MTA and transit workers union to have first contract negotiations in almost a year

[Turbo19]

_{Transport Workers Union Local 100 President John Samuelsen says that the hard work and sacrifice of bus and subway workers after Hurricane Sandy 'changed everything.' Here, Samuelsen (center) speaks during a press conference on April 24.}

The MTA and the transit workers union soon will have their first formal contract negotiations in nearly a year — and Hurricane Sandy will play a central role.

 

Transport Workers Union Local 100 will bolster its case for modest wage increases with a campaign stressing the hard work and sacrifices bus and subway workers made during and after the deluge.

 

“Hurricane Sandy changed everything,” Local 100 President John Samuelsen said. “It’s only appropriate to review and rehash the incredible work New York City transit workers did in getting New York City back on its feet.”

 

Thousands of transit employees worked nonstop to get buses on the road in less than 24 hours and for subways to return ahead of expectations, he said.

 

The stakes are high when the two sides sit down Sept. 30 — and not just for the approximately 36,000 transit workers.

 

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[Turbo19]

My take on the issue is that while the TWU and its workers has every right to demand a wage increase to go and use the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy as a basis for a wage increase for the negotiations is extremely egocentric. As it stands everyone is just scrapping by as it is. To go and ask for increases at this time would be egotistic in my opinion.

[dp142]

To not ask would be a huge mistake.

 

Any signs of willingness to accept zeros, as done in the past, only makes future negotiations harder. The MTA or any employer will never say to it's workforce "Hey, we had a great year! Raises for everyone!"

 

The MTA (pick a branch) will always cry broke the same we always cry for a raise while they squander money away on poorly planned projects and waste.

 

IF the MTA wants to save money start by holding the management accountable, from the first level all the way up.

 

Do you feel the same about your employer? Are you being paid what you believe you should be? Are you willing to not accept any added compensation for what you do?

 

I'm sure your employer cries broke just the same way while you see poor management and wasteful spending

[Turbo19]

To not ask would be a huge mistake.

 

Any signs of willingness to accept zeros, as done in the past, only makes future negotiations harder. The MTA or any employer will never say to it's workforce "Hey, we had a great year! Raises for everyone!"

 

The MTA (pick a branch) will always cry broke the same we always cry for a raise while they squander money away on poorly planned projects and waste.

 

IF the MTA wants to save money start by holding the management accountable, from the first level all the way up.

 

Do you feel the same about your employer? Are you being paid what you believe you should be? Are you willing to not accept any added compensation for what you do?

 

I'm sure your employer cries broke just the same way while you see poor management and wasteful spending

Of course the MTA would never raise wages on it's own, which is why transit workers unionized to begin with. However to go and use the events of Hurricane Sandy as a prerogative for a wage increase is extremely insensitive and crass.

 

What I do agree on though is holding upper management accountable. There is need for a major reformation. If anything efforts should be focused on that.

 

As for myself I'm currently unemployed and never earned a wage higher than minimum, so of course I felt I wasn't get paid enough. Would I have accepted extra, yes, of course but in my opinion it's very different in contrast to a union job.

 

Considering my employer was a conglomerate of it's own I wouldn't say that they cried broke as much as they just paid shit, but I digress.

[Amtrak7]

The union really needs to stop being hard-line on work rules. I think the MTA has a point in the zeroes, it's not to force zero raises, but rather to force work rule changes, fully knowing that the union wants raises, which, for the most part, they deserve.

[BreeddekalbL]

they are still trying to push getting rid of cr's and pushing part time b/o's so i side with them on this push. should not happen with safety implications

[dp142]

What type of work rules are being referred to? I hear the term thrown around alot. What specifically though?

 

In my time the only rules that cause waste and delay maintenance work our uptight of by "The office of system safety" and Transit departmental managers.

 

I know they would like to cross train employees and I'm time it just may happen starting on a small scale however there are many things needing to worked out with all job titles from managements angle alone.

[Quill Depot]

No offense to any transit workers, but they get like $30/hr, what more could they need. The TWU is killing the MTA. And whenever the MTA does anything, the TWU strikes cause they are more interested in their pay than anyone else.

[BreeddekalbL]

What type of work rules are being referred to? I hear the term thrown around alot. What specifically though?

 

for bus operators part timers, and getting rid of conductors if i remember correctly 

[Snowblock]

Getting rid of conductors is something that will NEVER happen - what they actually want is to combine conductors, train operators and tower operators into one title, and have everyone be swiss army knife employees.

[Justin08]

I agee I could never see getting rid of conductors totally unsafe. I hope they never go the multi tasking route that's a recipe for disaster.

[QM1to6Ave]

Getting rid of conductors is something that will NEVER happen - what they actually want is to combine conductors, train operators and tower operators into one title, and have everyone be swiss army knife employees.

 

Would everyone then get paid the same salary or would it depend on what function you pick each period?

[Justin08]

So what they want is everyone to able to operate a train be a conductor and tower personel?? Just want to make sure I understand it

[bobtehpanda]

I mean, from a completely different point of view (say, Jay Walder's), New York is one of the few systems left using two operators. Many Japanese systems use one operator on 16-car trains, and Japan has had issues with domestic terrorism in the past. (They make up some of the difference in staffing with platform attendants though.)

 

I'm not sure if this is entirely true, but I remember the Daily News breaking a story about how a woman was raped in front of a subway booth, and the clerk was not permitted to assist due to work rules preventing him from leaving the booth. MTACC is also overstaffed, but I'm not sure if that's included in the scope of TWU negotiations, or if they're covered by a different union.

[Tricknologist]

Would everyone then get paid the same salary or would it depend on what function you pick each period?

 

If that were to happen, pay would be based on function.

 

So what they want is everyone to able to operate a train be a conductor and tower personel?? Just want to make sure I understand it

 

One title, seprate responsibility. NYPD Traffic Enforcement uses a similar set up. The 'meter maids", the folks who direct traffic and the tow truck operators are all under the same title, Traffic Enforcement Agent.

 

I mean, from a completely different point of view (say, Jay Walder's), New York is one of the few systems left using two operators. Many Japanese systems use one operator on 16-car trains, and Japan has had issues with domestic terrorism in the past. (They make up some of the difference in staffing with platform attendants though.)

 

Does OPTO service in Japan have some form of automation? If so, the closest thing we can get to full-time OPTO is on the L and 7. I believe that's the main, if not one of the top, reason(s) why we will never go to a 100% C/R-less system.

[bobtehpanda]

Does OPTO service in Japan have some form of automation? If so, the closest thing we can get to full-time OPTO is on the L and 7. I believe that's the main, if not one of the top, reason(s) why we will never go to a 100% C/R-less system.

 

Yes, but their ATO is older and more rudimentary than our current CBTC. Keep in mind that train operation in Japan is so hyper-efficient that it is a completely different animal.

 

London Underground has suffered a terrorist attack, and is similarly moving to move all of its trains to OPTO and eventually ZPTO using automation, so that might be a better comparison.