All news

Stations Dept Mourns S/A Luis Gilberto Torres, Jr., 59

Stations Department mourns Station Agent Luis Gilberto Torres, Jr., 59. A US Marine Corps veteran, Brother Torres had 14 years of service with NYCT when he was found deceased at his home last Tuesday. The cause of death has not been determined. Brother Torres most recently worked at the 116th Street Station in Harlem.

Stations VP Robert Kelley said: “The Stations family has lost a dedicated public servant who moved New York every day. He will be missed.” Station Agent Garrett Windley, who worked with Brother Torres, said, "He was always in good spirits, and he didn't allow the job or life to stress him. He was always smiling and very kind."

Among other siblings, Brother Torres leaves his brother Carlos, a Bus Operator at TA Surface.

IB Image

Union Mourns Mae Richardson, Aunt of Assemblywoman Latrice Walker and Union Member

IB ImageLocal 100 is sad to report the passing of Mae Richardson, a member of TWU Local 100 for over 30 years, and the aunt of Assemblywoman Latrice Walker (D-Brownsville). Sister Richardson worked both at the East New York and at the Harlem Depots during her career with NYCT. There will be a viewing on Saturday, November 21 from 4pm to 6pm at the Bright Light Baptist Church at 1676 Park Place in Brooklyn. A Home Going Service will be held at the same location immediately following the viewing.

Utano, Samuelsen to MTA: We Choose to Fight

Today the TWU blasted the MTA for a doomsday 2021 budget that has extreme service and job cuts. Local 100 President Tony Utano said:


“The MTA's budget proposal is an outrageous and cowardly surrender to the Coronavirus, and a slap in the face of every transit worker. TWU Local 100, and the 40,000 transit workers who have risked life and limb to defeat the virus, reject this budget and demand the MTA withdraw it. Go back to the drawing board and come up with real solutions. Tossing thousands of workers onto the street and leaving entire neighborhoods without service are not answers.”


“Real solutions could include ending the stock transfer tax rebate, increasing the gasoline tax, getting rid of high-priced consultants and contractors, replacing cleaning contractors with in-house forces and offering retirement incentives.”

TWU International President John Samuelsen said: “The cuts disproportionately target New York City and in doing so they’re definitely going to disproportionately impact communities of color and essentially the working poor. The MTA has sat around waiting for a federal bailout instead of looking for additional sources of revenue. The TWU will not open up our contracts, we will not bankroll the MTA out of the deficit caused by COVID-19. We choose fightback, not surrender."

Applications for M3 Tech Union Scholarships Available Now

NOVEMBER 17 -- Applications are now available for the M3 Technology/TWU Local 100 Scholarships. Over $100,000 in scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $1,000 will be awarded in 2021. You can download the application here. This program, sponsored by M3 Technology, provides scholarships to TWU Local 100 members and retirees in good standing, and their spouses, children, or grand-children enrolled at accredited colleges. The application deadline is May 31, 2021. Scholarship winners from previous years are welcome to apply again. Winners will be drawn in a public lottery drawing.

The application is fillable, so please complete it on your computer. Then save it and send it along to the indicated address by mail. Questions? You can reach our scholarship administrator, Shannon Poland, at spoland@twulocal100.org

Transit Workers Honored by Riders Allliance

A leading transit riders organization honored TWU Local 100 members Monday night for their heroic pandemic service with a special on-line tribute.

The Riders Alliance, which advocates for increased transit funding and system improvements, praised transit workers as a group for keeping New York City moving during this unprecedented crisis.

“We are here tonight to recognize their dedication, valor and sacrifice,” Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum said during the event. “As essential workers powered the pandemic response - health care workers, grocery store workers, pharmacy workers - it was the transit workers who were our unsung heroes - the heroes carrying heroes.”

Read more

Union Wins Additional Accommodations for Pregnant Workers

NOVEMBER 9 -- Union efforts to secure light-duty jobs for pregnant Local 100 members have resulted in an important agreement with management initially covering women in the Train Operator and Conductor titles.

Train Operators and Conductors with pregnancy-related medical restrictions will now be able to apply for Restricted Duty Announcer positions, TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano announced Monday. These temporary assignments will be for up to 60 days at a time - but also can be extended for additional 30-day periods.

“This is a significant union victory,” Utano said. “Pregnant women for the first time will have an opportunity fora real light-duty option that doesn’t include standing on their feet all day or doing physical labor. The agreement is an important first step to finally provide our union sisters, regardless of title, the opportunity to continue to work in jobs that will not threaten their health or the health of their babies. We have a way to go still but we are all thrilled that we have made this pivotal agreement with the MTA.”

RTO Vice President Eric Loegel said: "This is a long time in the making, and a big step forward for the women of RTO. I'm thrilled we've prevailed in providing true light duty accommodations for our members."

There are ongoing discussions between union leaders and management on ways to expanding this new initiative to other departments and titles.

TWU Local 100 has been battling with the MTA over the lack of reasonable accommodations for pregnant women with medical issues for some time now. Last year, Local 100 filed several lawsuits against the authority. Those cases are active and ongoing. The union also pressed the issue in contract negotiations last year. The multi-year contract, which members ratified overwhelmingly in January, included a pledge from the MTA to participate in a joint labor-management committee and continue talking about potential job set asides for pregnant workers, particularly those in service- delivery roles, like Train Operator and Conductor.

“We are now seeing the fruits of those contract-mandated discussions," Utano said. "We promised that contract language would lead to positive change, and that positive change is taking place."

The MTA has agreed to have four pregnant women in the specified RTO titles – at any one time – filling these Restricted Duty Announcer positions. Over the course of a year, that could mean dozens of women will benefit as members give birth and shift to maternity leave. To be eligible for the posts, workers have to be designated “restricted duty” by the Medical Assessment Center based on supporting documentation from their treating physician or physicians.

Local 100 Congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Local 100 President Tony Utano issued the following statement on the election of the Biden-Harris team to lead America for the next four years.

"TWU Local 100 congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President elect Kamala Harris on their historic victory. We now look to the Biden-Harris administration to follow through on their stated commitment to support and strengthen unions in America. We also look to the Biden-Harris administration to invest in mass transit, enact policies addressing climate change, and fund – on an unprecedented level ­– job-creating infrastructure projects.

"All of this will take cooperation between Democrats and Republicans, and we hope the elected leaders of both parties genuinely look to find common ground and avoid the gridlock that too often stalls progress in Washington, D.C.

"Finally, Local 100 would like to recognize the milestones that have been reached. Voting records were smashed. And Senator Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, will be the first woman, and the first woman of color, to become Vice President. We wish them well. Our Democracy is strong."

MTA Issues New COVID-19 Return to Duty and Travel Directives

NOVEMBER 5 -- the MTA has issued new directives for return to duty protocols and travel directives. You can read them here.

More news
Syndicate content