Report: MTA Contract Gives Time Off For Accident-Witnessing Workers

The FDNY responds to a subway jumper last November (soulkat's Instagram)

[Update below] As rumblings of ~~a "slowdown"~~ "enhanced care" continue (seriously, the R train we took this morning was moving like a bus) the MTA and its largest union, Transit Workers Local 100, are set to return to the negotiating table. And though the last set of talks broke down because of leaks to the media, the Post today has some interesting details reportedly already agreed upon by the two sides. Most notably, when the contract is signed subway operators and conductors will be able to take three (paid) days off if they witness someone being hit by a train.

Currently only conductors can take three days off after such an accident, and only if the person struck is killed. "Protecting conductors and operators from these horrible incidents underground was one of the main goals [in talks]," a union source told the tabloid. Mental health wise, such an agreement is a no-brainer, but the deal could still be another headache for the MTA's bottom line when you add it all up. Last year 50 people were killed after being struck by trains and 154 people were hit and injured, according to the paper's statistics.

As for other agreements between the two sides, most things are still up in the air. Bargaining is expected to resume today, though MTA Chairman Joe Lhota is not expected to be there (though he says he talks to TWU head John Samuelsen daily). The crux of the fight for the five-year contract appears to be the usual: raises. The Union wants at least 1% more a year, reportedly, and the MTA is willing to discuss it—if the union gives an equivalent amount of givebacks and concessions.

Update 9:50 a.m.: MTA Chairman Joe Lhota just released this statement regarding the Post's story today: “It is the MTA's policy not to negotiate through the press. However, we will not allow inaccurate or leaked statements regarding negotiations to stand as fact. Today’s New York Post story is harmful to the collective bargaining process.”

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By Garth Johnston in News on February 2, 2012 9:23 AM

Comments [rss]

Dan

Look at them. Giving their employees incentive to hit people with a train to get time off. Tsk, tsk.

castellammare

They should be like the EMTs and Paramedics of this city, who after witnessing somebody dying have to clean their blood off the floor of their ambulance and go back to work.

cetriche

It sounds fair, but I'm assuming they already have mental health/personal days for these situations.

RammyH

This is a no brainer. Excepting members of wartime armed forces and professional assassins, witnessing someone dying violently and gorily in front of you at work warrants a couple of days off.

castellammare

What about Paramedics, firefighters, and cops?

edgie168

uhh you weren't the person i clicked the reply button to.

BrassMonkeyBallz

So if an MTA employee witnesses a rat on the platform, freaks out, do they get paid time off to "recover from the trauma"?

edgie168

Nice try.

NOT!

darkdrseuss

Just letting you know that's an ESU cop assessing the scene. Fdny and nypd don't like being mixed up with each other. Witnessed alot of amusing fist fights over that

Sinchy

I heard somewhere that after 20 (maybe it was 30 or 40) years on the job a locomotive operator has a 99% chance that his train has killed someone. Thtat's not an easy thing to think about.

BottomlessChips

Seems reasonable.

Let's hope some booth operator doesn't ruin it for those who actually witnessed something horrific. I can see someone claiming he/she saw the stretcher from their booth as it left the station and the bloodied person was too much to handle. I NEED THREE DAYS OFF.

ktinnyc

Who would miss a toll booth operator if she wasn't there for three days?

sk83r

Anyone who wants more than $6 in change.

maggie314

3 days to recover from a legitimate emotional trauma? How dare the greedy MTA ask for reasonable human decency.

Ian MacAllen

Geez, aren't we at least a little concerned now that MTA workers will be pushing to run people so they can claim three extra vacation days?

AaronRed99

Yes exactly. Your life = a few days at Mohegan Sun.

nicemarmot

Honestly, of all the crap they could ask for, I don't think that's unfair. I saw my neighbor hit and killed by a bus several years ago and sometimes when I see buses run lights I still freak out a little. I can't imagine watching someone get splucked by a train and having to go right back there.

As for the R train - isn't it always as slow as a bus? I remember one of my friends sending me an Overheard in New York quote that was something like, "*I* come faster than the R!"