The security of New York City's subway stations and tunnels is the focus of a dispute between the city and the union representing subway and bus workers, who are in tense negotiations over a contract that expires next month.þþOfficials of Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union say that subcontractors who have access to subway power and communications facilities are poorly supervised and do not undergo background checks. That poses a threat to workers and to the general public, the union officials said yesterday.þþBut Charles Seaton, a spokesman for New York City Transit, said that subcontractors were indeed subject to the authority's security provisions, which include background checks. He declined to discuss the provisions in further detail, citing the need for security.þþSeveral subway workers said that they and others had complained for years about lax enforcement of the city's safety rules. Although contractors are supposed to be accompanied by city employees whenever they enter rooms that hold power and communications equipment, many have acquired their own keys and routinely flout the rules, said Kevin McCauley, a subway telephone maintainer for New York City Transit. In some cases the contractors or subcontractors have even changed locks on the rooms, preventing city employees from entering, he said.þþBut several subway workers said that it was only after Sept. 11, 2001, when the city issued strong security directives for its own employees, that the workers became fully aware of the way subcontractors were supervised.þþÿThis issue came up because in the course of negotiations with management, we asked for documents about their experience with drug-testing and other monitoring of contractors,ÿ said Roger Toussaint, president of Local 100. ÿWe were stunned to find that it is required of contractors but not of subcontractors.ÿþþOther union members offered a slightly different account, saying they had been aware for years that whatever the rules said, the city did not monitor subcontractors. Some added that they believed the city's supervision of direct contractors was also mostly a fiction.þþÿA contractor gets a contract with the city, and he goes and picks up a truckload of day laborers to do the work,ÿ said John Samuelsen, a track worker. ÿWe don't know if they have a criminal background or anything about them.ÿþþOn any given day, there are thousands of contractors and subcontractors at work in the subways, mainly doing installation work, Mr. Samuelsen said.þþSecurity at the system's headquarters is strong, several workers said. But at the satellite rooms on the tracks and in subway stations, which contain power, communications and signaling equipment, it is not, Mr. McCauley said.þþÿThese rooms have simple locks that anyone could break,ÿ he said. ÿSome of them don't even have locks. The power cables and telephone equipment goes through there, so if one of those rooms goes out, the whole subway line goes out.ÿþþAt one point, swipe cards were required to enter the satellite rooms, and workers had to call supervisors after entering, said Mike Ruane, a contract compliance worker for New York City Transit. But the locks broke and the system faded away several years ago, he said.þþMr. Seaton declined to comment on the condition or vulnerability of subway equipment, citing security.þþMr. Ruane said that contractors and subcontractors were often indistinguishable from transit employees. Contractors are supposed to wear vests that clearly identify them, but often wear the distinctive orange Transit Authority vests, he said.þþUnion officials have complained about lax supervision of contractors and subcontractors a number of times over the past decade during negotiations with management, said Donovan Smith, a power cable maintainer for New York City Transit. But the complaints had to do mostly with the safety of subway workers, not the general public.þþÿWe work alongside live traffic and third rails,ÿ Mr. Samuelsen said. ÿThe fact that these guys are not subject to drug tests and background checks is amazing.ÿþþ
Source: NY Times
