All News

Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp Honored in Black History Month Salute to Labor Leaders

The New York Daily News has profiled TWU Local 100 Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp in an article celebrating Black labor union leaders. The piece, which ran on February 5, profiles her along with seven other prominent Black labor union executives in the New York area. You can read the profile here. In the article, Sister Crisp discusses her longtime advocacy for women's empowerment dating from her days as Fresh Pond Depot Chair (pictured), including fighting pregnancy discrimination and harassment on the job, obtaining new benefits for mothers, and supporting our Local 100 widows and orphans.

Lincoln’s Birthday Swap with Day After Thanksgiving

As a result of our recent contract with the MTA, the swap of Lincoln’s Birthday for the day after Thanksgiving is in effect for 2020. See the attached Bulletin from New York City Transit.

RTO Officers (l-r) Raul Lugo, VP Eric Loegel, and Zach Arcidiacono mark the end of the "rubber room."

"Rubber Room" is Gone for RTO and MABSTOA

FEBRUARY 6, 2020 -- The "pilot program" in RTO and MABSTOA, which consigned union members to a "rubber room" at PS 248 in Brooklyn, officially ended today at a meeting attended by RTO officers at 2 Broadway, and led by Administrative Vice President Nelson Rivera. Officially called the "differential assessment program," it was unilaterally initiated by Transit in 2016. The program required injured workers to report for two weeks of "light duty" work before they could go out on workers' compensation. If the worker did not attend, Transit would withhold contractual "differential pay."

Local 100 Members Front and Center at Superbowl Parade in Kansas City

IB Image Believe it or not, TWU Local 100 members are playing a key role in today's big Super Bowl Champions parade in Kansas City. It turns out that parade organizers contracted with Big Bus Chicago for 10 open top buses to carry the victorious Kansas City Chiefs players and coaches and families. And yes, TWU Local 100 members are the Operators, and union tour guides will ride up top with the players and families for safety purposes. The union organized Big Bus in New York, Chicago and other big cities over the past couple of years. Here are photos of the workers gathering early in the morning for the festivities, and the buses lined up and ready to go. Congrats to the Chiefs and to TWU Local 100 members from Chicago.

IB Image

Union to Hold Census Job Fair on Tuesday, February 11 at 10 AM

America takes a census of its people once every ten years -- and the number of people in each state counts for a lot. It is the basis for federal grants as well as political power. We are holding a Census Job Fair on February 11th in conjunction with the NYC Central Labor Council at the Union Hall at 195 Montague Street, 3rd Floor, in Brooklyn from 10 AM to 2PM. Census workers receive excellent pay, from $28 per hour, and those hours are flexible. Representatives from the US Census Bureau will be on hand to describe the job and recruit workers. This is open to all comers -- including Local 100 members and their families. For more information, click here for the flyer.

Contract Implementation Timetable

The MTA Board approved our contract on Thursday, January 23rd.
Wage increases will be effective as follows:

MABSTOA
New wage rates in effect on March 4, 2020
Retro payments will be made on April 29, 2020

Transit Authority (TA)
New wage rates in effect on March 5, 2020
Retro payments will be made on April 30, 2020

MTA Bus
New wage rates in effect on March 12, 2020
Retro payments will be made on April 23, 2020

Health Care:
New Dental Benefits effective immediately
Emergency Room co-pay in effect June 1, 2020
New Prescription Drug fee schedule in effect June 1, 2020

Miscellaneous Items
All OT Caps now lifted
Employee pass (Express Bus):
Management in process of implementation, details forthcoming
RTO
P.S. 248 Pilot Program (Rubber Room) will be eliminated in February 2020
Lincoln’s birthday has been swapped for the day after Thanksgiving as a regular AVA day.

We will keep you updated as implementation continues.

Union Meets with MTA on Coronavirus Threat

TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano and Secretary Treasurer Earl Phillips met with MTA officials today, Tuesday, January 28, 2020, to discuss the coronavirus outbreak in China.

“We are monitoring the situation and paying close attention to the reports coming from experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the state and city health departments,” Utano said. “We are following their lead and urge everyone to follow their prevention recommendations.”

The CDC issued these recommendations:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Stay home while you are sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and may have traveled to areas of concern, or have been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these areas, should call ahead to their healthcare provider before presenting for treatment.

MTA Board Approves Union Contract

JANUARY 23, 2020 -- The MTA board today approved the contract negotiated by TWU Local 100. We will be meeting with the MTA on implementation. We will update you as the details become available.

Union Urges Support For Puerto Rican Earthquake Relief

TWU Administrative VP Nelson Rivera, who has led the union's relief missions to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria and the recent earthquakes, is urging all members to contribute to the island's relief via the Maria Fund at www.mariafund.org/earthquakeresponse. Your involvement will make a huge difference. For more information and to donate, go to this link.

Union Members Honored with MTA Medals of Excellence

IB Image

JANUARY 17 -- Over a dozen TWU Local 100 members were honored today by the MTA/NYCT in their Medals of Excellence awards program. Members received awards for Distinguished Service, Commendations for job-related acts involving personal risk or requiring exceptional judgement, and for heroism in performing specific acts of bravery on duty. Local 100 President Tony Utano and NYCT President Andy Byford presented the awards. In the category of heroism, three Local 100 members were singled out: Conductor Denaul Jenkins, who survived a stabbing on the platform at 149th street in the Bronx, Signal Maintainer Anthony Mannino, who jumped onto the road bed to save a woman from being struck by a train, and Construction Flagger Ewan McKay.