Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Blakeman blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul for vetoing a bill that would have required two operators on every MTA train — as he makes an aggressive push to snag some union support from his Democratic rival.
Blakeman, who is now serving as Nassau County executive, criticized Hochulfor knocking down a union-backed bill that would have required two operators on every Metropolitan Transportation Authority train as well as a series of bills that would’ve sweetened pensions and benefits for law enforcement.
“For too long, the hardworking men and women of New York State have been at a disadvantage because they’ve had a state government that doesn’t understand their needs,” Blakeman told The Post. “That ends on day one when I’m governor.
“Working alongside union leaders, we will ensure that every worker earns good pay and receives decent benefits,” he added. “The working people of New York are our greatest asset. When we create prosperity, the government can afford to pay them more.”
During an interview on 77 WABC the “Cats Roundtable” Sunday, Blakeman also said the state could afford to treat its workforce better if Hochul didn’t spend up to $4.5 billion over the past three years to house and feed thousands of migrants, including illegal immigrants, who spilled over the southern border.
“It’s a policy of you come here, you get more than the residents do,” Blakeman said. “You get more than the taxpayers do. You get a free phone. You get free lodging. You get free food. You get free transportation. That’s just upside down. When I’m the governor I’m going to fix that.”
Blakeman’s attempts to endear himself with labor come as he faces underdog odds to topple Hochul in the reliably blue Empire State, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans more than 2-to-1.
No GOP candidate has won a statewide election since 2002, giving Hochul solid frontrunner status even as polls show half of New Yorkers wanting a new governor.
The vetoed MTA bill that would have required at least one operator and conductor on every train has been an ongoing battle with Transport Workers Union. Most MTA trains have two-person crews, with some exceptions for shorter shuttle lines, as part of the contract with the Transport Workers union.
TWU president John Samuelsen applauded Blakeman for siding with the union.
“I have 3,000 conductors looking to vote for Blakeman,” Samuelsen said. “This was a no-brainer for Hochul. It would have cost a pittance. Hochul sided with the abundance bros and the real estate interests.”
Samuelsen also claimed one-person train operations make “subway travel less safe by removing the conductor.” One-person trains are in operation in other transit systems.
Hochul has said in her veto message that the bill would “cost as much as $10 million annually, reducing service. and limiting the MTA’s ability to benefit in modern rolling stock [new trains] and signals.”
But Blakeman responded on social media, “While she put riders and transit workers at risk, I stand shoulder to shoulder with @TWULocal100. Conductors are our eyes and ears, and the first line of defense against crime.”
Despite the union’s comments, some transit watchdogs and business groups thanked the governor for vetoing the bill.
“We strongly support efforts to provide New Yorkers with world-class public transit,” said the joint statement issued by Citizens Budget Commission, the Partnership for New York City, Regional Plan Association, Reinvent Albany, and the Transit Costs Project at the NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management.
“This bill would have done the opposite by raising MTA operating costs and constraining the MTA’s ability to implement modern operating methods, adopt new technologies, and provide better service for riders,” it went on.
Responding to a specific complaint last week, Tramell Thompson, TWU Local 100’s vice president, confirmed that conductors are not supposed to do anything other than call authorities for help.
“Conductors are not police or security guards…What did you expect from the conductor? ….When we take action we get written up for dismissal,” Thompson said on X.
Critics also complain conductors don’t try to intervene when straphangers are being abused or threatened on a train — questioning the union claim that their presence makes the trains safer.
Blakeman also rapped Hochul for vetoing a series of bills to boost retirement benefits for law enforcement officers, including allowing NYPD officers to count prior service elsewhere toward their pension; NYC EMTs opt into the 25-year retirement program, saving lives; guaranteed additional paid leave for public employees called to military service.
Hochul, in her veto messages, said she blocked numerous pension and benefit sweeteners because legislators did not identify funding sources to pay for them. The bills combined would cost the state and localities $183.3 million in the near-term and $347.5 million over time, imposing “a substantial burden on taxpayers.”
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