Assaults towards MTA staff have "grown and grown in recent times," in keeping with MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.
Michael Dalton
The MTA and union officers are asking New York state lawmakers to move a invoice that may defend extra transit staff from assaults earlier than the legislative session ends, The Submit has realized.
In a letter to state Sen. Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) and Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie (D-The Bronx), transit chiefs famous that assaults on transit staff have “grown and grown in recent times.”
“We write to you asking that, earlier than the 2022 Legislative Session adjourns, you tackle one of many egregious deficiencies within the New York State regulation defending transit staff from assaults,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and 6 different transit chiefs stated within the Saturday letter, obtained by The Submit.
Beneath present regulation, people who assault or harass sure transit staff — comparable to subway prepare operators or conductors — “with intent to trigger bodily harm” might be charged with assault within the second diploma.
However the MTA needs Albany to tweak state regulation to incorporate roughly 11,000 extra transit workers comparable to station buyer assistants, visitors checkers, ticket assortment brokers and their supervisors, who should not presently protected by statute.
The change would additionally cowl staff in these positions on the commuter rail strains, just like the Lengthy Island Railroad.
Will Schwartz, the MTA’s deputy chief of state and native authorities affairs, advised The Submit he and Lieber had a Zoom assembly with Heastie one week in the past explaining the pressing want of the request forward of June 2 — the final day of the legislative session.
“The clock is working out, we don’t wish to see them going out with out this piece,” he stated.
MTA statistics printed on-line present subway staff maintain a median of two assaults each week this yr alone. Dozens of employee harassment circumstances have additionally been reported.
“MTA frontline staff have been heroic throughout the COVID pandemic, preserving the New York Metropolis metropolitan area shifting. Sadly, nonetheless, in recent times there was an pattern of accelerating assaults on transit staff,” reads the letter.
“Our workers shouldn't be subjected to bodily abuse on a day-to day foundation, together with punching, spitting, pushing and different violent conduct.”
The letter was additionally signed by Transport Employees Union Native 100 president Tony Utano; Mark Henry, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Native 1056; Daniel Cassella, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Native 726; Anthony Simon of the Lengthy Island Railroad; Edward Valente of the Affiliation of Commuter Rail Staff and Michael Carrube, president of the Subway Floor Supervisors Affiliation.
MTA officers additionally assist a invoice sponsored by state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-Queens) that may add a brand new crime to the books, making it a category A misdemeanor if an individual strikes, shoves or kicks a transit employee. Nevertheless, that measure is unlikely to move earlier than session’s finish.
The authority additionally obtained reprimanded by the the state’s Labor Division earlier this month for failing to file over 200 assaults towards staff in 2019 and 2020, in violation of Empire State necessities.
Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD have carried out methods to lower subway crime in latest months, reviving the division’s night time patrol unit — which means extra cops are assigned to strolling the platforms and trains.
Latest excessive profile assaults on commuters — just like the Occasions Sq. shoving of Michelle Go and final weekend’s Q-train fatality — has triggered Adams to personally meet with enterprise leaders in hopes to instill confidence in his administration’s public security plans.
Representatives for Stewart-Cousins and Heastie couldn't be reached for fast remark.
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