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U.S. NEWS Thursday 20 July 2017

NJ Transit weighs disciplinary actions over canceled trains

By MICHAEL CATALINI NJ Transit. He said he re-
Associated Press ceived 1,200 pages in re-
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New sponse to a request, which
Jersey Transit is weighing he called “unacceptable.”
whether it can pursue disci- Santoro said after the hear-
plinary action against train ing the agency has been
engineers after a manpow- busy with train operations
er shortage forced dozens but would comply with
of ride cancellations this McKeon’s request.
week amid summerlong The hearing, which also
track work at New York’s included testimony from
Penn Station, an agency officials at Amtrak, PATH
official told lawmakers commuter trains and the
Wednesday. New York Waterway, came
NJ Transit Executive Direc- amid the second week of
tor Steve Santoro said at extensive repairs at the na-
a joint Assembly-Senate tion’s busiest rail station.
oversight committee that Lawmakers and an Amtrak
there were 40 total cancel- official said the first week of
lations Sunday and Mon- work went better than ex-
day and that he will meet pected.
later this week with union “The summer from hell has
leaders. not been quite as hot as ex-
The union contract spells pected,” Democratic state
out the process for disci- Noah Efron, left, checks his watch while waiting for a New Jersey Transit train, Tuesday, July 18, Sen. Bob Gordon said, re-
2017, in Princeton Junction, N.J. Efron said he waited an hour for a train that didn’t come. Some
pline, Santoro said after the New Jersey Transit trains have been canceled this week during the summerlong repair work at ferring to Democratic New
Democrat-led hearing. “If Penn Station in New York because engineers are exercising contract rights that allow them to take York Gov. Andrew Cuo-
it’s appropriate, disciplin- two days to report for work when schedule changes are made. mo’s comment earlier this
ary action will occur con- (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) year anticipating a “sum-
sistent with the contract,” got heated when discuss- were “screwing” NJ Transit man John McKeon said he mer of hell.”
he said. ing the canceled trains. Re- customers by not working would issue the panel’s first Aside from the NJ Transit’s
It’s unclear how many of publican state Sen. Joe Ky- earlier this week. subpoena later this week staffing issues, there was
the cancellations stemmed rillos fumed about workers, “That is the end product,” for correspondence be- general agreement that
from engineers exercising at one point asking Santoro Santoro said. tween Republican Gov. the first week of the track
a contract provision that whether it was true they Democratic Assembly- Chris Christie’s office and work went well. q
allows them to take two
days to report for work
are made. But vacations Surging wildfire rages near Yosemite park
when schedule changes

and the summer track work
also may have been a fac- By SCOTT SMITH night from about 40 square its busy summer season, California fire spokesman
tor, Santoro said. Associated Press miles (100 kilometers) to and rangers warned visitors Jordan Motta said. The fire
The head of the union said MARIPOSA, Calif. (AP) — more than 70 square miles with respiratory problems has forced more than 4,000
NJ Transit portrayed its A surging wildfire raced (180 square kilometers), the to be mindful of the haze, people from homes in and
workers negatively, “imply- through California moun- California Department of Gediman said. Among around a half-dozen small
ing that engineers simply tains and foothills west of Forestry and Fire Protection park visitors Gediman talk- communities, officials said.
do not want to come to Yosemite National Park on said. At its closest, the blaze ed to, “people understand Heavy smoke hung in the
work.” Wednesday, forcing thou- was still about 35 miles from fire is a naturally occurring air over Mariposa, a town
“In fact, the opposite is sands to flee tiny, Gold the boundary of Yosem- thing,” he said. “Nobody of 2,000 with century-old
true,” said James Brown, Rush-era towns and wafting ite, where campgrounds was upset about it.” Yo- wooden buildings, in-
chairman of the Brother- smoky haze over the park’s are open, park spokesman semite does not appear cluding what’s touted as
hood of Locomotive Engi- landmark Half Dome rock Scott Gediman said. The at risk from the fire, which the oldest active court-
neers and Trainmen. face. The 4-day-old blaze fire closed one of several was moving south Wednes- house west of the Rocky
One lawmaker in particular nearly doubled in size over- roads into the park during day, away from the park, Mountains.q