darth_2k

Let me chime in on this matter.

1. TheBus is a privately runned company call the Oahu Transit System, which by the way is a no profit organization and has a 501 C3 classification with the IRS.

2. 70% of the funds that go toward running the bus comes from taxes paid by you and me. 30% come from bus fairs. Which means tax payers, primarily through gas tax pay for most of the cost to run TheBus.

3. City and county of Honlulu, namely the City Council of Honolulu, has the authority to set the price for bus rides. The last I checked adults are $1.75 and children are $.50. Which is one of the lowest when compared to other mass transit systems in cities similar is size of Honolulu.

4. The Teamsters is the Union which "supplies" workers to OTS. The Teamsters, through collective bargining and careful negotiations with OTS (not the City and County of Honolulu) sets the salary and benefits for its Union members for employment with OTS. In return, Union members pay 2.5 times their hourly rate as their Union dues each month. Example if a bus driver makes $20.00 per hour, his monthly Union dues is 2.5 X $20.00 = $50.00. OTS currently employs 1300 Teamsters so their monthly collection of Union dues from OTS is 1,300 X $50.00 or $65,000 times 12 months makes it $780,000.00 per year.

5. Because of decrased ridership this year, revenue was down approximately $6.8 million. Which lead to some discussion of layoffs, cut back in benefits, and no raises for this year from OTS.

6. According to Union negotiators, the Teamsters were more concerned about the cut back to benefits, and not concerend with raises, which were supposed to be 10% raise each year for three years.

7. The City Coucil of Honolulu, which has the authroity to set bus fares, voted 9-0 to raise bus fares to mkae up for the $6.8 million in revenue short fall. This would ensure the Teamsters that OTS would not cut any benefits, but would not grant the scheduled raises promised to Union members by OTS.

8. By the way, like ALL services out-sourced to private companies from the C&C of Honolulu, OTS won the contract to run the bus system because they were the lowest bidder. Just FYI.

These are the fatcs so far. There are probably some errors since this is coming from me.

Here are the arguements...

1. City and Coucil of Honolulu has already agreed to raise fares to make up for lost revenue. Thus OTS has promised to not cut back any promised benefits. Which according to Union negotiators was the "most important" matter to them. So why are they still on strike? Sine that was the "orimary' reason for the strike. * I will give you my answer later*

2. On the radio this morning was a talk show host interviewing a bus driver. When the host asked what other issues, since there were 38 issues, besides pay and benefits, caused this strike, the bus driver responded with "I dont know." Which was a clear indications that if the others are like this driver, then Union Members really dont know what the true reason of this strike is. But I do! *I will give you my answer later*

3. In a thight budget economy, other private companies are cutting back and laying off employees. I have close friends who have lost jobs, got jobs, and lost them again! All in a matter of a few months. But they arent union, you are right. What about United airline pilots who recently took a 30% PAY CUT! Just to stay employed!!! They are UNION!!! What about the Aloha airlines employees who sacrificed so that their fellow workers and friends could stay employed? how come they could do it, but not the OTS employees? *I will give you my answer later*

4. Twenty years ago, durring President Ronald Reagan's term, Air traffic controllers threatend to go on stirke. The Man's solution, fire the ones who donet want to work, and lets hire people who do want to work. So why not just fire the OTS employees, and hire people who do want to work?!? *I will give you my answer later*

5. By the way, the C&C of Honolulu is saving $250,00.00 per day from this strike. But many others are paying for this savings. Such as the small businesses who count on the traffic from bus ridders. Or the large companies who's employees cannot come to work. And even though the Teamsters get the 10% raise they want. How long do you think it will take for an average employee to make up fora ll the lost wages durring the strike. Example a driver makes $3,500.00 per month. Lets say this stike goes on for 2 months. Employee loses out on $7,000 in pay. IF he gets his 10% raise and no other raises. He will have to work about 1-1/2 years before making up for those lost wages.

Speaking of pay and benefits, lets break that down for just a bit here.

Starting salary approximately $30,000
Average 5-year employee's salary $40,000

Thats an increase of over 30 percent over five years. Boys and girls, go check to see what your salary increase has been over the past five years. 'nuff said. Or is it...

Health benefits cost is approximately $6000.00 per year. I hear that they get about $4.00 per hour worked added to their pension. On top of that their generous vacation and sick leave benefits. So it all adds up. You do the math. I am tired...

Now for the answer to all of this.

The following is an opinion of darth_2k. In no way does darth_2k represent any one else other than himself. Please discountinue reading if you are offended easily by comments made against organized labor, big government, or if you are over 30 and are still in school. If you voted to Mazie Hirono, Al Gore or Neil Abracrombie, please restrain yourself from reading any futher. You run a great risk of being offeneded by my comments. On the otherhand , if you are a flag saluting, country loving, troop supporting, God fearing, red blooded American, please read on...


The answer, in my most honest opion is...


MONEY and POWER!!


It is a beautiful game the democrats of Hawaii and the Union membership play in Hawaii. Democrats get work for Union laborers, and Union leaders get their members to re-elect democrats back to office. With the recent shift of power to Linda Lingle, many Union leaders feel the need to flex some muscle to show the new leadership who is still top dog arund here. Dock workers, hotel workers, teachers, nurses, and now bus drivers. They need to remind the current administration who the real bosses are in town. I know that some of these unions were on stike before Lingle came around. But perhaps they saw the writting on the wall.

Always follow the money, and in some cases, follow power and money. And there you will find the cause of these problems. I will let you know that these things ahppen to republicans as well, we are not guilt free of these devious actions. nd for those who think that perhaps breaking up the Union for the OTS employees would be a good idea, and let the C&C of Honolulu run TheBus. Not a good idea. OTS has been running TheBus for many decades now, and this is the first time they have been on strike since before I was born. I would have to say that is pretty darn good.

For the time being, lets just do ourbest to help make the beautiful place that it should be. All this "mental masturbation" and finger pointing about whos at fualt is not going to solve anything. I have promised to do my part, and that is, I will be nicer when I am driving. Letting people cut when they need to. Smiling more, and swearing less. Little things like that I know will go a long way. Aloha is the answer. My hope is that with the Mayor and the City Council supporting a raise in fares to make up for the short fall in revenue, and OTS not having to cut necessary benefits to their employees, and Teamsters putting off pay raises for a couple of years, this stike will end very soon. And all will be well again. I love our bus system. It is the best in all of North America. And it is all because of the support orom the City and County of Honolulu, and OTS who runs TheBus, and most importantly the Teamsters who make sure that their members are treated fairly. God bless America and Hawaii and those who make our counrty the best in the world!

snuffyrsx

Nice post.

Colin

I say the Bus! the bus employees on strike and all labor unions. I hated riding the bus when I was a kid and I hate them on the roads and slowing up things. Finally, anyone riding the bus should stop and buy a car..........preferably from me.

Hyper-X

During lunchtime, my friend and I overheard one of the picketing people today saying something like "we go beach, we getting paid for it anyway plus we might get raises when we get back" like they're on a possible 3 month paid vacation with a possibility of a raise. That royally pissed us off.

rstark

They are getting paid while on strike, but it's not that much. Whatever they earn on an hourly rate, take that and times 10 (i.e. 20/hr would be 20*10=$200 each week).

I hate the bus too, but damn, without them, traffic really does suck.

darth_2k

Here is what I heard so far.

1. OTS has said no cut backs and no lay offs till June 2004 if need be. And no raises for the next three years.

2. Union is saying fine now cut backs, we want raises starting next year and no lay offs for the next three years.

3. City and County. We will raise fairs so that no one loses benefits. But there simply isnt any money for raises.

Boy, and I thought that the all the Teamsters wanted was to make sure that no benefits were lost, and now they are asking for raises as well... seessh.