As the MTA's budget continues to look grim, they've begun taking steps towards massive layoffs. They've allegedly filed a required alert with the Labor Department about plans for 750 layoffs, including a majority of workers from the bus division.
The bus worker layoffs would go into effect on June 27th, the same day the "doomsday" service cuts are implemented. The rest of the layoffs, mostly subway car inspectors, would be finalized on July 4th. Local union leaders have urged the MTA to either use federal funds or to divert funds from construction, but with no luck yet. Transport Workers Union Local 100 president John Samuelsen told the Times, “I don’t think the layoffs are necessary. They are sitting on the money and causing New York’s working families great amounts of pain."
He also said he believes the MTA is using the threat of layoffs to get the union workers to change their contract, which is still in litigation with the MTA. The contract would provide raises of 11% over three years to all union members. Local 100 will be marching on Penn Station next week in an effort to stop transit cuts. MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin said that the cuts are a painful but necessary outcome of the nearly $800 million budget gap, and that "we have had to make extremely tough decisions." The "doomsday" cuts include reducing bus services and cutting the W and V line, and reducing weekend service on nearly half the subway lines.
