John Chiarello, Chair of Line Equipment/Signals, speaking for TWU Local 100 and his members, delivered a well-received eulogy for Brother Louis Moore, who died in the line of duty on the subway tracks on April 24, 2013. John spoke to friends and family about the impact of Moore's death, both personally and for TWU Local 100 as a whole. In the audience at Gilmore's Funeral Home in St. Albans were dozens of Signal Maintainers, who wore MTA safety vests. Here is the text of John's remarks:
Good morning everyone. My name is John Chiarello. I am the TWU Local 100 Chair of the Line equipment Signal Division. I am also a Signal Maintainer, and knew Louis for most of his time on the job. On April 24, in the early morning hours, I received a call from one of our union safety officers. He informed me of the tragic accident and death of our Brother Louis Moore. It is without a doubt the saddest and most surreal moment I’ve ever encountered since being on the job. There is no question a Signal Maintainer’s and any track worker’s job is dangerous. But when confronted with the sudden death of a fellow worker under these horrifying circumstances, it takes your breath away.
We can never prepare for something like this. We know it’s possible because of the conditions we work in. It is obviously life altering for Brother Moore’s family, but it is also a harsh wake-up call for all of us who work on the tracks to keep more than 8 million New Yorkers who use our system safe. I remember the first time I met Louis when he first came on the job about 8 years ago. It was uptown in the IRT. My first impression was he knew a lot about a lot of different things – philosophy, politics, religion. He was extremely articulate. My very next thought was, what the heck is he doing in Signals? He should have been a college professor. He turned out to be an outstanding Signal Maintainer and a loyal union member.
On behalf of the leadership of local 100 and the entire union, I offer my sincerest condolences on your family’s loss. We will remember Louis as a good father, brother, friend – and union Brother. In the union there’s a saying “an injury to one is an injury to all.” Today the entire union mourns the passing of our dear brother Louis Moore.
TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen spoke at the sixth anniversary of the death of Track Worker Marvin Franklin, who died at the age of 55 after being struck by a G train which came through the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station, and struck two transit workers, one of whom survived. President Samuelsen talked about the many deaths the transit system has seen over the years, some 20 over the past 20 years. Samuelsen spoke of when he and LES Chairman John Chairello carried Franklin’s body to street level, with tears in their eyes. He said that the toll of lives due to accidents would be “astronomically higher but for the diligence of the union.” He pledged that TWU Local 100 would “continue with unannounced and scheduled safety inspections” at all facilities, and “a pro-active safety plan to stop the company from putting our members in harm’s way.” He urged TWU Local 100 members and others to contribute to the Union’s Widows and Orphans Fund.
Harry Lombardo, TWU’s International Executive Vice President, has announced that Quill scholarship applications will be accepted through mid-May.
Applications must be postmarked by May 13 to be entered into the public drawing. Click here for application and instructions
A TWU Local 100 Station Agent and three Cleaners were on the job at the newly opened Smith and 9th Street Station on the F and G lines in Brooklyn. The station, closed for two years for renovations, opened with much fanfare on Friday morning, with a gaggle of local politicians, as well as former MTA CEO Freddie Ferrer and incoming NYCT President Carmen Bianco. TWU Local 100 Officers Derrick Echevarria and Paul Piazza were on hand with Shop Steward Theresa Green to salute our rank and file members who are back on the job at the highest subway station in the world.
Union Brothers and Sisters made an annual pilgrimage to the uptown #1 platform at Columbus Circle to commemorate the passing of Track Worker Danny Boggs, who died on the tracks at this station in 2007. Today’s memorial was made especially somber by the death yesterday of Signal Maintainer Louis Moore, who also died after being hit by a train. President John Samuelsen spoke personally of the loss of his friend, and Danny’s widow, Bernadette, also addressed the crowd. MTA Chief Chaplain Rabbi Harry Berkowitz spoke movingly of the humble character of the transit workers who do a dirty and often unrecognized job running the transit system.
Just hours after Signal Maintainer Louis Moore died on the tracks at the 46th Street and Broadway subway station in Astoria, TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen spoke to the press about the tragic incident, placing it into the context of the number of fatalities over time and the intractable safety challenges facing transit workers.
About two dozen people picketed outside Local 100’s offices April 18, chanting that the TWU had “abandoned” over 600 members who recently lost their jobs at First Transit. While a few of the pickets hope to score some cheap political points, most of them are understandably angry at losing their jobs. However, their anger is misdirected.
First Transit lost their bid to continue their contract with the MTA. They were underbid by an anti-union contractor from South Carolina. Despite our efforts, the new contractor refused to hire most of the existing workforce. But we never abandoned our brothers and sisters there. In fact, the Local is continuing its efforts to force the new contractor to bargain with the TWU and offer jobs to the workers from First Transit. Charges have been filed at the NLRB against the MTA and the new contractor for discriminating against the workforce in place because of their membership in the TWU.
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.
