MTA worker fired for collecting metrocards?

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  A New York City transit cleaner who collects discarded metrocards may be terminated from his job for using keys to open the metrocard litter boxes for his collection.  He was arrested when police spotted him opening the box. Do you think he should have been arrested?  The MTA says he wasn’t supposed to have the keys he claims he used for the lat 23 years to do his job.  Should he get his job back? What do you think?

 

Comments

[Lori]

This is such a horrible thing that has been done to this man. His work record for the past 23 years should account for something!! He must keep fighting and not give up no matter how fustrated he might get. This is SO UNFAIR !!
With all that is wrong with the MTA and all the mistakes they have made, I find it ironic that they should pursue such a minor thing. They have nothing better to do with our money?

[Mr. joesph Klass]

I think that he should in fact get his job back with lost wages.He was wrongly acused and (even though he might have seemed to think that taking from trash is right), I known mr olliverre for a long time over 20 yrs and this man is no thief. he returned lost wallets and jewerly why would he steal garbarge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joseph]

I think they should let him keep his job. I don't feel he did anything wrong. They probably don't want to give him his pension when he is able to retire.

[Deandra WIlliams]

i think he should have his job back becasue it no that serious of an issue..... !!

[Jason]

Yes,he should get his job back. Being an MTA employee for that many years with a clean record, and a single parent raising a young African American male in this city, what kind of message does that send out to the youth of today esp. his son. Great game, I've played it with children. Again, yes he should even with some discipline action in regards to the keys.

[elizabeth schwartz]

It is stupid that the police have arrested a worker for doing his job! If he has no previous record, is an upstanding member of the community, the police need to drop all charges. For goodness sake, in these hard times, give the man back his job! Shame on them!

[Lyn]

No he should not have been arrested, that was a waste of tax payers money. He gave 20+ years of his life in service to the public via the MTA. So what he developed a hobby to collect what others throw away, now that's a crime punishable by loosing your job??? If he was wearing a uniform or not, once the police learned he was a MTA employee, that should have been enough to prevent him from being arrested. Furthermore, if the keys he had in his possession should not have been, just take them away! To loose your job over taking trash - that's criminal! Who's making these decisions????

[Doris Pittman]

So many many time, the Police have been wrong. I think they are wrong to try and convict this man for trying to find another way to make ends meet. Please help him to get his job back. He did not rob any one, or snatch any one's purse, hold up a bank, or worse yet hurt anyone.
I am a senior citizen who would like to see some justice for this man.

Thank you,
Mrs. Pittman.

[tanya]

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL ITS "TRASH". THIS MAN HAS GIVEN 23 YEARS OF SERVICE THIS IS HOW YOU PAY HIM BACK. THE MTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES.

[granny hough]

Absolutely, he should get his job back. After working faithfully and honestly for 23 years, such a slight misstep should not be punished. I bet there was no written statement saying employees could not open the box. If his supervisor never told him or had not given him the keys, he would not have opened it in the first place. Anyone who would return a wallet, did not know it was against any prodical. For god's sake, didn't the cops have anything better to do...like arrest the pickpockets!!!!!!

[Maritza in Rockaway Beach]

If this gentleman were guilty why would he even be coming forward? He has been commended for his service to the MTA and this just seems so unfair. It doesn't sound as though the rules were made clear to HIM. These Metro Cards are considered "garbage" and maybe he went about collecting them the wrong way but it should NOT cost him his job.
There are MORE important things for the MTA to work on. GIVE HIM HIS JOB BACK!

[Tracie D. Brooklyn, NY]

I feel so bad for this poor guy. The police hassle him for tampering with what is really a "trash recepticle" for discarded Metrocards and while they were doing this, just how many people jumped the turnstiles or went through those "No entry" gates so they wouldn't have to pay a fare? Heck, they should look at it instead that he was just doing his part for "saving the environment". What does the city do with all those old Metrocards anyway?

None of this should have been an issue once they found out he was an MTA worker. PERIOD! Do the right thing and give this man his job back!

[tanya]

WHAT THE HELL IS THE BIG DEAL ITS TRASH FOR GODS SAKE . MTA JUST TRYING TO LAY OFF PEOPLE. THE COPS MUST HAVE HAD NOTHING TO DO. AND MTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED .

[Dee]

This MTA worker should be back at work.

[Lynette Simpson]

Please give that man back his job. It was only expired and discarded metro cards. It's hard to find good and loyal workers. Give him a chance.

[D.G.]

YES. ABSOLUTELY! He should get his job back, and he should have gotten it back a long time ago.

[may]

HE SHOULD BE DISCIPLINE FOR HAVING KEYS IN HIS POSSESSION WHILE IS WAS OFF DUTY. THE KEYS ARE THE PROPERTY OF MTA. HE WAS WRONG FOR GOING IN THE BOX.

[Derek]

I think he should get his job back. Although his method may have been a little questionable (being off duty and all), his service record with the MTA should speak for itself. All the best to him.

[E]

No, he shouldn't have been arrested, since he was in uniform.
In today's push for "green", he should be celebrated for collecting, making other uses of the cards and decreasing the amount of trash. It was also mentioned that he was praised in the past for returning a wallet! A wallet in our subway? It's amazing that our tax dollars are going towards persecuting this hero.

[Lewis Kesten]

Of course he should get his job back with back pay immediately. The people persecuting him should be ashamed and find something more productive to do to earn their pay.

[Mother and Daughter of Aberdeen]

Mother and Daughter of Aberdeen think he should get his job back! He seems like a great guy and there are many worse than he that the police ought to concentrate on!

[JudithM]

Shame on you MTA!!!! This agency is so mismanaged it's amazing. I can't believe that I would have to pay a higher fare so executives can get paid more to keep such a kind man out of work. The real working man can't get ahead at all anymore. His collection could even be used as a marketing tool for them if they actually took the time what the man was taking the cards for.
Give him his job back! The legal fees you are paying on this case are probably more than his salary.

[Laraine from Massapequa Park, NY]

One person's trash is another person's treasure. IMO he should get his job back.

[Steven Vogel]

23 yrs???? Let him work!!!!!!!