TWU Local 100 and New York City labor market

A labor market is the area over which demand and supply determine the going wage rate for labor. There is no national labor market however there are multiple labor markets separated by geographic location, occupation, skill and so on. Wages can give part of distinction made in the same market for plumbers, electricians, teachers and bankers for example since supply and demand for each occupation is likely to be quite distinct. Likewise geographical location gives rise to distinct labor markets. For instance the demand and supply for a taxi driver in New York City is likely to be distinct than that in Los Angeles. For such occupations such as college professor, or athletes the labor market may be national or even international.

The boundaries between many of the individual labor markets are relatively porous so workers can flow from one market to another in response to changes in wages - a teacher can become a flight attendant or plumber in Wisconsin can move to Louisiana. This movement between markets becomes progressively more difficult the greater the disparity in skills or geographic distance. For example a truck driver may be able to compete for an auto assembly job but would not be in competition in the market for orthopedic surgeons.

We in the TWU Local 100 were galvanized in part to be part of the labor movement in 

New York City which cannot be duplicated across the nation. In order to understand why we became members of TWU Local 100 it is necessary to understand the process that gave rise to that which is the mechanics of how the labor movement in New York City works. First New York City is the world capital. Second there is no equal or similar NYCTA world premier mass transportation system. Third TWU Local 100 moves New York. Membership of TWU Local 100 do not all do the same type of work (for example, teachers) we have a broad structure in which the unit consists of many different types of jobs (station agents, track workers, bus operators, mechanics, electricians, protection agents). 

One of the odd features of our economic system is that most of us must sell our ability to work in order to live. When MTA buys this ability they think of it as their private property and as with the rest of their property they think that they have the right to do with it as they see fit. In other words to them we are just ‘cost of production’ to be minimized and our ability to work will be treated no better than the tools and machines - we refuse that - we deserve and are entitled to a wage raise in the new contract.