He said in a letter to Jay Walder that “you lost in arbitration and you lost once again on appeal, and the fault is yours, no one else’s. As a result, school children and my constituents are being forced to pay for your agency’s incompetence.”

That’s right… the agency’s incompetence. Not the union’s selfishness. Based on his statements, he clearly doesn’t think these workers should be granted an 11.3% raise over three years in this economy, but the TWU was asking for 4% annual raises during negotiations prior to arbitration.

This is what baffles me: how does Vallone think that the result of MTA/TWU negotiations would have been any better than the arbitrator’s, especially given the TWU’s willingness to strike at the expiration of the previous contract?

“For the MTA to grant generous raises while decimating services is completely irresponsible and inexcusable.”

I don’t know how that quote can possibly be misinterpreted as anything other than an accusation that the MTA willingly granted raises to employees. That’s a flat-out lie and it was the entire basis for Vallone’s phony protest.

Again, he’s afraid to attack organized labor because it’s where he gets his endorsements and campaign contributions. If your argument is that it’s the MTA’s fault for entering arbitration, why aren’t you also criticizing the TWU bosses for asking for such outrageous raises during a time when the MTA had a $1.2 billion deficit? Oh, right. Because Unions are perfect and never selfish and never do anything wrong. You didn’t take Labor 101, you took Labor Collusion 101.

Now I live in Bay Ridge and the sight of an even more crowded R between the financial district and 36th Street is going to be quite amusing without the M around any more. Glad I don’t live on that stretch.