Massachusetts: Union Reverses Course on Cellphones

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/us/15brfs-UNIONREVERSE_BRF.html

By KATIE ZEZIMA
Published: May 15, 2009

The Boston Carmen’s Union, which represents more than 6,000 employees of the Boston-area public transit system, has filed a grievance saying that a new policy barring bus, train and trolley operators from having cellphones on their persons while working is unreasonable. The union initially supported the policy, announced after a trolley crash on Friday that injured 49 people. In a letter, the union said it supported prohibiting drivers from using cellphones while working but that the devices should be carried so they could be used during breaks. The driver of the trolley, Aiden Quinn, told investigators that he was texting his girlfriend at the time of the accident. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said Mr. Quinn had been fired.