STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island’s delegation of elected officials and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are working to ensure that 300 employees who previously staffed a local E-ZPass office are rehired by a new contractor.
The office of Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (D-North Shore) shared correspondence between the elected officials and the Port Authority laying out their efforts to ensure workers at the South Avenue E-ZPass office do not end up unemployed.
“We sent a letter joined by all our Island elected officials to support all E-ZPass customer service employees, a 1/3 of whom are Islanders,” Hanks said. “During these tumultuous times of unfair toll increases and congestion pricing looming, the Port Authority and MTA need the best people guiding drivers through their options, the Port Authority agreed and we expect the MTA to as well.”
In 2021, the Port Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and the New York State Thruway Authority approved a host of new contracts for E-ZPass operations in New York, ending the program’s relationship with Conduent, the contractor that employed people at the South Avenue location.
Rick Cotton, executive director for the Port Authority, wrote to the Staten Island delegation Jan. 30 highlighting why and how the agency is working to ensure Conduent employees have opportunities with the new E-ZPass contractor, TTEC.
“The current Conduent staff have many years of experience and training in customer support for tolling and should be a critical part of TTEC meeting its objectives for staffing,” he wrote. “At our direction, TTEC has been working closely with Conduent to effectuate education for current employees on TTEC as an employer, the positions available, and the benefits offered to employees.”
Cotton’s letter came in response to correspondence to him and MTA Chair Janno Lieber from Staten Island’s delegation of elected officials — Hanks, Borough President Vito Fossella,…
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