On 3/25/04 1:45 PM, "Terrell Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> --- Tom Searles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Excuse me. Who wants the strike? Who went into the last negotiation >> and demanded a 5% raise over 2 years? Oh, that's right, it is a drop >> from their demand for a 6% raise over 2 years. I grant that 5% isn't >> a lot over 2 years, but that does not seem like a productive start to >> a meeting (unless you want the meeting to be short meeting). The >> union seems to be its own worst enemy in this strike. > > [TB] I'm not going to pretend to know how much compensation a bus > driver deserves. > > I don't think a 5% raise over two years, a mere 2 1/2 percent per year > is unreasonable. It approximates the rate of inflation. However, I > think you need to look at total compensation, wages, benefits, etc. > The increase in the cost of health insurance needs to be included in > computing the amount of increased compensation. > > We need to merge all of our metro area bus systems, had that happened > there would be more political pressure to end the strike. The opt out > provision dating back to the days of a no longer existing Metropolitan > Transit Commission property tax levy killed any possibility of a truly > metropolitan area transit system. Wizard is right - this strike is looking more and more like a lockout with each day that passes. I'll also echo Terrell's comments with a reminder that it takes two to tango in contract negotiations. Whether folks agree with the extent of it, ATU has made several concessions in their latest proposal. In addition to lowering the wage increase they seek, they offered to extend the step progression for earning top hourly rates by two years and to greatly extend the service period before becoming eligible for retiree health benefits. Those are significant concessions. Where's Met Council's counter offer? Peter Bell continues the "my way or the highway" approach and the "We're broke" refrain. Yet the Strib points out again today: Met Council saves $220,000 per weekday during this impasse. That will bring the total up to $3.75 million tomorrow. Only $30K of that has been earmarked for non-profits. That leaves over $3.7 million to help bridge the gap. Even with the latest round of budget cuts proposed by the governor, Met Council would still have $3 million to bargain with. Met Council needs to incorporate those savings into reaching a settlement. Just as Gov. Ventura's negotiating team did when state employees went on strike in 2001. Who would have ever thought we would be pointing to Ventura as an example of a reasonable approach? Pawlenty and Bell need to start demonstrating some leadership and make a serious effort to reach a settlement. Mark Snyder Windom Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
