WASHINGTON 鈥� A national transit union leader called attacks on Metro workers鈥� pay and safety missteps by Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., 鈥渞acist,鈥� while Comstock鈥檚 office replied that the union鈥檚 鈥渇ailed鈥� leadership is missing the point.
鈥淪he is completely ignorant of the facts, and we want to call her out on that,鈥� Amalgamated Transit Union President Larry Hanley, speaking of Comstock, told reporters Wednesday.
鈥淚 believe that there is a clear overtone to her attack on WMATA workers, and I frankly believe it鈥檚 racist.鈥�
Comstock, who represents Virginia鈥檚 10th聽District, has asked why some Metro bus drivers can make more than $100,000 in a year, or why rail controllers were able to make more than $200,000. At , she also held up to illustrate concerns about whether the union local is as focused on building a long-promised safety culture at Metro as it claims to be.
“The failed ATU leadership is lashing out at Metro management and many of us working on long-term reforms,鈥� said Comstock鈥檚 deputy chief of staff, Jeff Marschner, in an email.
鈥淭he local ATU not only fails the public and riders of Metro but their very own employees who deserve a safe system to work on 鈥�. These and other desperate and illegitimate actions and comments by failed ATU bosses do nothing to promote the needed top-to-bottom reforms so that we can restore Metro to a safe and service-oriented transit system that the riders and our taxpayers deserve,” he continued.
Hanley called claims that safety issues are tied to pay, or that Metro workers make too much money, 鈥渙utrageous鈥� and part of efforts 鈥渢o scapegoat the workers.鈥�
Hanley said Metro was 鈥渂uilt 40 years ago and left to die,鈥� and now needs new investments.
鈥淭his is the one thing that I agree with Donald Trump on: Our infrastructure has been [allowed to] go to hell. That鈥檚 no secret. Highways are in collapse; subway systems are in collapse; bus systems are in collapse,鈥� he said.
The union supported Comstock鈥檚 opponent, Democrat LuAnn Bennett, in November鈥檚 election.
Comstock, of Northern Virginia, is the only Republican on Capitol Hill who represents an area served by the Metro system.
