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Local 100 Celebrates at the African American Day Parade

African American Day Parade 2019 SEPTEMBER 15 -- A hundred transit workers and family members marched proudly through Harlem on a beautiful summer's day at the annual African-American Day Parade. Leading the Parade were top officers including President Tony Utano, Administrative VP Nelson Rivera, and Vice Presidents John V. Chiarello, Shirley Martin, and Lynwood Whichard. Our very own Sharase Debouse of our Political Action Department, who is a District Leader in her own right, lit up the parade as a Marshal. Click on the handles to see all of the images and videos.

New Radio Spot Attacks MTA Giveback Demands

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Local 100 launched a radio campaign today on 1010 WINS that excoriates the MTA's giveback demands, and declares "Now it's time to for the MTA to hear our voices" as it promotes the union's planned contract rally on Oct. 30, 2019.  Click on the graphic above or listen to the spot here.

Beware of Counterfeit Contract Flier

TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano issued the following statement after a counterfeit contract rally flier appeared on social media:

“Someone took an official TWU flier and doctored it by changing the date and time of the rally, and then circulated it on social media. This phony flier should be ignored.  Those who are perpetrating this hoax are in violation of the TWU Local 100 By-Laws for misappropriation of the union logo.

"The reason for this intentional deception is to confuse the membership and undermine the union’s efforts to win a fair contract for transit workers. October 30th is the official TWU Local 100 contract rally at 5:00 pm outside 2 Broadway.  This is the only rally sponsored and supported by the union."

Click here for the official contract rally flyer.  “We will see you at the official TWU contract rally on Oct. 30, 2019.”

Utano Slams Foye in Wake of Rising Assaults

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In an interview on 1010 WINS, Local 100 President Tony Utano slams MTA Chairman Pat Foye for being out of touch with the rank and file transit worker. Listen to the clip.

 

Local 100 Announces October 30th Contract Rally

IB ImageWe’ve heard a lot in the media lately from the bosses at the MTA that transit workers are overtime cheats and no-shows on the job.  And that we don’t deserve a contract unless we pay for our own raises.

Now, the MTA is going to hear our voices, LOUD AND CLEAR!

Local 100 members are urged to turn out for a mass CONTRACT RALLY outside 2 Broadway on October 30th.  There will be speakers, union-branded handouts, and lots of voices telling the MTA that “Transit Workers Deserve a Fair Contract.”

Assemble at 5:00pm.  Wear your union colors.  And be prepared to make noise.

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Union Honors Transit Workers Who Served in 9/11 Rescue and Recovery

President Tony Utano and top officers recognized some of the three thousand transit workers who served in the rescue and recovery effort in a ceremony at the Union Hall on September 5th. Over 2100 were ordered to Ground Zero by NYCT, and hundreds more volunteered on their own time. Local 100 has mounted a campaign for public recognition of the work of union members on that day, and you can read more about that here. TWU Local mourns the loss of those killed in the attack on America, and we stand strong in supporting all responders who have illnesses from the toxic conditions at the World Trade Center site.

The New York Post put the story on Page 4 of Tuesday's Paper
The New York Post put the story on Page 4 of Tuesday's Paper

Union Hammers Foye on Car Cleaner Cuts

TWU Local 100 has been hammering MTA Chairman Patrick Foye for the authority’s Car Cleaner cuts and anti-worker rhetoric. Administrative Vice President Nelson Rivera provided the media with photos of disgusting subway car conditions at the Stillwell Terminal in Coney Island. The photos highlight the understaffing and the harsh working environment of the subway.

“These disgusting conditions are terrible for riders and workers,” TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Nelson Rivera said. “If MTA Chairman Pat Foye wants to talk about ‘worker availability,’ he needs to recognize that this environment and unacceptable assaults are causing workers to get sick and injured.”

Local 100 secured coverage from news channels CBS2, NBC4 , WPIX11 and Fox 5; The City, an on-line news publication staffed by veteran NYC reporters; The New York Post and The Staten Island Advance.

The MTA has cut 81 terminal Car Cleaner positions in the last couple of years through attrition.

Rain Doesn't Matter as We March in the West Indian Day Parade

West Indian Day Parade 2019

SEPTEMBER 2 -- Led by President Tony Utano, Local 100 marched proudly up Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, rain notwithstanding. Joining the TWU contingent were longtime political allies NYS Attorney General Tish James and NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, in addition to Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and various City Council members. The TWU float provided a much-appreciated pick me up to spectators who were braving the elements. Along with the float, we fielded an array of costumed dancers along with an old-school City Bus. Enjoy the photos and make plans to join us next year.

30 Apprentices Graduate; Heading to MOW and Better Careers

<Apprentices Graduate Summer 2019

At 38 years of age, Sakina Brown, a NYC Transit Cleaner (scroll through the photos -- she's in blue shirt and white pants with her two daughters), went back to school. She spent six months learning carpentry, masonry, plumbing and electrical in the industrial classrooms and tool-laden shops of The Apex Technical School in Long Island City, Queens. At night, Brown, a single mother of two daughters, studied take-home materials, including building codes, and prepared for tests on both theory and application.

It all paid off on Monday, Aug. 26, when Brown – in front of her two girls, her mother, sister and two nieces – graduated along with 29 other transit workers. They are now Transit Structure Apprentices - and solidly on new career paths as tradesmen and tradeswomen. “I’m proud of myself,” Brown said. “It’s a big accomplishment, and I’m grateful. Because the union gave me this opportunity, it will be so much easier for me to get a promotion and better pay.”

Part of the training included building two small structures – one brick and one wood framed – with fully functioning electrical systems and plumbing.  “It was tough,” graduate Craig Hodge, 40, a former CTA, said. “When everyone got here they all probably thought it was going to be a cakewalk but it was challenging. We had to learn so much in a short amount of time.” For the next three years, Brown and the other graduates of the program, which is administered by the TWU Local 100/NYCT Training & Upgrading Fund, will work side-by side with Transit carpenters, masons, electricians and plumbers. The next step will be elevation into Maintainer titles.

“Congratulations,” Local 100 President Tony Utano told the graduates at a ceremony at the Queensboro Plaza school. “Today, a trade is like gold. They don’t have enough people in the trades in the city, state and country. Everbody learns computers, but they don’t know how to fix and build things.” Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, Administrative Vice President Nelson Rivera and Car Equipment Vice President Shirley Martin also were on hand to congratulate the grads. “You should very proud of yourselves,” Rivera said. “You made a big accomplishment. Every one of you.” He urged the group to learn from the veterans in the field, and to share their knowledge with the union brothers and sisters that come up behind them.

TWU Local 100 secured NYC Transit funding for the program in contract negotiations. This was the third transit class to graduate from Apex since the trades program was revived three years ago, TUF Director Charles Jenkins said.

Utano Calls for Mobilization for our Contract; Remarks at the Union Hall

On Thursday, August 29, President Tony Utano called for members to mobilize for a massive contract rally in October. In honoring students who won union scholarships, he brought attention to the power of the union in bettering the lives of transit families. He then turned to the subject of the MTA and the need for a demonstration of union power. You can read the MTA's contract demands here. You can read the Union's demands here.

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