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Union: Develop Plan To Keep Some NYC Subways Running During Severe Snowstorms

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The union president representing transit workers is calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to develop a plan that could keep at least the underground portions of the subway system running in a severe snowstorm.

John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union Local 100, said train operators and other transit employees don't believe a blizzard necessitates the full shutdown of the system.

Union: Develop Plan To Keep Some Subways Running In Storm

"You do a wholesale shutdown like that there has to be an expectation that it's going to take time to get the system running again, whereas if you ran limited service in protected areas of the subway, which is quite possible with proper forethought, the system can come back on much more smoothly," Samuelsen said.

He plans to raise the issue with the MTA this week, but Samuelsen said he understands MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast's concern for recommending the shutdown of the system in light of this week's forecast of 2 to 3 feet of snow.

"The decisions that were made to shut down the subway by these bosses was based in fact on opinions of experts, but nonetheless we believe going forward that we're going to enter into a productive conversation with the company about running aspects of the subway during blizzards," Samuelsen said. "It simply makes sense to do that."

"Winter weather plans are not firm guidelines or one-size-fits-all. They are fluid and we amend them all the time," MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said. "We already began an internal review of actions taken during the storm. The idea of running underground service while suspending above ground service is something we are already looking into."

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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