War Between Metro Union, Va. Congresswoman Gets Ugly

WASHINGTON, DC -- The war between Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) and the largest union representing Metro staff has just gone to a whole new level. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, which is working to unseat the congresswoman, released a statement Aug. 5 slamming her for criticisms about the safety culture at Metro, and Comstock's Deputy Chief of Staff Jeff Marschner immediately fired back.

After the derailment of a Silver Line train near the East Falls Church metro station, Comstock released a statement criticizing staff members for "substandard, unacceptable performance," which angered the union. They say that Comstock is actually ignoring the safety issues in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report and instead attacking Metro's track workers "with all-out lies and fabricated statements," the statement reads.

"It is clear that Comstock is willing to say anything to get the votes of her right-wing Donald Trump-supporting constituents in this campaign season, even if it means deceiving the constituency with inaccurate statements," the statement adds.

The union argues that the Metro rail system is woefully understaffed, with teams of two workers assigned to five to six miles of track every day. The union also says that Metro workers aren't overpaid, as Comstock claims, but rather their pay is on par with other metro systems around the country.

Marschner hit back the same day with a statement claiming the Amalgamated Transit Union was engaging in "partisan attacks" and was making "excuses for incompetence."

"It is sad that the leadership of Metro's union responds in such a partisan manner when Democrats and Republicans alike have called for major reforms in the safety culture as a way to keep riders and workers safe," he said. "Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising given that even the Obama Administration’s own Labor Department brought a lawsuit against the dysfunctional Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 for a potential illegal union election of its leadership last December."

Comstock is just finishing out her first term as a representative of Virginia's 10th district. She won election in 2014 after Frank Wolf, who had held the seat since 1981, decided to retire.

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