Kalikow's Failings

To the Editor:

Seven track workers died during Peter Kalikow's six-year tenure as Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board. Had Kalikow worked to change the posture of NYC Transit to develop a culture which valued the safety and health of its employees, these deaths might not have occurred.

Transport Workers Union Local 100 responded to the deaths of its members by successfully petitioning the New York State Department of Labor's Health Hazard Abatement Board - the agency responsible for determining the need for safety and health regulations for public sector workers - for regulations governing track safety. Rather than address the safety concerns raised by the union, NYC Transit, under Kalikow's direction, fought and prevented the state Labor Department from developing, promulgating and enforcing a track safety standard.

While the union made contractual gains on safety and health under his administration, the agency's posture was to blame workers rather than to look at the underlying causes of the incidents. In fact, historically, the agency has blamed workers whenever an accident occurs before any investigation has even been initiated. Had Kalikow taken worker safety seriously and worked with the union to implement contractual language or supported a workable and enforceable regulation governing track safety, the senseless and needless loss of life, which has occurred again only too recently, could have been prevented.

JOEL SHUFRO, Executive Director, New York Committee On Occupational Safety And Health