4

MTA Workers Protest Over Raises

Posted by
on September 23rd, 2009 at 11:49 pm

The latest shot in the raise battle between the MTA & Transport Workers Union Local 100 was fired earlier today when hundreds of union members protested in the streets of midtown. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

In a scene reminiscent of the tumultuous days leading to the 2005 bus and subway strike, hundreds of transit workers took to the streets of midtown Wednesday morning to demand a contract.

More than 350 workers protested the MTA’s refusal to accept a pact that would raise hourly pay rates by more than 11 percent over three years, which an arbitration panel awarded.

After failing to negotiate a deal directly, union and management agreed in January to go to arbitration with expectations that the panel’s decision would be final.

But after the award was released in August, the MTA claimed the panel made legal and factual mistakes. It has asked a judge to toss it out.

“They’re very damned upset,” Curtis Tate, acting president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said of the rank-and-file. “It’s ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t.'”

Click here for the complete report.

Readers of this blog know where I stand on the issue. I applaud the union for fighting on behalf of their members. While many people want to incorrectly group all MTA workers as lazy & overpaid, those of us with common sense know that is not the case.

In what comes as no surprise to me, some of the replies left to Pete’s report are the same ridiculous anti-worker themes presented at every possible turn. After awhile, I wonder why I even bother acknowledging the idiocy. One day I hope to see an end to the notoriously dicey relationship between MTA leadership & its workforce. Until then, the battle wages on.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA Finances, TWU
0

Intercoms To Be Apart Of Future Station Rehabs

Posted by
on September 23rd, 2009 at 1:11 am

Later today, the MTA Board is expected to approve a funding request for a communications project that will help riders reach transit personnel in case of an emergency. The communications project calls for intercoms to be installed on subway platforms. The first set of stations to have these intercoms installed will be 5 along the Brighton Line. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

Straphangers should find it easier to reach transit workers in case of emergency as the agency plans to put intercoms on station platforms.

Intercoms linking platforms and token booths are now few and far between – but NYC Transit is including them in all future station rehabilitation projects, a spokesman said.

Among the first to see the communications upgrade will be riders at five Brighton line stations in Brooklyn.

Workers will install 61 of the devices, one every 200 feet, the spokesman said.

The series of station overhauls began in October and will be completed in December 2011.

Click here for the complete report.

I hope to see this funding approved later this morning by the MTA Board. Such a project is long overdue in my opinion as a reliable means to reach transit personnel should have already in place for riders. However instead of focusing on that negative aspect, I will focus on the positive potential this project brings to the table.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

Workers Should Keep Their Raises

Posted by
on September 23rd, 2009 at 12:33 am

Last month, one of the major topics in the world of local transportation, was the battle between the MTA & TWU. The latest round in the long standing feud focused on the MTA’s desire to have the 11% raises awarded to TWU Local 100 members, by an arbitration panel, overturned. A few days ago, two MTA Board members shared their feeling that the raises awarded to workers should stand. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more:

The MTA should stop trying to void a transit workers contract featuring generous wage increases, two of the authority’s board members said Wednesday.

Last month, an arbitration panel approved the raises and a reduction in health care contributions by union members after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the union failed to craft a contract deal through negotiations.

After the award was released, MTA executives blasted it as too costly. They asked a judge to toss out the pact, saying the panel made legal and factual errors.

MTA board members Norman Seabrook and Mitchell Pally said the authority should take its medicine and live with the contract’s terms.

Click here for the complete report.

I am glad to see that some board members understand that the MTA needs to stop fighting the arbitration panel’s binding decision. One would think that TWU members were awarded the sun, moon, & stars based on the immediate objection to these raises. Most workers deserve these raises considering the mostly tireless & thankless job that they do everyday. It is a shame that the people who should know this, refuse to rightfully acknowledge & reward these individuals.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

Service Diversions 09-18

Posted by
on September 18th, 2009 at 4:26 pm

I updated the service diversions page with the latest information for the weekend & upcoming week (beyond in some cases). Don’t forget to check in for any changes to the page. I also suggest printing out a copy of the page to use while riding the system. Have a safe & wonderful time as you enjoy the official last weekend of summer!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

Signal Work To Affect 6 LIRR Branches In October

Posted by
on September 18th, 2009 at 4:24 pm

During the weekend of October 24th & 25th, service on 6 LIRR branches will be affected by work on the Valley Interlocking Signal Cutover Project. Here are the complete details courtesy of a press release sent to me by the LIRR:

Train service on five MTA Long Island Rail Road South Shore branches will be affected during the weekend of October 24 and 25 as work is completed on a major signal and switch modernization project in the Valley Stream area. The work will require a 48-hour suspension of train service through Valley Stream. Customers using the Babylon, Montauk, Far Rockaway, Long Beach and West Hempstead Branches this weekend will take buses for all or part of their trips and other trains will be diverted. To avoid delays, customers are advised to use North Shore branches this weekend. Unaffected lines include the Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma (west of Ronkonkoma) Branches.

The Valley Interlocking Signal Cutover Project brings state-of- the-art technology to this critical LIRR location by replacing the early 20th century relay based signal technology with a modern microprocessor based system. In addition, 30 switches in the area were modernized with electronic components replacing the outdated mechanical ones. The cost of the project is approximately $60-million. Funding is provided by the MTA LIRR Capital Improvement Program and the Federal Transit Administration.

“This weekend outage is needed as part of our ongoing effort to modernize the LIRR’s signal system, which controls train traffic,” said LIRR President Helena Williams. “When it is completed it will mean fewer maintenance-related delays and better service for our customers.”

Extra LIRR personnel will be on duty throughout the weekend of October 24-25 to assist customers and to make sure the project is completed on time.

The service impacts are as follows:

Babylon Branch:

Rockville Centre Station & Baldwin Station:

Westbound: Customers will board buses at their station for express bus service to Jamaica where they will transfer to trains to complete their trips.

Eastbound: Customers will board regularly scheduled trains at western terminals and transfer at Jamaica for express bus service to their stations.

Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 30 minutes.

Freeport Station through Lindenhurst Station:
Customers will travel east to go west taking a shuttle train operating between Freeport and Babylon. Passengers will board trains at their stations and travel eastbound to Babylon and then transfer to dual mode (double-decker) trains for direct service via the Central Branch and Main Line to western terminals. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 50 minutes.

Babylon Station:
Customers will have hourly train service from diesel (double-decker) and dual mode (also double-decker) trains which will operate over the Central Branch and Main Line to Jamaica and Penn Station. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 25 minutes.

St. Albans Station:
Customers will take vans to and from Jamaica for both eastbound and westbound service.

Montauk Branch:
Departure times for some trains will be up to seven minutes earlier and some trains will be re-routed via the Central Branch and Main Line.

Far Rockaway Branch:

Westbound: Customers will board buses at their stations and transfer to trains at Rosedale to complete their trips.

Eastbound: Customers will board trains at western terminals and transfer to buses at Rosedale for Valley Stream, Gibson, Hewlett, Woodmere, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, Inwood and Far Rockaway Stations. Customers should anticipate up to 40 minutes additional travel time. As an alternative, customers at Far Rockaway can use the A subway line. Or Far Rockaway through Gibson customers can use LI Bus N31/32 to Hempstead, and transfer to the LIRR.

Long Beach Branch:
Westbound: Customers will board trains at their stations and transfer to buses at Lynbrook for express bus service to Jamaica where they will transfer to trains to complete their trips.

Eastbound: Customers will board regularly scheduled trains at western terminals and transfer to buses at Jamaica then transfer to trains at Lynbrook for Centre Avenue, East Rockaway, Oceanside, Island Park and Long Beach Stations.
Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 30 minutes.

West Hempstead Branch:
Buses will replace trains between Jamaica and stations St. Albans through West Hempstead. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 30 minutes. To avoid busing, customers are advised to use the LIRR’s nearby Hempstead Branch.

Main Line east of Ronkonkoma:

Due to increased use of diesel trains during this weekend on the Babylon Branch, buses will replace trains between Ronkonkoma and Greenport.

Westbound: Customers will board buses at their stations and transfer to trains at Ronkonkoma to complete their trips.

Eastbound: Customers will board regularly scheduled trains to Ronkonkoma and then transfer to buses to complete their trips.
Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 40 minutes.

Well I know that I will be avoiding the Long Island Rail Road that weekend.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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