Insulation Installed
TWU Thaws Out Freezing Facility

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

A New York City Transit rail facility near Coney Island where hundreds of transit workers are deployed has been belatedly outfitted with insulation just in time for the winter.

ED WATT: Baby, it's cold inside.

Ten months after representatives from Transport Workers' Union Local 100 realized that the workers' locker facility at Stillwell Ave. had no protection from the cold, New York City Transit put the finishing pieces into place.

Fell Through Cold Cracks

The lack of insulation came as a surprise to both Local 100 and NYC Transit because Stillwell Ave. was recently given a multi-million-dollar overhaul. Neither party was aware of the oversight until workers began reporting weather-related discomfort last winter. Calls to NYC Transit seeking an explanation for the missing insulation were not returned by press time.

A Local 100 official said the union learned of the snafu last January, when Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt went to Stillwell Ave. on a particularly frigid day. He noticed that the workers had to wear heavy jackets, gloves and hats even when inside. An NYC Transit supervisor, when pressed by Mr. Watt, provided some space heaters.

But when he returned a few days later, the space heaters were gone. Mr. Watt, who sits on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's board, complained to Chairman Peter S. Kalikow.

Brought the Heat

"I had to go to the MTA board and say, 'Hey, this facility is basically brand new - what's going on?''' Mr. Watt said.

Minutes from an MTA board meeting show that Mr. Watt brought the matter to the agency's attention in late January. He also mentioned that similar problems plagued another newly-rehabbed facility at 100th St.

According to MTA documents, NYC Transit President Lawrence Reuter responded that he and Cosema Crawford, a Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer for the agency, would look into the problems.

Continued Prodding

But later documentation shows that Mr. Watt had to revive the Stillwell Ave. issue at a March MTA meeting when no progress was made. The board again assigned Ms. Crawford to look into the problem.

Mr. Watt revisited the heating and cooling problems at Stillwell Ave. and the 100th St. facilities at three subsequent MTA meetings, including one when the board was voting to modify the contract for the design and construction of the 100th St. depot so it would meet the city's building codes.

It wasn't until late July, however, after Mr. Watt pressed further on the issue, that the first load of insulation was ordered. Over the summer more insulation was ordered and put in place. According to Mr. Watt, only one shipment remained and the job would be done. "It was like pulling teeth, but now the hundreds of Operators, Conductors and Cleaners who report daily to Stillwell Ave. can at least get out of the cold," he commented.

Heating and cooling improvements were still needed for the 100th St. depot, and a cooling system was still needed for a yard in East New York that reached 100- degree temperatures this summer.

Mr. Watt said he was hopeful the MTA would follow through on those fixes as well.