Say Beef About Bus OT Is MTA 'Shifting' Focus; Puts Onus on Union
By ARI PAUL
Politics, not money-saving, was behind a New York City Transit manager's decision to publicly blast Bus Operators for their high overtime hours, according to one Brooklyn driver.

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NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Buses Joe Smith told the Daily News last week that Bus Operators use 19,000 hours of overtime each year, constituting unnecessary costs because of the use of shifters — Bus Operators who move buses within depots rather than on routes.

Cites Value of Their Work

But Ulmer Park Depot Bus Operator Tommy McNally said that shifter duties have actually been cut over the years and that they are essential for efficient operations, because they ensure buses are working in cold weather before shifts start and move the vehicles through the fuel lines.

"First of all, there's a lot less than there were 20 years ago," he said. "If every Bus Operator had to stay with his own bus in the fuel line, it would cost [NYC Transit] more money because they would be over their shift time."

Mr. McNally speculated that Mr. Smith was trying to bolster the argument that labor cuts needed to be made in addition to raising fares, while rider advocates and members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board have urged that the MTA cut its own administrative costs first.

He added that in the Daily News article Mr. Smith admitted that in an effort to save money, NYC Transit paid Bus Operators regular shift pay for operating shuttle buses replacing trains that are out of service due to station and track repair. Mr. McNally said that the contract required overtime pay for shuttle bus operation.

'Quiet Depots Got Screwed'

This month, Mr. McNally said he did shuttle work replacing G line service in Brooklyn and received overtime pay only because his Transport Workers Union Local 100 rep fought against the attempt to pay regular shift wages.

"Every other depot that kept their mouths shut got screwed," he said. "Bus Operators are losing money on this."

While Local 100 has opposed the MTA's request that unions make "modest contributions" during contract negotiations in order to address the authority's budget deficit, spokesmen for President Roger Toussaint declined to comment specifically about Mr. Smith's allegations.