transit workers may strike

so, okay, the transit workers' union in nyc is threatening to strike, because they don't like their salaries.

these are the salaries they are currently making according to AM New York:

- cleaner (lowest paid): $45,500
- bus maintenance: $68,000

conductors, operators are all in either the high 50k or low 60ks.

oh, and of course there are benefits.

now let's look at this:

- starting teacher salary in nyc: $39,000
- okay, let's tack on a master's degree and 4 years experience: $45,500

something about this seems morally wrong.

actually, let's look at what graduates in the bottom 90% (no, not the bottom 10%, the bottom 90%) from a 2nd tier law school in new york city make as lawyers in MANHATTAN (i am NOT making any of these up):

- transactional entertainment lawyer in film industry: $35,000
- junior attorney at record label: $38,000
- insurance defense: $40,000
- immigration lawyer: $45,000
- criminal defense: $47,000

(not counting the 50% that are still unemployed)

oh, and sometimes small firms don't offer health insurance. it's the trend these days.

i dunno about you, but those transit jobs look pretty tasty to me right now. i took auto maintenance in high school. maybe i can take a few more classes and score me one of those gigs maintaining buses. i will get paid well, and i will definitely get health insurance that way. if the transit workers only opened their eyes to the state of the health care system... AND OTHER SALARIES IN THE METRO AREA, maybe they would feel fortunate.

but that's just me.