Workers stage protest at Metro board meeting

WASHINGTON - Metro workers staged a major protest at a board meeting on Thursday. Many are upset about the hard line approach by Metro's management team, especially during their contract negotiations.

"Mr. Wiedefeld, stop trying to divide and break our union," an employee said at the meeting.

The employees dropped protest petitions in front of Metro general manager Paul Wiedefeld, turned their backs and then walked out of the meeting chanting, "Who moves this city? We move this city!"

Once they were outside, they joined hands to form a human chain around Metro's headquarters.

This comes as rumors of a "sick out" came out earlier this week after Metro said nearly 500 employees made absence requests for Friday. Metro said they denied the requests and expect full rail and bus service for customers on Friday.

Metro's union has said it is not having employees stage a "sick out" and has criticized Metro's sick leave policy, which the union says requires workers to call out 72 hours in advance to take a sick day. The union has scheduled a news conference Friday morning calling for a change to the policy.

Wiedefeld said they have a plan in place in case of a "sick out" on Friday and will put some employees on standby and may put some supervisors into action as well.

Worker 'sick out'? Metro says it has received 'unusually' high number of absence requests