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Join Your Union in Supporting Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

TWU Local 100 joins Executive Board member Lionel and Nyoka Harrison, as we Make (St) Rides Against Breast Cancer. The event is Sunday, October 18, 2020 at Jones Beach on Long Island at 10:00 am.  To donate please go to this link:
When you get to the landing page, put the name NYOKA HARRISON into the dialogue box, and then please make a donation to support the effort.
Members can feel free to drive through a will -- the event is an all-vehicle caravan.

Transit Workers to be Honored by Rider's Alliance -- You Are Invited

Stand up and be recognized!
 
Bus and subway workers will be honored by the Riders Alliance next month at the organization’s annual gala. The virtual event will also pay tribute to John Raskin. Raskin founded the grassroots movement, which advocates for public transit, and served as its first executive director.
 
The program will feature “a special salute to the extraordinary transit workers of TWU Local 100 and ATU Locals 726, 1056, 1179, and 1181 in recognition of their dedication, valor and sacrifice to keep New York City moving in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.”  This is a fundraising event, but transit workers do not have to pay to view when it is streamed live on-line on Monday, Nov. 16, from 7-8 p.m. Choose the “I am a transit worker and would like to attend for free as a gala honoree" option when registering here: ridersny.org/gala2020. It also will be recorded for later viewing.
 
“We put the city on our shoulders and have been carrying it since this pandemic hit,” Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “It’s great to see the members receive some much-deserved recognition from this important activist organization.”

 

Walgreens & Duane Reade Offering Free Flu Shot to MTA Employees

Walgreens is offering free flu shots at Walgreens and Duane Reade locations for MTA employees. Just click on this letter to download the coupon you'll need. The program is now in effect and will remain so throughout the flu season. Doctors recommend flu shots for everyone over 6 months of age. To find the Walgreens nearest you, call 1-800-WALGREENS or visit Walgreens.com/FindAStore.

It's Almost Time for Early Voting -- Find Out How

Early voting begins in New York City on October 24 and continues through Sunday, November 1. You can get complete information about early voting here.

If you don't live within the city limits, or if you live in another state, click here for information.

 

For RTO, Social Distancing Trailers Arrive

IB ImageOCTOBE 8 -- Today, the first of a series of mobile office trailers was delivered at Astoria-Ditmars Blvd. The intention is provide additional space for crews, as Ditmars is tiny, and COVID-19 cases are going up again in parts of the city.
 
The trailer at Ditmars is being set up, and may take a few days to be ready for occupancy. Other locations slated for trailers include Middle Village-Metropolitan Ave, and Crown Heights-Utica Ave. This is all part of a union-led effort to create safer, more comfortable work environments for our members. As always, we’ll keep you posted with further updates. --- In Solidarity, Eric Loegel,RTO VP

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Focus on Safety as Union Pushes Best Practices

Your union has been pressing the MTA to accelerate the installation of the sliding-panel bus partitions, utilize higher-grade air filters on rolling stock, and increase membership testing in order to better identify workers who may have the virus but do not yet have symptoms.

All of us, meanwhile, can take steps to combat the virus. We are in this together. These are just some of the measures we can take:

Please, wear your masks. As we demand riders wear face coverings on buses and subways, we also must be diligent and mask-up in our crew rooms and break rooms.

Try to social distance when you can. Management is moving to place empty buses and trains outside facilities to create more available space. The MTA also is moving to utilized trailers and lease additional office space for this purpose.

Enroll in Direct Deposit. Thousands of members still pick-up printed paychecks. You can avoid this person-to-person contact with Direct Deposit.

Pres. Utano Welcomes Fourth Class of Apprentices

OCTOBER 6 -- TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano welcomed a new class of 20 apprenticeship candidates who have begun training for MOW jobs at the Apex Technical School in Long Island City. The class -- 15 men and 5 women -- is drawn from the ranks of Traffic Checkers, Cleaners, and Transit Property Protection Agents. Upon completion of the Apex training program, the candidates begin apprenticeship jobs in MOW titles, significantly enhancing their salaries and careers in Transit. The program is administered by Charles Jenkins, Director of the Upward Advancement Program, and coordinated by Kristle Black. Also addressing the new candidates was John V. Chiarello, Vice President, Maintenance of Way.

Horse-Drawn Carriage Drivers Affiliate with TWU Local 100

OCTOBER 2 -- Horse-drawn carriages - one of New York City’s most popular tourist attractions – are back in Central Park after a nearly 7-month absence. Carriage rides were temporarily halted in March when the state directed all non-essential businesses to close because of the pandemic.

“The drivers and horses provide so much color, and are such a familiar part of the New York City landscape, just the sight of them will bring smiles to peoples’ faces,” owner-driver Colm McKeever said. “I believe that in my heart and soul. Manhattan has seen some dark days, but this is a step towards normalcy. It will give people a little hope that we will get out of this mess.”

The 162-year-old industry in NYC features 68 licensed horse-drawn carriages. Drivers are now affiliating themselves with Transport Workers Union Local 100. The union represents 40,000 bus and subway workers at the MTA, but also has a growing number of members holding tourism-related jobs. They include bus drivers at both Big Bus Tours and New York Waterway.

“There’s no doubt that workers have a better chance defending and improving their livelihood when they are united,” Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “It’s true whether you are operating a bus, a subway train or horse-drawn carriage. We look forward to working with the carriage drivers and their beloved horses.”

Read more in today's Daily News here.

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