i've read that the average starting salary on google news being $47k - $55k. Considering a lot of college graduates get about $35k if not lower... it is a generous salary for a stinky, but not very physical-demanding job.
OK, I've read a lot of you comment on this, so let me fill you in on how this works. Mass transportation is a FEDERALLY funded entity, and therefore is a non-profit government agency. As I stated earlier, I work for just such an agency, so this is first hand knowledge. Since MTA made a huge profit, however they came across it, they MUST spend it. If they don't, they will lose federal funding, and once you lose it, it is gone forever. Now the common sense reaction is "So what? Saves our tax money!" But the fact is it won't save anybody anything, the govermant will just rout the money somewhere else and MTA will eventually have to cut way back and increase fares just to stay in operation. Now, how much of that billion dollars do you think is going to line the pockets of the executives that run MTA? They'll get plenty I'm sure. So don't you think it might be a little fair to use some of it towards employee healthcare too? From what I understand, MTA is wanting to cut healthcare benefits, or at least make employees pay more. They could put some of it in the pension fund as well. Maybe even fund a 5% raise too, I'm sure the union would accept this.
Another thing, the retirement at 50 point. Where I work, you can retire (as of now, our contract expired over a year ago and our agency is crying bankrupt) after 25 years of service with full pension, or stick it out 30 years and get a little bit more. So if you hire in at 21 (min age) you can retire when you're 46 conceiveably, but there is no way you can live on the pension alone, it just isn't enough. So we either have to have other retirement investments, or find another job when we retire. Oh, and we can forget about healthcare after retirement too, the agency will definitely be pulling the plug on that. I don't know how MTA's retirement works, but I'll bet it's pretty similar.
I think you are the one who is missing the point here.
MTA's 1 billion surplus belongs to consumers NOT MTA employees. These uneducated monkeys don't and will never realize that. MTA kept 2 books and raised the fare and they were able to have large sum of surplus. They admitted wrong doing and decided to lower the fare to $1 for the holiday season for us, the consumers. MTA monkeys had to cry and claim that it's their money?!?! that's ridiculous
Hacp
Lifer
- Jun 8, 2005
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As mentioned before, the money is going towards pensions payments/security/improvements/ and finally the fare cut for the holidays. In essence, they did spend the cash. And no, the workers do not deserve a raise right now. A huge deficit is projected for the MTA by 2007. Fares WILL increase for riders. They will increase even more if the workers get the raise. People need to tighten their belts and toughen up these next few years. When the MTA gets back on its feet, then think about raises.
As for health care, well, welcome to the 21st century. Health care costs are getting out of hand. Many states are facing billions of dollars in pension costs, because of the sudden rise in the cost of health care. The states NEED to cut costs somehow. They can't cut back on the benefits of retired workers, because they were promised, SO all that is left is to save the money for the future, hence cutting back on health care for FUTURE workers.
Edit: Ummm, the MTA is funded by the city and state. I'm not sure how much the US government funds the MTA, but I'm sure it isn't as much as the $$ the state and city put up to subsidize it.
Teachers with College education with Masters make around 30K a year
Pharmacist makes around 45-55K a year
Physical Therapist makes 35-45k a year
Chiropractor makes 45k a year.
MTA employee (high school drop-outs) makes 45-55k: their duties include, opening and closing doors, handing out tokens/metrocards, sweeping the floor and tracks, emptying out the garbage, driving a bus.
Pharmacist makes around 45-55K a year
Physical Therapist makes 35-45k a year
Chiropractor makes 45k a year.
MTA employee (high school drop-outs) makes 45-55k: their duties include, opening and closing doors, handing out tokens/metrocards, sweeping the floor and tracks, emptying out the garbage, driving a bus.
Please, stop spreading this utter BS. It just makes the topic's life harder when we have to either skip or deal with posts like this, without any factual basis, pulled from thin air.
You must work for MTA as you clearly have no idea what the other professions make.
And as for 1B surplus, why do MTA monkeys deserve the money when teachers union was left out without a contract for few years and without a raise???
Please shut your mouth before getting trashed.
Wait let me get this straight. What you're saying is if the budget surplus is from taxes, the transit workers automatically deserve a cut of this?? To be honest it doesn't matter where the budget surplus came from (be it taxes or fare increase) it still doesn't mean transit workers should get a raise. The MTA's funds are for public benefit, and should only be utilized as such. Whether it is station/track repair and renovation, upgrading subway cars, improving security of the subway system, maintenance and repair.
also, please work on your spelling, its terrible
OK, answer this: is this the same type of projection when they projected similar losses for this year, ending up with $1B surplus?
Pay attention to your style, pal.
Being hopelessly ignorant and posting crazy things are considered OK but stupidity and arrogance and namecalling are way different.
Hacp
Lifer
- Jun 8, 2005
- 13,923
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THey did not project 1 billion in losses for this year. They projected a coulpe hundred million. As previously stated, this year the MTA got lucky. The city of new york got lucky also. Intrest rates fell. The MTA has a couple of lucrative real estate deals. They got in the black.
Now, do you expect that this will happen every time for the next 4-5 years? That something unexpected comes in and saves the MTA from defecit? I don't. Intrest rates are already increasing. Next year, what will be the lucky thing the MTA pulls out of their hats? Tell me.
You still haven't answered my question. What will the MTA do to pay for the increased salaries when they have a projected 1 billion+ defecit?
you keep mentioning the 1B surplus but you completely missed the point. MTA employees have no right to claim part of that surplus when deficit is expected for coming years and MTA was found guilty of defrauding the public by keeping two books.
To me, MTA and their employees are the ones running around with shady business practice
To me, MTA and their employees are the ones running around with shady business practice
No, my spelling is OK. You're probably confusing the word 'spelling' with the word 'grammar' - I thought it's quite obvious I'm not a native English speaking person (even if you're confusing spelling with grammar...)
Ahhh, didn't read the whole thread and didn't see this.
Yes, very out of hand. It's a vicious circle.... insurance companies, drug companies, doctors trying to cover their asses, insurance companies playing doctor for them, hospitals, lawsuits.... it's really a fvcking mess. As much as I hate to say it, I think the only way to solve it is have the government come in and slap regulations on the parties involved. It sucks, but it beats having the government take over healthcare. And yes, companies will, and have either cut or eliminated retired workers healthcare benifits already. Look at what Bush did to the retired veterans. It's harder to cut current employee healthcare because it then becomes harder to attract new employees.
Hacp
Lifer
- Jun 8, 2005
- 13,923
- 2
- 81
I am a liberal. I genearlly support unions. But you gotta do what you gotta do. Bush screwed us all up with the downturn in the economy. Hes cutting federal funding for Medicare. He has continued to avoid a fix in the current health care system, because he knows that health care companies cheat us out of billions, and will turn a blind eye if they give his party $$$$. In the future, we need to fix the system. Right now, we have to deal with the mistakes of those in charge.
I spent $70x12months = $840 on Metrocard last year
If they had not increased the fare, it would've been around $610. That's $210 pp/year.
Let's be conservative with the number and say 5million had spent the same, that's 1B.
Lowering the fare by $1 for the holiday season costs MTA MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, so please get your fact straight
Hacp
Lifer
- Jun 8, 2005
- 13,923
- 2
- 81
How does the MTA tax the riders? How does the MTA do that? Also, a larger deficit for the MTA means that it will have more debt to pay off in the future. Does the MTA want to be like the US is today? Paying billions of dollars on INTREST RATE payments for the National Debt? If the MTA goes down that road, it will never fix its problems. The MTA needs to go into the black, period.
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