TWU Local 100 Endorses Eric Adams for Mayor of New York City

APRIL 29 -- TWU Local 100 overwhelmingly and enthusiastically endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for mayor today.

The Local 100 Executive Board voted overwhelmingly after hearing from eight leading candidates at the Union Hall in Brooklyn.

“Our members and officers have known Eric for a long time,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “He’s stood with us in many battles and has always been there for us. He’s earned this endorsement and richly deserves it.”

Working in the Heat

Working in hot environments is not safe. Your body builds up heat when you work and sweats to get rid of it. Too much heat can make you tired, hurt your job performance, and increase your chance of injury. When the temperature changes quickly, you need time for your body to get adjusted to the heat. Be extra careful early in the summer when hot spells begin.

You have a right to a safe & comfortable work environment:

Clean water provided through a fountain, cooler or bottled water at all locations
Cool Work areas and break rooms
Ventilation to bring in clean air and take out hot air
Make adequate water supplies part of your daily workplace inspection

Need relief? Follow up with supervision immediately:

Bus- Call console, request immediate medical assistance
RTO- command 212-712-4480
CED- call your Barn Chair or Local Union rep
MOW- control 212-712-4120

If needed, file a Safety Rule Dispute Resolution Form.

For Stations: To follow up with supervision, call your respective Field Office. If you are a CTA, you can also ask for a comfort by entering the booth to cool down. If you feel unwell, you must notify OSAC and inform them that you are going home. Doctor’s lines will be needed on your return. Field Office numbers are as follows: 125th Street: 212-712-3127 or 718-436-8421; 44th Street: 212-424-5407 or -5408; 7th Ave: 718-243-3903 or 243-3905; Parsons-Archer: 718-334-8106. OSAC is 347-694-6500. Sick Desk for CTA’s ext. 42.

Click here to download a printed version of this message. Print it out and post it in your workplace.

For Stations Department members, click here.

One good flyer deserves another.

London Calling! TWU Local 100 Glad to Help Out

London’s Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (the RMT) – our brothers in arms across the pond – found inspiration in our recent graphic campaign to slow trains and prevent subway fatalities. We sent them our graphics files and they went to work, repurposing our graphic image of a chalk outline on the roadbed and making it the centerpiece of their campaign to bring back laid off workers who ensure safety on the Bakerloo line. The line’s management cut staffing, forcing train operators to drive out of service trains into stations or “sidings” in yards without checking for passengers who didn’t get off in time. The RMT points to the case of a 12-year old boy who found himself alone in a yard walking the tracks. Now the public is getting the message that this unsafe practice should end and that they should let London Underground management know they need to bring back the laid-off staff. See the RMT’s flyer here.

Early Voting is Underway: Endorsements from TWU Local 100

OCTOBER 27—While TWU Local 100 is not endorsing a candidate for mayor of New York, there are many candidates down the ballot who have the interests of labor in mind and have had Local 100’s back when it counts. We are proud to make the following recommendations on candidates and ballot proposals:

Making Strides with Local 100

OCTOBER 27—It gave new meaning to mall walking.

Early on Sunday morning, hundreds of TWU Local 100 members dressed in pink gathered at Bay Plaza in the Bronx to take part in a walk through the sprawling shopping complex for the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event.

Local 100 President John V. Chiarello helped to kick off the event from the stage, explaining why the union was a regular sponsor of the event.

TA Surface Mourns Frank "Jake" Carlo

OCTOBER 27—TA Surface regretfully announces the passing of Frank “Jake” Carlo, 63, who worked as a Bus Maintainer Group A and who had been very active in Local 100.

Carlo died on Friday, October 24 after a battle with lung cancer.

“He was a good guy,” said Danny Ascona, Division Chair of TA Surface Maintenance. “Always pleasant, always gave opportunity to everybody, an ear if you needed.”

Retirees Association staff (l-r): Shalena Lindsay, Barry Roberts, James Whalen, Carolyn Surian, and Victoria Griss

Retirees Reach Membership Milestone; Set Political Goals

OCTOBER 23—The TWU Local 100 Retirees Association has reached its highest membership numbers in 25 years.

Retirees Director James Whalen, speaking Thursday at the organization's general membership meeting at Eastwood Manor in the Bronx, said the association now claims a paying membership of 8,400 transit retirees—about a third of the total number of TWU Local 100 retirees. Association members are eligible for extra benefits, including optical and dental, and also have an organization that works to advance retiree benefits around the country.

Addressing areas of concern, Whalen told the over 300 members in attendance that the controversy over the Aetna Medicare Advantage insurance coverage seems to have ebbed, with very few complaints coming in compared to the year before. He said that both he and his wife are on the Aetna plan and they have no complaints, a conclusion echoed by Retirees Executive Board Member Kevin Harrington.

He said that the Retirees Association's recent events—including a riverboat cruise and a country outing at Krucker's Catering and Picnic Grove—had been very successful. The Association sees a steady stream of retirees and Retirees in Training (members looking to retire) in their offices on the third floor of the Union Hall at 195 Montague Street in Brooklyn. They're served by the able staff of the Association, which includes Whalen, Barry Roberts, Shalena Lindsay, Carolyn Surian, and Victoria Griss.

Anger and Disappointment in Brooklyn as Convicted Assailant Refuses Court Appearance

OCTOBER 22—A man who pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of NYCT Train Operator Myran Pollack, accepting a 15-year prison term in August, refused to enter the courtroom Wednesday to be formally sentenced and face the man he brutally stabbed 13 times.

Just over a year ago, on October 8, Jonathan Davalos was on a 4 train sitting at the end of the line on Utica Ave. when Pollack asked him to step off the car. Davalos responded by stabbing Pollack repeatedly, and giving chase to continue stabbing him.

“I was looking forward to seeing him, because the last time I saw him, he was above me with a knife. I wanted to let him know exactly how much pain I’m going through," Pollack told reporters after the aborted court appearance.

CED Mourns CTA Jonelle Lopez, 39

OCTOBER 22—Co-workers at the Pelham Bay terminal are fondly remembering a joyful co-worker who died at the young age of 39.

Jonelle Lopez's cause of death was an enlarged heart, also known as cardiomegaly, said CED Division Chair Robert Ruiz. Lopez passed away at home on October 14.

Lopez’s mother, Luz Yvette, said her son was proud and happy to be an employee of the MTA. A devoted father, Jonelle worked hard to build a better life for his children, Alyson, 15, and Alekzander, 10. She added that every day, he came home with stories from work—about his coworkers, customers, and the day's adventures—always finding humor in everything.

“That was Jonelle: a true jokester with a big heart and a bright spirit,” said the grieving mother.

Fellow union members may pay their respects at a funeral service to be held on Monday, October 27th, at the R.G. Ortiz Funeral Home at 22 First Avenue in Manhattan from 4PM to 8PM. 
 

Happy Diwali — Festival of Lights

OCTOBER 22—TWU Local 100 acknowledges the Festival of Lights — Diwali — and all our members who celebrate. As the observance continues, we honor the workers who help move New York City every day, bringing light, strength, and dedication to our great city.

Early Voting Starts October 25th

OCTOBER 21—Early voting starts in New York this weekend, on Saturday, October 25th, and lasts through Sunday, November 2. As always, Election Day is on November 4.

You can find your early voting location here. And remember—the ballot also includes, on the flip side, six ballot proposals: 

1. Amendment to Allow Olympic Sports Complex In Essex County on State Forest Preserve Land
This proposal would allow the expansion of new ski trails in the Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County, New York. The Olympic Sport Complex is in state forest preserve land. This proposal would also require New York State to add 2,500 acres of protected forest land to Adirondack Park.

2. Fast Track Affordable Housing to Build More Affordable Housing Across the City
This proposal would make two new processes to fast-track certain affordable housing projects. The first process is for publicly financed affordable housing projects. The second process is for affordable housing projects in the 12 community districts with the lowest rates of affordable housing development.

3. Simplify Review of Modest Housing and Infrastructure Projects
This proposal would create a faster review process for certain land use projects, such as smaller projects to change how land is used and to prepare the city for extreme weather or other future challenges. For most of these projects, the proposed process would remove final review by the City Council.
 

VP Danny D'Amato Honored at Italian-American Celebration

OCTOBER 20—TWU Local 100 celebrated Italian-American heritage in Coney Island on Friday, and honored one officer for the 20 years of service he has devoted to the organization: Danny D'Amato, Vice President of the MTA Bus/PrivateLines/School Bus Department and a member of the TWU International Executive Board.

The annual event took place at Gargiulo's, which opened in 1904—only a few years before the first subway rolled out of City Hall. Opening the festive evening, MaBSTOA Division Chair Sean Battaglia said that “when you combine Italian culture with union culture, it’s an unstoppable force.” And that force, he said, is because of Local 100's diversity – “every culture, every race and every gender. That tells you what this union is all about.”

Every year, an outstanding union member is honored at the event. The award plaque, presented to D'Amato by President John V. Chiarello, read: “With gratitude for your dedicated service and proud celebration of Italian heritage, your loyalty and leadership have strengthened our Union and inspired generations.”

2026 Open Enrollment Begins Today

OCTOBER 15—Open Enrollment begins for NYCT and MTA Bus Active Employees today at: www.mymta.info/openenrollment.

-If you are not making any changes to your plan, no action needs to be taken unless you become eligible for Medicare in 2026

-If you are opting out of medical coverage, you may do so from Oct. 15-Nov. 15

-If you wish to participate in the Flexible Spending Account Plan in 2026 you must re-enroll even if you took part last year. Registration for FSAs begins Nov. 1 and ends Dec. 15

-Open Enrollment for Retirees begins Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 30

-If you have questions or experience any issues, contact: BSC Customer Management Center at 646-376-0123, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM or via email at bscservice@mtabsc.org.

Structure Division Mourns Darrell D. Gresham, 58

OCTOBER 14—Darrell D. Gresham, a Structure Maintainer B (Mason) with only five months on the job, died of natural causes at home on October 6th, reported Division Vice Chair Billy Taaffe. Brother Gresham worked out of the 14th Street shop assigned to ICC Capital Construction.

Brother Gresham came to transit late in life, after working in the construction trades for most of his life. Nina Davis, who had two children with Brother Gresham, says she has many family members who work for New York City Transit and that she pushed hard for him to join the transit workforce.

One of their children, Gresham’s daughter Dominique, who is a 911 Police Communications Technician, said her father was very excited to work for transit, and that he was especially impressed with the 14th Street location. “He would say he worked underground, and he kept on talking about how big [the facility] was and how excited he was about working there.”

Ms. Davis said that their other child, Darrell Jr., was murdered at the age of 18 in 2009, and that his father will join him in interment at the Pinelawn Memorial Park cemetery in Farmingdale. Besides Dominique, Brother Gresham is survived by three other children—Dartay, 35; Taquan, 33 and Sheilaya, 23.

A viewing will take place for Brother Gresham at the Lawrence H. Woodward Funeral Home, located at 1 Troy Avenue in Brooklyn on Friday, October 17th at 2 PM. A funeral service will be held at the same location on Saturday, October 18th, 9:30 AM.