“For the past several months, Governor Baker and MBTA leadership have repeatedly released reports that denigrate hard working employees in an attempt to justify outsourcing their jobs.

But this week Governor Baker himself resorted to pure fiction. In a press conference Wednesday the Governor said “someone cut sunroofs into two of the armored trucks used by the T to transport money,” accusing MBTA employees of threatening the security of both those who ride in the trucks and the Commonwealth’s fare collections revenue. These trucks have the exact same roofs from when they were purchased two decades ago. This baseless allegation is proof that this Administration will do anything to try to justify privatization.

All that we have asked for is for MBTA leadership and the Baker Administration to be truthful, but they have chosen time and again to say anything in an attempt to justify getting rid of hardworking public employees.

The Carmen’s Union agrees there is much to fix at the MBTA in order to provide the public transportation our residents and visitors deserve. Toward that end, a month ago we offered up a cost savings proposal that would save the MBTA $24 million in payments to Carmen’s Union members over the next four years— over $190 million over the next two decades. We have yet to receive a response from MBTA leadership or the Administration.

The Commonwealth deserves a reliable and improved transportation system. We again ask that the Administration goes about its efforts to improve the system in an honest and transparent manner.” – James O’Brien, President of the Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589