MTA Moving on Union Testing Demands

TWU Local 100 has been urging the MTA to adopt a COVID-19 testing and screening program to identify members who might have the virus - but are not yet experiencing symptoms. This goal appears in the TWU 10-Point Transit Plan For a Re-Opened NYC, which the union released in May.

Since then, Local 100 President Tony Utano and other union officers have stressed the importance of this issue to elected officials, the media and MTA management. Now, it appears the MTA is moving in that direction.

MTA’s Chief Safety Officer Patrick Warren briefed MTA board members Wednesday on what he described as efforts to protect workers and riders from a “second wave” of the virus hitting the region. In hi comments, Warren said “we are pursuing cutting edge rapid diagnostic testing protocols to provide more effective, early screening of employees and contractors that live outside the NYC metropolitan area before they encounter our workforce and customers.  We are also seeking new, inexpensive rapid testing protocols that could further help identify individuals that have contracted the virus but are asymptomatic in order to limit their ability to expose others to the virus.”

This echoes the language in item No. 3 in TWU’s 10-Point Transit Plan. That calls for the “testing of TWU Local 100 members in large numbers (testing size to be determined by an expert) with the objective of curtailing the spread of the virus by workers who are asymptomatic.”

TWU Local 100 will be meeting with Warren and other authority executives to obtain more details and provide input on any new testing and screening tactics. “We will withhold final judgement until we receive more details, but this is a good sign,” Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “It appears that Local 100’s advocacy on this very important issue is getting results.

Warren also said the authority will increase Call Center staffing in the coming months if necessary, to stay on top of contact tracing and employee communications, which Local 100 also covered in its 10-point plan. You can read Warren's complete report to the MTA Board here.

Union Releases Final List of Scholarship Winners

Our TWU Local 100 scholarship winners were awarded earlier this year, but some winners were later found to be not qualified for various reasons. We are now releasing the final list, and you can see it here. Red strike throughs represent grants that were withdrawn. Questions can be directed to Trustee Shannon Poland at spoland@twulocal100.org

CIOH Workers Mourn Passing of Frank Gurrera, 95, an Inspiration to Generations of Transit Workers

Local 100 Members at the Coney Island Overhaul Shop are in mourning today with the news that Frank Gurrera had passed away at the age of 95. Frank had worked at the shop for 50 years and was an “inspiration” to his co-workers both union and management, according to Shop Chair Eugene Leybovich.

Local 100 President Tony Utano said of Frank’s passing: “This is a very sad day for everyone in Local 100 and New York City Transit, especially our Brothers and Sisters at the Coney Island Overhaul shop.  He was a wonderful, kind man who brought joy to his workplace every day.  He was not only a skilled machinist, but a teacher and mentor to generations of transit workers at Coney Island. We  all owe Frank a huge debt of gratitude for his skill as a worker, his dedication to his union, his love of his coworkers, and his lifetime of contributions to NYCT, our great City and our country.  He is a shining example of the very best of the human spirit. May he Rest in Peace.”

Shirley Martin, Vice President of Car Equipment, said this about Brother Gurrera: "Frank was an amazing individual. At the young age of 95, his brain was very sharp and he could still fabricate the most intricate precision work. I’m going to miss his smile when used to see me and say "Here comes my favorite Union rep!"

Sister Martin continued: "Each time I asked him when he was going to retire he’d say, 'After you. Why retire? I have no one home.' I used to joke with him that he’s Pension Tier Zero."

Frank was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy Seabees, and saw heavy action in the Mediterranean and the invasion of southern France in 1944. He joined New York City Transit in 1970 after having worked for 20 years as a machinist in several shops, including for 15 years at a research and development company that built gyroscopes for the U.S. space program.  “I worked on parts for the Titan II Missile system and for the first moon shot,” he recalled in an interview on his 90th birthday.

Once when asked about retirement, Frank said: “I’ve never thought about retiring. What would I do? I enjoy the work. I enjoy making things. I enjoy helping my co-workers. It keeps my mind occupied, my hands skillful. It keeps me going.”

On his beloved place of work at Coney Island, he said: “I’m glad I work there; glad I spend my time there. I’m part of a family.