What do you think of the proposed transit contract?

 BillyBotka, Amen! You're right except for one thing....do you think these uneducated, lazy, unmotivated PAT workers (and let me add rude and arrogant, who think they are Gods), wish to get a second job after they retire? LOL! That would be the day! They don't want to work now! Take a look at the excessive absenteeism, etc. ! The one point that illogical, Pat McMahon stated was that he had an employee who was retiring at the age of 50 something and did not want to have to get a second job to support his family or their medical benefits. Let me get out my pity violin.

Unions have no place in society today. We can only pray that someday they fail or are outlawed. At least, I can't wait for the day when PA joins 39 other states who make it illegal for these service related unions to strike!

 what a joke. they have given the union members raises, but they have taken it back in the hospitalization deductions. whoop-de-doo. the entire work rules should be overhauled. the mlk, vets day holiday is a joke. what a small contibution. and they are creating a committe with union members to help curb absenteeism, and tardyness. what a joke. either you come to work(and on time) or you don't get paid. what about closing harmarville? EVERY run that makes money that now comes out of that garage have been taken from east liberty garage. and may  add that harmarville was supposed to be closed in the mid 80's. that is when they started pulling some of the money makers from e-liberty garage. e- liberty garage carries the entire system. they need to get rid of the pitt passes. fare paying folks pay for that. i know a lot of drivers. retired and not retired. i will not say that all drivers are rude and nasty, but lots of them are. one driver called a m-f because i told her that none of them are "all that".  42,000 a year is (not) a lot of money. it is a lot of money for what they do, but it is not a lot of money. the county is going to get a lot of flack from this once again pat fiasco. but please keep in mind what was written....... one thing that was agreed upon was and that was there is going to be A HUGE overhaul in the re-routing of the service. mark my words, service is going to be cut, and it is going to be cut deeply. you notice the contract is 4 instead 3 years. over this 4 year period, service is going to be at least 30%, fare will be increased, and drivers are going to be laid off. just watch. if the union members were as smart as they thought they were, they would have taken a pay cut . we are in a severe recession. and if the tough local 85 people think that they have 'won' just wait. and far as their union president, he knew this was coming. he should tell the members the truth, but he thinks lying to them, he wil retain his job. just watch. 4 years from now.

 I think this is an absolute joke.  PAT shuts down routes because of money problems, the state is hundreds of millions in the hole on its budget and yet bus drivers get a raise and are being paid $52,000 a year.  While I can't say I've ever applied for a position as a bus driver I am definately considering a career change.  I would say boycott PAT for a week or so but I'm fortunate enough not to need one.  $52,000 a year to drive a BUS?  REALLY??

 you must be a lawyer, who steals life savings from little old ladies, or perhaps your an investor who has worked hard at stealing every penny you can from hard working people, who are left with nothing else for you to steal. Bus drivers earn every penny the get! Dealing with ignorant people on a daily basis is a very difficult job!

 Jim117 based on that thinking everyone that works at McDonalds or WalMart should be making $52,000 a year for dealing with ignorant people all day.  Do you realize another meaning for ignorant is "unaware or uninformed"....   and I must say JIm you seem to be as ignorant as they come. 

 tjk33, you seemed to have missed my point, however if you are unhappy with your wal-mart job, perhaps its time to move on.

 Let's see: 

1. The economy is in the pooper.

2.PAT workers already make waaaay too much money for a job just about anyone can be trained to do.

3. Companies are laying off workers, closing stores, and asking for bailouts.

4. PAT makes NO money and begs for more from us, and then stabs us in the back by giving out raises?

5. How do you give out money that you don't even have available?

6. Then they have the nerve to ask for more for some silly "smart" fare system.

7.  There is nothing smart about this company.

Privatize now!!  Go bankrupt, get rid of the union, and hire drivers at a reasonable and fair rate.

I believe that the Port Authority Transit should be disbanded or disolved.  Let whatever rises from the ashes happen.  Unfortunately like the financial industry and now the automobile industry, it was allowed to get too big and suck the taxpayers money into a greedy and inefficient operation.  Bailouts....matching funds....geez.

Like US congress, PA State Legislature, etc that has the reins of taxpayer money, it could never be efficient or "consumer driven" because the taxpayer is always made to pay for their mistakes and mismanagement. 

Sad state of affairs for sure.  As usual on the backs of the Taxpayers whether it be matching funds, 7% drink tax or rider fares.  Its all coming out of the taxpayers pockets.

It never ends......   I could use some matching funds and a financial bailout.... Any taxpayers out there want to be forced to contribute to my situation?  ha ha ha...

I believe the government, corporations, ceo's, politicians would just look at me and say, "Hey deadbeat!  I'm reporting you to the credit bureau for non payment for the next 7 years, you bum!  No loan at reasonable rates for you!  No free money for you!  No saving your house or car cause you mismanaged your money or fell on hard times.  TOO BAD."

Ironic,huh? 

It baffles me that most of the posts here are from people who seem to be in a race to the bottom.  Instead of thinking, ‘well, I don’t get a pension so neither should they,’ perhaps we should be thinking, ‘hey, they get a pension, why don’t I?’  If we wonder why we aren’t getting these benefits, we should look in the mirror.  Instead we sit around watching television and blaming everyone else for our problems.  Then some dopey politician or preacher comes along and we think he has all the answers.  The answers are found only in solidarity.  Women in this country bonded together and fought for their right to vote.  African-Americans bonded together and fought and died for their civil rights.  Union members fought and died for everyone’s right to have a 40 hour work week and paid vacation.  These things were not given by the graciousness of corporations, or the benevolence of the government and they certainly were not gained by the mythical wisdom of the “Market”.  They were gained by people fighting for their rights.  Like your freedom, thank a veteran.  Like your free time, thank your union-card carrying grandfather.  Don’t think for one second that these companies won’t pull these benefits back when the time is right.   

However, the unions of today have lost their way.  Instead of selfishly grabbing benefits for themselves they should be fighting for all workers.  And we should all see ourselves as part of that fight.  The average CEO makes over 270 times the average worker, but when the company goes down it is the “greedy” union members that are scapegoated.  The solution to many of these “legacy cost” (a term I despise because it dehumanizes the men and women who spent their lives working for a company only to be listed on a spreadsheet as a cost to be eliminated) issues is very simple: single-payer universal healthcare.  This is the fight we should be taking up.  This is what the unions should be fighting for.  The lack of healthcare is what bankrupts people and destroys lives.  The cost of healthcare “insurance” (until you try to use it and find that you are not covered as well as you thought) is what is bankrupting companies. 

There were several comments made about how PAT drivers are rude and arrogant.  Rudeness and varying levels of ability can be found in every occupation, from the street sweeper to the President of the US.  This is just how some people are.  If a driver is rude, wish him or her a nice day anyway.  Maybe the kindness will catch on, maybe it won’t, but at least you did your part. 

 Congratulations to the workers at the Port Authority for settling their contract. The wage increase that they received will probally not keep up with the rate of inflation. It's about time that the working families are able to recieve a living wage. It has been too long that the CEO's of the USA have reaped all the benifits while the working men and women of the USA have had to suffer the corperate abuse of the past decade that we and our children will pay for. Most manufacturing jobs have left to go overseas where the workers live in poverty. Its good to see that some  USA workers still have a voice !!!

 What these drivers are paid is an absolute outrage.  What's outrageous isn't just the raise, but what they were paid before the raise.  Do you realize that an assitant district attorney who prosecutes criminals in this county is paid $10,000 LESS than a bus driver (assuming the driver works ONLY 40 hours per week)?  Nevermind the public defenders.  And I'm sure that the ADA works more than 40 hours for that salary.  Also, what kind of person is easier to find - someone who can competently try a criminal prosecution or someone who can competently drive a bus? 

See what really happened was the county paid the ADAs so little, they got stuck with bad ADAs, who in turn let the criminals escape justice, who in turn became Port Authority bus drivers (let's face it, they have no standards), who in turn robbed the county.

The bottom line is that this is an example of a weak government giving in to the ire of a powerful union.  This weakness in protecting the public money is a reason to vote AGAINST current county officials.

 Another bailout out for PAT. ( The drink tax).  They will need MORE money down the road and will ask the county for more.  If you can't run a business,get out of town and let another company come in that will run an effective program that will make money,and not hold out a tin cup everytime they are broke. I am also against the bailout of the banks and automakers. If you own a home ,you have to live within your budget,if not your bills pile up,can't pay the mortage,etc. ,so you foreclose. Oh Well !   I don't feel sorry for the drivers either. They get a good salary for what they do,but however they  do deal with idiots all day ,or all night long. Maybe if we eliminate the buses the idiots will find other means to travel.

 I think a lot of people on here are just jealous. If it is such an easy no brain job that has people rolling in the dough,why don't you apply?? A lot of these comments are based on ignorance plus you have no idea what these workers endure every day. And why shouldn't the union fight for the best they can get? Don't you want the best you can get from your job as well or are you volunteering to take a big pay cut for the company's good? Please! The average worker at PAT is not making anywhere near what some of you think,BTW. Also, the raises will be absorbed with the higher insurance premiuns and copays. It's not like the employees are going to be laughing all the way to the bank or something...geez people-come on!

 Come on people $55,000 a year is not alot of money to drive a bus all day after you strip out taxes and pay your bills its really not alot.  Besides do u hear anyone complaining about what the Postman makes or Ups or Fedex?  Think about this they are carrying the precious cargo which is you back and forth to work.  These guys are driving you back in forth to work in all kinds of weather 365 days a year.  If you would like to talk about someone getting way too much money look at the CEO of some of these fortune 500 companies.  They make millions of dollars to lose peoples pensions and life savings now thats criminal!!!  I for one give you bus drivers a round of applause to stand up for whats right and what you deserve.  Finally they need to get that white collar criminal Onorato out of office

 Talk about uneducated bunch of nebby people. Any public transportation in this country including ours is publicly funded mostly by the feds,that is until baby bush cut the Federal Transportation bill to spend 10 BILLION a month in IRAQ. Thats ok that put more pressure on the states to fund. Most of you college graduates would not last ten minutes driving a bus because there is no chance of you stealing money!!! That is what you do right? The pension for the local 85 atu members is paid by the MEMBERS!!! Port authority management is paid with tax dollars and they have been in bed with the County Commissioner forever; he is a college grad!! Privatize? you genius!! One bus cost about $300,000 to buy. the insurance to carry 50 people with no seatbelts, brakes twice a year inspection twice a year and 6 new tires not to mention 200 gallons of diesel a day.You may get a ride on one block for $10.00 before the genius discovers you can't make money in private city transportation. The Port Authority IS NOT A COMPANY FOR PROFIT. It gets its budget money from feds,state and county taxes and if not used does not get the same amount next year understand NO PROFIT HERE!!! To all you jealous YINZERS who think football is a religion, come and apply. Pat McMahon is a great president who never went to college. We don't need some wise ass college educated thief spending more time trying to figure out how to put union money in his own pockets. You see what educated thiefs have done to your country so far. Get over yourself people. I paid for enough $1400.00 hammers in the 70's for the military with my tax money Port Authority is a bargain by comparison.