New York University (NYU) conducted flawed research on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City and the violence MTA workers face on the job. A spokesperson for NYU stated that the university has requested the Journal of Urban Health retract the study, which was publicly posted on Facebook, allowing bots and others to respond, potentially skewing the results.
The Biden administration funded the study, which concluded that nearly 90% of subway and bus workers reported being assaulted or harassed, according to the New York Post.
However, the president of New York City Transit disputed the study’s findings, citing MTA data that showed 11% of its workforce had been assaulted or harassed. While this figure is still significant, it is much lower than the results of the NYU study, the New York Post reported.
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In a statement, NYU acknowledged that the researchers did not have proper safeguards in place when distributing the survey to New York City transit workers via email.
“The researchers concluded—based on the survey’s vulnerability to responses from bots and/or people other than the intended recipients—that their data were compromised,” the statement read.
Last month, the Transit Workers Union called for safety reforms, stating that more steps are needed to protect workers. The union also reported a rise in worker injuries over the past three years.
[Lauren Taylor]
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY CONDUCTED FLAWED RESEARCH ON THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IN NEW YORK CITY – AND THE VIOLENCE MTA WORKERS FACE WHILE ON THE JOB.
ACCORDING TO A NYU SPOKESPERSON, THE UNIVERSITY ASKED THE JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH TO RETRACT THE STUDY BECAUSE IT WAS PUBLICLY POSTED ON FACEBOOK, ALLOWING TROLLS AND OTHERS TO RESPOND.
THE BIDEN-ADMINISTRATION FUNDED THE STUDY – AND RESULTS CONCLUDED THAT NEARLY 90% OF SUBWAY AND BUS WORKERS SAID THEY WERE ASSAULTED OR HARASSED, THE NEW YORK POST REPORTS.
THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT PRESIDENT DISPUTED THE STUDY, CITING MTA DATA SHOWING 11% OF ITS WORKFORCE WAS ASSAULTED OR HARASSED—SIGNIFICANT, BUT FAR LESS THAN WHAT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE NYU STUDY, THE POST REPORTED.
NYU RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING RESEARCHERS DID NOT HAVE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE WHEN THEY SENT THE SURVEY TO NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT WORKERS VIA EMAIL.
“THE RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED—BASED ON THE SURVEY’S VULNERABILITY TO RESPONSES FROM BOTS AND/OR PEOPLE OTHER THAN THE INTENDED RECIPIENTS—THAT THEIR DATA WERE COMPROMISED,” THE STATEMENT READ.
LAST MONTH THE TRANSIT WORKERS UNION CALLED FOR SAFETY REFORMS SAYING MORE STEPS ARE NEEDED FOR THEIR PROTECTION.
THE UNION SAYS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS – INJURIES AGAINST WORKERS HAVE RISEN.
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