Union: More workers in quarantine

Port Authority driver tested positive

Port Authority has one bus driver who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, but the agency won’t say whether any other employees who may have been in contact with that operator are in quarantine.

But Steve Palonis, president and business agent for the Amalgamated Transit Union that represents operators, mechanics and office workers, said Friday the local has others in quarantine awaiting test results, but they weren’t in contact with the driver who tested positive because they work in other garages. The driver who tested positive works out of the East Liberty garage, he said, where the authority Thursday assigned four additional maintenance workers to disinfect the facility after learning about the test results.

Authority spokesman Adam Brandolph said he couldn’t comment on whether others in contact with the driver or employees not in contact with the driver were in quarantine because it would be a violation of federal privacy laws.

“We’re not providing that information,” Mr. Brandolph said. Pittsburgh’s police department and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office each have reported when they had employees placed in quarantine because of possible contamination, but Mr. Brandolph said he “can’t speak for anybody else’s decision.”

Riders shouldn’t be concerned about the decision not to say whether other drivers are in quarantine, Mr. Brandolph said, because the agency “will certainly continue to follow all of the guidelines of the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and the health department.

“If we’re following all CDC protocols, absolutely” riders should feel confident they are as safe as possible on Port Authority vehicles, he said.

Mr. Palonis said he had been “very satisfied” with the authority’s actions to protect employees during the virus emergency, citing regular meetings with top managers and decisions to sanitize vehicles daily, have passengers enter buses through the rear door and limit hours at the Downtown Service Center.

“Up until that point, they were doing pretty well, but now [since the positive test], my people are concerned,” he said. “My operators are in harm’s way, and they want to make sure everything is being done to protect them.”

Mr. Palonis said the driver who tested positive had been off work since March 19 with symptoms, but the test didn’t come back positive until Thursday. In retrospect, he said, the agency probably should have taken additional cleaning steps at the East

Liberty facility before the test came back.

Several union employees assigned to other garages also have been off work for several days with symptoms and are awaiting test results, Mr. Palonis said.

“I can tell you there are several others who are being held off of work and are in quarantine. That’s a fact,” he said.

Mr. Brandolph said the authority has no role in whether employees should or shouldn’t be in quarantine.

“We leave it up to employees and their doctors to make the best decisions for themselves,” he said.

Mr. Palonis said he understands why his members are concerned, but he said he’s “pretty satisfied” with Port Authority’s safety measures.

“Paramount is our members’ safety, and we think we’re doing everything we can,” he said.