MBTA Essential Workers on the Frontline of the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis Support Bill #H.4631: An Act relative to state employees performing core functions



As public transportation workers at the MBTA, we take our responsibility to the public good of the Metro Boston area and the Commonwealth very seriously. During this public health crisis, we recognize more than ever how much people depend on us to be a vital service in their lives. We work with a high level of professionalism every day to transport those people as best we can under incredible amounts of stress, uncertainty, danger, and the high risk of potentially contracting this deadly virus, COVID-19. Everyday we see our co-workers continue to test positive for COVID-19 which strikes fear in all of our hearts. We’ve experienced the tremendous loss of a colleague and we face the finality of death together. Never did any one of us ever imagine we would be forced into the predicament of potentially putting our lives on the line every day while we continue to serve the Commonwealth as essential employees. We have been left to fight for our own personal protection equipment just like all frontline essential employees. We have watched other essential employees be provided streamlined testing for COVID-19 while wondering if we may someday get our turn. We do our best to perform our duties in the face of these hazards without complaint but can’t help feeling very alone sometimes. In the words of Tony Utano, President of Transport Workers United Local 100 in New York, “Dedication and duty does not mean using transit workers as cannon fodder.” The frontline workers of the MBTA, members of many different united unions, will always continue to serve the great people of this Commonwealth that we all love, even in the face of this immense challenge and trying times. We support Bill #H.4631 as validation that our service matters, our lives matter, and that our legislative leaders recognize the moral obligation they have to serve us in our time of need. This petition is signed by active duty, frontline, essential workers of the MBTA who support Bill. HD.4970 and people who agree that essential workers deserve your consideration in this piece of legislation. We’ve seen many private companies do the right thing for their frontline essential employees but as public sector employees we need our legislatures to do the right thing for us. We urge you to not only support it but to do your part in ensuring it becomes reality.