MTA: Hey, OT surge not so bad

The MTA board circled the wagons Friday in an effort to quell controversy over the agency’s surging overtime costs.

The bulk of the overtime increases since 2017 arose from additional work related to the $836 million Subway Action Plan and costs from things like service delays and inclement weather, said MTA Chief Financial Officer Bob Foran.

The agency spent $1.3 billion in overtime in 2018, up $100 million from 2017.

Foran said one driver of overtime costs is a lack of new hires who can pick up extra work as the MTA aggressively tries to improve service. Overtime costs were higher in 2017, he said — but the agency’s total payroll costs, overtime included, were actually lower than the year before.

Friday’s “emergency” meeting was called by Cuomo-appointed MTA board member Larry Schwartz. He said the agency needed to look into overtime abuse, an issue sparked by the a report last month from the Empire Center for Public Policy late last month.

Foye said overtime abuse is not widespread, and highlighted a number of cost-cutting measures, including an overhaul of time-keeping systems.

After the meeting, Foye issued a statement calling for the hiring of a “special counsel” to investigate “the timekeeping and attendance systems of the MTA and overtime abuse.”

NYC Transit President Andy Byford said he believes the bulk of employees are "hardworking, honest New Yorkers,” but said he wasn’t 100% sure that there was no overtime abuse at the agency.

Union officials complained the discussion was unfair to their members.

“This board has to really be careful about the message that they send to the MTA workforce,” said Vincent Tessitore, United Transportation Union’s representative on the MTA board. “What are we going to do to try and win back our employees? After this meeting today they are going to be fired up.”

“This is the type of behavior you’ve engaged in that triggers strikes in the New York City subway system,” said Samuelson. “This is a publicity stunt gone wrong.”