In case there was any doubt the New York liberal elite are out of touch with reality - we get this story.

New Yorkers Brace for Doorman Strike - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/nyregion/19strike.html?hp)


It has been nearly two decades since New Yorkers faced their last doorman strike, but as the deadline for a new contract for building workers approached, the questions being posed throughout the city remained largely unchanged on Sunday.

Who will safeguard my apartment as I sleep? Greet my children when they come home from school? Accept deliveries? Clean the hallways? Sort the mail? Operate the elevator? And who, for goodness sake, will let the cleaning lady in?


Many buildings have also posted sign-up sheets for residents to volunteer to watch the front doors, clean hallways and take out garbage, though the forms in the lobbies of a handful of Upper East Side buildings remained mostly blank on Sunday afternoon.

Mary Ann Rothman, executive director of the Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums, has signed up for volunteer work in her own co-op.

“If there is a positive thing to be pulled out of this, it’s that it is an opportunity to get to know your neighbors,” she said, “and to come together to combat a little bit of adversity, because this is not the end of the world, though it may appear that way if the strike goes on.”


Harold Gerber, who runs a real estate business and has lived in his co-op on East 75th Street for more than two decades, said he was already worried about security, and grumbled at the prospect of hauling his own trash. “It will affect us tremendously,” he said.

Some doormen were skeptical that contract workers or volunteers would be able to take up their duties. Salvador Gonzalez, a doorman at a building on the Upper East Side, said that as the deadline approached, he has even added a new responsibility to his usual assortment of tasks: giving inquiring residents tips on how to do his job.

These New Yorkers wouldn't last 2 hours in my world. Carry out your own trash! Heaven forbid. Besides - these are elitist Upper-eastside libs talking here - what are they even doing generating trash. They are supposed to be living green.

Hey, these people are paying $5000 a month for something! Certainly not to take out their own trash! Somehow I think in a day of 10% + unemployment they'll be pretty easy to replace.

Isnt the local control of their own community something that baggers and Republicans support?

I just could not see myself paying $5000 a month for anything. Even if I made that kind of money, I would opt for a stand alone home somewhere that would eventually be mine not some real estate mogul's.

It is more the idea that the goverment (or someone) has to take care of the day to day stuff. They can't imagine, so the the theory goes, that people could actually survive and thrive having to do for themselves. I will tell you this - my NYC single daughter (no kids or pets) has a studio apartment that is smaller, total, than my living room.

She has a maid come in one day a week...

But she was raised here. It is not that she can't do it, it is just that in NYC maids are cheap and residents are paid a lot to live and work there so most of them pay someone else to cook (even if it is just delivery) and clean and sort mail and open doors. They also put in a ton of hours (80 - 95) so there isn't a lot of time to do much more than work.

Who's gonna wipe my ass?

When I lived in downtown OKC, I had my trash taken out.

I paid for it, and when it didn't happen, I was rightly pissed as well.

Isnt the local control of their own community something that baggers and Republicans support?

What possible connection does this have to the thread?

When I lived in downtown OKC, I had my trash taken out.

I paid for it, and when it didn't happen, I was rightly pissed as well.

Don't lose any sleep. There are about a million unemployed there who would be more than happy to do these jobs.

What possible connection does this have to the thread?

Read the beginning..
In case there was any doubt the New York liberal elite are out of touch with reality - we get this story.
The poster introduction open it...

I understand that, I don't understand what your post had to do with this? It really doesn't make any sense. Perhaps if you expound a bit on what you mean?

... They also put in a ton of hours (80 - 95) so there isn't a lot of time to do much more than work.

PQ,
Your daughter is a busy lady...
I have seen lawn services in other neighborhoods who get 45$ a month, compare to say $25 in mine.
People pay for convenience of the services.
I see the same with produce the more processed the produce is the higher it costs.
Pineapple ..want it sliced? chucked? diced?
Salad bags? as oppose to lettuce heads, whole tomatoes,..so forth.
Farmers raised food as a convenience to those who dont or cant farm.
Ask why something is a particular way?
"put yourself in their shoes"
Now I am not saying some are not spoiled. By a long shot.

I understand that, I don't understand what your post had to do with this? It really doesn't make any sense. Perhaps if you expound a bit on what you mean?

Why as a bagger or Republican care what someone does with their money?
Isnt it just as intrusive for others (as well as the government) to concern themselves as to what a person does with their money or time?

Don't lose any sleep. There are about a million unemployed there who would be more than happy to do these jobs.

I would imagine that there is some sort of law or regulation that would prevent the doormen from being replaced. If not, how in the heck do we expect mobsters to make a living in these hard times.

I would imagine that there is some sort of law or regulation that would prevent the doormen from being replaced. If not, how in the heck do we expect mobsters to make a living in these hard times.

There may be being NYC, but it seems that's a union that would be pretty simple to break.

Why as a bagger or Republican care what someone does with their money? Isnt it just as intrusive for others (as well as the government) to concern themselves as to what a person does with their money or time?

I don't think he made such a statement. Just a weak shot at what he sees as a liberal city (which, in many respects, NYC is). However, they have elected a couple of moderate Republicans as mayor lately so it's not that liberal. I don't think he made any references as to how they spend their money, just that there are a lot of folks who seem really upset by this - which, if I were spending $5000 a month on rent or mortgage, I'd be annoyed, but it won't last long.

I don't think he made such a statement. Just a weak shot at what he sees as a liberal city (which, in many respects, NYC is). However, they have elected a couple of moderate Republicans as mayor lately so it's not that liberal. I don't think he made any references as to how they spend their money, just that there are a lot of folks who seem really upset by this - which, if I were spending $5000 a month on rent or mortgage, I'd be annoyed, but it won't last long.

I think you both are missing the point. No one is blaming them for being upset that they are not receiving a service that they paid for... it is their incredulous attitude about doing things for themselves.

ZOMG!!!WHO IS GOING TO CARRY OUT THE TRASH?

This is the disconnect from reality that the original poster was referring to. If the guy you hired to take out the trash quits, then you hire someone else, you take it out yourself, you let it pile up around you. It isn't freakin hard to figure out how to survive without a doorman.

The doormen often double as security. They buzz people in and accept their mail (and deliver it to individuals).

The doormen often double as security. They buzz people in and accept their mail (and deliver it to individuals).

Yeah, so no one else can perform these functions? I don't have anyone doing that and I am doing fine. Yet a whole neighborhood of supposedly educated and enlightened individuals can't figure out a work around? They are reduced to infants because the doorman is gone?

Who is going to operate the elevator? Are you kidding me? These people can't figure out how to push a freaking button?

I am not one to bash those who provide/use those services;however, one should never be over depedent one particular thing or another.

You should always have a back up plan in mind or at least have enough common sense to develop a backup plan at the last minute without whining about it.

I am very disappointed in the condition of America today. People are growing less and less resourceful with each passing day. Sometimes you have to step up and do the damage control on your own. It's not the government's or anyone else's responsibility to see to it you are successful and are able to survive a crisis regardless of how major or how slight.

Hey, these people are paying $5000 a month for something! Certainly not to take out their own trash! Somehow I think in a day of 10% + unemployment they'll be pretty easy to replace.


There may be being NYC, but it seems that's a union that would be pretty simple to break.
Union "breaking" in NYC might get you "broken".....much easier said than done in a heavily unionized city that has a pretty tight grip on city hall.

Yeah, so no one else can perform these functions? I don't have anyone doing that and I am doing fine. Yet a whole neighborhood of supposedly educated and enlightened individuals can't figure out a work around? They are reduced to infants because the doorman is gone?

Who is going to operate the elevator? Are you kidding me? These people can't figure out how to push a freaking button?

Caboose, I imagine they will do just fine. Calm down.

Union "breaking" in NYC might get you "broken".....much easier said than done in a heavily unionized city that has a pretty tight grip on city hall.

Maybe so, maybe so. But there are still a million A MILLION people out of work in that area.

The Upper East Side is where most NYC republicans live. In fact, the SW part of the UES has just as many registered republicans as democrats. Stupid thread.

Isnt the local control of their own community something that baggers and Republicans support?

Why must you try to turn everything into something political---what a _ _ _ _ _!!!

You really need to read the opening of the post, and the postings..
And you need fiber...jessus

OK Ok - first of all, Caboose was exactly right in his take on why I posted this. I could care less what New Yorkers spend their money on - even if the people they are paying don't think it is enough. It is 100% the attitude of the customer that I am appalled at.

Mug is right though, good luck striking with 10% unemployment but keep this in mind - the union involved is the SEIU (Obama's union) and if any building hires replacements I would expect a fire.

As for Republican - Democrat: I said liberal. Even the upper eastside Republicans are liberals. The last moderate Republican mayor NYC had was Rudy.