[Mpls] Now the Governor has the strike he wanted

[Dyna Sluyter]

On Wednesday, March 3, 2004, at 08:10 AM, Bill Cullen wrote:

> If my friend is correct -- that the Met Council is planning to 
> permanently
> replace striking workers -- I wonder how many qualified people will 
> apply
> for jobs at the offered compensation package?

	As a "qualified people" I am not motivated whatsoever to put in an 
application at Metro Council Transit Operations. Why should I accept a 
cut in pay, higher insurance costs, less vacation, and have to put off 
my retirement for over a decade?

	And I am not alone. Despite Bush's recession there is still a shortage 
of qualified people to operate buses, trucks, and trains. Qualified 
mechanics are even harder to find.

	Why? Because everyone sends there kids to college instead of technical 
schools. Because many younger workers can't stay clean long enough to 
pass the drug tests. And many older transportation workers can't pass 
the tough DOT physical exams anymore. And with 30 years and out 
retirement plans being the norm, transportation workers in there 50s 
are quickly becoming retirees. A teamster receiving a $3000 retirement 
check every month and used to sleeping in mornings in their luxury RV 
isn't about to trade it for a bus at 4 am.

	As we speak Union Pacific railroad is desperately trying to hire 3000 
conductors. The Postal Service is trying to weasel out of an early 
retirement agreement because they can't find enough qualified drivers 
to replace the ones retiring. Even after the bankruptcy of Consolidated 
Freightways and the merger of Roadway and Yellow they still can't find 
enough qualified drivers.

	None the less there's no doubt that MCTO will manage to drag plenty of 
drunks, drug addicts, sex offenders, and such off the streets and turn 
them loose on our streets with 15 tons or more of bus. After letting 
half a billion dollars in rail investment rust for a while no doubt 
MCTO will put some Casey Jones wannabe's in the cab and let them try to 
negotiate 10 miles per hour switches and turns at 55. In short order 
they should manage to convert multimillion dollar railcars and stations 
into scrap metal.

	Then again, I might put in an application at MCTO just for the fun of 
it...

		scheming on the Northside,

			Dyna

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