Utano Calls for More Enforcement, Deterrence in Wake of Spitting Incidents

THREE SUBWAY CONDUCTORS SPAT ON IN A SINGLE DAY – INCLUDING A CONDUCTOR WHO WAS HELPING A RIDER IN A WHEELCHAIR
 
TWU LOCAL 100 PRESIDENT BLASTS VILE ATTACKS AGAINST TRANSIT WORKERS
 
* A No. 6 Line Train Conductor was spat upon shortly after 11 a.m. Monday at the East 149thSt. station in the Bronx.
* A No. 3 Line Train Conductor line was spat upon at approximately 5:10 p.m. Monday at the Borough Hall station in Brooklyn.
* A No. 6 Line Train Conductor was spat upon at approximately 6:50 p.m. Monday at the Brooklyn Bridge station.
 
TWU LOCAL 100 President Tony Utano issued the following statement:

“This is disgusting, vile behavior and we are sick and tired of it. The MTA and the city have to do everything in their power to stop it.  We want to see people arrested and charged. Put more cameras in the system. Put more cops on the platforms.  Give the whole damn city a civics lesson. Do whatever you have to do.  Where is the outrage? Riders should be as angry as we are. Management should be as angry as we are. Elected officials should be angry. This is despicable. We’re trying to get people where they need to go and then someone spits on us? That’s a horrific experience for our members and delays service for riders. If you see someone assault a transit worker, take a photo with your phone. Put it on social media. Call them out. We need enforcement. We need deterrence. And we need - and deserve - respect from riders, managers and elected officials for moving 7 million people a day.”
 
The female conductor who was victimized at the Borough Hall station said she was assisting a wheelchair user when a man standing on the platform walked up to her window as if to ask a question.  “I said, ‘Give me a second,’ as I was trying to talk to the person in the wheelchair,’ and he just spit on me.’

The wheelchair rider was having difficulty boarding the train because the platform and floor of the train were not level, the Conductor said. She was directing the wheelchair user to try another door where the platform and train floor were more level when the man spit in her face. She is 37 years old and has been on the job about 5 years.
 
The conductor spat upon at the Brooklyn Bridge station said he was observing the platform to ensure riders were clear of the departing train when a man standing beneath a stairwell spat on him for no reason.