The news of the day for unions and their sympathizers is the public is finally fed up being raped by public unions. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Outrage grows over Muni operators' pay.
The city's Muni operators are about to have one of those "uh-oh" moments. You know, that awkward instant when a group realizes that it overplayed its hand - badly.Rocket Shoes' Message To San Francisco Muni Workers
Even in San Francisco, a union town where labor issues are treated with kid gloves, politicians and transit riders are teeing off on the drivers like they stole rent money from little old ladies.
"There is no question in my mind that they completely misread the public," Mayor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. "Either they step up or the people of San Francisco will."
Friday, the Municipal Transportation Agency will vote on ways to balance its budget.
Riders have already seen fare hikes and service cuts and they may face them again thanks to Muni operators who rejected a proposal for a package of concessions that would have saved the agency $15 million over two years. Those savings could have temporarily reduced service cuts and some fee hikes.
But 575 operators voted in favor of the concessions and 857 were against the plan even though Muni operators are guaranteed an 8 percent raise. Their pay, protected by the city charter, ensures they are at least the second-highest paid operators in the nation.
Cue the torches and pitchforks, the local populace is enraged. This may be about pension plans and compensation concessions in City Hall, but for long-suffering Muni riders, it tapped into the anger of every time a bus door was slammed in their face or every driver who snarled a response to a question. So while union officials were chanting, "No givebacks! No concessions!" they were winning the economic battle and losing the public relations war.
"There has been this huge level of outrage," said Drew Hoolhorst, whose anti-Muni rant in his blog, "Rocket Shoes," has been getting a huge response. "This is real anger."
Supervisor Sean Elsbernd said he plans to gather the 60,000 signatures needed to put a charter amendment on the November ballot that would have pay, benefits and work rules negotiated through collective bargaining. Elsbernd pulled the amendment in hopes the union would approve the concessions, but he says all bets are off since the proposal was rebuffed.
"I am going forward with the petition regardless if they vote again. That's a lot of signatures, but if ever there was an issue when you could bet on it, this is it," Elsbernd said.
Warning... This contains harsh language.
Inquiring minds just might be interested in the message "Rocket Shoes Open Letter To SF Muni"
Dear SF Muni,Union Greed Nothing Short Of Amazing
**** you.
Let me start over.
**** you.
I�m done with your lies.
You show up late. When you do show up, you�re a total *******. Your driver acts like it�s a serious inconvenience that I�ve burdened him with the �driving people around in a bus� part of his �driving people around in a bus� part of his job. ...
It is hard to be surprised by union greed, but rejecting an 8% pay raise with a contract that guarantees they get the second highest pay in the nation, sets a new standard for public union greed and arrogance.
That aside, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd is making a major mistake. The only thing unions understand is total and complete annihilation. Moreover, what the union fully deserves is complete annihilation.
The union pests need to be treated like the termites they are. Thus Elsbernd should be gathering signatures to completely privatize the transportation system.
Negotiation with unions as with termites, simply does not work. Extermination is the only solution. Unfortunately, termites are a much easier problem to deal with.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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