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MTA Blame Game Scapegoating Bus Operators

MARCH 3—Frustrated commuters are often told by MTA that bus service is delayed because of staffing issues.

“We’re running as much service as we can with the bus operators we have available,” is a frequent refrain from management, echoed in announcements and alerts.

But a look inside some of New York's bus depots tells another story. This morning at Quill Depot in Manhattan, the city’s largest, 23 Bus Operators were on standby ready to pre-trip buses and take them out on the road. The problem was that there were no buses to be had, because management is not hiring enough maintainers to service the fleet, or not authorizing overtime for crucial repairs.

Steven Sanderson, who has 27 years with NYC Transit and drives the 86th Street crosstown, said there’s a shortfall of buses at Quill, with many being brought from other depots. 

“What we have is not enough equipment [buses]” said Sanderson. We have Operators on standby.”

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Black History Celebrated at Harlem Event

Black History Month Celebration 2026

MARCH 2—TWU members celebrated the legacy of Black Americans at the historic Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem on Friday for our annual Black History Month Celebration. The festive evening–with the theme of a sneaker ball–featured guest speakers, food and entertainment provided by a DJ and dancers from InVision U. 

TWU Local 100 President John Chiarello invoked labor’s power in creating the Black middle class and expanding Black economic power in New York and across the country. He paid tribute to recently deceased civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, noting that Jackson stood with Local 100 at our 2001 contract rally and throughout our 2005 strike, as well as lending his voice to national campaigns to boost transit funding.

“Black history is American History,” Chiarello said, “because the stories and struggles of Black Americans are essential to the American narrative.”

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Tentative Agreement Reached with Liberty Lines

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MARCH 1—TWU Local 100's negotiating committee at Liberty Lines has reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract, covering over 700 employees of the Westchester system. The Local 100 Executive Board is set to review the agreement in the coming days. It provides for:

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Pres. Chiarello, at left, with RTO VP Tramell Thompson and MTA PD Capt. John Russo, who came to the sentencing to lend support.
Pres. Chiarello, at left, with RTO VP Tramell Thompson and MTA PD Capt. John Russo, who came to the sentencing to lend support.

Assailant Sentenced to 2-4 Years for Punching Subway Conductor

FEBRUARY 25—A man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a Subway Conductor in May 2025 was sentenced today in New York Supreme Criminal Court to 2-4 years in prison.

Leonard Johnson, 43, who punched an MTA Conductor in the face at Grand Central on the 5 line, was led into the courtroom in handcuffs, having been remanded to Rikers Island since a few days after the violent incident.

In the audience were union members and officers including President John Chiarello, RTO VP Tramell Thompson and Deputy Chief of Staff Eric Loegel.

Johnson declined to say anything prior to sentencing. Before the court date, he had filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that a speedy trial wasn’t granted – a motion thrown out by his attorney, who said that he suffers from mental illness.

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President John V. Chiarello at the MTA Board Meeting
President John V. Chiarello at the MTA Board Meeting

Chiarello Slams Management on Radio Outages; Bus Defects

FEBRUARY 25—At this morning's MTA Board Meeting, Local 100 President John Chiarello addressed transit bosses, taking them to task for ignoring ongoing problems with the citywide bus radio system and pointing out other grave safety concerns.

"The outages to date have not been addressed with the union. The vendor's records have not been supplied to the union for all the updates that are happening," he said. 

Chiarello said the union didn't know whether the Bus Operators stuck in high snowdrifts during this week's blizzard, the worst in 10 years, were able to reach the command center on their radios.

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Register or Re-register for Lobby Day

FEBRUARY 13—Registration for Lobby Day in Albany on March 25 has been reopened.

Please note: due to technical issues, if you registered before 1/29, re-registration is necessary to attend so we have an accurate count of everyone planning on going up by bus. Register or re-register by clicking on the event listing on our site.

Join your union brothers and sisters to make sure our elected leaders know what TWU Local 100's priorities are and make sure they know we are willing to fight for them when we take to the halls of the state capitol and bring our issues to the forefront.

Because when we fight, we win!

Local 100 Holds Janno Lieber's Feet to the Fire on Bus Radio Outages

JANUARY 28—Local 100 and other members of the newly formed inter-union Safety Alliance held a press conference at the Union Hall this afternoon about the ongoing danger of bus radio outages, which have left Bus Operators unable to reach command during their shifts.

“There are still buses without operational radios on the streets of New York, and that is unacceptable,” said Local 100 President John Chiarello to the assembled press.

Chiarello also shared a previously unknown detail about the recent birth of a baby girl on a city bus.

“There was a Bus Operator who helped deliver a baby last week, who was praised by management, but what they didn’t tell you was that he had trouble getting through to command in that poor woman’s time of need. He did not get a response for five full minutes on the radio and had to use his cell phone to call 911 as this woman was in agony on the bus.”

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WWC Mental Health Workshop Postponed Again Due to Weather

FEBRUARY 21—Due to the expected blizzard, the Working Women's Committee's mental health workshop that had been rescheduled to Monday, February 23 is now postponed. Stay safe and warm.

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