Boston mass transit privatization scheme proceeds through bullying and tricks

 

Boston mass transit privatization scheme proceeds through bullying and tricks

By
John Marion

9 March 2017

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA, or “T”) is rapidly moving toward the privatization of more than 400 bus maintenance jobs as the unelected Financial and Management Control Board continues to blame workers for the system’s chronically poor service.

The MBTA is the fifth largest mass transit system in the US by ridership and serves a total census area of nearly 5 million people in 176 cities and towns.

As many as 200 in-station Customer Service Agent jobs are also included in the current privatization plans and come in the wake of the outsourcing of jobs in the money-counting facility and spare parts warehouses.

In December the FMCB and Acting General Manager Brian Shortsleeve used the threat of privatization to impose a wage freeze on thousands of MBTA workers in Local 589 of the Boston Carmen’s Union even though their contract was not up for renewal. Union leaders agreed to a freeze for this year and reduced raises in future years in return for a promise from management that no existing jobs would be privatized.

Because the bus maintenance workers are represented by Machinists Union District 15 rather than the Carmen’s union, they are not covered by the December agreement and therefore vulnerable to attack. Management is also discussing plans to create “new” bus routes which would be contracted out to for-profit vendors with the excuse that they didn’t exist at the time of the agreement. Opportunities for MBTA workers to make overtime are being slashed, with the FMCB considering the use of private bus companies, such as Peter Pan, to provide shuttle service when subway lines are closed for repairs.

In addition, the building of…

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