The Scrutinator

Of course I'm talking about New York City's transit strike.

I'm reading (slowly) Linda Chavez' excellent book, Betrayal: How Union Bosses Shake Down Their Members and Corrupt American Politics. (Though a well-researched book, the endless stories of mob links and corruption didn't hold my attention as well as I thought it would.)

Unions are ostensibly about helping the common worker get his share of corporate profits. But with public unions there are no corporate profits: the government doesn't make a profit. Further, government services (like transportation, police and fire) are monopolies to better serve the public, but unions abuse that position (as in this case). According to Chavez, public employee unions increase these public service disruptions.

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg: "[The union] shamefully decided they don't care about the people they work for, and they have no respect for the law. Their leadership thuggishly turned its back on New York City."

As Fox News contributor Mort Kondrake pointed out, this strike is primarily hurting other working-class people, including members of other unions.

What grievance is so serious they must strike? A lack of "respect"? Oh, and more money of course.

Michelle Malkin points out:

Average Salary for a Subway/Bus operator - $62,000

Starting Salary for a NYPD Police officer - $25,100

Update: strike poetry (HT: Hugh), and the socialist perspective.

By The Scrutinator @ 8:35 PM