Uptown Subway Stations Won't Lose Elevator Operators, Union Says

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS-INWOOD, NY — The Metropolitan Transit Authority has reversed its decision to cut full-time elevator operators at five uptown subway stations, the transit workers union announced.

Elevator operators at the 168th Street, 181st Street and 190th Street A line stations and the 181st Street and 191st Street 1 line stations were in danger of losing their jobs due to budget cuts, TWU Local 100 announced this week. The elevator workers are MTA cleaners posted on "restricted duty" due to injuries or medical conditions, the union said.

"This is a great outcome that both riders and workers wanted to see," TWU Stations Vice President Derick Echevarria said in a statement. "It wasn’t an easy process but this is the right result. The presence of transit workers gives riders a sense of safety and security. We are the ‘eyes and ears’ and provide valuable customer service."

The MTA's current budget calls for each of the stations to have at least one elevator operator on duty 24 hours per day, according to union officials. The five stations targeted for budget cuts are all classified as "deep cavern" stations, where platforms are only accessible by elevator. At 180 feet below street level, the West 191st Street station is the deepest in Manhattan, union officials said.

New York City Transit President Andy Byford was scheduled to announce renovations to uptown subway stations during a Wednesday morning press conference with local elected officials, but the event was postponed.

Photo courtesy TWU Local 100