[Article] MTA managers killing train crew morale by posting embarrassing incident reports at station terminals

[N6 Limited]

Quote

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/mta-bosses-kill-train-crew-morale-posting-faults-terminals-article-1.3494538

MTA managers have been shaming — and inadvertently naming — train crews accused of job screw-ups in a morale-killing warning to other workers, the Daily News has learned.

Reports of train conductors improperly closing doors or failing field tests are being posted to bulletin boards at station terminals. The posting areas are not public.

Despite a flimsy attempt at anonymity with a black marker, workers’ identities were legible, according to Tramell Thompson, a transit worker organizer.

“I’ve seen names and passes,” said Thompson, who is active at the Transport Workers Union Local 100 under a group called Progressive Action. “I could just put in a pass number and find out who the person is.”

“They’re trying to bring down our morale, embarrass us,” Thompson added. “Maybe these people need better training, maybe training needs to be done more frequently.”

The motivational technique by MTA managers was spotted in the worker-only areas of the Brighton Beach terminal as recently as Tuesday, according to Thompson.

One report from June that was posted there accused a J train conductor at the Essex St. station of hitting an assistant train dispatcher and riders with the doors. Another report from the station from July said a C train conductor was pulled off the job at the 96th St. station for failing an “efficiency test” because of “improper door operation.”

This is not a new tactic for MTA managers.

Last year, incident reports were tacked onto a bulletin board at the Stillwell Ave. terminal along with a sign, “Learning from others.”

It is unclear whether the incidents cited were fully adjudicated.

“We hold ourselves and our employees to an extremely high standard in terms of customer service and operations,” said MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz. “We’re reviewing this particular situation and will discuss it with our partners in labor.”

TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen fumed at what he sees as the MTA management’s attempt to harass workers and called it a violation of their contract.

“There’s due process provisions in the contract — innocent ’til proven guilty. Who are they to post unfounded reports of incidents?” Samuelsen asked. “This is an absolute violation of the entire grievance procedure.”

He vowed to send union reps to rip down the incident reports. That won’t be necessary, however — the reports at the Brighton Beach station came down Wednesday after inquiries from The News, according to TWU officials.

Dean Burrell, an arbitrator and longtime labor lawyer in New Jersey, said both sides should be upset by the tactic — workers who may feel defamed and embarrassed and managers who want workers to cooperate with investigations.

“That’s just totally inappropriate,” Burrell said. “I’m sure any responsible member of management, if they knew who did that, would put the kibosh on it.”

 

What's an "Efficiency test" or "improper door operation"?

I know of an Efficiency test they can do. Monitor how slow they clear trains from 71st Ave in the evenings causing cascading delays, especially when the  and  run local.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

What's an "Efficiency test" or "improper door operation"?

I know of an Efficiency test they can do. Monitor how slow they clear trains from 71st Ave in the evenings causing cascading delays, especially when the  and  run local.

 Well I do agree that training should be more frequent and consistent. The needs to do a better job of retaining good workers. The training in some cases is almost non-existent. What's crazy is that all of this isn't exactly driving down costs, so what's the point.

[N6 Limited]

4 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

 Well I do agree that training should be more frequent and consistent. The needs to do a better job of retaining good workers. The training in some cases is almost non-existent. What's crazy is that all of this isn't exactly driving down costs, so what's the point.

Exactly, the argument is that extending the costs more money, but you have all the train crews delayed and probably getting overtime. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

Exactly, the argument is that extending the costs more money, but you have all the train crews delayed and probably getting overtime. 

Speaking of overtime, the  had the nerve to say that they account for overtime costs in their budget and that is more cost friendly because they're able to keep other worker-related expenses down. I don't know if I buy that.  

[N6 Limited]

3 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Speaking of overtime, the  had the nerve to say that they account for overtime costs in their budget and that is more cost friendly because they're able to keep other worker-related expenses down. I don't know if I buy that.  

I think the logic is that it's just extra hours they have to pay for as opposed to extra benefits, uniforms, training, additional pensions down the road, etc.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, N6 Limited said:

I think the logic is that it's just extra hours they have to pay for as opposed to extra benefits, uniforms, training, additional pensions down the road, etc.

That's exactly the thinking.

[N6 Limited]

Just now, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That's exactly the thinking.

But the higher their earnings the higher their pensions anyway, etc.

Have they shown actual projections?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, N6 Limited said:

But the higher their earnings the higher their pensions anyway, etc.

Have they shown actual projections?

That's my thinking. I've never seen any projections, but that's how they justify paying huge sums of OT.

[N6 Limited]

7 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That's my thinking. I've never seen any projections, but that's how they justify paying huge sums of OT.

I wonder why they can't just terminate the  trains at Queens Plaza, fumigate, then battery run to the yard from there. 

[NY1635]

1 hour ago, N6 Limited said:

I wonder why they can't just terminate the  trains at Queens Plaza, fumigate, then battery run to the yard from there. 

People on the QBL can now take the to Lexington Avenue-63rd Street and transfer for the across the platform if they need service to Broadway. The only thing the would do overnight is cut down on the time it takes to wait for the or the between 71st and Roosevelt.

[RR503]

25 minutes ago, NY1635 said:

People on the QBL can now take the to Lexington Avenue-63rd Street and transfer for the across the platform if they need service to Broadway. The only thing the would do overnight is cut down on the time it takes to wait for the or the between 71st and Roosevelt.

runs express overnight, so if you're going from, say, 63rd drive to Prince st, you're gonna get either a walk through time square or a 3 legged xfer. 

[N6 Limited]

1 hour ago, RR503 said:

runs express overnight, so if you're going from, say, 63rd drive to Prince st, you're gonna get either a walk through time square or a 3 legged xfer. 

This issue is only a problem when the  and  run on the same track. (Whether it's the express track or local track).

1.  They terminate northbound  trains at 71st Ave and it causes delays with the   waiting behind it along with other  trains which will be terminating themselves. (Compound delays) 
2. Southbound can go either way, assuming they can use the switch south of the station:
   1. They can pull the  in on the local or express track and have  and  trains waiting behind it for it to leave the station. 
   2. They pull the  train out opposite of the thru track for the  and  trains so that the train is out of the way until it's ready to leave the terminal.