TWU Local 100 | New York's Public Transit Union

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NBC Report: Conductor Acted Fast to Mitigate Urgent Risk

A veteran Train Conductor, who also serves as a TWU Local 100 Shop Steward, is being praised for taking quick action after a rider spilled gasoline inside his N train Sunday, October 14.

Conductor Benjamin Schaeffer immediately secured his cab and evacuated riders from the Manhattan-bound train after passengers came to his window at the 36thSt. and said an apparently homeless man with a shopping cart stuffed with items spilled the flammable material from a canister. Schaeffer was interviewed by NBC Channel 4 Reporter Andrew Siff. The piece aired Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

"I was proud of him," RTO Vice President Joe Costales said to Siff. "This is what we train to do in a daily emergency situation." See the full report here.

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Utano Honored by Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

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The NY Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), an organization that has advocated for minority empowerment in the labor movement since 1972, honored TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano as it’s “Man of the Year” on Oct. 12, 2018. Utano received the recognition at the 26th Annual James “Jim” Bell Scholarship Awards Dinner, at which a number of college grants are presented to minority students.

In his acceptance remarks, Utano commended the CBTU’s scholarship program for giving the recipients and their families “a real step up in their goal for a college degree.” He said that high school diplomas no longer are sufficient in today’s job market. “Young people today need a college education to insure a decent job and a long career.”

In addition to Utano, the CBTU recognized Mary Sullivan, CSEA Executive Vice President; Barbara Edmonds, Director of Field Operations for DC 37; Attorney Tilker Ziegler and City Council member Ritchie Torres. City Council member Andy King also attended. The event was hosted by Charles Jenkins, President of the NY Chapter CBTU. Jenkins is also Director of the TWU Local 100-NYCT Training Upgrading Fund.

In the photo: Local 100 President Tony Utano (center left) at CBTU awards dinner with NY Chapter President Charles Jenkins (center right); Local 100 Administrative Vice President Nelson Rivera; Vice Presidents John Chiarello and Derick Echevarria; LES Chair Duvet Williams; Stations Vice Chair Antonio Roldan; Political Director Michele Gilliam; Jesse Mendosa (Local 100 Honor Guard member); City Council member Andy King and Local 100 staffers Sharase Dubois (PAC), and Emmanuella Mathurin (Office of the Recording Secretary).

We Celebrate Russian Heritage in Brighton Beach

TWU Local 100 leadership joined hundreds of our Brothers and Sisters of Russian heritage at our annual celebratory banquet and night of entertainment at Tatiana's in Brighton Beach. As you can see from the photos, the evening did not disappoint!

Union Files Civil Service Lawsuit on Behalf of Station Agents

OCTOBER 12 – TWU Local 100 Stations Vice President Derick Echevarria, President Tony Utano, and Station Agents who are provisional in their title have filed a joint lawsuit against New York City Transit demanding relief under civil service law.

The court action, filed in New York County Supreme Court, seeks to force NYCT to create a certified hiring list based on an exam given to prospective Station Agents late in 2015. The lawsuit says the Transit Authority violated the law by not creating a hiring list, allowing approximately 300 new hires to be unlawfully carried as provisional employees for years. Additionally, other people who took the competitive test and chose not to begin employment with NYCT are also entitled to a place on a civil service list.

Stations VP Derick Echevarria said: “Transit did not create a civil service list as required by law for our Station Agents. Other transit titles were hired from civil service lists within the last two years – but no civil service list for Station Agents has been forthcoming. We’re going to court to get this fixed.” He said that a wave of new hires brought in to staff the 2nd Avenue subway do not have civil service protections. “Civil Service appointments create job tenure rights, which provisional employees do not enjoy. That’s why this litigation is important.”

Westchester County Executive Latimer Signs Historic Sick Leave Bill Backed by TWU

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 -- TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano released the following statement after Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed the Earned Paid Sick Leave Law:

"This a big win for TWU Local 100 members working in Westchester. The Earned Paid Sick Time Law mandates companies to provide workers with paid sick time off – for up to 40 hours a year (as long as they have worked the required amount of time during the year.) Under the law, employees earn one hour of paid sick time off for every 30 hours worked. After working 150 hours, for example, an employee would be eligible to get paid for 5 hours of sick time. After working 240 hours, an employee would be able to call in sick and get paid for an 8-hour shift. The employer can’t require scheduling such time off days in advance. What this means for you is that the terms of the law will be implemented during the next contract with your employer.

"TWU Local 100, however, retains the right to bargain other benefit(s) during negotiations – on terms that benefit TWU’s membership. As new contracts are negotiated, the benefits of this law will be taken into account. Some Local 100 contracts already have paid days off that workers can take without advance notice or scheduling (sick day, floating holiday, etc). The new law says that unscheduled paid time off counts towards the earned sick leave requirement. Local 100 fought hard for the passage of this law. It will help working people throughout Westchester County, not just TWU members. This new law is another example of how the TWU’s commitment to working people extends beyond Local 100’s membership and helps those who may become our members in the future."

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