Metro Vancouver transit operators to take strike vote

[6o4__boi]

Originally Posted by meme405

Could it be that our taxes are this high because we pay all our civil servants and employees of government run corporations ridiculous wages regardless of how mediocre or simple of a job they do? Regardless of whether or not their branch of public service manages to produce a profit?

Iffy on this as well. It's easy to say some government lackeys are overpaid but it's not usually the case. I've been in organizations where the bottom tier, entry level office lackeys do infinitely more work while their supervisors and managers attend meaningless meetings (with lunch catered of course!) and seminars (travel expenses, fees and meals included!).

I've had to walk out on some meetings just to let my brain catch up after hearing retarded executives spew bullshit and plan out ridiculous, unnecessary things for certain projects. Like seriously, we're budgeting THAT much for something inconsequential?! Why are we spending this much on something that's probably not gonna work out and for a company that's probably not gonna be the one we'll be working with again...?

I honestly think it's a top down problem. From my experience, low level civil servants will do as their told and generally try to keep things lean within their powers. I would argue and say that taxes are high because individuals at the top tend to be careless with taxpayer (TP) money and some have surprisingly little to no common sense when it comes to creating and allocating budgets.

[Hondaracer]

The thing with these massive public companies is there is no accountability for spending, checks/balances etc. they all act like money is never ending and the "cuts" they make are almost always superficial.

I have a friend who works for the Vancouver school board, I'm tempted to make a thread to post some of the shit he has told me regarding pure fucking waste. Yet they are on the news non-stop begging for money etc.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Oh no doubt, obviously dealing with the people is the biggest downside to the job

Is true one time I was on the 84 bus some asshole keep standing new the back door forcing it to keep opening. Despite the bus driving telling everyone to move away from the back door so it can be close. But this asshole isn't listening and just keeps standing there thus the door keeps closing and opening. The driver got piss off and basically turn the engine off and on the speaker he said this bus isn't going anywhere unit people move away from the back door. Then the asshole move away complaining........

[twitchyzero]

so this came up in my newfeed
not exactly buses but plans to reduce congestion and reliance on transit

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...lf-driving-bus

[meme405]

Originally Posted by 6o4__boi

I honestly think it's a top down problem. From my experience, low level civil servants will do as their told and generally try to keep things lean within their powers. I would argue and say that taxes are high because individuals at the top tend to be careless with taxpayer (TP) money and some have surprisingly little to no common sense when it comes to creating and allocating budgets.

Absolutely, I'm not saying the top levels of translink or our government are run well, they squander money and waste it on useless things, its depressing.

That doesn't change the fact that I don't believe bus drivers need a raise.

The thing is whatever camp you are in, you will probably agree that even if the government cleans up their spending, there is a dozen places where the funds could be better used to help us as a society, rather than just paying a guy who drives from point a to point b picking people up.

We pay A LOT as taxes here especially in BC, and instead of correcting the spending issues, when civil servants and stuff want raises, we always resort to just increasing taxes on the private sector or personal taxes to cover up the public sectors huge losses. If my company ran like the government I wouldn't be in fucking be in business more than a few weeks.

This all goes beyond the issue at hand, and traces right back to what someone said above: There is no accountability for the government, and by and large many people are just happy with the status quo, I don't see many people trying to do anything to fix the problem. So I'd agree with smoothie, we should all just go work for the government because it seems like they have all the money in the world.

[yray]

our kids gonna pay for it, and their kids and their their kids

[Mr.HappySilp]

Originally Posted by yray

our kids gonna pay for it, and their kids and their their kids

WRONG! Coz I am not having kids. Not with the way how fuck up our world is.

[Traum]

Going back to the strike vote itself, is the transit union / members aware that they aren't receiving very much sympathy and support from members of the general public? Their salary is already viewed to be on the high side, and a public transit strike will further make it inconvenient for the public to get around or even just go to work. Neither points are going to help them in the contract negotiations.

And then the workers go on strike, don't get paid (strike pay means shxt), and they are only hurting themselves along with the residents. Just where is the logic in that?

[Digitalis]

This is the line of thinking that leads to all these "ceo's" and people living for today like animals and not for the future like humans.

Originally Posted by Mr.HappySilp

WRONG! Coz I am not having kids. Not with the way how fuck up our world is.

[mikemhg]

Originally Posted by beebob

I am all for higher wages for everyone to keep up with the ever rising living costs in Vancouver. But Translink needs to stop these bullshit cost cuts.

I remember doing a research for econ class a few years back ubc to see whether the then proposed fare increase was reasonable and justified. I found out translink was actually operating at a pretty low efficiency, and fare evasion was a common problem. Don't remember the exact numbers, but they were losing 3~6 million every year due to evasions. How they managed to implement the gates so late is beyond me, and how the gate costs 200 million dollars has me jackie-chan meme.

What translink needs to do is to stop subsiding the bike lanes and other non-public transportation shit and use that money to do whatever they wanted to do instead of enforcing these BS cost cuts. If bikers want bike lanes, then they should partially pay for it. I don't see how fully subsided bike lanes paid by public transportation users and car drivers are justified. Plus, operating costs should be much lower than the last few years, if they didn't make wage cut then, why start now. The ones should be taking a wage cut are the executives. If they are managing a business that is seeing deficits constantly, and want to start making cost reduction policies on its workers then maybe start with execs first. It may not be much. but at least they would be setting a good example.

Best post in this whole thread. It baffles me how we cannibalize each other when it comes to union and the private section. I work in the private sector myself, what the bus drivers make is none of my business, I don't understand how people can feel so entitled to be in another man's business.

Let them strike. Anyone in this thread would be pissed to see their salary drop 10%, meanwhile we see how Translink is run like some corrupt second world government owned company. What are we Brazil? 200 million on
GATES. With a possible fare evasion of $2 million per year?

Those dollars don't make cents. I agree with you, cut the top, trim the fat, why are we arguing people making $30 an hour in this expensive city? These guys drive around and deal with drug addicts, fart blowers, asian drivers, drunk fuckheads, etc. I'm sure they earn it. But let's all continue to race to the bottom.

[Hondaracer]

I think as soon as my tax dollars are being used to pay these wages, it becomes my business.

[meme405]

Originally Posted by mikemhg

what the bus drivers make is none of my business, I don't understand how people can feel so entitled to be in another man's business.

Even the government knows it is absolutely your business, that's why their wages are a matter of public record.

Exactly as Hondaracer said, when it's my wages getting "cannibalized" in order to pay for these drivers then it is absolutely my business.

I've never heard any person complain about what a private sector union member makes, it is absolutely nobodies business except for the company and those union members.

Frankly if translink can guarantee that they won't have to somehow increase our levies, gas taxes, toll rates, taxes, etc. Then I couldn't give a fuck less if they pay their drivers a 60 bucks an hour. The trouble is I know exactly the path this leads down, and it ends with us getting another tax hike, or taxes on our gas.

[subordinate]

curious how many transit cops we have too. How many are retired police officers, double dipping into pensions.

[cocojoe]

Strikes don't solve anything they just hurt people. Anyone who says they want to see them strike doesn't use transit and are just self-centered and have an arrogant sense of entitlement. I'd love to see you not have the use of a car or any form of transportation and you work downtown but live in PoCo.

[MarkyMark]

I'd like to see some detailed numbers just to see what % of these drivers wages actually are in relation to all the other spending that TransLink does. If they can show all the numbers and prove that it's the 30 bucks an hour that is making them bleed money, and not their horrible money management decisions, then I bet even for the drivers it would be a little bit easier to swallow.

What I'd hate to see is TransLink continue to be careless with our money, and then just pass the blame by pointing fingers at a problem that isn't even a fraction of what the real problem is.

[m4k4v4li]

and what about union leaders? they are like the overly paid execs you are complaining about except their job isn't to find innovative ways to grow business efficiency and profits but rather scheme of new ways to solicit higher wages and benefits (this is essentially the measure of their job performance)

unions were created during a time where there were actually serious job hazards and no basic worker rights

in today's global economy they are largely inefficient institutions propping up artificially inflated sectors

[Armind]

So... they voted to strike.

[Traum]

^^ And at some crazy high percentage (high 90's) as well.

I honestly wish everybody good luck in this ordeal -- that includes the transit operators as well as the general public. Everybody's daily commute is gonna get fxxked up to varying degrees. But amidst all of this chaos, I honestly don't think the transit operators are going to gain too much of it. More likely than not, I expect them to be hurting their own wallets more than coming out on top in their CBA.

[GLOW]

[Armind]

Commute to work is gonna be a bitch now. Fuck.

[Acura604]

chilllll... I think the 'strike notice' is just a ploy to bring everyone back to the bargaining table to show how serious the situation has become. they have NOT issued any sort of strike notice to take effect so its business as usual.

[Traum]

^^ Yes, that is exactly what they are doing. But I don't think this Liberal government is gonna do anything at all. History has shown that unless you are doctors, nurses, or MLA, the provincial government has no interest in giving out any raises. They always play hard ball and fxxk with everyone.

[vitaminG]

Originally Posted by m4k4v4li

and what about union leaders? they are like the overly paid execs you are complaining about except their job isn't to find innovative ways to grow business efficiency and profits but rather scheme of new ways to solicit higher wages and benefits (this is essentially the measure of their job performance)

unions were created during a time where there were actually serious job hazards and no basic worker rights

in today's global economy they are largely inefficient institutions propping up artificially inflated sectors

Execs are voted in by the members they serve and their wages are paid by members dues. Of course it's their job to solicit better pay, benefits and condition, just like it's an employers job to pay as little as possible and maximize profits.

In this age of globalization unions are needed more than ever. Workers are a commodity to most employers and it's up to us to make sure we're treated fairly. Worker rights are being eroded in many industries and jobs.

[meme405]

Originally Posted by vitaminG

In this age of globalization unions are needed more than ever. Workers are a commodity to most employers and it's up to us to make sure we're treated fairly. Worker rights are being eroded in many industries and jobs.

Your right, workers are a commodity, and the market price is what the market price is for any commodity. Using unions to drive up the price of that commodity is like your broker lying to you about the value of a particular stock.

If a company pays less than another they will likely only get shitty workers who couldn't work at the higher paying place. This creates a situation where the onus is on the worker to actually make sure they are educated, prepared and ready to do their job to the best of their ability. This creates a work environment built for success (as long as the company pays appropriately for it), instead of one built on a foundation of bullshit and mediocrity.

[Lomac]

Originally Posted by vitaminG

theres a lot of worse jobs that pay less out there. but i dont think $30 is unreasonable at all for the work they do. id say its in line with other union driving jobs. they also have to deal with shit hours and split shifts, not to mention some of the people who take the bus.

It's currently in-line with what the local Teamster union makes, albeit without most of the perks the Teamsters gets. And having dealt with a bunch of the 155 guys, in comparison Translink drivers have a far harder job.