MTA honcho Janno Lieber handed the buck on congestion pricing exemptions for the FDNY — telling firefighters on Friday to take up their grievances over the new $9 toll with the town as a substitute.
Throughout an look on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Present,” the Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman and CEO rebuffed alarms from firefighters about having to pay the tax whereas on responsibility.
“If the firefighters are being instructed to drive in as a substitute of taking mass transit, the employer has to pay you for the usage of that automobile,” Lieber mentioned.
He suggested New York’s Bravest to take the matter up with their “employer,” including that the MTA “isn’t the proper place to adjudicate these specifics of particular person contractual preparations.”
Fireplace unions spoke out in opposition to the contentious toll simply as drivers started getting charged for getting into Manhattan beneath 60st Road on Sunday.
Union officers warned the toll might dangerously delay FDNY response instances with firefighters leaving their private vehicles at residence when reporting for responsibility to keep away from paying the outrageous commuter tax.
These automobiles are recurrently used to shuttle firefighters from their element to different firehouses to plug gaps in staffing.
“Who makes use of what automobile when, and what employers’ instigation, that’s not our job. They should be in a collective bargaining settlement, and I respect their concern,” Lieber mentioned on WNYC.
Union officers slammed Lieber over what they referred to as an “appalling” lack of knowledge of the work of the FDNY.
“The truth that he, the MTA and the state don’t perceive the work that we do for the system is appalling,” Andrew Ansbro, the president of the Uniformed Firefighters Affiliation, instructed The Submit.
“This exemption would enable firefighters to maneuver throughout the congestion pricing zone of their private automobiles for the betterment of the town and the MTA.”
Uniformed Firefighters Officers Affiliation President Jim Brosi clapped again at Lieber over his failure to assist the FDNY put together for the hated plan.
“Regardless of having six years to assist the FDNY put together, we’re happy that Janno Lieber had a while between celebrations to analysis our collective bargaining settlement,” Brosi instructed The Submit.
“Had he appeared nearer, nevertheless, he would have seen how a lot firehouse staffing depends on the usage of private automobiles,” Brosi added. “It’s odd that the Chairman can have such absolute energy over the streets of this nice metropolis, however then all of a sudden be so powerless when these choices have detrimental penalties for public security.”
The FDNY referred a request for remark to Metropolis Corridor, which didn’t reply Friday.
— Extra reporting by Desheania Andrews
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