MTA Chair Calls Union Work Rules a "Shame"

MTA/Patrick Cashin

MTA chairman Jay Walder recently bashed union work rules that are allegedly keeping the Authority from increasing efficiency. Calling them "the shame of the system," Walder blasted things like the "swing shift," a period of time that lasts up to four hours where bus drivers receive half pay between morning and evening shifts. Many spend it playing pool in bus depots. Walder told the Daily News, "That has to change. It might mean some of our bus drivers aren't as good at playing pool as they are now, but we might have to bear that cost."

Walder also complained about union turf rules that prevent bus drivers from being scheduled in two different boroughs on the same day, and rules that let drivers who call out sick get paid for their 12 hour "run" instead of the two, four hour shifts they would normally work. He said, "I think we have a series of work rules and practices that have developed over many years that are all about how people effectively get paid for not working." Now what would give him that idea?

The MTA is already trying to avoid extra payroll payments by laying off 250 station agents, but Transport Workers Union Local 100 President John Samuelsen says taking away swing shift pay is unfair to workers, many of whom are away from home for 14 hours at a time. He slammed Walder for going to the press, saying, "The MTA has agreed to these terms for 50 years - and it's fair. Jay Walder is doing the exact thing the MTA has accused the union of doing in the past: trying to negotiate a contract in the newspaper."

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By Jaya Saxena in News on May 10, 2010 1:35 PM

Comments [rss]

goodcow

The swing shift makes sense if you're having them cover both the morning and evening rush.

The other solution is to have two sets of crews, each doing an 8-hour shift and covering the morning and evening separately. Then you'd get much more frequent service throughout the day and that might actually make sense and lead to more ridership and fare revenue.

ANGRYGOD11

In some cities, they use college student to drive just AM or PM rush hours. It's good part-time work for them, efficient for mass transit and beyond possible in NYC.

goodcow

People who drive a bus or operate a subway train deserve to live a middle class lifestyle along with health benefits and some guarantee of a stable retirement (i.e. a pension). Just because the private sector keeps chipping away at these things doesn't make it right, and if anything, the private sector masses should be fighting back and unionizing themselves.

It's not fair to expect these drivers to spend four hours driving, kill four hours unpaid, and then drive another four hours because of the rush hours. Again, for me, I think there should just be two, eight-hour shifts, one for each rush hour, with frequent service all day to spur more ridership and convenience. Paying college kids minimal amounts with likely no benefits is not the answer.

ANGRYGOD11

The bulk of mass transit riders use the services during the AM and PM rush hours. Reality and efficiency should reflect that. In Montreal,for example, the student part-timers are well paid and get benefits. We simply cannot afford the pay rates, benefits and pensions MTA workers are used to. The public sector cannot be the only NYC source for the middle class. Who is going to pay for it?

goodcow

You're asking one group of people (MTA employees) to bend and accommodate that of everyone else who typically works 9-5. Perhaps the bulk of MTA employees should work a 9-5 shift instead and let rush hour start and stop then as well.

ANGRYGOD11

YES.

I am asking paid public sector employees that provide services to accommodate their customers' needs, instead of the other way around.

Why is this beyond your comprehension? Do you not live with us in the real world?

Splicer

I have a few other suggestions that would be immediately helpful:

1. How about Xpress Buses that try to be somewhat close to time on the printed schedule?

2. If one bus leaves a little late, how about delaying the next bus by a few more minutes so that you don't get one bus packed and the next empty?

3. How about drivers that are a little less surly with customers and a little more forthcoming with information? If the bus is late, I want to know why it's late. If there is another bus arriving a few minutes later, let me know that instead of cramming me into an already crowded bus.

4. How about better communication between the dispatch center and the buses or between buses themselves? Can't the 7am bus driver ask the 7:10am bus driver where he is so that passengers who want an option can figure out whether waiting is worth it?

drewo

The #6 uptown stop at Spring St. just got a new glop of MTA blue paint applied to the columns along the platform. Not that it is needed - it's just done every 2 months or so to keep MTA workers occupied. Somehow the ceilings and walls of this same subway stop have not seen a new coat of paint in years.