What's your reaction to news of the tentative agreement in the Port Authority labor dispute?

While the details have not yet been disclosed, what's your reaction to the news of the tentative contract agreement between the transit union and the Port Authority?

Both sides announced they had a reached a potential deal last night. [ Read the story ]

To comment, register or sign in. Please read our Guide to Commenting.

 I am very happy and relieved that the Port Authority and the Transit Union agreed to a new contract.  It would have been a nightmare getting to and from my job in town if they had went on strike.  I am glad also that the two parties reached a negotiated settlement, rather than having the PA shove something down the union's throats.  No one wants to have work terms dictated to them, and to if that had been the case it would have been a defeat for workers everywhere.

I want to know under what authority Dan Onarato can threaten to suspend the Port Authority's drink tax revenue?  I thought these funds were State mandated, and not left to the discretion of the county executive?

PG Admin10:

While the details have not yet been disclosed, what's your reaction to the news of the tentative contract agreement between the transit union and the Port Authority?

Both sides announced they had a reached a potential deal last night. [ Read the story ]

To comment, register or sign in. Please read our Guide to Commenting.

 

 Moving these negotions away from Pittsburgh was the right move!  How much more of the disdain and hatred that Onorato, McMahon and Bland have for eachother could we endure?

Jobs are at stake, and here is a little known fact to most everyone...PAT operators are the LOWEST paid employees!  And an excellent wage it is, short of a few old timers you would be hard pressed to find any of them that would complain about their wages and benefits.  Everyone of them knows and has known that it is time to get this company ingood  standing after years of poor management...Paul Skoutelis who should be in jail right now!

There are aspects to the job that the public is unaware of because  the media  wants to focus on how much money they make.  A few examples...split shifts, a necessary part of the job to provide good rush hour service.  Working holidays, again paid to do so and it is a public service so the need is there and must be met.  HOWEVER, many drivers would give that up to open presents with their kids or have dinner with their families.  Danger, on a daily basis, disrespect on a daily basis.  Like teachers, politicians, Drs., lawyers, nurses and waitresses etc etc there are good and bad drivers.  I am a dedicated rider for 7 years and can tell you that the kindness that I see bestowed on passengers outweighs any negative experiences. 

The employees showed up for work ( even though the media in Pgh tried to portray them as sitting at home) and endured endless negativity, comments and questions. The information that they received was exactly what the public was getting, they were placed in a very uncomfortable situation.

So let us move on to develop a healthy public transportation system in our county, while we acknowledge that a decent wage for a difficult job is not a bad thing.  Remember that as the system gets healthier more jobs will be available for all of those who think it's easy..climb aboard!

 I don't understand why non-mass transit users must pay for it.  It is absurd that people get a $5 ride for $1.75.  Further, some bus drivers making $100,000 per year? WTF!  The union has out lived it's usefilness and should be broken up, just like the air traffic controllers in 1981.

I am somewhat disturbed by this 'agreement'.

I ride the bus to and from work every day, but would be more than happy to give that up for a time if it meant paying less for a bus pass each month.  It's stupid to continue to give in to these union thugs when nobody else anywhere gets the over the top benefits that these unskilled workers as the ATU do.  I am not jealous, I am outraged that we are paying so much for a service that should not cost this much.

What is it that makes these people worth so much money?  Perhaps it is the kindness they display when in 25 degree weather a driver in gridlock points toward the bus stop two blocks away and wont let you on board.  Maybe it's the courtesy that a T driver displays when he closes the door in your face and then laughs as you are left standing outside for another 30 minutes.  I'm sure that these services are well worth the money.  I am not even pointing out some of the traffic benefits such as having buses that stop in the middle of intersections and run red lights bring to the city. 

Someone needs to take a harsh stand against the ATU and prevent them from getting a free trip down easy street courtesy of John and Jane Taxpayer.

 Greyhound - people like you burn my butt.

We all subsidize roads throughout the region.  Why should my tax money go to keep Interstate 80 toll-free?  Why shouldn't those who use I-376 every day throw $2 into a tollbooth for driving it?  It is in the common good that we have good roads.  Further, if we unleashed all those who take public transportation and put them in vehicles driving into town everyday - it would be hell with the lid off!

Further, $24/hour comes to something around $50,000 per year.  Nice money, but by no means $100,000/yr.  Lemme see YOU drive a 40 foot straight-bodied vehicle through city streets for 8 hrs a day.  Then you can tell me what $$ it would take get you into the driver's seat.

And the day the last union job goes away is the day workers (including non-union) everywhere start losing medical insurance, 8 hr workdays, holidays, job safety regulations, and paid vacations.  You can count on it. 

 If Rendell was any kind of Gov he would fire them all!!  Anyone can drive a bus and call off sick 60 days a year. And there are plenty of good mechanics looking for jobs.  Port Authority is a disgrace and is a major reason the city and county strive so hard to draw prosperous towns into their realm of the democratic machine.  More relatives to add to their corrupt payrolls!

 Greyhound - you also burn my butt.

Do you, by any chance, happen to know what these drivers/operators go through each and every day they are operating a bus/trolley?  Well, I do, as I have friends that are both.  As a former Port Authority office employee, I have seen the drivers/operators being urinated on, vomitted on, grabbed, kicked, threatened, getting knives/guns pulled on them.  How many people are in their control every day on the streets and on the buses? As far as the $100,000/year (which was a rare case), as far as I'm concerned they deserve their wages.  They practically live at the bus/trolley garages and work practically every holiday.

Sounds as if you're just jealous because you didn't select at career at the Port Authority years ago.

I know people that work there too and the majority are lazy and have zero work ethic!!  I've never had a "union" protected job even though I worked at a hospital for 15 years.  So as far as being abused, spit on, etc., PAT workers have nothing on hospital employees. And I'd imagine the disgraceful PAT workers would be jealous of those of us who actually have a work ethic! Show up for work, do the best job possible and not rely on a union to retain my job no matter how I behave is how the majority of the work force spends their days. They should all be fired!!!

 My Dad was a cop in the city of Pgh for 30 years.  He DID NOT make nearly as much money as these bus drivers do.  He risked his life each and every single day with a gun around his waist to keep us all safe.  Even as a kid you were scared that you Dad would not come home alive one day.  We lived on his meger salary of $40,000 an that was with overtime if he could get it and he never used his vacation time so he could make more money.  To sit in a nice warm bus and yes, there ARE drivers who make upwards of $100,00 a year is outragous!!!!  The way the drivers treat some people is just down right mean.  The way they drive and take over the streets is just down right dangerous.   Pass up a person at the stop and laugh, yeah, real funny.  Run a stop sign or red light and (almost) hit a person crossing the street, it's uncalled for.  Too bad people depend on these idiots for transportation to work and school.  This is just another monopoly that should be abolished and another waist of my tax payers money!!!!!!

 I am very happy that the two parties have come to a tentative agreement also...a work stoppage of any kind would be a nightmare for me.  I hate to throw cold water on things, but I still don't think riders are out of the woods just yet.

No matter what the agreement is, I still think that come June 2009, Mr. Bland will be announcing to all that the Port Authority is still in danger of going under and that the original draconian service cuts and fare hikes that he proposed last June will be implemented anyway.  So loyal customers will lose no matter what.

And has Mr. Onorato said anything about releasing the matching funds yet??

 There is no reason why a tax shoudl be put on anything to help pay for mass transit.  I dont ride the bus and dont feel I should have to bail them out either.  Cut service to areas with low riders and cut the people who are "riding" the payroll.   Its real simple.  If the company is not operating correctly fix it, dont ask for gov or tax payer hand out.....you people make me sick.

 what do you expect?  this town has a mayor that was only thrust into his position bc the two parties nominated him as the mayor alternative for spite agst one another- daddy being a judge helped.  we have a bloated pat system that is never on time, the buses break, and the trains don't go anywhere usefull like say to our major colleges, hospitals, or airport... but we do have a 400 million plus tunnel that basically spans 800 yards across a river.  mind you, i've never heard a fan complain about walking the clemente bridge- this was only spent bc onorato didn't want to lose federal funding for the project.

face it kiddo's- we've elected enough bozos and let enough goofballs get into power that we're just stuck.  stuck in a go no where town ran by do nothing ppl.

 Blender, 

I don't know what your rant (Mayor Luke? Amtrak?) has to do with the PAT/transit workers settlement, but for your information, the PAT tunnel beneath the Allegheny R is the first step in completion of a transit line to the airport.  In addition, the City's growth area is to the north, and the tunnel will allow for a connection from the northern suburbs to town. 

I have worked in Cleveland and have used their transit from downtown to the airport, and it is a awesome convenience to be able to do so.  I believe the city will NEVER be sorry that a transit tunnel was placed to the north side, as it opens numerous opportunities for transit connections.  This tunnel is the legacy of Senator Santorum, who earmarked the $500 million to seed this project from the Federal government.