NYC subway safety plan criticized by union: ‘That’s the beginning’
NEW YORK CITY - NYC transit workers sounded off on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan to improve subway safety, saying not enough is being done – and more long-term solutions are needed.
Transit Worker’s Union President Richard Davis spent much of his 30-minute press conference on Tuesday morning slamming MTA President Janno Lieber and Hochul’s 5-point subway safety plan.
TWU Local 100 wants a multifaceted approach to address the assaults in the needs of the riding public.
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National Guard in NYC subway: When, where and how it will work to deter crime
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is sending the National Guard to the NYC subway system. How will this work? She spoke exclusively on Good Day New York to explain.
They said they need a sustainable long-term plan, and while they appreciate Hochul deploying the National Guard to support the random bag checks – as well as MTA and state officers to help protect riders – the union says it’s not enough.
According to NYPD statistics, crime in the largest transit system in the United States is up 13.2% overall this year.
"The governor did respond with help," Davis said. "That’s just the tip of the iceberg. That’s the beginning. We have to come up with a more multi-faceted, comprehensive plan to prevent members from getting assaulted and also protect riding public and make sure riding public is safe as well."
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NYC subway conductor stabbed in neck sticking head out of A train cabin: 'Enough is enough'
An MTA conductor, identified as Alton Scott, on a southbound A train at a subway station in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn was slashed in the neck when he stuck his head out of the cabin window, the NYPD said.
Just last month, a man was randomly shot and killed on a subway train in the Bronx. A few days after that, a subway conductor was slashed in the neck when he stuck his head out of a train in Brooklyn.
The union also called out Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for being too soft on crime with minimal penalties and fast releases for accused criminals.
National Guard in NYC subway
Hochul announced plans last week to deploy around 750 National Guard members, as well as 250 state troopers and transit officers, to help the NYPD conduct random bag checks at some of the city's busiest subway stations.
"I'm the governor of the state of New York," Hochul said in an exclusive interview Thursday on Good Day New York. "My number one priority is the safety of all New Yorkers."