Smirkin’ on the railroad
Axed LIRR boss still on payroll, can pad pension
AT LEAST one Long Island Rail Road employee has gotten a good deal from the MTA recently.
With unionized LIRR workers readying for a possible strike next month, the Daily News has learned that the railroad’s former president, Helena Williams, who was fired two months ago, remains on the payroll under an arrangement designed to enhance the value of her pension.
Williams negotiated a plum severance package that kept her on the payroll as an active employee so she would receive pension credits for a handful of months — and thereby qualify for 30 years of service, sources familiar with the deal told The News.
By clearing the 30-year mark, Williams will be able to receive a full pension without any reductions when she files for retirement, the sources said. It was not immediately clear how much more her pension payments would be worth as a result of her retiring as a 30-year worker. She has yet to qual- ify for that designation.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the LIRR’s parent, also agreed to pay Williams a portion of her annual salary, which was $243,000, one source said. But exactly how big a check the MTA cut her was also not clear. An official with one of the LIRR unions — which have been without a contract since 2010 and could strike as early as July 20 — was angry.
“When they terminate regular employees they don’t give them such an option,” said Chris Natale, general chairman of the Brotherhood of Railroad ilroad Signalmen. . “It’s “ItIt’ss a aa double standard.” ndard.”
Williams, s, 58, declined to answer questions estions about the deal when reached ached by phone ne last week.
MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg indicated Williams was helping her replacement, Patrick Nowakowski, get up to speed in running the nation’s largest commuter railroad.
“Helena Williams is assisting with the transition,” Lisberg said. He wouldn’t provide details about the agreement or discuss specifics about Williams’ current role at the authority.
Williams is a transit and government veteran. She is a former Nassau County executive and did two stints at the MTA. She was LIRR president for seven years.
MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast, an engineer by training, decided to sack William Williams in favor of NowaN kowski bec because he want wanted to insta install an exe executiv tive
a atop the LIRR who had a deep background in the nuts-and-bolts aspects of operating a railroad, transit sources said. Nowakowski is a transit veteran who has held top jobs in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Prendergast’s decision was influenced by a series of deadly accidents on the MTA’s other commuter railroad, Metro-North, in 2013, including a derailment in the Bronx in December that claimed four lives, the sources said. Prendergast made a change atop Metro-North Railroad as well.
LIRR union leaders walked out of a negotiation session with the MTA’s labor relations director on Friday after just 90 minutes. The union officials say the MTA won’t offer workers a contract consistent with recommendations made by two different independent mediators appointed by the White House. The MTA, on the other hand, said in a statement that it has made concessions and sweetened its offer, but that union leaders won’t compromise.