Ever wonder why COLA increases are not in any transportation agency's contracts, at least none off the top of my head? Management would have a heartattack - they would have nothing to negotiate away then, and probably couldn't afford them, or at least claim not too.
COLA's would be great - I know that Id love to get a raise equal to that of inflation every year. I bet the MTA workers would have loved to come even 1/2 to COLA with their LAST contract. Which they were far far from, but of course, everyone forgot that.
Who cares how benefits and healthcare came into fashion? They are there now, and to increase any contribution or loose any benefit is a step backwards FOR ANYONE - yes, I know how much health care costs today, and that companies and struggling to fund benefits. And thats a problem. But wouldn't the better answer be for the government to step in, and strictly regulate the industry, and the companies and the medical field itself? Why did a surgery I had with only 10 minutes of me being knocked out, require the doctor to bill my insurance company for the standard half hour, and 2 15 minute additional treatments of anestiesa (sp), at several hundred dollars a pop?
THATS why healthcare costs are skyrocking, between crooked docs and hopsitials and malpractice lawsuits wihch are completely out of control. But what has been the solution? to cut companies contributions to health care benefits, increase the employees part, and continue to let the fraud go on, completely unchecked.......screw that - if the slippery slope of giving away health care benefits was never started, the government would have HAD to step in years ago, becuase the companies wouldn't stand for it....., but they were able to take the easy way out, and can probably be traced back to ONE individual contract which started the downwards spiral.
As a side note, my healtcare costs have gone up 1000 percent this year with my new position. And Im not at all thrilled with it, becuase the fact that I am single has now hurt me, because I pay the same as a family of however many. Granted, I still don't pay a hell of a lot, but a 1000 percent increase is VERY signifcant, and in my opinion, very wrong. But hey, thats okay, right, thats good right? becuase I now have more moeny taken out of my take home pay that i can put toward legitimate businesses, instead of paying the crooks at the health insurance company. So you know what? Im gonna actually USE my medical benefits - im lucky to be young and healthy, but screw it, im gonna go to the doctor all the time, where as before it was YEARS since i even saw a doc in any way shape or form, but now, for every little thing to get my money's worth out of it, the now hudreds more i have to pay every year, im gonna be there.
Finally, to compare costs in the NYC area, to teh national averages is COMPLETELY unfair - Connecticut was number one is highest mediam household income, while NJ was second. While that might sound good on paper, its not the reality, with the rediculous costs of living in the NYC area. My salary could by me a mansion and acres and acres of land in much of the rest of the country, but here in Monmouth County, NJ, I have a tiny little house (well under 1000 sq feet) , 50 by 150 lot, and if I didn't inherit the house and land, I couldn't afford it.
Police and firemen, from what I know (im not too familiar with NYC's contract though) have for the most part, spectacular benefits, whcih although they might have smaller starting salary, the benefits more than make up for it. Along with better retirement (50 I think it is in NYC, with half pay). Not to mention many cops and firefighters get or can get overtime for the taking, which sort of throwns the whole base salary out the window. Not to mention, none of the jobs mentioned here are 9 to 5, monday to friday jobs - there has to be some compensation for not having a life (in many instances) Not everyone can take getting a call in teh middle of the night to report to work, shift work, over nights, school plays, Parent teacher confrences - maybe once every few years, family gatherings, birthdays, weddings, anniveraries, funerals, can forget about most of them too........... holidays? HA what are they? Barbeques on the weekends? yea right.........federal regulations also apply in many cases - it must be nice to simply crack open a beer whenever you want - people who work on call, simply can't - can't do things that "normal" people take for granted.
A small amount of additional compensatation, in pay or benefits, for these inconviences is not too much to ask. Also, in many instances, night differential pay is NOT an option - senority determines runs and positions to be held, meaning that its just tough luck your working overnights.
On the RR, "believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see"
John, aka "JTGSHU" passed away on August 26, 2013. We honor his memory and his devotion to railroading at railroad.net.