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MTA board members called "doody-heads" for slashing station agents
A union rep angry that the MTA is cutting red-vested subway station agents called agency officials “doody-heads” Wednesday.
“Month after month we beseech you to safeguard your riders. But you people are so removed from reality,” union representative Andreeva Pinder told the board Wednesday. “You guys are just a bunch of doody-heads.”
The MTA is eliminating through attrition the agents that roam subways and assist customers. The cut will save $52 million a year, with the agency closing 100 station booths and eliminating 282 agent positions last month.
“The MTA took a decision … in light of the financial situation in regard to this program,” MTA chief Walder said in an interview with reporters after his first board meeting yesterday.
All 468 subway stations will continue to have one agent on duty at all times, Walder said.
In other MTA news:
- Walder will continue to fight a contract giving 35,000 transit workers raises of more than 11 percent over three years, and the majority of the MTA board backs the agency’s attempts to overturn the award, he said.
Several hundred transit workers took their frustrations to the streets yesterday during a protest at City Hall, chanting "Take a hike, Mike" and carrying "No contract, No peace" signs. Employees did not abandon their posts for the second “Day of Outrage,” union leaders said.
- A mini-revolution is underway with the MTA’s board documents with Walder pledging to post the wieldy information on the agency’s Web site before next month’s meeting. Walder said he was “shocked” to find that the material was still only publicly available in hard copy.
- In other news, on Monday the MTA will begin blasting through rock as part of construction on the Second Avenue subway between 91st and 93rd streest. Blasting can take place between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., but the MTA said it will try to limit the noise to daylight hours.
hhaddon@am-ny.com
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