NYC NOW - July 2, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: July 2, 2024

New York City ambulance workers are negotiating their contract, which expired two years ago. They argue low pay makes it hard to afford necessities. WNYC’s Matt Katz reports. Meanwhile, Queens Councilmember Francisco Moya introduces legislation to regulate massage businesses and combat brothels posing as massage parlors. Plus, during the G train line’s summer shutdown, workers with bullhorns will direct riders to replacement shuttles, but not everyone is happy about it.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, July 2nd. Here's the morning headlines from David First. New York City ambulance workers have started negotiations on their contract, which expired two years ago. They're arguing that pay is so low, they're struggling to afford food, transportation, and housing. WNYC's Matt Katz reports. Union leaders say they've started negotiating for a new contract for the city's paramedics and emergency medical technicians, where pay starts around $39,000 a year.

The union says that's not enough to cover city expenses and it's led to high turnover and low staffing levels. They say that in turn contributes to long waits for ambulances. WNYC reported this week that ambulance response times are averaging almost 13 minutes for life-threatening emergencies, the longest time since the beginning of the pandemic. The contract for EMS expired two years ago. EMS chief Michael Field says he's fully staffed with EMTs, but more employees and ambulances would reduce wait times. Fronting as massage parlors in Queens would face new scrutiny under a package of bills from the city council.

Queens Council member Francisco Moya has introduced legislation that would give the city a role in regulating massage businesses in a bid to weed out those involved with illegal sex work. Many would have to secure new massage therapy business licenses from the city and display them. They'd also have to maintain records of workers' state-issued massage licenses. Earlier this year, the NYPD closed a number of massage parlors, it said, were fronts for brothels. During the lines, summer maintenance shutdown G-Train riders will find workers with bullhorns handing out pamphlets, directing them to replacement shuttle services.

But Jonathan Thompson says he dreads this. slower shuttle buses having to navigate street traffic. It's incredibly frustrating if you want to get home and it's the MTA. We come to the train expecting it to be here to whisk us home and it's like, uh-oh, it's not here. The MTA says the closure is necessary to make long overdue improvements to the train. The agency also says workers should be helping commuters at affected stations from seven in the morning to nine at night. And taking a look at our weather, we have a sunny day.

in store at 67 degrees right now in Central Park. And yes, we're expecting a sunshine all day today, a high of 84 this afternoon. Tonight, partly cloudy skies will drop down to 68 degrees. And tomorrow it looks like more of the same, another sunny day with a high of 84 degrees. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.