Embarrassing the MTA

A lawsuit filed last week by Transport Workers' Union Local 100 makes clear that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has an image problem.

The suit charges sex discrimination because MTA health plans don't offer coverage for birth control pills but cover the purchase of Viagra.

The MTA, no doubt aware of how blatantly sexist this looks, agreed to cover female contraception under the wage contract reached last December. That change is now in limbo because MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow has insisted that once the Local 100 rank-and-file narrowly rejected the contract, he was not obligated to honor the terms when it was approved in a re-vote.

Local 100 clearly is looking to embarrass Mr. Kalikow and the MTA, perhaps with the hope that the pressure will prompt him to do the reasonable thing and green-light the deal rather than leaving it in arbitration. If he's smart, he'll deal with the double standard quickly.