By: ABC Eyewitness News<\/p>\n
Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — New York City crossing guards held a rally with officials Monday morning to protest the cutting of hundreds of positions.<\/p>\n There are currently about 2,200 crossing guards throughout NYC, but the plan is to cut about 200 vacancies, and another 200 jobs that were to be made available.<\/p>\n The elimination of those positions will save $7.5 million from the $43 million budget for crossing guards, which falls under the NYPD.<\/p>\n Local 372 NYC Board of Education, which represents the crossing guards, DC 37, Transportation Alternatives, and other officials rallied outside the Tweed Courthouse in Lower Manhattan.<\/p>\n They noted that “a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that school crossing guards reduce the risk of traffic accidents involving children by up to 80%, especially young children.”<\/p>\n “We need more crossing guards, not less,” said NYC Councilmember Shaun Abreu. “But something that is often ignored is that crossing guards are community fixtures.”<\/p>\n The city employs 2,219 crossing guards. The crossing guards make $18 to $20 an hour for a part-time 4-hour-a-day job.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By: ABC Eyewitness News<\/p>\n