The union employees working the MBTA’s commuter rail community are fed up with the circumstances they’re compelled to work beneath to maintain the trains rolling and are keen to strike if that’s what it takes for his or her complaints to be heard, in keeping with the president of 1 union.
Appearing earlier than the MBTA Board of Directors on Thursday whereas flanked by dozens of orange-vest sporting union members, Transport Workers Local 2054 president Ed Flaherty stated that employees employed by Keolis, a French firm contracted to run the commuter rail, usually are not paid a dwelling wage and are with no contract.
“Today at Keolis, we are at day 238 without a contract. While both sides are negotiating in good faith, let me tell you what we’re up against,” Flaherty stated.
Flaherty went on to elucidate that the state’s commuter rail workers are a few of the lowest paid rail employees within the business. Right now, he stated, an Amtrak worker in the same place makes 12% greater than a Keolis employee and by 2028 the disparity might be upwards of fifty%. The identical story is true for employees employed by related sized rail methods in New York state, Flaherty stated, and it’s not like dwelling in Massachusetts is reasonable.
“We don’t live in Nebraska. The cost of living is extremely high here. Most of us travel great distances to go to work, we travel from as far west as Worcester and as far south as Pawtucket. We are some of the only employees in Massachusetts with no sick time,” Flaherty stated. “For years, the MBTA has treated the commuter rail as the illegitimate stepchild of the MBTA, only paying child support to whoever runs it and the provider takes their cut before it comes down to us.”
The contract for working the commuter rail is up for bid once more quickly, Flaherty informed the board, and it will be worthwhile asking if issues have gotten higher within the final 20 years. Some workers work 80 hours per week to make ends meet, Flaherty stated. Newly employed cleaners are paid so poorly, he stated, that they qualify for meals stamps and housing help. That wasn’t the case twenty years in the past when Amtrak ran the commuter rail, he stated.
“These jobs used to be a path to the middle class, not a path to the welfare line,” he stated. “This is proof that privatization does not work.”
MBTA General Manager Phil Eng thanked the union members for bringing the matter to the complete board, and confused that the workforce has and can proceed to be a spotlight of his as he works to enhance the transportation system he took over final 12 months.
“All of the things you asked for, my understanding is it’s being discussed right now, and robustly back and forth,” Eng stated of ongoing contract negotiations. “We do understand just how important it is for everyone, not only to be able to perform their job, but to be able to live the quality of life that they are looking to do.”
The Railway Labor Act, Flaherty responded, makes it more durable for rail employees to strike, but it surely doesn’t prohibit a piece stoppage if the scenario is unhealthy sufficient.
“Keep in mind, we do not want to strike. But when we’re legally able to, we will,” he warned.
Keolis couldn’t be reached for remark by press time.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”