Metro Workers Turn Backs on WMATA Board, Walk Out of Meeting (Video)

WASHINGTON, DC — Metro workers marched out of a contentious WMATA board meeting in D.C. Thursday afternoon as the contract dispute between the two sides continue to intensify. The video of the confrontation is embedded below.

The video shows the workers, who were wearing shirts that say "Stop Service Cuts" and "Bargain in Good Faith," walking out of the meeting while chanting, "Who moves this city? We move this city!"

Earlier this week, WMATA responded to a rumored Metro worker "sick-out" by denying the requests of 500 workers who asked for sick days this weekend. ATU Local 689 denies it was behind the "sick-out," but also slammed WMATA for rejecting the sick day requests and criticized Metro's policy of requiring advance notice.

The union announced in a statement issued at around 4 p.m. Thursday that a protest including "doctors, WMATA employees, riders and advocates" would take place Friday at 11 a.m. at the Western Bus Garage in Northwest.

"WMATA’s sick leave policy requires that workers call out of work 72 hours in advance if they need to take a sick day," the statement reads. "This policy is unsafe, and further illustrates WMATA’s complete disregard for the health, safety and well-being of their employees and riders."

The disagreement between Metro and the union go far deeper than the sick leave policy. As part of Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld's efforts to bring costs under controls, WMATA is proposing to scale back worker benefits and force them to compete with contractors in some cases, prompting a backlash from the union.

#Break: @ATULocal689 workers turn their backs on #WMATA board and march out, chanting. @wamu885 #wmata pic.twitter.com/epbpXmBfLV
— Martin Di Caro (@MartinDiCaro) April 27, 2017

Image via WMATA