MTA withdraws cops under TWU pressure

Under pressure from union officers, MTA Chairman Pat Foye said he’d stop using police officers to monitor workers clocking in and out of work. Foye called Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Tony Utano Thursday night to inform him of the withdrawal.

“Its a good development but I’m still furious that this happened at all,” Utano said. “The Chairman had police officers standing watch over workers like prison guards over inmates. He treated his employees like convicted criminals.” The MTA posted authority police earlier this week at Long Island Rail Road properties. Foye said he was concerned about excessive overtime paid to some MTA workers. He also asked the MTA inspector general to look into time and attendance practices across the authority.

LIRR union President Anthony Simon sent a letter of protest to Foye on Wednesday. Utano blasted Foye for calling the cops on workers - instead of deploying them to protect workers from attacks and to deter farebeating. “It’s disgusting. It’s shameful. It’s outrageous,” he said earlier in the week.

TWU International President John Samuelsen was quoted in The Daily News and other outlets attacking Foye for using police like “beakies and Pinkertons.” As the MTA itself previously acknowledged, NYC Transit overtime is up largely because of the Subway Action Plan to restore system reliability.