All non-essential track work has been suspended by the MTA after a transit worker assigned to work on the tracks was fatally struck by a northbound D train overnight at Herald Square.  

The transit workers union, TWU Local 100, held a press conference in response to the death to honor 57-year-old Halarion Joseph.  

Joseph was on shift as a flagger and was set to reach his one-year anniversary mark working with the MTA in just a few days. Flaggers are responsible for cleaning the tracks and going onto the tracks to put out lights and other safety mechanisms that stop trains and alert operators of work ahead.  

“We work with moving trains they don’t stop service for us. There is no shutdowns. We work under continuous traffic every day,” said John Chiarello, treasurer and safety director for TWU Local 100. “We are in danger at all times. Everyone that works on the tracks, track workers, signal maintainers, all subway workers on the tracks work under live traffic.”  

The union has now demanded a 24-hour safety stand down that is currently in effect. They say they plan to take every necessary measure to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.