News from TWU Local 100

Honoring Garrett Goble, MTA Places Mural; Union Endows Scholarship

DECEMBER 21 -- The MTA today announced that a mural and plaque honoring slain Train Operator Garrett Goble will be placed at the Flatbush Ave. station, and TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano announced the union will establish a college scholarship in Goble’s name.

In the still photo are: President Tony Utano (Center) outside the Flatbush Avenue subway station with Garrett Goble’s wife, Delilah; his mother Vicki; Local 100 VPs Loegel, Kelley, Davis, and Patafio; Administrative VP Lynwood Whichard; NYC Transit President Sarah Feinberg, NYPD Transit Police Chief Kathleen O’Reilly and the detectives who arrested the suspect accused of setting the fatal fire in Goble’s train in March.

Utano and the Local 100 officers also gave Delilah presents for the two Goble boys.

Sen Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was instrumental in getting the deal done.

COVID Relief Package Passed by Congress Includes $4 Billion for the MTA

The Covid-19 relief package that Congressional leaders have agreed upon includes more than $4 billion for the MTA, and additional billions for transit agencies across the country. This is a big win for TWU of America, TWU Local 100 and all transit workers. We will keep fighting for funding to protect our jobs.

Latest COVID-19 Testing Schedule for Transit Workers

The Covid-19 early detection testing program continues into the New Year.

Thousands of Local 100 members have now been tested at depots, yards, MACs and other facilities, and hundreds with the virus have been identified.

Get tested. Protect yourself, your family and co-workers. Help stop the spread.

For a complete list of locations and dates going forward for the New Year, click here.

Train Operaor Garrett Goble with his family before his untimely death on March 27th

Statement from Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Tony Utano on the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Train Operator Garrett Goble.

This is great news. Every transit worker in the city wants justice for Garrett Goble and his family, and this arrest is a huge first step.

Garrett was a hero, and he was stolen from us. He was out there serving the public during a health crisis. He helped riders evacuate his train after the fire was set. This was a horrific, horrific crime, and Garrett deserves justice. His family deserves justice.

TWU Local 100 wants to thank the NYPD for not giving up. Thank you to the NYPD and all of the police officers and detectives who worked to make this arrest.

Mile Square Members Ratify New Contract

The membership at Local 100’s largest School Bus property, Yonkers-based Mile Square, has overwhelmingly ratified a new gain filled three-year contract. The vote was 352 in favor, 4 against, and one voided ballot. The agreement brings an overall 9.5 percent wage increase to the Drivers and Monitors with 3 percent in the first year, 3 percent in the second year and 3.5 percent in the final year.

Local 100 School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi said that the union succeeded in securing an additional two and a half hours guaranteed pay per week for all covered members. “This was a vital gain for the members and one of our pre-contract goals,” said Moghrabi. “We also held the line against give-backs.” Other gains included an additional $5000 in life insurance and safety and attendance bonuses.

Moghrabi thanked Local 100 President Tony Utano and Vice President Peter Rosconi for their help and support during the process.

Local 100 President Tony Utano added: “I want to commend the committee, including our Division Chair, Gus Moghrabi, and Section Chair Viviana Guzman, for their leadership and professionalism in bringing this contract home. This kind of package, which was negotiated in the middle of the pandemic, is a testament to the kind of representation we have in the school bus division. This was a job well done by all involved, and the membership agreed with their impressive ratification vote.”

Early Detection Urged by Union as Positivity Rate Stands at 1.2%

DECEMBER 11 -- Between late October and early this month, approximately 8,000 on-site Covid tests have been administered to MTA employees across all agencies, including the commuter railroads. Another 400 tests have been administered at Northwell Urgent Care centers. All combined, 102 MTA workers tested positive, including 77 at NYC Transit locations. That’s a positivity rate of 1.2%, which is well below the statewide average of 5.44 percent.

Local 100 President Tony Utano said that the numbers reflect well on the union's efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus in the workplace, as well as the membership's adherence to social distancing efforts and mask usage. "We can never let our guard down for one second with this virus, but we should all be pleased that, at the moment at least, we're going in the right direction."

The Local 100 leadership, which urged the MTA to start this early detection screening program, strongly encourages everyone to take full advantage. “Early detection is our best defense until the vaccine is available,” added President Utano. “Wear your masks, keep your distance as much as you can, and get tested. Help protect yourself, and our union brothers and sisters. We are in this fight together.”

Nearly 80 NYC Transit workers who had the virus - but didn’t know it - were identified. By getting tested, these workers were able to get treatment and quarantine before they even experienced symptoms like fever and fatigue. That helped prevent the virus from spreading at work, home, and in the community. There is no limit on the number of times a Local 100 member can be tested. Regular testing is permitted.

The schedule of locations and dates can be found on the MTA portal, the union website twulocal100.org and the union Facebook page.

The tax that can save the MTA

TWU International and TWU Local 100 fighting in tandem for funding to support transit jobs and operations. Op-Ed by International President John Samuelsen and NY Assemblyman Robert Carroll in the Daily News. Read below.

The tax that can save the MTA: A federal bailout is necessary but insufficient

Transit Workers Can Get Free Coffee at Starbucks in December

Go get a free cup of coffee on the house!

After being contacted by Local 100 headquarters, Starbucks on Thursday clarified that transit workers are eligible for free coffee during its month long appreciation program for healthcare workers and first responders. A number of Bus Operators expressed displeasure to the union when Starbucks announced the campaign because transit workers were not specifically mentioned in the company’s release to the media. We reached out to Starbucks Corporate headquarters in Seattle for a clarification.

Samantha Diliberti, the company’s Sr. Manager of Government and Community Relations at Starbucks corporate office in New York, (and a regular subway and bus user) responded to set the record straight that transit workers are, indeed, part of the program

Ms. Diliberti sent the union the following email, and we’re sharing it here:

“We appreciate the union reaching out so that we could clarify the December Free Coffee offer. The offer is and always has been available to anyone who identifies as a frontline responder. Customers who come into our stores and self-identify as a frontline responder are eligible for a free tall or hot iced brewed coffee through December 31^st.

We invite you to share this clarification with your members. They can simply visit a store, let the store partner (employee) know that they are a frontline responder, and receive a complimentary tall hot brewed coffee or iced coffee. On a personal note from a fellow New Yorker, please extend a special thank you to your members for all of their work to support our city."

Samantha Diliberti
Sr. Manager | Government & Community Relations

Starbucks

Join the Fight Against COVID-19

Help protect your TWU Local 100 brothers and sisters.

Take advantage of the early detection COVID-19 testing program at MTA bus depots, subway locations and MACs. Testing is also available at Northwell Urgent Care facilities. It’s free, easy and the right thing to do.

You can have COVID-19 – and not know it. It can take days for symptoms, like a high fever, to emerge.

The earlier you know, the sooner you can quarantine and get medical attention – so the virus doesn’t spread to co-workers, family members and neighbors.

JOIN THE FIGHT.

STOP THE SPREAD

D'Amato, Connolly Appointed to New Posts by the Executive Board

NOVEMBER 30 -- Bus Maintainers Danny D'Amato and Sean Connolly have been appointed to new posts by the Executive Board. D'Amato, a 29 year veteran at MTA Bus, is now Division Chair. Sean Connolly, Chairman of Maintenance at College Point, is now a member of the Executive Board. Both men were sworn in at today's Executive Board meeting by President Tony Utano.

Danny D'Amato started out as a Bus Maintainer at Eastchester Depot in 1991, and first won union office in 2007 as a Section Vice Chair for Transportation and Maintenance at MTA Bus. Unique to that Division, both Operators and Maintainers are both represented by the same officers. Brother D'Amato served four terms as Section Vice Chair at Eastchester and then two terms as Division Vice Chair of MTA Bus.

Brother Connolly, wearing a shirt with a Cummins Diesel logo, is at right next to Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp. Next to him is Brother D'Amato, and then Pres Utano. At President Utano's right are Private Lines VP Pete Rosconi, Administrative VP Lynwood Whichard, LaGuardia Depot Vice Chair Mike Capocci, and Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips.