"The contract should be rejected," said an MTA bus operator referring to the tentative agreement  between ATU and MTA.  He added,  "The so-called wage increase may fool many, but considering the real inflation rate, it ends up being a wage cut."

An ICWP member said, "No matter how big or small a wage increase is, the contract just justifies, legalizes and imposes our wage slavery. Our goal should be to abolish it. Only communism can do that.

"In communism, without money, we will work according to commitment and receive according to need," said another ICWP member.

 "There I see a problem," said the MTA operator. "You put too much emphasis in satisfying the material needs of the workers. You should emphasize more that in communism, work will be something that will make you happy because you are doing something that you like," he suggested.

"You gave us something to think about," responded the ICWP member.. "The question of happiness is important. We promise to think and write more about it. I personally think people would be happy doing something that is needed by society."

This led to a very lively and exciting discussion. The main ideas put forward were that people have different talents, and communist collectives would help everyone develop them to best contribute to society. That would make the contributor and receiver happy.

We also said that not everyone can always do only work that they like. There would be a long- term struggle for people to develop the attitude that they'll do whatever is needed  at a given time. Being part of such an effort, carried out with camaraderie and communist optimism, would make us happy.

A capitalist job can never give us happiness

A recent international survey found that 87% of workers in all job categories hated their jobs. Most MTA workers must feel the same. MTA's reign of terror in recent years has increased the harassment and stress significantly.

However, the nature of the capitalist job is the main cause of dissatisfaction. We are wage slaves and no money or benefits can ever change that. Deep down we know that no matter how "nice" the bosses treat us, when we no longer serve their interest they will fire us.

No job, no money; no money, no life. The wage--money--the "incentive" to work and that which is supposed to buy us happiness becomes the opposite. It is the chain that binds us to our masters and if broken it could be a death sentence. Money then was designed to be an entrapment and executioner, not a cure-all to make us happy.

In communism, contributing to the well-being of society will make us happy. But what do MTA operators contribute to capitalist society? How can a wage slave be happy transporting other wage slaves or future wage slaves every day, about 1.2 million mainly black and latino workers and youth, to be super-exploited in  garment sweat shops, fast food restaurants, cleaning skyscrapers, etc.?     

This would depress anyone. But MTA workers that aspire to break the chains of wage slavery should be inspired by the potential they have of uniting with all these wage slaves and youth to help mobilize for communism. Don't pin your hope on the union contract. Organize a political strike for communism to forge the unity we need with these masses.

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