Union went on strike, businesses were rightly crying that without mass transit they were losing money. Is this not a use of the system?” Businesses were losing money because they couldn’t use the system has fare-paying riders, nor could their customers, but not because business function depended on the subway. (Without the subway, we would find some other means of transportation to remain profitable.) By your logic, if you shut off the power to Connecticut and NYC business complained about losing business, you’d want to send NYC Connecticut’s electricity bill.

“I’d be retired before I ever got to speak to anyone about a raise.” That’s crap, too. You don’t all talk to the same person about raises and you know it. If anything the fact that you think it would take that long to get an audience with your boss or the person responsible for such things illustrates how bloated the organization is with people who aren’t performing as they should.

“Without Unions fighting for raises and healthcare, do you think your employer would be offering you these things in the private sector? I don’t.” Yes, in fact, I do. Given that the private sector has demonstrated its willingness to provide raises and benefits to employees (not out of kindness but out of profit-motive), your claim to the contrary is more than a little strange.

Your meandering comments and dodgy arguments belie the fact that you can’t honestly deny the fact that these subway workers sleeping on the job are essentially stealing from those of us who pay taxes and pay our fares. It’s unacceptable. Unions only add to the troubles. You also have to know that there is a LOT of inefficiency and bloat in the MTA that must be addressed if the system is to be improved and ultimately survive.

No, landlords should not subsidize mass transit. That’s a ridiculous suggestion.

And transit fares are not a tax on working people. That’s as specious as claiming the price of milk is a tax on babies.

If you weren’t a slacker and/or a hypocrite, you’d argue to disband the union and ask to be paid for performance and results like in any other business.

The fact that such an arrangement cannot be profitably supported for most transit workers only highlights the fact that, for the most part, these positions constitute menial labor that isn’t worth the wages they’re being paid with the union.

Under-worked and overpaid is right.

Hmm yeah I am sleeping on trains usually when there doing work on the tracks, considering all the time there doing work on the tracks. Have you been on the N/R tracks lately service is slower than a turtle….

Lastly a fare hike is on the backs of New Yorkers, I don’t think a hike is “fair” maybe your union should ask the “EMPTA” had four years of budget surpluses, and now there crying poor….

HA!