Taking a stand for safety

 

Union rallies around College Point Bus Operators

Three Bus Operators in Queens, acting under New York State law, declined to put unsafe buses on the road. Defects included upper rear marker lights on an Orion bus and upper brake lights on two MCI Cruisers. Management, flagrantly ignoring safety standards, took the Operators out of service.

Our members’ actions were not only justified, but required by law. They did the right thing, and now TWU Local 100 is doing the right thing and standing by them. As of June 6, President Samuelsen has placed these suspended Operators on the union’s payroll while we fight the MTA on this issue.

The week before these Operators were taken out of service for standing up for safety, a wheel came flying off a bus (out of College Point) and a lady and her baby were almost crushed. In a similar incident, a bus out of LaGuardia burst into flames while in service. And on June 2, a bus out of Queens Village Depot caught fire and burned to the ground as it left the depot for passenger service.

There’s a good reason for all the safety regulations, and why Bus Operators must perform pre-trip inspections in accordance with NYS Law.

The law is on our members’ side and Management’s reaction was over the top. We will fight for our members.

If management can’t win, why do they bother to do wrong by our members in the first place?

Because they are cutting back maintenance schedules to make their budget and are failing to maintain the bus fleet properly. We just want to drive safe buses for our passengers, as the law requires us to do. We all know the MTA always talks out of both sides of its mouth on safety, but as soon as working safe means that a bus or train will be delayed, “safety” goes out the window.

They have picked the wrong fight. Our members’ CDLs depend on observing safety requirements, which protectus and protect our passengers. This is not something we can take a pass on, or would want to take a pass on. We are sticking with safety and sticking with the law. TWU Local 100 members will work safe. We will continue to enforce safe work practices throughout the system above ground and underground.