Six-Figure Bus Drivers & Other Working-Class Heroe

[EmptyTimCup]

I think MD Public service Workers should strike, this is a much more prosperous area ( and Cost of living is much higher), I don't think bus drivers get paid 75k

Six-Figure Bus Drivers & Other Working-Class Heroes


Can we stop acting as if people who work for the government are the heroes of working people?

Fine, we understand that Wisconsin public sector employees like the system that pays them an average of $76,500 per year, with splendiferous benefits, and are fighting like wildcats against any proposed reforms to that system. But it's madness to keep treating people who are promoting their own self-interest as if they are James Meredith walking into the University of Mississippi.

This isn't how we usually view people fighting for their own economic interests.

 

[Vince]

I think MD Public service Workers should strike, this is a much more prosperous area ( and Cost of living is much higher), I don't think bus drivers get paid 75k

Around here? Not a prayer. This Wisconsin thing just pizzes me off. Like the article says, they are not out for some high and noble reason, they are out for their own interests. Can't lose that paid for medical and retirement funds.

 

[ImnoMensa]

Around here? Not a prayer. This Wisconsin thing just pizzes me off. Like the article says, they are not out for some high and noble reason, they are out for their own interests. Can't lose that paid for medical and retirement funds.

I think the fact that they walked out on their schools and left kids with no teachers ,and parents who work, scrambling to find somewhere or someone to watch their kids duing the strike say's volumes about what they think of their pupils and their education.

 

[ginwoman]

Selfish

 

[pearlie369]

Selfish

Would you have said 'Oh no that's too much, I only want 20,000 a year.' ?

 

[Mongo53]

Would you have said 'Oh no that's too much, I only want 20,000 a year.' ?

Nope, but I would say, sorry, you're NOT going to make more than the people that pay your salary, for jobs of equal responsibility and skill.

To many politicians we willing to say, sure, we make the people that get payed less for jobs of more responsibity and skill than yours, pay you even more than they make. Hmmmm, and those politicians got huge war chests to get re-elected from the tax payers money they gave away in deals that someone truly representing the tax payer, would never have agreed too.

The fact those people that are unfairly making more than market value for their responsiblities and skills, are screaming its unfair to START TO MOVE toward a more equatable agreement, and throwing such a big fit, with such radical actions and accussations, does fit the criteria to call them selfish.

The union workers that are saying, OK, maybe, as government employees we should accept some freezes and paying more for our own benefits and less bargaining power in the future, to make things more equitable with the tax payer; no one has a problem with them, they do NOT meet the level selfish.

 

[thatguy]

Nope, but I would say, sorry, you're NOT going to make more than the people that pay your salary, for jobs of equal responsibility and skill.

To many politicians we willing to say, sure, we make the people that get payed less for jobs of more responsibity and skill than yours, pay you even more than they make. Hmmmm, and those politicians got huge war chests to get re-elected from the tax payers money they gave away in deals that someone truly representing the tax payer, would never have agreed too.

The fact those people that are unfairly making more than market value for their responsiblities and skills, are screaming its unfair to START TO MOVE toward a more equatable agreement, and throwing such a big fit, with such radical actions and accussations, does fit the criteria to call them selfish.

The union workers that are saying, OK, maybe, as government employees we should accept some freezes and paying more for our own benefits and less bargaining power in the future, to make things more equitable with the tax payer; no one has a problem with them, they do NOT meet the level selfish.

from the article it appears that the bus driver had a base salary of about 50k. that seems fair. what isn't discussed is how many hours the guy had to work to earn another 100k in overtime. it still seems a bit excessive to me, but i have known plenty of truck drivers that make similar overtime pay (1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times base pay for overtime hours) and none of them were union.

 

[-SS-]

Would you have said 'Oh no that's too much, I only want 20,000 a year.' ?

Is that really you're argument?

 

[Gilligan]

from the article it appears that the bus driver had a base salary of about 50k. that seems fair. .

Even that 50K base salary is higher than typical for a commercial driver..and then you throw all the wildly generous WI benefits on top of that. Nope..the unions in WI have, as in other bankrupt states like California, cut themselves some awesome deals at taxpayers expense. Fortunately, it is all coming to a screeching halt in states all across the country.

Truck Driver Salary | Glassdoor.com

 

[laynpipe]

Even that 50K base salary is higher than typical for a commercial driver..and then you throw all the wildly generous WI benefits on top of that. Nope..the unions in WI have, as in other bankrupt states like California, cut themselves some awesome deals at taxpayers expense. Fortunately, it is all coming to a screeching halt in states all across the country.

Truck Driver Salary | Glassdoor.com

i disagree. washington, dc bus drivers make that kind of money. i know a track walker that works for metro that makes 75k + benefits. he walks the tracks and looks for track issues so they can be prevented. doesnt perform the prevention, just spies the problems. 75K was with overtime.

workers are not the reason for bankrupt states, the problem is mismanagement of public funds. but the politicians only want to take these problems that they created out on the middle class.......the working stiff, the school teacher, the fireman, the police officer. its truly shameful.

 

[ylexot]

i disagree. washington, dc bus drivers make that kind of money. i know a track walker that works for metro that makes 75k + benefits. he walks the tracks and looks for track issues so they can be prevented. doesnt perform the prevention, just spies the problems. 75K was with overtime.

workers are not the reason for bankrupt states, the problem is mismanagement of public funds. but the politicians only want to take these problems that they created out on the middle class.......the working stiff, the school teacher, the fireman, the police officer. its truly shameful.

How were the funds mismanaged? Provide an example. Personally, I'd argue that overpaying people is mismanagement of funds. :shrug:

 

[bcp]

So, even though I tend to think that 70k+ a year is a bit steep for a bus driver,
How many here want to be sitting in a 30,000lb bus without a seatbelt, traveling down the highway at 65mph in rush hour traffic while a minimum wage highschool dropout is at the wheel?

 

[sunflower]

I wish they got paid that kind of money. In fact they need a raise!!!

 

[aps45819]

the problem is mismanagement of public funds.
its truly shameful.

You are 100% correct and that's the problem.
The democrats that get elected using union funds insure the unions get what they want so the unions will keep supporting them.
Look at WI, the democrats fled the state rather than disappoint their union masters.
It's truly shameful.
Maybe the cycle of corruption can be broken with right-to-work laws and making union membership and dues voluntary.

 

[Gilligan]

i disagree. .

You 'disagree' with actual data. Aren't you a bright bulb?.


So then you go and point out another job where the employee is rediculously overpiad..on a transportation system that is bleeding taxpayers dry to keep running with over 1 billion a year in losses. Good stuff.

 

[Gilligan]

Personally, I'd argue that overpaying people is mismanagement of funds. :shrug:

I would say that is probably where most of the fund mismanagement occurs too. Blowing hard-earned taxpayer dollars for overpaid and/or redundant public positions.

 

[thatguy]

You 'disagree' with actual data. Aren't you a bright bulb?.


So then you go and point out another job where the employee is rediculously overpiad..on a transportation system that is bleeding taxpayers dry to keep running with over 1 billion a year in losses. Good stuff.

the problem with data is that it can be very misleading depending on how it is presented. IF you simply change the 'sort' on your page you will see that of the higher paid truck drivers, 50k is on the low end of average, and there were pages of high end jobs. from FEDEX and UPS long haulers to greyhound drivers, lots of private sector truckdrivers bring in high salaries.

 

[SamSpade]

So, even though I tend to think that 70k+ a year is a bit steep for a bus driver,
How many here want to be sitting in a 30,000lb bus without a seatbelt, traveling down the highway at 65mph in rush hour traffic while a minimum wage highschool dropout is at the wheel?

You're right. The high school drop out should be paid a lot MORE to drive 65 mph in rush hour traffic.


Duh.

 

[Gilligan]

50k is on the low end of average, and there were pages of high end jobs. from FEDEX and UPS long haulers to greyhound drivers, lots of private sector truckdrivers bring in high salaries.

Wrong. 25K was on the low end..and those 'pages' and 'pages' were averaging around 50K, with the few examples of the highest disappearing after page 1 and:

a. All 100% private sector jobs <--- a clue.
b. None as high as those overpaid drivers on the WI public payroll.

 

[Gilligan]

How many here want to be sitting in a 30,000lb bus without a seatbelt, traveling down the highway at 65mph in rush hour traffic while a minimum wage highschool dropout is at the wheel?

?? You actually think that the pay is guaranteed to be comensurate with driver training and proven skill level?? Or vice versa?