No doorman strike

And they still don't have to contribute to their health insurance!!! Of course, the rest of us certainly do.

Yes. These guys have an amazing deal. $40k base wage and $70k loaded cost. And *most* of them really don't work hard at all.

Can someone explain what the realty management people got out of the negotiations? Did the union have the give up anything at all? True, it seems like the doormen will be getting wage increases at less than inflation, but still, where are the concessions?

NYC- my thoughts exactly.
Was looking forward to showing the doormen we could live without them... it's all the other people i felt for. handymen, porters and all the people that could not get into the buildings that depend on it for income.

Really? If you want to show that you don't need them, just move to a building that doesn't have doormen. Nobody compels you to live in a doorman building. The ones in my building earn every penny, and are largely responsible for the building being very safe and well-run. I don't understand this absurd resentment over them having a decent income, especially coming from people who mostly make much more.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/nyregion/21strike.html?pagewanted=2&ref=nyregion

the union countered that the city’s real estate industry had come through the recession relatively strongly, with rents projected to rise over the next several years.

I'd like to second StF62. My building is consistently safe and clean, thanks to the committed work of the staff. I'm grateful for their presence and hard work. I chose to live in a doorman building because I wanted this service. Used to live in a non-doorman building, and the difference is stratospheric.

I would love to see my building dump the doormen. dont need doormen. I'd rather hire cheap security to sit on their asses. I can open my own door and cart my own stuff, thanks.

So when are you moving? Or are you going to continue coughing up extra rent and maintenance for something you don't want?

So when are you moving? Or are you going to continue coughing up extra rent and maintenance for something you don't want?

"I would love to see my building dump the doormen."

So why did you move to a doorman building in the first place???

NYCrobot - exactly. oh wait, they got a 'promise to try and figure out a way to decrease health costs in the future'. if they were planning on granting the union everything they wanted w/no concessions, they could have saved everyone a ton of planning and nerves and potential tenant/staff animosity by just agreeing to this weeks ago. of course i'm sure the mgmt agencies built up some nice bills for all the contingency planning they did.

NYCrobot - exactly. oh wait, they got a 'promise to try and figure out a way to decrease health costs in the future'. if they were planning on granting the union everything they wanted w/no concessions, they could have saved everyone a ton of planning and nerves and potential tenant/staff animosity by just agreeing to this weeks ago. of course i'm sure the mgmt agencies built up some nice bills for all the contingency planning they did.

i will print my wage stub come xmas time and ask for a health insurance donation. i'll leave a tip jar outside of my loft.

If they want to make more money, get a different job. Oh, you can't land your dream job that pays $500k+? Well, boo-hoo. You should have studied for better grades while in school, went to college, went to grad school, or whatever area of expertise you wanted. Didn't have any? Boo-hoo. Didn't have money? Loans, grants, military, and a host of other ways are available besides family paying for it.

Doormen... fortunately, I don't live in a building that employs these under-worked, overpaid, self-entitled, union loving a$$hats. I did plenty of manual labor during my younger days and peanuts compared to these lazy-corrupt-losers. It only made me want to get a better job.

"I am sure the cheap assholes here will think of a new reason to be stingy with doormen tips and holiday bonuses."

Here's a reason:

WE ALREADY PAY THEM A SALARY.

"So why did you move to a doorman building in the first place???"

I like service, but I am all for trimming the fat to lower costs.

"the union countered that the city’s real estate industry had come through the recession relatively strongly, with rents projected to rise over the next several years."

Oh, so they already agreed to a 20% cut to match the initial rent decreases?

I love it... they want the increases... but when there is a decrease, they play stupid.

> "So why did you move to a doorman building in the first place???"

Since when does the wish for a service require OVERPAYING for such service?

If your doormen don't do anything useful then the problem is your building management. Those guys aren't independent contractors, they're employees. Well-managed employees work, poorly-managed ones don't.

Who's going to pay the doormen's pensions? Is the building liable?

lived in a very average doorman building for ten years and adored the staff. The doormen were my extended family in every way. I gladly tipped at x-mas, during the year and always went to them first for extra jobs (ie window cleaning). I wanted them to have the $$ as opposed to a stranger.
I now live in a high end building and i get sh-t, a hello and anything else is a big favor. Maybe it's the management as they do not allow tipping or misc jobs. So that is why i feel the way i do.
The staff such as porters and cleaners, i have the highest regard and appreciate everything they do

"If your doormen don't do anything useful then the problem is your building management."

The management layer of the porters and doormen is covered by.... another union!

"Well-managed employees work, poorly-managed ones don't. "

thanks unions!

""Well-managed employees work, poorly-managed ones don't. "

thanks unions!"

Um ... bad management is bad management, whether they're managing union or non-union staff.

Nice try, though.

The collective wealth of the building owners and/or the value of the buildings vs. the collective wealth of the employees of the buildings or the members of the unions makes the whole argument against the unions misplaced.