Somewhat frustrating for users like Carlo Orea who lives in Staten Island but works in construction in Manhattan.
Carlo Orea, a passenger on the Staten Island Ferry explains:
“It affects us because we come from work, we come home tired and the traffic and waiting, a lot of waiting.”
And it is that normally the ferry service is every 15 or 20 minutes.
But on Thursday several captains, their assistants and officers scheduled to operate the ferries called in sick, according to the city’s transportation department.
An agency spokesman said employees eligible to replace them did not answer their phones, forcing reduced hours.
In response, the city sent a letter to the leaders of the Marine Engineers Benevolent Association reminding them that by law they cannot force reductions in service as a measure of work pressure.
For its part, the union that represents the ferry workers denies that it is an organized plan. They highlighted that the Staten Island ferry service has been operating with a minimal crew for years.
Roland Rexha, Secretary, Treasurer of the Charitable Association of Marine Engineers states:
“Now our members work seven days a week, 12 hours a day.”
He added that after the pandemic the number of personnel trained to operate the ferries dropped from 160 to 120.
“If you can’t fill these jobs, you need to raise the salary and if you’re not paying enough to keep people and take them to a higher level, you’re not going to sustain a service in the future,” he continues.
Rexha says that since 2009 the city has been unable to come to terms with his contract.
“Then they pay us the same as in 2009.”
He added that they hope to reach a fair agreement with the city.
And that they expect the service to be fully restored for this holiday weekend.
2023-05-27 12:58:00
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