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President Samuelsen (4th from right) leads negotiations along with: VP for CED Nelson Rivera, General Counsel Larry Cary, Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, Attorney Dennis Engel, VP for Private Lines John Day, VP for RTO Kevin Harrington, VP for OA Brian Clarke, VP for Maintenance of Way Tony Utano, VP for Stations Maurice Jenkins. For the MTA: Charles Glasgow, NYCT President Tom Prendergast , MTA Director of Labor Relations Anita Miller, NYCT VP of Labor Relations Chris Johnson, and Matt Campese.

Negotiations Resume between Local 100 and the MTA

Formal main table negotiations resumed on February 2 at the Union Hall at 1700 Broadway. TWU Local 100’s team, led by President John Samuelsen, continued to maintain that transit workers deserve a raise that keeps pace with increases in the cost of living, so that transit families’ buying power can be maintained. Management re-iterated their interest in part-time bus operators and in finding ways to reduce sick leave usage. Local 100 identified several budget areas which hold surpluses which could be used to restore service cuts and fund wage increases. The union also asked management to join in supporting revenue raising options which would include applying the mortgage recording tax to co-op purchases and extending the tax surcharge that corporations pay to support mass transit to large unincorporated businesses -- such as hedge funds and private equity funds. Local 100 insisted that issues surrounding better treatment for women in transit had to be carved out and given special attention. Management seemed receptive to this demand and we are hopeful of continued progress in providing clean facilities for breaks and safety and security for women in transit. The tone of the negotiations was cool but not confrontational, with Local 100 making several requests for information and management disclosing comprehensive statistics on workforce disciplines and sick leave usage.

Black and Latino Caucus Stands with Local 100 in Contract Fight

Local 100 picked up crucial support on January 24, 2012 for its campaign for a fair contract for transit workers from numerous members of the State Legislature’s Black and Latino Caucus.

Nearly 20 influential legislators from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, including Keith Wright, Chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, and Martin Malavé Dilan, Chair of the Minority Conference and Senior Assistant Majority Leader, demanded that the MTA drop its demands for three years of zero wage increases, part time bus operators and a new, permanent lower wage tier for newly hired Cleaners.

The legislators, who spoke at a press conference at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, echoed the importance of public transportation to their constituents, and the positive economic impact of transit workers who live in their communities and who work at MTA depots and barns in their districts.

Local 100 President John Samuelsen, speaking on behalf of the Local 100 officers and staff in attendance, thanked the legislators for “standing with TWU.” He said that the union is vigorously resisting the MTA’s assault on full time jobs, and he said that the union would pursue its goal of a negotiated settlement that “allows us to continue to take care of our families.”

Local president John Samuelsen updates TWU Local 100 members rallying as the union contract between TWU Local 100 and MTA expires.

Midnight passes; the fight for a fair contract rolls on

The midnight expiration of the old contract found TWU Local 100 and the MTA at the bargaining table, where President Samuelsen presented specifics on our wage demands. While recognizing the fiscal challenges the MTA faces, he pointed out that transit workers face economic challenges, too. He insisted that wages need to keep pace with inflation so we can provide for our families.

Rally Honors Dr. King

TWU Local 100 observed the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an emotional rally outside the Sheraton Hotel, where contract negotiations were underway.

Some 800 members and friends braved the bitter cold to take part.

A parade of speakers reflected on Dr. King’s message of justice, and urged transit workers to stand firm.

Pastor Michael A. Walrond Jr. of the First Corinthian Baptist Church delivered an invocation and welcomed many of the speakers. The church choir presented an inspired musical program. Frankie D. Evans offered a dramatic reading of a memorable passage from one of Dr. King’s speeches that focused on peaceful civil disobedience to achieve legitimate goals.

TWU Members: Support Marlene

Come out on Thursday Jan. 19 to support Bus Operator Marlene Bien Aime, who will be testifying against the person who viciously assaulted her last June. Join Marlene and your union outside Bronx Criminal Court at 161st Street and Sherman Ave. at 9:00 A.M. Let’s show New York that transit workers stand as one for safety on the job and against violence in our workplaces.

CONTRACT 2012: Pres. Samuelsen Update to Members

President John Samuelsen gives an update to TWU Local 100 members about the state of negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on a new contract.

MTA: 19 giveback demands and three zeroes

On January 9, The MTA presented Local 100 with 19 giveback demands.

These demands break down into six broad areas:
1.   Health benefits: Pay higher co-pays AND 10% of the premiums.
2.   Sick Leave Control: Anyone with less than 50% of their possible sick leave with be subject to sick calls and visits, will have to have doctor’s lines every time they are sick and will not be paid for the first day sick for each time out.
3.   Overtime: Payment only after you’ve worked 40 hrs in the week. Pay for only 8 hrs/day when out sick or on vacation.
4.   A lower top rate of pay for new CTAs
5.   Work rules: a dozen sweeping changes up to and including part-time B/Os and split runs in RTO.
6.   Five unpaid vacation days in the first two years.

What is management willing to give in wages in exchange for these givebacks? Three zeroes. They made this clear in their presentation at the bargaining table.

All told, these measures would cost the average transit worker thousands of dollars per year and significantly degrade the quality of work life.

The demand for unpaid furlough days raises questions about where these demands are coming from. Did anyone notice that state employees accepted furloughs as an alternative to layoffs, whereas transit workers already took the layoffs? These giveback demands do not take account of the real conditions and real history of transit. They are non-starters.

Click here to see the full document.

Our Union-wide Demands as of January 9

On January 9, TWU Local 100 presented management with a revised version of our union-wide demands.

The revision adds two important points.

One is for the MTA to join us in supporting legislation for the protection of an age 55 retirement pension benefit. For years, we were told that changes to pensions had to be agreed to by both sides at the bargaining table. And only then would they be addressed in Albany. Pataki even vetoed a pension bill on those grounds.

Now, however, forces in Albany are gearing up to make wholesale changes in pension law WITHOUT going to the bargaining table first. It is imperative that transit workers, whose physically taxing work often makes it impossible to work into old age, not get swept up in the storm and keep the age 55 retirement. If management wants to maintain safety and efficiency, it should join us on this question.

The other point was adopted by acclaim at our December 3 Mass Membership Meeting. This is that a successful conclusion of a contract should include bringing back laid-off Local 100 members. Those layoffs were an act of hostage-taking, not of austerity, and it is high time to bring back the small number of members who are still out in the cold.

To see the full list of demands, click here.

Listen to our ad for Jan. 15's vigil and remembrance!

Here's Transport Workers Union Local 100's ad for our January 15 vigil and remembrance on the occasion of our contract expiration and the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Currently appearing on WWRL 1600AM.

See the event page for more details.

As NY1 conducts an interview, Local 100's Jose Lugo gets a petition signature from a community resident.

Community Anger Building Our Rat Campaign

Community surveys put out by WE ACT for Environmental Justice and the Office of State Sen. Bill Perkins show that large majorities of subway-riding residents in Upper Manhattan think the subway rat problem is out of control. Citizens made that clear again on January 6, as they eagerly snapped up flyers and signed petitions carried by WE ACT activists and TWU Local 100 Shop Stewards and volunteers outside the entrance to the #1 line at 181^st Street and St. Nicholas Avenue. Also on hand were Sen. Perkins and local City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez.

Local 100’s large inflatable subway rat set the stage for the action, which ran from 4 to 6PM. Media coverage was solid, with NY1 running a report that promoted the Union’s new website, www.ratfreesubways.com. Within hours, six New Yorkers with their own “rat tales” had sent them over to us via the site. And others are uploading their favorite pictures of subway rats.