News from TWU Local 100

Strike Averted at Mile Square

Less than 48 hours before TWU members at Mile Square School Bus were to walk off the job in a long simmering contract dispute, the union and the company reached a tentative settlement that has been unanimously endorsed by the negotiating committee.

On Thursday the Mile Square membership had overwhelming voted to strike on Monday rather than consider the company’s “last and final” offer from earlier in the week.

Company owner, Harry Rodriguez, reached out to Local 100 President John Samuelsen and Administrative Vice President Angel Giboyeaux early this morning (Saturday, May 17, 2014) and asked for new talks.

Giboyeaux quickly assembled the negotiating committee and the two sides met at the union’s satellite office on Saw Mill River Rd. in Yonkers for several hours.

The announcement of a settlement came at noon.

On Friday afternoon, an emergency session of the Local 100 Executive Board convened to authorize the strike. The vote was 38-0 to approve the job action. Details on ratification will be announced early this week.

Photo: Local 100 Administrative VP Angel Giboyeaux shakes hands with Mile Square owner Harry Rodriguez, accompanied by the Mile Square negotiating committee, Division Chair Laura McLoughlin and organizer Frank McCann, Jr. Not pictured: Executive Board member Hector Cartagena, Union Rep Gus Moghrabi, and staffer Dylan Valle.

AAA to Conduct Ballot Count May 19, 2014 at Brooklyn Marriott Hotel: Observers Allowed

The American Arbitration Association (AAA) will conduct the count in the Local 100 TA/OA contract ratification vote on Monday, May 19, 2014, at the Marriott Hotel, 333 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

The count will be conducted in the Robinson and Whitman Rooms. It is expected to begin mid to late morning. TWU Local 100 representatives will be in the hotel lobby to direct members interested in observing the count to the correct location.

Members in good standing who wish to observe the count are welcome. Following are some basic rules for the count that AAA and TWU Local 100 will enforce to insure an orderly and democratic process:

1. Members will be permitted to observe the vote counting process, but they may not interfere with it. Any person who disrupts the vote count will be immediately ejected.
2. Members who are acting as observers will be permitted to be in the hotel room where the count is being held for no longer than thirty minutes at a time, so as to permit as many Members access to the room as possible.
3. Up to ten members at a time will be permitted in the hotel room on a first come first served basis. A sign up sheet will be set up outside the hotel room.
4. Local 100 Officers and Staff will be permitted access to the hotel room as well.
5. The use of cameras, cell phones, and other electronic devices etc., may be limited by AAA or as circumstances dictate. No use of any of the listed devices will be permitted if such use causes a disturbance or interferes in any way with the vote count.

TWU Local 100 Announces MAJOR DENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

TWU Local 100 has entered into an agreement with Healthplex, the largest dental benefits provider in New York State, to create a new dental plan that will go into effect in TA/OA under Local 100's administration approximately 90 days following contract ratification.

This plan is lightyears ahead what we have had until now and greatly exceeds the level of benefits of other unions' Healthplex plans. This dental benefit improvement has been made possible by winning significantly higher funding from from the MTA in this round of contract negotiations.

The TWU Local 100 Healthplex Plan will offer two options: Managed Care and a PPO. There will be NO co-pays, NO maximums and NO deductibles under Managed Care. There will be NO co-pays for in-network treatment under the PPO, NO deductibles, and NO maximum for dependents under the age of 19.

Under the managed care option, the TWU Local 100 Healthplex Plan will permit families to choose from among more than 2,400 dental locations. The PPO, specially customized for Local 100, will offer a choice of over 5,500 dental locations. The PPO will also offer an extensive menu of out-of-network benefits.

There are incredible new improvements in our dental plan, including, for the first time ever, dental coverage extended to full-time college students up to the age of 23!

Local 100 is working on restructuring the dental portion of the High-Option Rider in light of these substantial improvements.

This plan will also serve as the model for the membership in MTA Bus upon the upcoming settlement of their contract.

TWU Local 100 and Healthplex are now ironing out the final details to prepare the plan for launch approximately 90 days after ratification.

Click here for a detailed description of the TWU Local 100 Healthplex Plan.

Questions & Answers on the Proposed Contract

Here are definitive answers to several questions about the proposed contract for TA/OA members. It is also available as a flyer for print.

The William Pena Swing Room is Dedicated as a Permanent Memorial to Our Fallen Brother

April 30 -- TWU Local 100 and the MTA came together to honor the memory of Bus Operator William Pena by dedicating the Swing Room at the Michael J. Quill bus depot on Manhattan’s West Side in his memory. With Brother Pena’s family in attendance, Union President John Samuelsen, Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp-Sauray, and other top officers including OA Division 1 Chair Richie Davis joined MTA brass including NYCT President Carmen Bianco and Buses Senior VP Darryl Irick unveiled a plaque with a his likeness that will permanently grace the swing room wall. The plaque reads: "Dedicated to the Memory of Bus Operator William Pena, Who Lost His Life While Serving the People of New York City. Run 3 M14. February 12, 2014. You will always be in our thoughts and prayers -- Members of TWU Local 100."

Additional Legislators Joining in Support of Veteran Pension Credit Bill

APRIL 29 -- TWU Local 100 veterans stormed the State Capitol in coalition with NYC Teachers and Firefighters to keep momentum building for passage of A.6974/S.4714, which would allow service veterans, as defined by the federal government, to buy back up to three years time served in the military for pensionable service credit within their pension systems. The bill, estimated to cost the state $6 million, is being strongly championed by sponsors Amy Paulin (in red) in the Assembly and William Larkin in the Senate.Other supporters include longtime TWU allies Felix Ortiz from Brooklyn, Shelly Mayer from Yonkers, Adriano Espaillat from the Bronx, and many others. TWU Local 100's Political Action Director Marvin Holland's team, working with RTO Vice President Kevin Harrington, have been bringing TWU service vets to Albany as well as to local politician's offices to make the case for the bill. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are optimistic that the bill will clear the legislative hurdles and wind up on the Governor's desk. In the mean time, we are continuing the campaign. Please contact the Political Action Department to get involved and help us go the extra yards needed.

Mile Square Workers Vote for Strike Authorization

APRIL 28 -- School Bus drivers, monitors, and mechanics working for Mile Square Bus in Yonkers today voted unanimously to authorize a strike should negotiations with company owner Harry Rodriguez fail to make progress. Over 120 members crammed into the union’s new offices at 347 Saw Mill River Road for the tally. The vote was called by TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Angel Giboyeaux with the approval of the school bus negotiating committee including rank and file members. Mile Square workers have been without a contract for years. Opposition to management’s demands intensified when they told Local 100 that they planned to bring in new workers at a lower pay rate. Other sticking points besides a general wage increase include a stalled grievance procedure and a 42-week guarantee of employment. No date for a strike was given. The strike vote authorization must now be approved by the entire TWU Local 100 Executive Board.

Danny Boggs Remembered

April 25th marked the 7th Anniversary of the death of Track Worker Danny Boggs, who was killed by an Express No 2 train at the Columbus Circle Station in 2007. TWU Local 100 Senior Director of Operations Curtis Tate joined Chief MTA Chaplain Rabbi Harry Berkowitz, and Danny’s widow, Bernadette Boggs, in remembering him and pledging continued vigilance on safety for all union workers.

Samuelsen: Q&A at Quill, Part 2

Samuelsen Takes on the Critics: Answers Questions, Explains Contract, Discusses LIRR Situation, at MJ Quill Depot in Manhattan

In a wide-ranging discussion, TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen addressed the key issues of the contract to a room full of Bus Operators at the Michael J. Quill Depot in Manhattan. This is the first part of a two-part question and answer session.