New x17 Stop In Brooklyn Plan Gets Bumpy With MTA, Unions Riding Shotgun

[Cait Sith 8,030]

Yeah....remember when I posted that info about the bus stop having high opposition?

 

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Two transit unions are at odds with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over the addition of a single bus stop to an express route into Manhattan that, the unions say, would violate both their contracts and delay already-frustrated Staten Island commuters.

 

The MTA announced recently that it was planning to add a stop in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to the X17, which currently runs directly from Staten Island to Manhattan by way of the Gowanus Expressway. Adding a stop in Brooklyn would mean giving Amalgamated Transit Union Local 726, which operates Staten Island buses, a job that belongs to members of Transport Workers Union Local 100, according to John Samuelsen, who heads the latter group. He called the move a public-relations attack against the union, to make it look like its members oppose service restoration.

 

 

Source -- http://thechiefleader.com/news/news_of_the_week/an-express-bus-plan-gets-bumpy-with-mta-unions-riding/article_1318016c-e8e6-11e1-85b9-0019bb30f31a.html

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

And thus best solution is just run the X28 hourly say Saturdays 7am-10pm and Sundays 8am-8pm.

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

I don't see what's the problem with adding more service. I mean, for all we know, the Sunday service on the X17 is going to be added on the condition that the buses stop in Brooklyn. No Brooklyn stop could mean that there's no Sunday service and fewer runs to pick from. I highly doubt the MTA is going to restore X28 service either way, so what difference does it make if they're technically taking another union's work? (Come to think about it, why are SI B/Os part of a seperate union?)

 

As for the service pattern, I've been thinking that on Saturdays, the Brooklyn stop could get hourly service, while the rest of the buses bypass it. So during rush hours when the X17 runs every 20 minutes, 2/3 of the buses would still run nonstop to SI. Middays, 1/2 the buses would run nonstop to SI. (Either that, or during rush hours, the stop gets 40 minute service) I don't know what the frequency would be with Sunday service, but the Brooklyn stop should still get hourly service.

Edited August 22, 2012 by checkmatechamp13

[aemoreira81 965]

The MTA needs to push this to an arbitrator like, right now, arguing that since the outside terminus is in Staten Island, this is an ATU 726 job. I would personally want to see this be a bi-directional stop with the X17 terminating ultimately at Bricktown Mall (Charleston Depot is on the other side of a hill behind Bricktown).

[Blitz 762]

They need to stop bitching small matters like this. Manhattan is TWU local 100 territory. Does that mean that the SI express buses should drop passengers off at the border and make the walk?? All this they are doing is trying to distract people from the main issue, the fact that we have been working without a contract since January...

[Olegkha 75]

They got nothing better to do then to fight about small stuff like that ?

Damn, this is crazy !

SI busses do come to Brooklyn, so whats the difference ?

This actualy means more work ( longer trips, more money ) for SI operators, so where is the problem ??????????

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

They need to stop bitching small matters like this. Manhattan is TWU local 100 territory. Does that mean that the SI express buses should drop passengers off at the border and make the walk?? All this they are doing is trying to distract people from the main issue, the fact that we have been working without a contract since January...

 

 

Well, technically it's alright because they're drop-off only, so they're not taking any of their work (It's the same thing with NICE going into Queens. They're allowed to do it as long as they don't take any Queens passengers). But now that I think about it, they are kind of taking over an MTA role when they do it in Far Rockaway and on the N24. And come to think about it, the BxM1 does that too when it makes stops in Inwood.

 

They got nothing better to do then to fight about small stuff like that ?

Damn, this is crazy !

SI busses do come to Brooklyn, so whats the difference ?

This actualy means more work ( longer trips, more money ) for SI operators, so where is the problem ??????????

 

 

The thing is that they don't take over the "duty" of a Brooklyn route (though come to think about it, I have seen some people get off at 92nd & Fort Hamilton).

 

As for the operators, it looks like it's the Brooklyn ones that are protesting, because it would take away potential work from them. I guess I could understand it, but I agree that this is petty BS. If they keep this up, everybody might lose (riders, and drivers from both unions).

[QM1to6Ave 1,689]

This sounds ridiculous. This is just an express bus stop, it is not going to take way service from the local runs.

 

I smell someone who wants media attention

Edited August 23, 2012 by QM1to6Ave

[B35 via Church 9,410]

I smell someone who wants media attention

 

That's all it is.....

[Blitz 762]

It's a non issue like I said. If it really was something to be touchy about, than they would be.complaining about the Q44, or the Q32, and a whole bunch of other routes that cross between union territories already...

[Quill Depot 1,570]

Those people can take the . Staten Island needs direct service. Those people aint gonna take the free SI ferry.

[MHV9218 5,213]

I like Samuelsen, but I don't get the politics here. He wants to have the public on his side in the event of a potential strike in contract negotiations, so why fight over something like this when he knows the MTA is gonna leak it to the papers and makes the unions look like the bad guy. He's a smart guy, but I coulda told him this would happen. Bigger fish to fry out there, like a legitimate contract.

[BZGuy 214]

I like Sameluson also....I think he's doing a good job despite others in the union pushing against him. The issue is this....you let this go and the MTA will push for more. You cannot have the locals stealing each others work.....you are basically gonna have the depots working against each other than with each other. You don't believe me, look at the big dustup between Fresh Pond and Grand over the B38.

 

Fact is the TA wants to bring back the 28 but just not use Ulmer Park to do it and they are trying to use the 726 to shaft the 100. It's contract time....divide and conquer is the name of the game.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

I like Sameluson also....I think he's doing a good job despite others in the union pushing against him. The issue is this....you let this go and the MTA will push for more. You cannot have the locals stealing each others work.....you are basically gonna have the depots working against each other than with each other. You don't believe me, look at the big dustup between Fresh Pond and Grand over the B38.

 

Fact is the TA wants to bring back the 28 but just not use Ulmer Park to do it and they are trying to use the 726 to shaft the 100. It's contract time....divide and conquer is the name of the game.

 

If the money was there to fully restore the X28 it would be done, but it isn't and a compromise was made with the X17 with Sunday service being added and the 7th & 86th street stop. This is quite irritating to me that they would sit here and throw a hissy fit like this. If they have such a problem with it, then maybe they should find the funding to bring back the X28. Unbelievable!! We're in a recession now and concessions need to be made. They look very selfish and greedy right now!!

[BM5 via Woodhaven 5,156]

IMO this is a ridiculous idea. Fighting over a stop. I mean even making an S89 stop in another state was less difficult

[Quill Depot 1,570]

IMO this is a ridiculous idea. Fighting over a stop. I mean even making an S89 stop in another state was less difficult

 

I agree so much!

[BZGuy 214]

There are JOBS on the line! It's has nothing to do with being greedy....it has to do with PROTECTING the work in each division and within each local. If it's let go here the TA will push this everywhere.

 

It's the same for us at Peter Pan. The mainline guys are ATU 1512,Bonanza is ATU 1363,Arrow and Chelsea (Boston) have different locals of the TWU. We don't touch each others work unless that division cannot handle what they are given. We don't poach each others work either. To start doing that will cause more problems than it solves.

 

The TA wants to do this....then sit down with the ATU and TWU, listen to their concerns and work out a deal. You cannot fault the members for trying to protect their livelyhood.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

There are JOBS on the line! It's has nothing to do with being greedy....it has to do with PROTECTING the work in each division and within each local. If it's let go here the TA will push this everywhere.

 

It's the same for us at Peter Pan. The mainline guys are ATU 1512,Bonanza is ATU 1363,Arrow and Chelsea (Boston) have different locals of the TWU. We don't touch each others work unless that division cannot handle what they are given. We don't poach each others work either. To start doing that will cause more problems than it solves.

 

The TA wants to do this....then sit down with the ATU and TWU, listen to their concerns and work out a deal. You cannot fault the members for trying to protect their livelyhood.

 

What is ironic is why isn't Ulmer Park complaining? They're the ones that should be not Yukon... Furthemore the X17 is getting service that it didn't have before, which means MORE JOBS, not less.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Cait Sith 8,030]

There are JOBS on the line! It's has nothing to do with being greedy....it has to do with PROTECTING the work in each division and within each local. If it's let go here the TA will push this everywhere.

 

It's the same for us at Peter Pan. The mainline guys are ATU 1512,Bonanza is ATU 1363,Arrow and Chelsea (Boston) have different locals of the TWU. We don't touch each others work unless that division cannot handle what they are given. We don't poach each others work either. To start doing that will cause more problems than it solves.

 

The TA wants to do this....then sit down with the ATU and TWU, listen to their concerns and work out a deal. You cannot fault the members for trying to protect their livelyhood.

 

That is exactly the way I was looking at it. Some of these folks(excluding the ones already in the system) are looking at it in a completely different direction, mostly based on additional service.....but they don't know how the two divisions do their operations...

 

What was funny is that from what I was told, there was no discussions between the MTA and ATU 726 about this from the start....

 

What is ironic is why isn't Ulmer Park complaining?

 

From what I was told (not sure how true it is), they WERE complaining about it because they wanted the x28 to come back so they can add more work. Again, not sure how true this statement is.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Cait Sith

[BZGuy 214]

What is ironic is why isn't Ulmer Park complaining?

 

Ulmer Park is represented by the TWU 100....so Samuelson is complaining about it.

 

Furthemore the X17 is getting service that it didn't have before, which means MORE JOBS, not less.

 

More work for ATU 726 not TWU 100 over a stop that they service. Like I said the TA could sit down together with both unions and work out a deal but they rather this play out in the court of public opinion. I want to see more service like anybody else but not at the expense of screwing over one local to favor another.

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

What is ironic is why isn't Ulmer Park complaining? They're the ones that should be not Yukon... Furthemore the X17 is getting service that it didn't have before, which means MORE JOBS, not less.

 

Adding a stop in Brooklyn would mean giving Amalgamated Transit Union Local 726, which operates Staten Island buses, a job that belongs to members of Transport Workers Union Local 100, according to John Samuelsen, who heads the latter group.

 

Ulmer Park is complaining.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

Ulmer Park is represented by the TWU 100....so Samuelson is complaining about it.

 

My understanding has always been that the complaints were coming from Yukon. If Ulmer Park had such an issue with it, I would think they would've voiced their opinion with Senator Golden, seeing that they too pushed for restoration of the X27 and X28.

 

More work for ATU 726 not TWU 100 over a stop that they service. Like I said the TA could sit down together with both unions and work out a deal but they rather this play out in the court of public opinion. I want to see more service like anybody else but not at the expense of screwing over one local to favor another.

 

Again this wasn't done to screw over anyone. It was a question of trying to stretch funds to provide service to as many people as possible.

[Cait Sith 8,030]

My understanding has always been that the complaints were coming from Yukon.

 

You mean Charleston....where the main heads of ATU 726 SI Division and the x17 are at!

Edited August 23, 2012 by Cait Sith

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

You mean Charleston....where the main heads of ATU 726 SI Division and the x17 are at!

 

Right! I keep forgetting that Charleston now has the X17!!

[BZGuy 214]

The way this is being handled makes me think they are trying to get the locals to turn on one another during these contract talks. I don't think it had anything to do with stretching dollars....it's more like "lets see if we can sneak this one by them".

Edited August 23, 2012 by BZGuy