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now saying it would move the bike lane from the south side to the north side of 13th St. — but now people on that side of the street are upset about it. Edith Prentiss, a member of Disabled in Action, rolled up to the podium in her wheelchair to give her remarks. She said the L train serves an area with a number of facilities serving the disabled and that the area has a high density of disabled individuals, such as residents at Penn South and other large developments. “Look at Canal Street,” she said. “Try getting across Canal St. in a wheelchair — forget it. If you’re going to close the subway for [15] months, I think that’s enough time to put in elevators.” In Manhattan, the L line currently has elevators at Eighth Ave. and Union Square, and is now getting ones installed at First Ave., but doesn’t have elevators at Sixth and Third Aves., and the current shutdown plan does not include adding them there. “This would be an excellent opportunity for the MTA/NYC Transit to actually look at deficiencies in the system,” Prentiss said, “instead of trying to just patch the bleeding wound.” In addition, state Senator Brad Hoylman has said, if anything, electric buses, not diesel, should be used in any mitigation plan, while some local environmental advocates say ultra-lowpollution, renewable natural gas buses, though more expensive, would be even better. The city is purchasing 200 diesel buses to deal with the expected L shutdown. Schwartz and Pesin added that they expect the Grand St. Democrats political club to join the lawsuit since Lower East Siders are concerned about the increase in bus traffic and pollution due to the mitigation plan. Schwartz said that the MTA and DOT could start right now and easily do an EIS in plenty of time and still be able to begin the L Canarsie Tunnel repairs in April 2019. However, he said, an evenbetter option would be for the tunnel repairs to be done only at nights and on weekends, which would lead to far less disruption. Schwartz stressed that the MTA has made it clear that the repair of the Canarsie Tunnel is not an emergency situation and that the tunnel’s structural integrity is not at risk — so there is no pressing need to do the job as quickly as possible. “I don’t know why they have to opt for the most severe option,” he said. NYC Community Media
Answering his own question, Schwartz said he believes the L shutdown scenario and related mitigation measures are being driven by “zealots” who want to use it as a form of congestion pricing — basically, by making it harder for drivers to get around the area. “These people have a vision,” he said. “There are some zealots in the New York City Department of Transportation. But they can’t get congestion pricing. They can’t limit the number of for-hire vehicles.” But Schwartz said the DOT is wrong to think that making it harder to drive in Downtown Manhattan will lead to cars simply vanishing from the streets. “That theory has no basis in New York City,” he said, “because most of the cars on our streets now are for-hire cars and trucks. These people get paid to sit in traffic.” Stanley Bulbach, from W. 15th St., said the plan to widen the sidewalks on 14th St. is actually just a gift to landlords and developers, “so they can put seats out” for cafes. “This has nothing to do with the subway,” he declared. Schwartz said the sidewalk widening obviously would be a permanent change, though DOT is declining to say so. “It’s not temporary. They have no plan to ever, ever go back,” he stated. He and Bulbach also both said that an increase in traffic would impact the infrastructure of the side streets they live on — Bulbach referring to a problematic asbestos-covered steam pipe and a gas main underneath 15th St. “The building I live in was built in 1840,” Schwartz said of his W. 12th St. home. “It wasn’t built to withstand that traffic going by 24 a day. The street has a cast-iron water main.” In response to the lawsuit, a DOT spokesperson said, in a statement: “The crisis stemming from next year’s closing of the L train tunnel is not just an issue for north Brooklyn and Greenwich Village. This unprecedented challenge will be felt citywide, requiring hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to think about their commutes and their streets differently. DOT and MTA will continue to work with stakeholders over the next year to improve the plan. This follows extensive community outreach since the closure was announced.” DOT officials have previously stated they do not feel an EIS is needed for the project because it complies with all environmental requirements.
Our Perspective
Equality at Last for Airport Food Service Workers By Stuart Appelbaum, President Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, UFCW ens of thousands of workers at New York City’s airports have a reason to rejoice this Spring – they just secured the highest targeted minimum wage in the country. After intense organizing by a coalition representing members from RWDSU, UNITE HERE Local 100, and RWDSU Local 1102, the Port Authority passed a resolution to steadily increase workers’ base wages to $19 an hour by 2023. For these workers – many of whom had been earning the minimum wage – this will represent a dramatic improvement in their jobs and their lives. The proposal is set to be enacted at the June 28th board meeting after a 60-day public comment period. Workers would start to see wage increases towards the end of summer 2018. Four years ago, the Port Authority raised wages for security officers and baggage handlers at the airports in New York due to successful efforts by SEIU local 32BJ. However, the Port Authority excluded thousands of workers represented by RWDSU Local 1102 and UNITE HERE Local 100, creating a wage gap in the workforce. The Port Authority’s action remedies this oversight for over 40,000 workers. Most importantly, it recognizes that over 7,600 RWDSU and UNITE HERE members who work in airline catering, and airport concessions and kiosks have a right to fair pay for a fair day’s work. The action by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey – and the leadership of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy – are to be commended. Service workers at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Liberty, are key to the success and security of our region’s airports. Raising wages has the potential to positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of workers at these facilities. Raising the wage floor shows these workers that they are valued by the people of New York and New Jersey and will allow hard working men and women to finally support themselves and their families with their airport job. And, this action sets an example for all food service employers throughout New York and New Jersey. “Airline catering workers at Newark Liberty International Airport earn as low as $9.75 an hour and at LaGuardia and JFK $13.00 an hour. We work hard and should be making what all other airport workers make. That is what equality and fairness is all about,” said Shirley Drennon a RWDSU Local 1102 member and station attendant at Flying Foods at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Employers can afford to treat their workers decently, pay them a fair wage, and act as responsible members of their communities. It’s no excuse to pay workers the bare minimum simply because they work in the food service industry. And, when workers join unions, and support each other, they can demand and win the dignity and respect on the job that they deserve.
T
www.rwdsu.org April 5, 2018
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