MTA spends $400,000 to train new bus drivers as laid-off veterans sit at home

[Y2Julio 206]

The MTA will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars training new bus drivers instead of bringing back some who were recently laid off, the Daily News has learned.

 

About 125 recruits are being hired from a list of job applicants, while some 185 drivers pink-slipped in June remain out of work, according to NYC Transit and union officials.

 

Not surprisingly, labor and management have different explanations for the situation.

 

An NYC Transit spokesman cited the intricacies of Civil Service law that govern how certain vacancies are filled.

 

Transport Workers Union Local 100 President John Samuelsen accused transit managers of retaliating for the union's refusal to grant contract concessions, like a reduced pay increase.

 

"They're doing this strictly out of spite and are willing to flush taxpayer money down the toilet," Samuelsen said.

 

Newly hired bus drivers earn about $3,300 a month, Samuelsen said. That puts the cost of preparing the new recruits at about $400,000, because each recruit spends one week in the classroom and three weeks driving with a veteran, he said.

 

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/09/14/2010-09-14_laidoff_drivers_sit_at_home_as_mta_trains_new_hires.html#ixzz0zWT4LQkF

[theaveragejoe 282]

why pay money to train new people when you have laid off people that dont need training sounds like more MTA bs to me

[SoSpectacular 771]

Damn, that's some sad news

[Nova RTS 9147 79]

why pay money to train new people when you have laid off people that dont need training sounds like more MTA bs to me

 

You have to pay the older guys more and chances are the new trainees will have less benefits when they get behind the wheel. It's a way for the agency to intimidate the unions and show how scummy they are.

[MTARegional Bus 247]

looks like there trying to ununionize the MTA.

 

 

Albany + MTA = Fail

[metsfan 2]

They are asking for another strike.

 

- A

[Queens Surface 434]

So the MTA fires workers but yet they spend 400,000 on bringing in new workers. This doesn't make any sense.

[puertorocks 0]

How the hell is this legal? The union better do something about this I swear to GOD!!!!!!!!!

[Infamous85 13]

They have money stashed up somewhere, that's all I'm gonna say.

 

It's appalling on so many levels.

[w8Hou 64]

Veterans laid off???

 

NY Daily News and Pete Donohue once again making bogus titles on their own story.

 

Majority of the laid-offs were low seniority and yet NY Daily News classified them as veterans?

 

Anyway, its Jay Walder and his friends ideas to make thing easy to screw up again.

[mass production 19]

Veterans laid off, and hire New bees? things are going to get ugly with transit if they don't get there act together soon... I'm on the list for both B/O, and for Conductor who knows when that time will come...:confused:

[Zman 8]

Civil Service rules state that you must take a test in order to become a Civil Servant. Considering how important Civil Service status is to the union, it would not be in their best interest to circumvent it by hiring these MaBSTOA drivers and handing them CS status. They don't want to have it thrown in their faces by having the MTA say, "Well an exception was made for the union, now WE would like a different exception." Not only that, but hiring MaBSTOA drivers as CS's invites litigation for both parties.

 

The MaBSTOA drivers will get their jobs back, but it either has to be via MaBSTOA, or by taking a special test and becoming TA drivers.

[armax1980 0]

this is how the MTA stirs up friction between OA and TA employees.

[unclephil 0]

this is how the MTA stirs up friction between OA and TA employees.

The friction should be there anyway. Once TA people (Toussaint) took control of local 100 and negotiated away the much more favorable MABSTOA work rules it became obvious that OA needed its own local within TWU or a new union altogether.

[twty22 0]

i thought before hiring new employee's you have to back laid off employee's first...?

[Princelex 281]

Wow, the mess with the just keeps getting bigger and bigger doesn't it?

[KNIGHTRIDER3:16 198]

This Company acts Backwards , I will never understand the way they think .

They also know that Senior peeps if and when they come back they will be bitter , I know I would.

[BZGuy 214]

Not that my opinion counts,but TA and OA operators need to come together and merge into one list. There will be some short term pain but in the long run the union will be stronger and the will not be able to whipsaw one against the other.

 

But then again I work for a company with 3 different unions that can't stand one another.

[gtNovaBusRTS9369 20]

Why would choose inexperienced or less experienced drivers over more experienced drivers. Doesn't add up!

[NX Express 292]

Why would choose inexperienced or less experienced drivers over more experienced drivers. Doesn't add up!

 

Less salary, less benefits...

[East New York 4,103]

i thought before hiring new employee's you have to back laid off employee's first...?

 

Ford, GM, Chrysler, and a ton of other companies have been doing this for years. I think it's wrong, but who am I to comment.....

[jmazz77 11]

Less salary, less benefits...

 

the drivers that got laid off, had at most, 2yrs & change on the job. And the benefits will cost the same, no matter how long you are on the job. They sure as hell are not saving anything. They are doing it out of spite. bottom line.

 

I don't know what 2nd year pay rate is b/c I didn't make it there yet, but what.. maybe $4/hr over starting pay..??

 

The cost of the new-hires, the cost of all the OT over the summer and into the fall b/c of the manpower shortage.. All they did was waste more taxpayer money that they "supposedly" don't have to begin with.

 

I can't understand how the state gov't can allow this to happen, especially in this economy. They should be called out on their spending by congress,senate,etc.. And take the MTA to court & not allow the MTA to hire anyone until they bring back the ones laid off. Complete BS.

[NovaBUSRTS9145 82]

Civil Service rules state that you must take a test in order to become a Civil Servant. Considering how important Civil Service status is to the union, it would not be in their best interest to circumvent it by hiring these MaBSTOA drivers and handing them CS status. They don't want to have it thrown in their faces by having the MTA say, "Well an exception was made for the union, now WE would like a different exception." Not only that, but hiring MaBSTOA drivers as CS's invites litigation for both parties.

 

The MaBSTOA drivers will get their jobs back, but it either has to be via MaBSTOA, or by taking a special test and becoming TA drivers.

 

They had MaBSTOA drivers transferring to CS Depots a couple years back!!! That was a big stink when it 1st happened!! High Seniority OA drivers were coming to TA DEpots and bumping CS drivers!!! That was on edge! MTA dunno what to with themselves and I smell nothing but BS on MTAs part!

[TransitMan23 1]

all the layed off oa operators were given a chance to go to mta bus... they refused the job so thats on them..

[Joel Up Front 793]

I never really understood the legal situation with MaBSTOA and how its employees aren't civil servants, but get the protection anyway...