Once again, the Koch-funded Pioneer Institute in an effort to demonize working families and destroy worker rights released a new study filled with fuzzy math to take the focus off decades of under investment and poor management at the T. The following is what the Koch-funded Pioneer Institute aren’t telling you in their study:

• The Pioneer institute is using some fuzzy math in their sick leave calculation.
• The highest paid bus drivers make far less in pensionable salary (doesn’t include overtime) than the $81,000 cited in their report.
• Not all MBTA employees are members of the retirement fund.
• Members that quit or are fired lose any accumulated sick leave and receive no benefit.
• Long term employees with 30.5 years of service max out their pension at 75%, (compared to 80% maximum in the state system) of their best three years and receive no additional credit or pay for unused sick leave.
• Even with the pioneer’s inflated hypothetical calculations a 25 year employee would only receive a little over $22 a week in retirement, that’s not a lot of money for your finest employees after 25 years of service.
• The ability to use accumulated sick leave as an incentive at retirement is a better deal for the MBTA than their employees.
• If an essential employee is out sick their shift will be covered with overtime at 1.5 times their base pay.
• In a time where the MBTA is looking to cut absenteeism this is an inexpensive program to reward your best employees.