(NEW YORK CITY) - In the middle of bargaining for a new contract covering 40,000 Transit Workers, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has terminated an agreement that allowed long-time employees who've used more than half of their sick days to receive a lump-sum payment upon retirement, leaving thousands of Workers close to hanging up their gloves potentially out tens of thousands of dollars. The MTA notified Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 in an August letter that it was unilaterally ending the Career Sick Leave Cash Out program that’s been in place since 2017. The program allowed any Transit Employee with fewer than 50% of their sick days remaining to cash them out upon retirement. Since the cancellation, only Workers who held onto more than half of their sick days are able cash them out upon retirement. The MTA made the move unilaterally - even though it had proposed bargaining with Local 100 over the program in its original contract demands, according to a copy of those demands that were submitted to the Union on April 29th. Contract negotiations are ongoing, but TWU Local 100 President John Chiarello did not clarify in a response to questions from The Chief if the two sides are close to a new agreement on sick leave cash out. The MTA originally sought the policy change as a means to improve attendance, especially among Bus Operators and the Union agreed because it wanted to expand cash out opportunities for Workers, said J.P. Patafio, a Bus Operator and former Local 100 Vice President who helped negotiate the original deal. 

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: MTA cut worker sick leave cash out program, affecting thousands eyeing retirement - The Chief