For about a month now, New England has been pummeled with massive winter storms, leaving large swaths of the region with feet of snow and frequently making travel impossible.
This has been particularly excruciating for residents who rely on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for transportation. The MBTA is the public operator of the greater Boston area’s subways, buses and commuter rails. The MBTA has been shut down multiple times this winter and has frequently run with massive delays, stranding commuters and losing millions of dollars for small businesses throughout the city.
Blizzards, and subsequent subway closures, impact low-wage workers the most, as almost all lack sick or personal days. “There is no working from home if you’re a sales associate or if you’re a cashier. If they can’t get to work because of weather, you miss a paycheck. If the store closes early or works with a skeleton staff, you miss a paycheck,” said Amy Traub, an economic observer at the progressive think tank Demos.
