By The TimesLedger
Once again the drivers for private bus companies are on strike and once again they — along with the public they serve — appear to be the pawns in a battle over which they have little control.
Drivers and mechanics from Queens Surface Corp., Triboro Coach and Jamaica Buses put up picket lines to protest the city’s decision not to increase the funding of the union’s medical plan. The drivers, who have been working without a contract since January 2001, serve 115,000 riders every day. Despite the city’s attempt to create alternative ways of getting to work, there is no denying that the strike is causing massive inconvenience. The riders have been coping, but their patience is getting thin.
The management of the three bus companies say this is not their fault and they point a finger at the city. The city in turn claims it is not a party to the negotiations between the drivers and the privately owned bus companies.
Earlier this year, the companies agreed to a modest pay increase for the drivers. The Transport Workers Union says the cut in medical benefits is completely unacceptable.
It seems obvious to us that the drivers should get the same pay and benefits that are given to the drivers of city buses. These are hardworking men and women who are struggling to make ends meet. They deserve to be treated better.
