Tearful Mayor has opportunity to do the right thing for concerned DC residents
Washington, DC - In a heart-wrenching and passionate testimony a Washington, DC, Metro Access operator gave new mayor Muriel Bowser and hundreds of DC residents and workers a first-hand look at the grim impact that transit outsourcing has on working families in the region.
On Thursday evening to a packed house at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Operator Karen Reed brought tears to the Mayor’s eyes as she described the financial struggle she endures as an employee of a private, for-profit company contracted by WMATA to provide paratransit service. Reed was one of several speakers at a Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) forum on public services held for Mayor Bowser.
“It would be a smoother ride for everybody if WMATA and First Transit (her private employer) would stop cutting corners and stop treating me and my fellow workers like disposable people,” said Reed, who emphasized the importance of her job in transporting people with disabilities and seniors. “Employee turnover is through the roof and customer service suffers.” She was joined on stage by one of her passengers, who praised Reed’s dedication to the job and questioned the scheduling policies of First Transit and its treatment of workers and passengers alike.
Reed talked about the importance of her connection with riders and the accompanying dangers she and her co-workers face every day, from dangerous road conditions to robberies. Reed is dedicated to her work, but is paid only $26,000 per year (less than 30% of area median income), which qualifies her and her daughter for food stamps, housing assistance, and Medicaid. She and her daughter were homeless for three months last year.
“You are going to pay me either way. In my public benefits check – or my paycheck,” she explains in talking about her need for public assistance to survive. “I enjoy working for a living. Stop insulting me. Pay me in just one check – MY PAY CHECK!”
In addition to coworkers and riders, Reed was joined by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President Larry Hanley. “Karen’s story is the story of thousands of transit workers in the DC area. It brought the whole room to tears, including Mayor Bowser,” Hanley said. “The Mayor didn’t have a lot to say last night, but her actions in the weeks and months ahead will tell us if she really heard Karen. In the meantime, we’re going to make sure that everyone in the Wilson Building hears what working families like Karen’s are going through each and every day.”