news "MTA: Overtime Crackdown Would Save Millions" - NY1.com

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05/20/2010 05:47 PM

MTA: Overtime Crackdown Would Save Millions

By: Micheal Scotto

 

A showdown could be brewing between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and union leaders over overtime pay.

 

The MTA wants to crackdown on overtime pay and on employees who abuse sick leave.

 

The cash-strapped agency is looking to save $22 million this year and $60 miliion next year.

 

The MTA typically spends more than half a billion dollars a year on overtime a year. The agency estimates that a quarter of the workers call out sick 15 times or more a year, forcing them to pay other employees time and a half to cover those shifts.

 

Currently, many transit employees have to show a doctor's note if they're out three or more days in a row.

 

"The overwhelming majority of employees want to do the right thing, do come to work every time, are not overtime abusers, but there are [a] percentage who are, and it's those employees we want to focus on", said New York City Transit Authority President Thomas Pendergast.

 

"We work on dirty, filthy tracks. We work around rats, homeless people, around feces. These things cause people to get sick. We're exposed to the elements, and when we use our sick time, the MTA wants to take our sick time away", said Transport Workers Union President John Samuelson.

 

The MTA says it can crackdown on overtime partly on its' own, but will need the union's help as well.

[rtype3995]

obviously you cant have it both ways.............in terms of the sick, if ta wasnt so hard in terms of giving days off or whatever, you'd get guys to come to work.....also, it is a filthy enviorment; you are bound to get sick............lord only knows what you're breathing in down there..............

 

as for the overtime, same deal..........you cant lay off employees and then say people are doing too much ot...........in rto, are you willing to risk abd's in terms of intervals and lose federal dollars because workers are raking in ot?

i wonder also which department has the highest amounts in terms of ot abuse and sick abuse............

[Will-Bx-718]

obviously you cant have it both ways.............in terms of the sick, if ta wasnt so hard in terms of giving days off or whatever, you'd get guys to come to work.....also, it is a filthy enviorment; you are bound to get sick............lord only knows what you're breathing in down there..............

 

as for the overtime, same deal..........you cant lay off employees and then say people are doing too much ot...........in rto, are you willing to risk abd's in terms of intervals and lose federal dollars because workers are raking in ot?

i wonder also which department has the highest amounts in terms of ot abuse and sick abuse............

 

Agreed, ever since the lay off of 266 S/A's they have been calling for OT like crazy. They have even been announcing over the mass call system that they have OT available in all three zones (Zone 1: The Bronx and Manhattan north of 42nd street, Zone 2: Manhattan South of 42nd Street and Queens except Far Rocaway ,Zone 3: All of Brooklyn and Far Rocaway Queens), I even had a Station Supervisor who called me to work my first RDO on the exact day they laid off 266 S/A's get upset with me because I didn't except the OT. She something along the lines of the MTA is watching who doesn't work OT and is calling out sick, and about how we need to start working. I mean I'm sure all those laid off people would love to work, but you dumped them in the trash and gave them a 7-Day unlimited metrocard and told them to get lost.

[Rutgers Tube]

obviously you cant have it both ways.............in terms of the sick, if ta wasnt so hard in terms of giving days off or whatever, you'd get guys to come to work.....also, it is a filthy enviorment; you are bound to get sick............lord only knows what you're breathing in down there..............

 

as for the overtime, same deal..........you cant lay off employees and then say people are doing too much ot...........in rto, are you willing to risk abd's in terms of intervals and lose federal dollars because workers are raking in ot?

i wonder also which department has the highest amounts in terms of ot abuse and sick abuse............

 

Agreed, ever since the lay off of 266 S/A's they have been calling for OT like crazy. They have even been announcing that they have OT available in all three zones (Zone 1: The Bronx and Manhattan north of 42nd street, Zone 2: Manhattan South of 42nd Street and Queens except Far Rocaway ,Zone 3: All of Brooklyn and Far Rocaway Queens), I even had a Station Supervisor who called me to work my first RDO on the exact day they laid off 266 S/A's get upset with me because I didn't except the OT. She something along the lines of the MTA is watching who doesn't work OT and is calling out sick, and about how we need to start working. I mean I'm sure all those laid off people would love to work, but you dumped them in the trash and gave them a 7-Day unlimited metrocard and told them to get lost.

 

Ahhh... the perpetual debate of overtime! I was wondering when this issue was going to be made public, and quite frankly, I'm surprised that it took this long for it to surface.

 

Administration. 35-hour work weeks. Some of them work from home when needed or even desired. Almost all of them devote 35 hours and nothing more. Work isn't even a thought at 35:01. Hour lunches, comfortable reclining chairs, access to a clean bathroom at all times. Music, water coolers, lunch delivered to the office, someone to answer the phone and take notes, access to a computer, places to post pictures of the family they can see at the same time every day and access to blue skies and sunny days whenever it's desired.

 

And those aren't even the nice offices.

 

Union labor workers. No true limit on irregular working hours, leading to tolls taken on families. Toiling in filthy, loud, at times violent, poorly lit, hazardous, rat-infested (I'm not limiting that reference to the long-tailed little furballs scurrying along the trackbeds and platforms gobbling up slovenly-tossed morsels of human-waste) physically-, emotionally- and mentally-stressful, heart attack-inducing, uncomfortable and scrutinized conditions that can, at best, be described as health-compromising, both acutely and chronically. Access to bathrooms only at certain, pre-scheduled times, which can delayed indefinitely for such a large number of possible situations. Abbreviated time periods for lunch. Responsible for the safety of millions of people on an every-day basis, all of whom have their eyes focused on sandbagging the workers who are so undeservedly and tactlessly attacked by their own employer in the very large NYC media forum, as well as timely order of train movement (I know, I know - that's an antiquated task). And did I neglect to mention that they work with the ever-looming threat of being disciplined and even terminated for trying to tend the health of their families and themselves?

 

rtype and Will hit the nail on the head: lay off your workers, demand that the remaining employees pick up the slack, threaten you if you don't, or can't, and then publicly gripe about the expenses of overtime. Some people do abuse the time off policy, but I've seen that at small companies of less than five people and I've seen that at large companies and agencies of thousands and tens of thousands of employees - at all levels. These dapper-dressed water-walkers are about as hypocritical and self-righteous as it comes to management acumen. Here's an article on said topic with one key line towards the very end:

Management Pros Share Their Secrets

 

"Defend your people! They will reward you with their loyalty."

 

Why don't I see that much of anywhere anymore? Since when did fear replace respect as the more effective management tactic? Since when did denial of much-deserved and less-than-appropriate benefits and enforcing poor working conditions that barely meet labor standards promote much more efficient, safe-working, productive, proud and quality-concerned field personnel, much more than providing them a comfortable work environment that doesn't necessarily have to include a marble palace with a ruby-encrusted crown and a plush and satin thrown, a delusion that management feels is what is demanded?

 

Why does nearly every single administrator forget the fact that the workers that they intensely hawk are just the same as they are: human beings with families and a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

 

Why the hell has this even become a publicly-discussed issue?

[RTOMan]

Why the hell has this even become a publicly-discussed issue?

 

They are doing thier best in the papers to put the blame on the workers thats why, and any person with common sense can see that its going to blow up in their face.

 

Then again common sense is lacking greatly in these parts...

[RTOMan]

...........in rto, are you willing to risk abd's in terms of intervals and lose federal dollars because workers are raking in ot?

 

Thats where the hypocrisy comes in because THEY ARENT.

 

People read that and think we are just racking up the dough when they are begging us to work RDO's Extra trips...

 

 

They are seeing now that some of us are saying Eff You.

[Truckie]

This is one of the thing that made me laugh all along. Cut jobs and overtime. Unfortunately cutting extras will do nothing but create overtime.

 

Then again the big bosses probably doesn't even know what an extra is.

 

As far as marking off sick, if you're given the days, why should you be penalized for using (not abusing) them. If you don't use them you're gonna get paid for them eventually.

[cdi919]

that just goes to show that will cut their nose off to spite their face. they dont even care if they look like @$$ holes in the process.

[Nova RTS 9147]

Said it before, and I will say it again. This tactic of attacking and blaming the employees for the (MTA)'s perils will surely backfire down the road. When Waldo asks the TWU and co to make concessions, they're probably bound to say "Go f*ck yourself" and for good reason.

[Jah]

As far as marking off sick, if you're given the days, why should you be penalized for using (not abusing) them. If you don't use them you're gonna get paid for them eventually.

 

The thing is in the TA if you use your sick days you get paid %100 of there value. If you save them for retirement you get paid %25 of there value. That is why the TA wants you to not use them.

[Blatherskite]

The thing is in the TA if you use your sick days you get paid %100 of there value. If you save them for retirement you get paid %25 of there value. That is why the TA wants you to not use them.

 

It's 50% not 25%, unless they changed it. Ehmer told me this a while ago. He said he took very few sick days so he was going to cash out 50% when he retires.

[smoothoperator]

Ahhh... the perpetual debate of overtime! I was wondering when this issue was going to be made public, and quite frankly, I'm surprised that it took this long for it to surface.

 

Administration. 35-hour work weeks. Some of them work from home when needed or even desired. Almost all of them devote 35 hours and nothing more. Work isn't even a thought at 35:01. Hour lunches, comfortable reclining chairs, access to a clean bathroom at all times. Music, water coolers, lunch delivered to the office, someone to answer the phone and take notes, access to a computer, places to post pictures of the family they can see at the same time every day and access to blue skies and sunny days whenever it's desired.

 

And those aren't even the nice offices.

 

Union labor workers. No true limit on irregular working hours, leading to tolls taken on families. Toiling in filthy, loud, at times violent, poorly lit, hazardous, rat-infested (I'm not limiting that reference to the long-tailed little furballs scurrying along the trackbeds and platforms gobbling up slovenly-tossed morsels of human-waste) physically-, emotionally- and mentally-stressful, heart attack-inducing, uncomfortable and scrutinized conditions that can, at best, be described as health-compromising, both acutely and chronically. Access to bathrooms only at certain, pre-scheduled times, which can delayed indefinitely for such a large number of possible situations. Abbreviated time periods for lunch. Responsible for the safety of millions of people on an every-day basis, all of whom have their eyes focused on sandbagging the workers who are so undeservedly and tactlessly attacked by their own employer in the very large NYC media forum, as well as timely order of train movement (I know, I know - that's an antiquated task). And did I neglect to mention that they work with the ever-looming threat of being disciplined and even terminated for trying to tend the health of their families and themselves?

 

rtype and Will hit the nail on the head: lay off your workers, demand that the remaining employees pick up the slack, threaten you if you don't, or can't, and then publicly gripe about the expenses of overtime. Some people do abuse the time off policy, but I've seen that at small companies of less than five people and I've seen that at large companies and agencies of thousands and tens of thousands of employees - at all levels. These dapper-dressed water-walkers are about as hypocritical and self-righteous as it comes to management acumen. Here's an article on said topic with one key line towards the very end:

Management Pros Share Their Secrets

 

"Defend your people! They will reward you with their loyalty."

 

Why don't I see that much of anywhere anymore? Since when did fear replace respect as the more effective management tactic? Since when did denial of much-deserved and less-than-appropriate benefits and enforcing poor working conditions that barely meet labor standards promote much more efficient, safe-working, productive, proud and quality-concerned field personnel, much more than providing them a comfortable work environment that doesn't necessarily have to include a marble palace with a ruby-encrusted crown and a plush and satin thrown, a delusion that management feels is what is demanded?

 

Why does nearly every single administrator forget the fact that the workers that they intensely hawk are just the same as they are: human beings with families and a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

 

Why the hell has this even become a publicly-discussed issue?

 

Wow well said!

[Jah]

It's 50% not 25%, unless they changed it. Ehmer told me this a while ago. He said he took very few sick days so he was going to cash out 50% when he retires.

 

I could be wrong but I thought they pay you half of half of your days which is 25%.

[Blatherskite]

I could be wrong but I thought they pay you half of half of your days which is 25%.

 

He seemed pretty happy talking about the pay day he was going to get when he retired, but maybe I heard him wrong.

[Pelham Bay Dave]

I love how he is blaming sick leave on paying out OT when that is already covered by extra personal. Most of the Employees working overtime are covering these crazy GO's. Like this weekend the needs platform C/Rs and 4 extra crews to keep the service going and weekday extra personal are needed at St Lawrance to keep service moving. Also ot is given to cover a crew taken for a random or out of service. I have also noticed the A Div Control Center been taken more people out of service and the operating complaince is out in full forced looking for violations to take people out of service so they are also adding to the OT problem

[Blatherskite]

I love how he is blaming sick leave on paying out OT when that is already covered by extra personal. Most of the Employees working overtime are covering these crazy GO's. Like this weekend the needs platform C/Rs and 4 extra crews to keep the service going and weekday extra personal are needed at St Lawrance to keep service moving. Also ot is given to cover a crew taken for a random or out of service. I have also noticed the A Div Control Center been taken more people out of service and the operating complaince is out in full forced looking for violations to take people out of service so they are also adding to the OT problem

 

It's the usually ploy by the big wigs, or big balds to misinform the media and public, who don't have a clue how transit works, so that the employees appear greedy and the MTA sounds like the martyr. I think Hitler was pretty good at that too during the 30's, yet claimed to be the government of the people, if you're his kind of people.

[Truckie]

The thing is in the TA if you use your sick days you get paid %100 of there value. If you save them for retirement you get paid %25 of there value. That is why the TA wants you to not use them.

 

Dang, you get 100% for sick time in the TA? In MNR land we only get 90%. And yes, when we retire it drops to 50%.

 

So fine, they don't want you to use earned sick time. What's next? No vacation?

[Jah]

Dang, you get 100% for sick time in the TA? In MNR land we only get 90%. And yes, when we retire it drops to 50%.

 

So fine, they don't want you to use earned sick time. What's next? No vacation?

 

You get 100% of the sick days value if you use it. You get paid for the day that is 100%.

[Truckie]

You get 100% of the sick days value if you use it. You get paid for the day that is 100%.

 

I understand that. Like I said though, at MNR if you take a sick day you do not get 100% pay for that day, you only get 90%. So if, for example, make $100/day when you are at work, you only get $90/day when you take a sick day.

[Blatherskite]

I understand that. Like I said though, at MNR if you take a sick day you do not get 100% pay for that day, you only get 90%. So if, for example, make $100/day when you are at work, you only get $90/day when you take a sick day.

 

I guess according to some of the posters ridiculous statements about MTA racism, they should be jumping on the MTA now saying that since Metro North is mostly white, the MTA is attacking them on their sick days only paying 90% because they are white. Ridiculous? Yes. And so were the other accusations of racism.

[Trainmaster5]

I guess according to some of the posters ridiculous statements about MTA racism, they should be jumping on the MTA now saying that since Metro North is mostly white, the MTA is attacking them on their sick days only paying 90% because they are white. Ridiculous? Yes. And so were the other accusations of racism.

 

That's really unnecessary. Each division of the has it's own contracts and rules in effect and we'll leave it at that. As one of the earlier posters pointed out, to guarantee that you get paid for 100% of your sick time upon retirement or separation use all of your sick time. Leave a zero balance on the books and you will have been paid in full. No diddling around with any formulas are needed. No 50 percent or 25 percent computations needed. This only pertains to NYCT employees though. LIB,SIR,MABSTOA,LIRR and MNR probably have their own methods in place. Basically it's all contractual.

[Noflexdont]

About the OT issue with S/A's. I'm currently enrolled in a Shop Stewart class with the TWU and an S/A in my class said that they trying to get every S/A to turn down OT. By doing this they are trying to make the MTA be forced to hire back some of the laid off S/A. I hope that this plan gets the job done.

[BusOperator3319]

I did some digging in the Creates and found the 434 page CBA that I thought I had thrown out it covers Dec '02-Dec '05 with the Intergrated Collective Bargaining Agreement got it when I was a Traffic Checker a few years back

[Will-Bx-718]

You get 100% of the sick days value if you use it. You get paid for the day that is 100%.

 

Well in all actuality you don't really get 100% pay from NYCT either. They don't pay you for night differential, and for S/A's we don't get paid the 15 minutes early report time either. So it's similar to only getting paid 90% for the day.

So for me as an S/A we get paid $1.22 per hour night differential which equals $9.76 for the night and the 15 minutes early report time at hourly rate of $26.22 equals $6.55 so all together that's $16.32 which is about 65% of an hours rate. It may not seem like much but if your out for about 4 to 5 days that money starts to add up. So let's just say I was out for the entire 2week pay period I would lose $163.10 , $65.50 for the early report and $97.60 for the night differential. So I would end up bringing home $2097.60 instead of $2260.70

[Will-Bx-718]

About the OT issue with S/A's. I'm currently enrolled in a Shop Stewart class with the TWU and an S/A in my class said that they trying to get every S/A to turn down OT. By doing this they are trying to make the MTA be forced to hire back some of the laid off S/A. I hope that this plan gets the job done.

 

Well the problem with that is alot of the old times are raking in the OT since the 266 S/A's were laid off and they have been announcing that there is OT everywhere over the mass call system since that day. Most of the old timers could careless about the people that were laid because for now their job is safe. And I remember back in early 2006 when I got hired alot of old timers were complaining of losing alot of OT because we got hired and the MTA would rather pay us straight time at a rate of $15.92 at that time instead of the top pay of $22.19 plus time and a half which equals $33.29. So as you can see we have alot of greedy and selfish co-workers so that plan is not going to work.