The MTA is looking to make big changes to LIRR union contracts, including doing away with double-time pay for certain overtime assignments, scrutinizing workers who call out sick, and being able to contract out work whenever it wants!

[ThePeoplesMTA]

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/transportation/lirr-union-mta-relationship-1.34564095

[4 via Mosholu]

I wonder if this can be taken care of, @Cait Sith. It is in the wrong place and it's purpose here is questionable.

[bobtehpanda]

The double-time pay is an anachronism and it's good that it's going away.

There's also nothing wrong with contracting IMO, because not having this ability assumes that the MTA is the best at running literally everything possible in its domain, which is patently false.

[RR503]

Labor productivity at MTA is quite low by international and historical standards. The reforms proposed here are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is necessary (thinking PoP, etc). Workers should be compensated properly and treated well, but we also have to keep in mind that despite appearances, MTA is not a jobs program but a public authority whose primary responsibility is to provide public transit to the region w/ reasonable efficiency. 

[Truckie]

17 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

There's also nothing wrong with contracting IMO, because not having this ability assumes that the MTA is the best at running literally everything possible in its domain, which is patently false.

If they were going to contract out to supplement the current workforce is one thing.  If they were going to contract out to replace the current work force is another.

 

17 hours ago, RR503 said:

Labor productivity at MTA is quite low by international and historical standards.

Labor productivity is a double edge sword.  When it comes to track and signal maintenance, there is a very small daytime window that work is actually permitted so it wont have an issue with train operations.  Work during rush hour is frowned upon by high ranking staff to limit delays, which leaves a rough time frame of 10 am to 4 pm to get track time.  By the time you get time to work on the track (10am) and get set up (get track equipment in place) you only have a few hours before you have to get the track equipment off the rail (by 4).  Let's say it only takes a half hour to get the equipment in place to work and half hour to clear up, that leaves five actual working hours.

[RR503]

1 hour ago, Truckie said:

Labor productivity is a double edge sword.  When it comes to track and signal maintenance, there is a very small daytime window that work is actually permitted so it wont have an issue with train operations.  Work during rush hour is frowned upon by high ranking staff to limit delays, which leaves a rough time frame of 10 am to 4 pm to get track time.  By the time you get time to work on the track (10am) and get set up (get track equipment in place) you only have a few hours before you have to get the track equipment off the rail (by 4).  Let's say it only takes a half hour to get the equipment in place to work and half hour to clear up, that leaves five actual working hours.

All other commuter railroads in the US have to deal with the exact same set of issues, and among those that own most of their own infrastructure, LIRR ranks dead last. 

[bobtehpanda]

On 8/8/2019 at 5:51 AM, Truckie said:

If they were going to contract out to supplement the current workforce is one thing.  If they were going to contract out to replace the current work force is another.

It depends on what it is as well.

Contracting out engineers and conductors is obviously DOA. Contracting out, say, the cleaning of stations is another matter entirely (the MTA is hardly the pinnacle of cleaning companies.)