Press Release
Rev. Jesse Jackson to join transit workers and community leaders
Friday July , 2:00 pm at Steven T. Clark Gov't. Center in Miami
“Save our Ride” rally to address transit crisis, call for federal public transit funding and against further service cuts

Miami – National labor and civil rights leaders and elected officials will join local transit workers, transit managers and environmental and community leaders at a “Save our Ride” rally in downtown Miami this coming Friday, July 9th at 2:00 pm.

What: Rally for federal public transit funding

Who: Rev. Jesse Jackson; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President Ronald J. Heintzman; Transport Workers Union (TWU) International Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo; TWU Local 296 President Talib Nashid, environmental and community leaders.

When: Friday, July 9, 2:00 pm

Where: Steven T. Clark Government Center Bldg., 111 NW First St ., Miami

Background: Following successful public events in Atlanta, Birmingham (AL), Detroit, Cleveland, Portland and San Francisco, Sacramento and Houston the Save Our Ride campaign is coming to Miami to advocate for affordable, quality mass transit.

Public transit systems are in crisis, with fare hikes, service cuts, and layoffs of transit workers taking place in communities throughout the U.S. According to a recent survey by the American Public Transit Association, 84 percent of public transit agencies across the country have increased fares, reduced services, or are considering one or both actions.

The Save Our Ride campaign is advocating for federal legislation to address the nationwide transit crisis:

The Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, (S.3412 and HR 5418) would provide $2 billion in emergency aid for transit systems throughout the U.S., to help reverse fare increases and service cuts. Senate Banking Chair Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY) are sponsors of this legislation.

HR 2746 and S3189 will allow for local control of federal transit funds. Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities like Sacramento can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

HR 2746 and S3189, sponsored by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), do not allocate any additional federal funds. Instead, they allow greater local control of federal transit funds. This would give Miami Dade Transit and other municipal transit systems the ability to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.


The Save Our Ride campaign was convened by the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Transport Workers Union of America, and the Rainbow/Push Coalition. With support from elected officials, transit advocates, transit managers, environmental and community groups, Save Our Ride has sponsored transit rallies in cities across the country, purchased paid media, and initiated a national text message campaign in support of quality, affordable mass transit.

ontact: Jamie Horwitz, 202.549.4921; (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Press Release

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to join transit workers, environmental and community leaders Wednesday, July 7 at Mickey Leland Federal Building in Houston, 11 am

“Save our Ride” rally to address transit crisis, call for federal public transit funding and against further service cuts

Houston – National labor and civil rights leaders and elected officials will join local transit workers, transit managers and environmental and community leaders at a “Save our Ride” rally in downtown Houston this coming Wednesday, July 7 at 11 am at the Mickey Leland Federal Building in downtown Houston.

What: Rally for federal public transit funding

Who: Rev. Jesse Jackson; Rep. Sheila-Jackson Lee; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President Ronald J. Heintzman; Transport Workers Union (TWU) International Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo; TWU Local 260 President David Gollinger; environmental and community leaders.

When: Wednesday, July 7, 11 am

Where: Mickey Leland Federal Building, 1919 Smith St., Houston.
Background: Following successful public events in Atlanta, Birmingham (AL), Detroit, Cleveland, Portland and San Francisco and Sacramento, the Save Our Ride campaign is coming to Houston to advocate for affordable, quality mass transit.

Public transit systems are in crisis, with fare hikes, service cuts, and layoffs of transit workers taking place in communities throughout the U.S. According to a recent survey by the American Public Transit Association, 84 percent of public transit agencies across the country have increased fares, reduced services, or are considering one or both actions.

The Save Our Ride campaign is advocating for federal legislation to address the nationwide transit crisis:

The Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, (S.3412 and HR 5418) would provide $2 billion in emergency aid for transit systems throughout the U.S., to help reverse fare increases and service cuts. Senate Banking Chair Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY) are sponsors of this legislation.

HR 2746 and S3189 will allow for local control of federal transit funds. Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities like Sacramento can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

HR 2746 and S3189, sponsored by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), do not allocate any additional federal funds. Instead, they allow greater local control of federal transit funds. This would give Harris County Metro and other municipal transit systems the ability to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

Contact: Roger Kerson, 202.315.8533, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ; Jamie Horwitz, 292.549.4921, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The Save Our Ride campaign was convened by the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Transport Workers Union of America, and the Rainbow/Push Coalition. With support from elected officials, transit advocates, transit managers, environmental and community groups, Save Our Ride has sponsored transit rallies in cities across the country, purchased paid media, and initiated a national text message campaign in support of affordable, quality mass transit.

Press Release
“Save our Ride” Rally to Call for Federal Public Transit Funding and Against Further Service Cuts and Fare Increases

Sacramento – National labor and civil rights leaders and elected officials will join local transit workers and environmental and community leaders at a “Save our Ride” rally in downtown Sacramento this coming Thursday, July 1 at noon at the Robert Matsui federal courthouse at 501 I St. in downtown Sacramento.

Transit advocates are calling for a shift in federal funding from purchasing equipment to pay for operating costs for financially troubled transit systems such Sacramento Regional Transit, which recently announced the deepest service cuts in the agency's history, reducing or eliminating service on 39 of 91 routes.

What: Rally for federal public transit funding
Who: Amalgamated Transit Union International President Ronald J. Heintzman
Transport Workers Union International Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo, ATU
Local 256 President Vic Guerra; transit managers, environmental civil rights and
community leaders.
When: Thursday, July 1, 12 noon
Where: Robert Matsui Federal Courthouse, 501 I St, downtown Sacramento

Background: Following public events in Atlanta, Birmingham (AL), Detroit, Cleveland Portland and San Francisco, the Save Our Ride campaign is coming to Sacramento, where service cuts have sharply reduced transit routes.

Seven out of ten transit agencies in the nation are facing deep deficits. As a result, cutbacks in transit service, fare hikes, and layoffs of transit workers are happening across the country.

According to a recent survey by the American Public Transit Association, 84 percent of public transit agencies across the country have increased fares, reduced services, or are considering one or both actions.

The Save Our Ride campaign is advocating federal legislation to address the nationwide transit crisis:

· The Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, (S.3412 and HR 5418) would provide $2 billion in emergency aid for transit systems throughout the U.S., to help reverse fare increases and service cuts. Senate Banking Chair Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY) are sponsors of this legislation.

· HR 2746 and S 3189, allowing local control of federal transit funds. Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

HR 2746 and S3189, sponsored by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), do not allocate any additional federal funds. The legislation will allow local control of federal transit funds. This will give Sacramento Regional Transit and other municipal transit systems the ability to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

The Save Our Ride campaign was convened by the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Transport Workers Union of America, and the Rainbow/Push Coalition. With support from elected officials, transit advocates, transit managers, environmental and communithy groups, Save Our Ride has sponsored transit rallies in cities across the country, purchased paid media, and initiated a national text message campaign in support of quality, affordable mass transit.

Contact: Jamie Horwitz, 202.549.4921, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Earlier today, TWU Health and Safety Director Ed Watt was named one of twenty members of the federal government's new Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS) panel. TRACS is a newly formed advisory committee that will assist the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with developing national safety standards for rail transit.

Watt's position with TRACS presents an extraordinary opportunity for the TWU to be a part of federal safety policy decisions that shape our members lives.

"The TWU celebrates this welcomed news which marks a success of our union's increased emphasis on playing a more active role on regulatory and policy making bodies and committees which affect our members," said TWU International President James C. Little.

Watt was chosen from among 79 well-qualified applicants from around the United States who represent transit agencies, safety oversight organizations, transit employee unions, industry associations and other stakeholders.

“We have brought together some of the best and brightest minds in the transit industry to focus on new and better ways to keep millions of daily rail transit riders safe,” LaHood said.

"I am truly honored to be a part of a cadre of people that will be responsible for making transit rail systems safer for workers and the riding public," said TWU Health and Safety Director Watt.


Read the full Department of Transportation press release below:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces New Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety Panel Charged with Laying the Groundwork for Drafting National Safety Measures for Rail Transit

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced members of the Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS), a newly formed advisory committee that will assist the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with developing national safety standards for rail transit.

In December 2009, the Obama Administration sent Congress the President’s Public Transportation Safety Program Act of 2009, which would authorize the Department of Transportation to establish federal safety standards for rail transit systems, reversing a prohibition that has been in effect since 1965. The Transit Advisory Committee for Safety will guide the FTA’s safety rulemaking agenda if the final legislation is passed by Congress and signed by the President.

“We have brought together some of the best and brightest minds in the transit industry to focus on new and better ways to keep millions of daily rail transit riders safe,” LaHood said. “Safety is the Department of Transportation’s number one priority. These professionals will help guide our safety agenda for rail transit systems across the nation.”

The legislation is the first time any Administration has sent a bill to Congress specifically about transit. It is appropriately focused on improving safety oversight. Currently, FTA is prohibited from implementing national safety standards or performing oversight of the State Safety Organizations (SSO). The recommendations of TRACS will help FTA develop new policies and practices and, should FTA be given authority to promulgate new transit safety requirements, new regulations for enhancing rail transit safety.

“While public transit is one of the safest ways to get around, we still experience preventable accidents—including fatal accidents—far too frequently. We must take measures to ensure that safety margins are maintained as our systems grow older and experienced workers retire in increasing numbers,” FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff said. “This advisory committee of industry experts will lay the foundation for the implementation of national safety standards once Congress passes President Obama’s safety legislation.”

The 20 individuals who will initially serve on TRACS were chosen from among 79 applicants from all geographic regions in the U.S., representing state and local transit agencies, state safety oversight organizations, transit employee unions, industry associations, and other stakeholders.

Qualifications sought for TRACS members included expertise in the field of safety or rail transit operations or maintenance, and representation of stakeholder interests that would be affected by rail transit safety requirements. Applicants were also evaluated based on policy experience, leadership, and organization skills, region of the country, and diversity characteristics. TRACS members are:

• William Bates, Amtrak Conductor, United Transportation Union (Local 1933)
Legislative Representative and Vice Local Chair, Richmond, Virginia

• Bernadette Bridges, Executive Director of the Office of Safety and Risk Management, Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Baltimore, Maryland

• Eric Cheng, Programs Manager, Federal Railroad Crossing Safety Improvement, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), Salt Lake City, Utah

• Diane Davidson, Director of The Center for Transportation Analysis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Knoxville, Tennessee

• Joe Diaz, Manager of Safety, Security and Training, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), Tampa, Florida

• James Dougherty, Chief Safety Officer, Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC

• David Genova, Assistant General Manager for Safety, Security Facilities, Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver, Colorado

• Georgetta Gregory, Rail Safety Group, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Sacramento, California

• William Grizard, Staff Auditor, American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Washington, DC

• Leonard Hardy, Manager of Operations-Safety Division, Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) , San Francisco, California

• Henry Hartberg, Senior Manger-Safety (Bus and Rail), Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority (DART), Dallas, Texas

• Rick Inclima, Director of Safety, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED), Washington, DC

• Jackie Jeter, President/Business Agent/Safety Officer, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Washington, DC

• Linda Kleinbaum, Deputy Executive Director of Administration, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York, New York

• Amy Kovalan, Chief Safety and Security Officer/Senior Vice President-Safety, Security and Rick Compliance, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Chicago, Illinois.

• Richard Krisak, Assistant General Manager Rail Operations, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Atlanta, Georgia

• Tamara Lesh, Deputy General Counsel, Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (TRIMET), Portland, Oregon

• Pamela McCombe, Director of Safety, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (Greater Cleveland RTA), Cleveland, Ohio

• Alvin Pearson, Assistant General Manager, Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), Memphis, Tennessee

• Ed Watt, Director of Health and Safety, Transport Workers Union of American (TWU), New York, New York

Saying that it is time for the Federal Government “to step up to the plate” for public transportation, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) presented a powerful endorsement of new legislation that would provide an emergency infusion of cash to struggling transit agencies across America.

Sen. Schumer was the keynote speaker at a press conference on Friday June 11, 2010 outside of New York City's Pennsylvania Station. The Senator joined TWU International Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo, TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen, other labor leaders and a host of other supporters at the event to insist on passage of the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010.

Sen. Schumer said that the bill would provide a needed infusion of $2 billion in operating assistance to hard hit agencies from coast to coast. He said that under current formulas, New York would get $345 million, enough, he said “to hold off all job and service cuts for the next few years.”

Schumer had high praise for Local 100 President Samuelsen for “rallying New Yorkers and transit workers behind the effort to prevent transit cuts here and across the country.”
Schumer called public transportation “the lifeblood of our city.”

“Our beautiful City could not exist without our transportation,” Schumer added. “Without good mass transit, New York dies.”

Schumer blamed the recession for the problems confronting the nation’s transit systems, saying that when America goes into down economic times “mass transit gets pneumonia.” He labeled his bill, that currently has seven additional co-sponsors, “a win, win, win for everyone,” and he pledged at the event that he intends “a major push to get this bill done.”

Local 100 President Samuelsen added his words of support, saying that the Schumer bill “is not just about transit workers, it’s about transit riders, the people who depend so heavily on public transportation every day.”

Samuelsen also denounced the recent layoff of Local 100 Station Agents. “Our subways are a far more dangerous place for passengers today because our Station Agents aren’t on the job.”
ATU’s Larry Hanley outlined how financial woes had “devastated” many transit properties across America where ATU members live and work.

TWU International Exec. VP Lombardo labeled the current battle “a fight for the quality of life in our cities and suburbs.”

Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said that the proposed cuts are “staggering” and “the worst I’ve seen in 30 years.”

New York City Council Transportation Committee Chair James Vacca said that Sen. Schumer’s bill “represents the most viable hope” for financial assistance stave off the service and job cuts.

Watch TWU, ATU and the Reverend Jesse Jackson in Cleveland, Ohio on May 22 fighting to Save Our Ride.

Transit agencies around the country are suffering, forced to cut service, hike fares and layoff hundreds of workers. This transit crisis is costing the riding public more for less service and making it more difficult for people to travel within their own communities. Save Our Ride is a coalition formed by the Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union and the Reverend Jesse Jackson that is fighting for flexibility in federal funds allocated to transit systems in major American cities.

The federal aid offered to systems in cash-strapped cities with populations larger than 200,000 are restricted; the funds are allocated only for capital expenses. Save Our Ride is fighting for the passage of Rep. Russ Carnahan's bill, H.R.2746, and its Senate version, Sen. Brown's bill, S3189. The bills allow local transit agencies the flexibility to use the funds for operating costs based on local and community needs. The coalition is also calling for the passage of the passage of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee bill, S. 3412, to authorize emergency funding for transit agencies to help reverse fare increases and service cuts.

"The fight for quality transit isn't just about transit workers. It's about all of us. It's about our cities and our communities," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the Atlanta rally in May.

Proper preservation and restoration of mass transit systems is essential for our country's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to create good green jobs, and to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Local transit workers know how best to allocated need stimulus funds in their systems, and "buying new buses with no money to pay operators makes no sense," said ATU President Warren George at a Save Our Ride rally.

"We cannot and will not allow our transit systems to crumble from financial neglect," said TWU International President James C. Little.

Save Our Ride rallies have been held in Atlanta, Ga., Birmingham, Al., Detroit, Mi., and Cleveland, Oh. and are planned for this summer in San Francisco, Ca., Sacramento, Ca., Houston, Tx., Miami, Fl., and New York, NY.

On Firday, June 4 New York Supreme Court Justice Saliann Scarpulla ordered the MTA to hold a new round of public hearings prior to implementing its plans to close token booths and Station Customer Assistance (SCA) booths. However, the court decision was not an order to rehire those who have been laid off or prohibit future layoffs.

Local 100 President John Samuelsen declared the ruling a victory for safety and security in New York City subways. Samuelsen states:
"Events in recent months, including the aborted bombing of the subways by admitted al Qaeda terrorist Najibullah Zazi, and the near tragedy in Times Square in early May, underscore TWU’s position that holding new hearings on the booth closings is in the best interest of the millions of people who use the subways every day. It is also an important reprieve for the Station Agents who have had the layoff axe hanging over their heads for the past five months."

Samuelson adds that in the mean time Local 100 will redouble its efforts to gain passage of the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 (the bill introduced by Senators Dodd (D-CT), Schumer (D-NY) and Gillibrand (D-NY), S.3412, that would provide $2 billion in new mass transit operating assistance to cash-starved transit agencies) to keep the booths open permanently and ward off all future job and service cuts."

TWU International President James C. Little states: "Judge Scarpulla's ruling is important for TWU Local 100 and for all New Yorkers who depend on our TWU members to keep them safe and secure when they take the subway."

In the second of a series of rallies held across the country to ask for flexibility in federal stimulus funds for transit, the TWU, ATU and Reverend Jesse Jackson addressed a crowd of transit workers, the riding public and community groups in Birmingham, Al. on May 12. The rally was held at Linn Park, where U.S. Rep Artur Davis (D-AL) and Birmingham Mayor William Bell joined the crowd.

Save Our Ride, the TWU, ATU and Jackson coalition, is fighting for the passage of H.R. 2746 and S3189, Rep. Carnahan's and Sen. Brown's bills, that would allow transit agencies to use federal stimulus money, currently allocated for capital expenses only, for operating costs as needed. Mayor Bell said that this would make about $2-2.5 million available for paying expenses and possibly even for paying debt service on bonds that could help to start building a light rail or rapid transit system.

Save Our Ride
The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union and the Reverend Jesse Jackson have formed Save Our Ride, a coalition representing more than 300,000 transit employees across the country, community groups and environmentalists. Save Our Ride aims to raise public awareness about the transit crisis plaguing major American cities from coast to coast by rallying for flexibility in stimulus funds.

Transit agencies are suffering and the millions of stimulus dollars offered to systems in cash-strapped cities with populations larger than 200,000 are restricted; the funds are allocated only for capital expenses. Save Our Ride is fighting for the passage of Rep. Russ Carnahan's bill, H.R.2746, and its Senate version, Sen. Brown's bill, S3189. The bills allow local transit agencies the flexibility to use the stimulus funds for operating costs based on local and community needs.

"The fight for quality transit isn't just about transit workers. It's about all of us. It's about our cities and our communities," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the Atlanta rally in May.

Proper preservation and restoration of mass transit systems is essential for our country's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to create good green jobs, and to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Local transit workers know how best to allocated need stimulus funds in their systems, and "buying new buses with no money to pay operators makes no sense," said ATU President Warren George at a Save Our Ride rally.

"We cannot and will not allow our transit systems to crumble from financial neglect," said TWU International President James C. Little.

Save Our Ride rallies have been held in Atlanta, Ga., Birmingham, Al., Detroit, Mi., and Cleveland, Oh. and are planned for this summer in San Francisco, Ca., Oakland, Ca., Sacramento, Ca., Houston, Tx., Miami, Fl., and New York, NY.

The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union, along with other labor leaders, civil rights and environmental leaders joined local transit workers and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authorization (MARTA) management at a rally on May 11. At the Five Points Station rally they called for a shift in federal stimulus funding from purchasing equipment to defraying operating costs for financially troubled transit systems such as MARTA.

"The fight for quality public transit isn't just about transit workers," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the rally. "It's about all of us. It's about our cities. It's about our communities."

Lombardo was joined by ATU President Warren George, Rev. Jesse Jackson, MARTA CEO Bev Scott, ATU Local 732 President Benita West and other labor and community leaders. Rev. Jackson, TWU President James C. Little, and ATU President Warren George have created a coalition that will fight to raise awareness of the need for transportation funding, American made equipment, and the power that proper transit funding will have to create green jobs, aid economic recovery and clean up the environment.

"It makes no sense to have a brand new bus sit in the garage, if you have nobody to drive it," said ATU President George at the rally.

Public transit advocates won new state aid from the Georgia legislature last month, but MARTA still faces a significant funding gaps. Without additional support, buses and trains that were marked with “red Xs” on April 20th to indicate looming service cuts will soon be eliminated, increasing traffic congestion and compromising air quality in a metro area that is already ranked as one of the most 25 polluted cities in America by the American Lung Association. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2010/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html

Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

The rally yesterday was in support of HB 2746 http://web1.ctaa.org/webmodules/webarticles/articlefiles/HR_fact_sheet.pdf , which will allow local control of federal transit funds. The legislation will allow MARTA and other municipal transit systems to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

The transit coalition – TWU, ATU and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition – will be holding similar rallies throughout the country over the next several weeks. They held a similar rally in Birmingham, Alabama the day after Atlanta's rally and will be in Detroit and Cleveland this week.

Layoffs of 475 Temporarily Halted
Ruling a Victory for Workers, Riders

After hearing from both Local 100 and MTA attorneys Thursday morning at 80 Centre Street, New York State Supreme Court Justice Saliann Scarpulla let a temporary restraining order stopping the MTA from closing token booths remain in effect. She set a court date for argument for 2:15pm this coming Monday, May 10, when the parties will appear again before her to argue the case.

Standing before TV cameras in front of the court building after the ruling, TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen called Scarpulla’s decision “a victory for those who use our system every day and who rightfully expect to ride in safety to and from work.'' Noting that the MTA had first voted to close the booths in December of 2008, and referring to recent terror attacks, he said that “the world has changed a lot in 18 months.”

TWU International President James C. Little added, "The riding public needs our token booth clerks to help keep our subways safe and this is a time for job creation, not layoffs of hundreds of hard working people."

The Union’s attorney, Arthur Schwartz, added that Local 100 believes that a new round of notifications to community board and public hearings is necessary before booth closings can go forward. He intends to argue the point before Judge Scarpulla at the next court date.

Judge Scarpulla’s decision continues the temporary restraining order, first signed last night by Supreme Court Justice Alice Schlesinger, which bars booth closings on the grounds that the MTA did not follow proper community notification and hearing procedures. The decision has temporarily saved the jobs of 475 Station Agents who, instead of going forward with “exit sessions” at the Transit Learning Center were told to report to work as usual. They will continue to staff their regular booth assignments.

In discussion before the bench, Mr. Schwartz urged the court to consider the requirement for public hearings written into the New York State Public Authorities Law. Attorney Florence Dean, representing New York City Transit, argued that not moving forward with the layoffs and closings would be expensive for the MTA. Rejecting that point, Judge Scarpulla said that “Due process always costs money. I don’t see what the issue is. It seems to me that the simple solution is to schedule hearings.” Also present for the conference were the MTA’s General Counsel, James Henly, and New York City Transit Counsel Martin Schnabel.

In later comments to reporters, Mr. Schwartz noted that a previous case brought by Local 100 had established that a booth closing was equivalent to the partial closing of a station and thus required public comment and the notification of community boards in the affected neighborhoods.

Local 100 also held a demonstration yesterday in front of the Duane Street home of MTA Chairman Jay Walder, who has decided not to use $100 million in federal stimulus funding dollars to save jobs and reverse service cuts. Many of the Station Agents who are in job jeopardy rallied to make the point to Mr. Walder’s neighbors (assuming he is not at home) that their safety and security is imperiled by the decision to remove the public’s “eyes and ears” in the transit system.