How do you disagree with this letter writer from East Aurora? Public sector employees don't realize how good many of them have it? The people at the top in the private sector are ruthless. The workers have very little leverage or rights. At many jobs, in order to take a day off, you have to find someone to come in for you. My friend is a restaurant manager for a large chain. If he uses a sick day, he has to make it up later in the week, when he has off.
I would like to see both private sector workers and public sector workers start working together against the real villains-large corporate interests. Public sector employees are not bad people at all. However, I can also understand the frustration expressed in this letter...
Time for public workers to join the real world
I have worked in the private sector for more than 37 years. In that time, my colleagues and I have had to forgo wage increases, sometimes for four years in a row, during the late ’80s and early ’90s. I’ve watched the company I work for have layoffs and reductions in force to remain competitive. During my time in the work force, the Social Security Administration has been forced to increase the age of retirement for my age group from 65 to 66x, and had its treasury sacked by the U.S. government to be given away to people who haven’t worked a day in their lives.
Now I have to read letters in The News written by public service employees whining that Tier VI that will raise the retirement age for public service employees to 65. Welcome to the real world. I’m also sure that the “tiered” raises for teachers, and the plastic surgery clause in the Buffalo Teachers Federation contracts is “for the children.”
James M. Stern East Aurora
Time for public workers to join the real worldShare|
this public sector worker has not had a pay increase in 10 years, and had a promotion delayed because of my skin color. So you think working until 65 is no big deal? I hope you never have a fire ,because lets just say the 65 year old guy might not be so quick climbing a ladder. And we do have female firefighters, do you think a 65 year old lady can chop a hole in a roof , or carry you down a ladder ?
ReplyDelete10 years ago, no one cared about these things. Now when things get tight, people start pointing fingers. Mr. Stern, it's tough to tell whether you are a Occupy Wall Street idiot or a 4-year old brat child. " He has something and I don't have it and why does he get it! I want it,Mommy!" I also work for the BFD. I receive good pay and good benefits, that keep my family comfortable. Is there a downside? Yes-car wrecks,AIDS patients, housefires at 3 in the morning,seeing my fellow firefighters gravely injured or killed. But I do it gladly without whining,because IT'S WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. These civil service jobs were yours for the taking. But like the software engineer who is currently stocking shelves at the Home Depot because " he wasn't going to be a cop or fireman" you chose otherwise and must live with it. OK Mr Stern ( why is it always someone from Amherst crying about Buffalo? Geez!)now straighten up, wipe away those tears,stop pouting, and shut the fuck up.
ReplyDeleteI see many letters in the News from buffalo cops and firemen living in the suburbs.if you guys are so underpaid, why not start your own business or move to the private sector? how much money would your talents command there?
ReplyDeletesome of us are happy with the size of our penises and don't aspire to walk around with a gun. people in the city are just a little sick of many of you guys walking around town like you are hollywood celebrities. taxi drivers and convenience store clerks have more dangerous jobs and you dont hear them reminding us of how dangerous their jobs are.
last i checked 125 taxi drivers have not given their life in service to the citizens of Buffalo. YOU ARE A NAMELESS COWARD.
ReplyDeleteWe are not saying we are underpaid. We have good pay and good benefits. We're tired of people bitching about the benefits we have. You want the good bennies,then do the tough job or STFU! And by the way Mr. Microwang,what aisle are the plumbing supplies in?
ReplyDeleteTaxi drivers and convenient store clerks have a more dangerous job than buffalo cops and firefighters ? How in the fuck did you come up with this bullshit? I signed up for my job. I knew being a cop was dangerous, stressful, physically/mentally/emotionally demanding, etc. I knew before I took the job that cops have a much younger life expectancy rate, and a much higher divorce rate/ suicide rate and alcoholism rate. I took the job knowing that almost everyone dislikes the police and that people ive never even met before will automatically dislike me cause I am a cop. Even knowing all this I still took the job because of the benefits. I figured this job was worth it because I earned a decent wage and fair medical benefits for my family. I figured " yea, it's dangerous, but at least I'm earning benefits". Now all these fuckibg assholes want to compare my job to the private sector. " in the private sector, I have a 401k and I pay 25% of my medical". Well guess what dipshit, being a buffalo cop is not fucking comparable to the private sector. Answering the phones at geico is not comparable to chasing an armed felon through a vacant house at 3am in the east side of buffalo! Typing on a computer at rich products headquarters isn't comparable to responding to a double shooting outside of an east side bar while being surrounded by a crowd of 100 people looking to riot. While you're by the water cooler bitching about tps reports were at a distraught family's home, who called , because they just found their teenager hanging from a noose. The fine members off the buffalo police and buffalo fire departments have earned their medical benefits so fuck you very much!
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