At around 10:20 p.m. last night, Judge Alice Schlesinger of the New York Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction barring the MTA from firing nearly 500 station agents today. Questioning whether that the authority’s decision to cut agents “ has… been done pursuant to the proper procedure,” Judge Schlesinger has staved out what union officials are calling ill-advised cuts that impact the safety of the subway system. The two sides have continued their arguments this morning in court, and although I’m amidst a takehome final today, I’ll update the news as soon as I hear an outcome later.
According to The Post, the TWU is arguing that the MTA “didn’t give the booth closures public hearings, notify the local community boards, or make ‘adequate alternate arrangements for the safety and convenience of the public.'” To the best of my knowledge, the MTA isn’t legally required to hold any hearings to notify community boards of staffing changes. If that is to be a requirement going forward, the decision to implement it is one best left to the politica — and not the judicial — process. Of course, the TWU could always put a hold on its four-percent raises in an effort to stave off these job cuts, but I wouldn’t expect to see that concession any time soon.
For its part, Transit believes it will win the case. “Once this legal matter has been resolved we will proceed with the planned lay-offs of the Station Agents,” an agency statement said.
7 comments
I hate these setbacks, the station agents are useless, they sit around all day and can’t even see the platform. If someone was to rob me or push me on the tracks, what would the station agent do? They should be laid off because it is an outdated job with the new metro card vending machines.
I would have fired them all when they illegally went on strike in ’05. Missed opportunity.
I’m curious why an injunction was granted. Is there some sort of irreversible harm that’s going to be done if the layoffs happened and then later it was found that the MTA violated some law or contract and the employees were reinstated with back pay? I suppose a long delay in the law would cause hardships for employees illegally terminated and forced to live without paychecks. I’m always surprised by the law.
Community Board consult, har. This is still a union town, baby!
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It is a paid off town. Most new yorkers are NOT in a union and make far less then the station agents. They should fire all 2600 and save another $120 million a year and hire security guards who can ACTUALLY do what the public thinks station agents do
[…] decision — a legal blow to the MTA — came nearly a month to the day after another judge issued a temporary restraining order that kept station booths open, and barring an appeal, the authority will now have to hold public […]