News from TWU Local 100

Construction Flagger Louis Gray

Union Issues Statements in Wake of NTSB Report on 2016 Flagging Fatality

TWU Local 100 released the following statements Wednesday about the National Transportation Safety Board report on the November 2016 subway accident that killed Local 100 member Louis Gray and seriously injured co-worker and Local 100 member Jeffrey Fleming as they were setting up flagging.

TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said: "Louis Gray was a good man and a good employee, and MTA management failed to protect him. Louis died, and Jeffrey was badly injured, because of poor planning and a total lack of communication that night. The MTA needs to adopt the NTSB recommendations to prevent another tragedy like this from ever happening again. People don’t fully understand just how dangerous it is working in the subway or appreciate what transit workers do on a daily basis. They should.

Jack Blazejewicz, TWU Local 100 representative on the Track Safety Task Force, said: "100 has fought tooth and nail to increase roadway worker protection particularly when setting up and removing flags. Due to our pressure, NYCT has instituted a pilot program for a worker to notify the train operator face to face that there are workers on the roadbed setting up flagging. The pilot has been working great with zero train delays. NYCT should adopt the NTSB recommendations and expand the pilot program system wide to ensure another tragedy like Louis Gray never happens again."

The report can be found here:

Pride Parade Salutes LGBTQ Freedom

Transit workers who identify as LGBTQ, their friends and family members were part of the massive World Pride parade on June 30. Here are some photos of the TWU's contingent, which included a city bus provided by NYCT.

Family Day 2019 -- in Pictures!

JUNE 15 -- Eight thousand transit workers and their families turned out on a gorgeous day to enjoy softball, festive eats, vendor give-aways, face-painting and rides for the kids, and a chance to enjoy bar-b-que with their union brothers and sisters. President Tony Utano and the union's entire leadership team were on hand. NBA Player Albert King (Nets, Knicks) was our special guest. We were also joined by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Enjoy the photos!

CED VP Shirley Martin Honored by NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli

JUNE 19 -- Shirley Martin -- a Jamaican born machinist and Vice President of TWU Local 100's Car Equipment Department -- was honored by New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli at a festive celebration of Caribbean Heritage Month in Brooklyn. Sister Martin gave brief remarks at the event which acknowledged her historic achievements both in Jamaica and here in New York City.

Governor Cuomo's Announcement Deploying an Additional 500 Police to Transit to Deter Assaults, Fare Evasion

Governor's Announcement: 500 Additional Police to be Deployed to Fight Assaults and Fare Evasion in the Transit System

A TWU Local 100 campaign to get more cops in the transit system to deter worker assaults has paid off in a big way: an additional 500 police officers will be deployed to the subway and buses, authorities announced Monday morning.
    Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Tony Utano has repeatedly blasted Mayor de Blasio for failing to address the barrage of attacks on transit workers –and has repeatedly called for a greater law-enforcement presence. Utano and the Local 100 administration have also pressed the issue with elected officials, transit executives and the media through scores of interviews, several recorded union advertisements on 1010 WINS radio and several opinion pieces in The New York Daily News.
    “This is a big victory for Local 100 and for our members,” Utano said. “We want to go to work and do our jobs and go home to our families unharmed. We are sick and tired of the abuse. We are hopeful that these additional officers will not only deter attacks against our members but also result in quick arrests when crimes do take place. Our voices have been heard. This is a big step forward.”
    Gov. Cuomo credited the TWU’s leadership for raising the issue of worker assaults. “I want to thank the Transport Workers Union, Tony Utano and John Samuelsen, for bringing this issue of assaults on MTA personnel to the forefront. They’ve been talking about it for years and they are right.”
    Cuomo announced the infusion of additional officers at his Manhattan office with MTA Chairman Patrick Foye. Their mission will be to increase rider safety, protect workers and address farebeating, which drains hundreds of millions of dollars a year. There is a direct correlation between fare evasion and assaults on transit workers. The most tragic case being the murder of Bus Operator Edwin Thomas, who was stabbed to death by an ex-con in Brooklyn after a dispute over the fare. MTA data has shown the routes with the highest fare evasion rates often have high number of Bus Operator assaults.
    The additional police officers will include a contingent from the NYPD and former MTA bridge and tunnel officers.

Union Honors Sal Montanino, as He Retires with 61 Years of Service

JUNE 5, 2019 -- Union President Tony Utano, with 37 years on the job, honored Car Inspector Sal Montanino, who retired today with 61 years of service to NYC Transit. Montanino has the distinction of having walked the picket line in each of the TWU's three city-wide strikes. In this video of the event at the 207th Street Overhaul Shop, Montanino's career is praised by Utano, Administrative VP Nelson Rivera, CED VP Shirley Martin, and Shop Chair Roberto Ruiz.

The Puerto Rican Day Parade -- In Pictures

JUNE 9 -- Our communications dept. took these photos of our members celebrating Puerto Rican heritage -- enjoy the show!

Puerto Rican Day Parade Brings Hundreds of Transit Workers to 5th Avenue

JUNE 9 -- Hundreds of transit workers joined fellow New Yorkers in an exuberant day of celebration of Puerto Rican heritage. Led by TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano, the union delegation marched from 45th Street up 5th Avenue to 80th Street, greeting well-wishers along the way and proclaiming the power of the Union and our mission to empower the working class and support our bretheren in Puerto Rico. Adminstrative Vice President Nelson Rivera told the crowd about Local 100's three missions to Puerto Rico in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Maria, and introduced NYSNA President Judy Sheridan Gonzalez to the membership. Both unions worked together intensively on relief for the hurricane battered island. Other top officers including Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips and Vice Presidents of many Departments also came out. We received prominent coverage on local TV.

Conductor Shows Mercy as Assailant Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 -- The man who stabbed a subway conductor on Easter Sunday was released from custody on Friday after prosecutors told a judge he was deathly ill from an aggressive form of cancer. Under a negotiated agreement between prosecutors and Legal Aid Society defense lawyers, Walter Rivera pled guilty to felony assault - but was released from custody so he can receive cancer treatment at Mt. Sinai Medical Center. Under the agreement, which was approved by Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas, Rivera must receive regular mental health treatment and stay out of trouble – or face a return to jail. Villegas also banned Rivera from taking mass transit except as a last resort to get to his mental health treatment and medical appointments. He must first try the MTA’s door-to-door Access-A-Ride program, the judge said.

Denaul Jenkins, the conductor Rivera stabbed in the shoulder and side at the 149thSt./Grand Concourse station, said he had mixed feelings about the plea agreement. Jenkins said he doesn’t fully accept the deal but he also can’t ignore the fact that Rivera, according to prosecutors, is dying. “It’s a very tough call,” he said. “It’s very difficult to accept. I just hope he gets the mental health treatment he needs.”
Nearly three dozen TWU Local 100 officers and members came to court to support Jenkins, including RTO Vice President Eric Loegel.

“This is an honorable man,” Loegel told reporters from the New York Daily News, the New York Post, News12 the Bronx and other television stations. “Brother Jenkins is much more merciful than a lot of us would be.” Assistant District Attorney Daniel P. Defillippi said Rivera had no criminal history before the attack but had a mental breakdown because of his worsening illness. Rivera was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia last year, Defillippi said. He underwent chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant and a stem cell transplant.

The cancer, however, returned earlier this year and Rivera had an “acute mental break,” Defillippi said. He approached Jenkins as the conductor waited for his train at the station. He cursed at Jenkins, started a fight and then stabbed him twice in the shoulder and twice in the back, authorities said. Jenkins managed to hold Rivera for police so they could make an arrest at the scene. Prosecutors intentionally kept a transit ban out of the plea deal but reluctantly agreed to include it just prior to the court hearing after TWU Local 100 insisted it be included.