Union Endorses Kathy Hochul for Governor of New York State

APRIL 11 -- Hundreds of union members and officers joined TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano at the Union Hall on Monday to give the union’s endorsement to Gov. Kathy Hochul for a full four-year term. Hochul, the daughter and granddaughter of union steelworkers, was greeted with enthusiastic chants of “Kathy! Kathy!” and workers bearing “Labor for Kathy” signs as she entered with President Utano.

Utano praised Hochul for facing tough challenges with common-sense and tenacity since taking over from scandal-plagued Andrew Cuomo, who resigned earlier this year. “She has partnered with the Mayor of New York to fight back against the triple crises of crime, homelessness and mental illness that are most manifested in this City in our transit system,” Utano said. “I believe that her actions so far are enormous steps in the right direction for transit workers and transit riders.”

Hochul vowed to “fight like hell” for transit workers. “Because for far too long, and Tony and I have talked about this, there’s not been the respect and the admiration that people gave to a lot of front-line workers,” Hochul sad. “Well, how did the front-line workers get to their jobs as front-line workers if it wasn’t for all of you showing up during the pandemic? You are the essential workers to the essential workers, which puts you in a very special place.”

The Governor’s budget includes first-time improvements to the Tier 6 pension plan since the state legislature enacted it in response to the 2010 fiscal crisis, including halving the required time on the job to be vested from a decade to five years.  President Utano called this "an important first step," in the ongoing fight for pension equity.

Union Mourns Connail Friel, 87, Retired MaBSTOA Division 2 Chair

TWU Local 100 is mourning the passing of retired MaBSTOA Division 2 Chair Connail “Connie” Friel.  His family said that he died peacefully at home surrounded by family on April 9, 2022.  He was 87 and had been retired from union service since 2003.

Brother Friel was born on April 9, 1934 in Mount Charles Co. Donegal, Ireland. He emigrated to the US at the age of 18 and was married to the love of his life, Theresa Friel (nee Sammon) for 62 years.

He started with NYCT as a Bus Operator, and became Chairman of the old Coliseum Depot before moving to Kingsbridge Depot where he served for 30 years prior to retirement. He then became a member of the TWU Retirees Association.

Local 100 President Tony Utano said, “Connie was a loyal TWU member and effected officer of this union for many years.  He served his members at Kingsbridge Depot and MaBSTOA Division 2 with great dedication. Our union owes him a great debt of gratitude. We all send our deepest sympathies to his family here and in Ireland.”

He is survived by a son, Connail Friel, Jr. and daughter, Eileen Stivale (nee Friel), five grandchildren, five great grandchildren, four brothers and sisters, and a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Theresa, and son, Eamon.

Visitation will be held, today, Wednesday, April 13th 2PM-5PM at Williams Funeral Home at 5628m Broadway (232nd Street), Bronx, NY 10463. A private burial service for family and close friends will be held at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Valhalla, NY by invitation only.

Brooklyn Dep Boro President Diana Richardson's Rousing Speech to our Women's Month Event

Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Diana Richardson gives a heartfelt keynote address to our Women's Month event at the Union Hall on March 24th. She is a longtime stalwart supporter of TWU Local 100 and her remarks show it.

T/O Garrett Goble is Remembered on the Second Anniversary of His Passing

MARCH 27 -- Union leadership and rank and file members gathered at the Flatbush Ave/Brooklyn College station on the 2 and 5 lines to remember the sacrifice of Train Operator Garrett Goble, who evacuated his passengers when a fire tore through his 2 Train but perished before he could himself escape. The memorial event came exactly two years after Brother Goble's heroic sacrifice. An award in his name was presented to an NYCT Conductor, Mark Burns, who also performed heroically when he, as part of a combined effort of Conductors and Train Operators, rescued 300 riders from rising floodwaters on the R Train last September 1. Brother Burns accepted the award from RTO Vice President Canella Gomez.

President Tony Utano recalled Brother Goble's sacrifice which came at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic began to claim victims in New York. He called Brother Goble "perhaps the greatest hero" of the pandemic era, noting that it was the job of transit workers to bring all other essential workers to their jobs, so that the City could continue to operate.

Also speaking were VP Gomez, Local 100 VP of MABSTOA Richard Davis, members of the Goble family, including his widow, Delilah, and mother, Vicki, transit workers who have been mainstays of the family, and NYCT VP of Service Delivery, Herbert Lambert.

Transit Ban Law Should Be Implemented

State law enables judges to ban subway perverts and riders who attack transit workers from the system for up to three years – but they haven’t imposed a single ban since the law was passed in late 2020, The New York Post reported Sunday evening. TWU Local 10O President Tony Utano gave the following statement and information to the NY Post for its report:

Authorities should set transit bans or impose restrictions, at the very least, in the most egregious cases.

“We will gladly plaster the system with their photos and call the cops if we see them entering their home station or boarding their local bus,” Utano said. “If a ban, or the threat of a ban, deters even just one assault against a transit worker, one attack against a rider, then it’s worth it.”

Critics contend that a ban is unenforceable. While it’s true that someone who is banned can sneak back into the system, but they would be aware of the risk. If caught, they could get into even more trouble, possibly fined or jailed. For example, a driver who loses his or her license for driving drunk can get behind the wheel of a car and drive. No one is going to see that person start the engine. But that driver would be taking a big risk if caught.

Bans were possible even before the law. Local 100 pushed prosecutors to include a partial transit ban on an unhinged, terminally ill man who stabbed a conductor in Harlem in 2019. He was only allowed to use the system if going for cancer treatment.

Years ago, state parole officials working with the NYPD Transit Bureau ensured that subway criminals with extensive rap sheets for preying on subway riders had subway bans imposed as a condition of their state parole. Police officers studied mug shots of the worst offenders and could recognize them if they saw them. In 2002, there were at least eight career subway criminals with bans or restrictions imposed by parole officials.

“If that’s no longer happening, then authorities should revive the tactic,” Utano said. “It’s common sense.”
 

Brooklyn Deputy Boro President Diana Richardson Keynotes Women's Month Celebration at the Hall

MARCH 24 -- Here are photos from our celebration of the history and accomplishments of female transit workers. Brooklyn's Deputy Borough President Diana Richardson (center, first image) a longtime friend of TWU Local 100 from her time as a NYS Assemblywoman, gave a rousing keynote address. The Master of Ceremonies for the event was our own Vice President of Car Equipment, Shirley Martin, who regaled the crowd with her accounts of breaking down barriers in Jamaica as the first female machinist to be hired by the Bauxite Company. President Utano also talked about his pride in Union women who now make up 7,000 members of the NYCT workforce.

The event was coordinated by Deborah Brown, Director of our Working Women's Committee, who presented six honorees with certificates of recognition. Honored at the event were Tracey Young, Sandra Lennon, Celeste Kirkland, Cynthia Wells, Yvette Bassknight, and Joan Bygrave. Local 100's Communications Department presented a video recapping the history of women in transit, and celebrating their leadership roles in the union today.

The National Anthem was sung by CMSW Executive Vice President Lisa Nero. Political Action Director Sharase DeBouse introduced Ms. Richardson. Monique Rondon gave a closing address addresing the evening's theme, Strength Through Adversity. Watch this space for the videos, which will be posted soon.

Vacation Cash Out / Carry Over Procedures Remain in Effect

First Annual Basketball Tourney Set for May 7 -- Bring Your Game

What: TWU Local 100's First Union-Wide Annual Basketball Tournament

When: Saturday, May 7, 2022

Where: MS 61 400 Empire Boulevard in Brooklyn

To Participate: Call Slick at 917-662-6140 or Lennie at 646-739-6640

BRING YOUR GAME -- NOT YOUR NAME

Click on the image for the downloadable poster.

Union Setting Up Fund to Aid Ukrainian People

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

I wanted to thank you all for the initiative to create a fund to help Ukraine and Ukrainians in need. Currently we are working on establishing this fund and having separate meetings with financial advisors and lawyers to make sure TWU Local 100 is in line with all financial regulations and in compliance with current laws.

I will send out a separate communication to all members with all the details as soon as we determine the type of the Fund so that our members are assured that their donations will go directly to aid the Ukrainian people.  Upon approval by the Local 100 Executive Committee, the union will make an appropriate donation to the fund.

Tony Utano
President, TWU Local 100

International President Samuelsen, at Quill Connolly Day, Salutes the Union's Irish Roots

Gov. Hochul Highlights Quill Connolly Day at the Hall

MARCH 15 -- New York State Governor Kathy Hochul showed respect and support for transit workers by attending the Union's annual Quill Connolly Day at the Union Hall on Tuesday night. Speaking before an audience that included TWU International President John Samuelsen, Local 100 President Tony Utano, Union Vice Presidents, other honored guests and rank and file union members, Hochul called transit workers "the front line workers of the front line workers," noting that without our work, thousands of essential workers would not have been able to get to their posts during the darkest days of the pandemic. The Governor was introduced by President Utano, who called her "one of us" noting that she was raised in a working class, union household. Also in attendance were the Presidents of TWU Locals 101 and 1400. The evening's honoree was TWU Local 100 Director of Organizing Frank McCann.

NYCT Has Wellness App, free Nutritional, Health, Meditation Videos

NYCT is offering every member who works for the Authority free access to wellness videos via an app called Grokker, which you can access by snapping the QR code in the display at left. To read the write-up of all the wellness guidance from Grokker, just click on the image to download the PDF. The union supports wellness initiatives that will help the members achieve healthier lifestyles.

Women's History Celebration 2022

Join us in celebrating Women's History Month — Honoring Strength Through Adversity

Thursday, March 24th
4-9pm

Click here to download flyer and register.

President Utano's Statement on Women's History Month

Greetings to my TWU Local 100 Sisters!

TWU Local 100 proudly celebrates Women's History Month.  The month of March has been designated Women’s History Month because of International Women's Day, which falls on March 8 every year.

The movement began in 1908 when thousands of women rallied in New York City for better working conditions and the right to vote.  

In 1909, the first International Women’s Day was sponsored by the Socialist Party with a huge gathering of suffragists and women rights groups. The big breakthrough for women’s suffrage came on August 18, 1920, when women finally won the right to vote.

Here at Local 100, we have been trail-blazers for women's equality, with Union Sisters breaking down barriers to excel in job titles formerly reserved for men.  

TWU rallied in the streets in 1941 to demand equal pay for equal work for women token booth clerks, possibly the first equal pay rally in history.

Currently, two women, Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp and CED Vice President Shirley Martin, are among the top 11 union-wide officers.

The union is placing a special ad in the Chief Newspaper this month recognizing the achievements of Local 100 women (see alongside).

Union's Black History Celebration Honors Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp; Black Leaders in Local 100

TWU Local 100 Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp was honored at the Union's annual Black History Celebration on February 28th. Also honored with a special slide presentation were TWU Local 100 African American leaders going back to our early days.

For photos of the event, click on the image of Sister Crisp accepting her award from President Utano and MABSTOA VP Richard Davis.

You can see see the presentation of our African-American leaders here.

Here are our speakers at the event:

Our Presenters -- Sherlock Bender, Chris Lightbourne, Richard Davis.

Shirley Martin, VP of Car Equipment

Our Honoree -- Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp

Remarks by President Tony Utano

Musical Performance -- April Williams