Those Poor Oppressed Muni Drivers! Yeah, Right.

So perhaps, as a San Franciscan, you may have noticed that Muni service has been... well bad lately. The buses are fuller, but that's only because there are less of them.

As you may recall, because Muni is so horribly managed, it has an operating deficit of approximately $70 million. This is because of a combination of short-sighted management, an incredible sweetheart deal that no longer makes any sense, and an intransigent union.

The management problem is not being addressed by anyone in San Francisco. How the leadership of Muni, which consistently fails to meet its mandatory goals, remains employed is beyond me. Believe me, were I da' Mayor, they lot of them would have been sacked, and their successors would have been sacked until people over there started solving the problem and not sticking their heads in the sand hoping it would go away.

And yes Muni management, ensuring that fares get paid is part of your job! It is not a question of racism, classcism, or whatnot, if you apply the same rule to everyone.

At least the sweetheart deal that the Muni operators have is in jeopardy. Proposition G is on the ballot for November. Outside of a member of the Muni operator's union, I'm not sure why anyone would vote against it. Unless of course you like paying for inefficiency and obstructionism.

But this is San Francisco. So maybe you do.

Finally, that brings up to the Muni operator's union. Officially known as Transport Workers Union Local 250-A, they have filed a complaint against the MTA, which runs Muni, with the California Public Employment Relations Board. Why?

Because the MTA had the temerity to seek to restore cut service along some of the routes affected by the budget deficit. Local 250-A, who by the way rejected a one year freeze of pay which would have diminished the cuts in the first place, argues that the MTA failed to properly meet and confer about the schedule changes, the result of which is some union member had to start driving routes again.

What's so big about that? Apparently, its because these are the Union members who are paid by the MTA to work solely on union issues. Isn't that a great deal for San Francisco? Whoever agreed to that deal should be pilloried.

Why is it so unreasonable to expect Muni operators to actually operate Muni equipment? Why is it so unreasonable to expect the Transporation Workers Union to pay people to work on Union issues? When will the Union, as well as the MTA, understand that we live in a reality where funds are now no longer limitless for failure?

Oh that's right. I forgot. I live in a fantasy-land called San Francisco where there is no end to resources. Only an end to resourcefulness.