Arbitrator Sides with TWU Local 100; Stops Transit Service Cuts for Now

Arbitrator Howard Edelman this week handed down a decision that stops New York City Transit from carrying out the Spring A Division Pick, taking plans for service cuts off the table for now. Finding that the MTA had over-stepped past practice, Edelman ruled that the pick put forward by NYCT put an unacceptable burden on Conductors and Train Operators. If it would have gone forward, Edelman said the A Division Pick would have had "a major impact upon workers' lives, especially those with child care obligations," and that "the difficulty of selecting five days of work in a row" constitutes an unacceptable change from the past. You can read the full decision here.

In announcing the Arbitrator’s decision, TWU Local 100 President Richard Davis said, “This is a win for both riding public and workers. These service cuts would have forced riders to wait longer on platforms and experience more crowded conditions. These cuts also would force train crews to work irregular schedules with different starting and ending times. Anyone with children, elderly parents, or other family responsibilities, would recognize how chaotic and problematic an unstructured schedule would be.” Read more here and in the Daily News and watch a report from NBC4 here.