Doormen Planning Strike

Yep, I've heard that. Our building at home will be affected - people are signing up for volunteer "shifts" of things like mail sorting, etc, to cope for the strike period. Can't say everyone has the neighborly spirit about it, though

I think doorman is one of those jobs that can easily be filled. And with all the unemployed people currently floating around, it shouldn't take too long.

@BroadwayBK: I agree. The doormen union are really only hurting themselves. All they do is stand near the door and open it for people. I know they probably do more like vacuum the floor and help people get their luggage out of the car.

@Ajadedidealist: Don't be surprised if not too many people help.

So, totally unrelated but still on the doorman idea, has anyone read about the doorman love story from a while back? http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/11/20/2009-11-20_hand_model_puts_up_her_dukes_vs_coop_10m_suit_sez_porters_love_made_her_pariah.html

Gasp! She had to hail her own taxis and retrieve her own packages after wedding a doorman! Actually, that is really absurd to think about. She married a doorman and then people who have similar jobs as the guy refused to work for her anymore? And the superintendent's wife! What a cow. The whole thing is kind of hilarious.

Well I read elsewhere that the same woman had dated another doorman who had worked in her building, prior to marrying this one, so she seems to have some kind of doorman fetish. And since she's a hand and foot model, maybe her doorman has a hand and foot fetish...sounds like a beautiful love story.

Heh. I'm all for people finding love wherever they can, but there's something strange about a woman continually falling for people who are paid to "serve" her. Makes me wonder what she'd be like in private

@Everyone seems like the strike has been averted at the last minute as a deal has been reached between the owners of the buildings and the union of doormen, porters and janitors. Some of my friends had been having nightmares about hauling garbage if the strike had occurred so I guess they will be happy now that the strike has been averted. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/nyregion/21strike.html?nl=nyregion&emc=ura1

I wish my life involved doormen or nightmares about not having doormen. I have dreams about not having to haul my own garbage to the curb.

@BroadwayBK One day, on that beach in Spain/ top floor flat in Paris, you won't have to haul your own garbage...

I live in a building with no doorman. I take out my own trash and get my own mail. It's not so bad.

@hhusted I guess we have been spoiled by the availability of amenities in our buildings and hence were daunted by the prospect of a strike.

@Uptowngirl: I could say something about people who live in buildings with doormen but I won't. Let's just say they are spoiled people.

@hhusted spoiled?? for living in a doorman building??then more than half of Manhattan is spoiled ..really wonder what the stats of that are .. people living in doorman equipped building in NYC..will dig it up..just for curiousity.

Glad to hear the strike was averted. But I must say rail/airline strikes are far, far more worrisome to me (esp. the French SNCF rail strike that just happened to coincide with the volcano crisis...that was just nuts) than a couple of doormen...

So.. ok.. I have to ask because, I agree.. filling a doorman's shooes APPEARS to be an easy thing to do.. What, exactly, does your doorman do that makes tipping and holiday gifts worthwhile? I mean, yeah, he says hello to you and opens the door.. but really.. what is SPECIAL about him/her that you just couldn't live without??

@Uptowngirl: No offense meant. But I lived in an apartment building with no doormen at all for nearly my whole life and I survived. In my opinion, anything other than a walk-up is a luxury. When I walk past this one building that has a doorman, I look at the faces of people. And each one has that "look at me I have a doorman and you don't." When I see them with that look, I would like to co-cock them one. But I don't because I'd be coming down to their level and I am above that, meaning, I do not resort to violence unless it is by self-defense only. Actually, I spoke to one tenant, who lives in a doorman building, with an elevator to boot, and I told him I had a walk-up, he envied me. He wished he lived in the same building I did. At least I get exercise climbing those stares. I get exercise opening those heavy doors. He said he needed to go to the gym nearly three times a week, because he was turning soft. He blamed it on living in a doorman building with an elevator.

@Basic: My point exactly. I am not trying to take jobs away from people. Good gracious, we don't need more unemployment. I just think money could be better spent than paying for a doorman. How about turning those doormen into maintenance workers. That's a better idea.

@hhusted I have never been cocky about having a doorman its a facility we choose to pay for . @basic my building doormen do a lot- they sort the mail, hold packages, handle deliveries, monitor the cctvs, sweep the sidewalks clear of snow and also help the old and disabled people who live in my building. They also help carry my cases when I come back from my travels and are always there to share a laugh or have a chinwag when I feel the need to. They do an excellent job and deserve whatever they get. People are entitled to their own points of view but I am immensely happy that I live in the building that I do.

Doormen create a one-man community spirit in an otherwise anonymous city. That's probably why people are willing to pay a lot to live in doorman buildings.

Yeah, I don't think having a doorman makes you some kind of horrible spoiled person. But I can see the value of having one for sure, and I agree with DBlack that doormen make your building a better place to live, more amiable. Except if you marry one, apparently. But anyway, I'm obviously not speaking from personal experience out in Bushwick....

I'm not sure how easily filled doorman positions are. I mean, in many cases you have access to residents' apartments and private matters, so I imagine there's a lot of background checks for doormen to make sure they're not just reliable, but completely trustworthy.

Doormen have the most boring jobs...if they weren't friendly and chatty with the residents, they would all die of boredom...

That's a good point, @uraniumfish. They have access to so much data as well as so many keys that I imagine that the job isn't given out lightly.

@Uraniumfish I would suppose so.. and I think they are paid between 40-60K a year..so it can be quite a decent job as well..I know for a fact that once they get the job many are loath to leave it..maybe its relatively easy work ( albeit boring work)for the amount that they are paid..

@uptowngirl It's probably important to pay them well, otherwise stealing and such would seem an attractive option...

True@uraniumfish