FEBRUARY 21 -- Car Inspector Oleksander Bordun of the Coney Island Overhaul Pneumatic Shop, has started a gofundme for his 3 year-old son, Alex, who is dying of brain cancer. His prognosis is grim and the family is struggling with medical bills. Pneumatic Shop Shop Steward Dmitriy Agranovskiy is reaching out to TWU members in the hope that we will contribute. The link to the gofundme is here.
FEBRUARY 17 — TWU Local 100’s just concluded contract negotiations with two school bus represented properties — First Student of Greenwich, CT and White Plains Bus Co. — have resulted in major gains for our Bus Drivers and Monitors. Gus Moghrabi, Division Chair for our school bus properties, reports that pay for these members are now the highest in the Northeast in the school bus industry. Along with the wage increases comes additional guaranteed paid hours for both titles, and no givebacks.
Members voted overwhelmingly for both contracts, with tallies of 256 Yes to 7 No for White Plains Bus Co. and 117 Yes to 0 No votes at First Student of Greenwich. A strike at First Student was narrowly averted by the contract settlement.
FEBRUARY 16 -- One of our Station Agents was brutally assaulted inside the Wall Street subway station along the 4/5 lines during the morning rush hour. The alleged assailant, Abdellahi Mohammed, attacked the worker while she attempted to rouse him from sleeping under a bench.
The incident involved punching, kicking, and shoving the worker, prompting outrage from TWU Local 100 President Richard Davis, who vehemently criticized MTA CEO Janno Lieber, emphasizing his failure to ensure workers' safety: “Janno Lieber needs to wake up and do his job. Our workers deserve better protection. We won't tolerate being endangered while simply trying to do our jobs,” Davis said.
The public's swift intervention to aid the MTA worker during the assault deserves commendation as it underscores New Yorkers' collective responsibility for safety and solidarity in the transit system. The original bail set for these heinous actions was a disgraceful $5,000. Stations Vice President Robert Kelley demanded that the bail for the perpetrator be raised to $20,000 and it was done.
Transport Workers Union Local 100 will be holding a press conference next week demanding justice -- serious consequences for the perpetrator that match the severity of the crime, and robust measures to fortify the safety of transit workers.
After gunfire rang out at the Mt. Eden subway station on February 13, panicked riders reached out for help. ABC Reporter NJ Burkett interviewed Station Agent Abdul Hussein, who assisted one woman who was shot, summoning help. Burkett also interviewed Local 100 President Richard Davis on the urgent need for a greater police presence on the platforms.
FEBRUARY 14 -- Democrat Tom Suozzi prevailed by 8 percentage points over Republican Mazi Pilip in a closely-watched race for New York's 3rd Congressional District (Queens/Nassau) where labor labor pushed hard for the win. TWU Local 100 members were on the ground to support the Democrat, who is a long-time friend of labor. We knocked on doors, fundraised, phone-banked and got out the vote on February 13th.
“This was a great win for the TWU,” said Local 100 President Richard Davis. “Congressman Suozzi’s history of support for the labor movement made all the difference, and our members got that message. We look forward to working with him in Congress."
Each year, TWU Local 100 brings over a thousand members to Albany to show the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate that we mean business.
Your union will provide free transportation, breakfast and lunch — you provide the boots on the ground to push our agenda to lawmakers.
Do you want to a better pension? Limits on automation taking our jobs? Fairness for School Bus Drivers? The right to strike?
Register here to lock in your seat and secure your bus location.
For more information, reach out to your union rep.
FEBRUARY 12 -- We have received concerning reports of an incident where six people were shot at around 4:30 p.m. today at the Mount Eden subway station in the Bronx. As of now, none of our members have reported any injuries. The shooting resulted in one fatality and five injuries. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy.
Please be assured that union officials are actively investigating the situation, and checking in with any members who were involved or witnessed this incident. Resources will be provided to those who need it.
Check back periodically, as updates to this story will be made available as additional information is acquired. We urge all members to prioritize their safety and remain vigilant.
FEBRUARY 10 -- One of our bus operators was attacked by an assailant who was angered by the bus operator's speed. The incident occurred when the operator briefly left the protective partition. The assailant violently attacked, but the union member successfully subdued him, preventing further escalation. The operator, thankfully, avoided serious injury and was treated at a local hospital for bruises and scratches to his face.
The union condemns this senseless violence, prioritizes member safety, and urges law enforcement to thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrator to justice. The Union is also investigating.
TWU Local 100 celebrates Black History Month with pride and admiration! We honor the extraordinary contributions, resilience, and rich history of our Black brothers and sisters. Together, we stand united in the pursuit of justice, equality, and solidarity.
The TWU Local 100 - NYCT Childcare Fund will begin offering vouchers for the summer and fall seasons on February 12th. The application period continues until March 15th. All union members in good standing employed by OA/TA/MTA Bus are eligible. For the summer program, children can be from four to 12 years old. The fall program accepts newborns to 12 years old. For more information and to apply, visit the Childcare Fund's website at this link. Applications are accepted first come, first served -- so save the date and get your application in as soon as you can.
Exercise Extreme Caution While Working in the Cold
Colder temperatures present extra dangers and hardship for transit workers, especially those working on elevated structures, where wind is also a factor. Please refer to our "Working in the Cold" advisory for further tips and warnings on the dangers posed by cold weather.
JANUARY 15 -- On this day, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., with an excerpt from his address at the TWU’s 11th Constitutional Convention — 1961
"TWU Local 100 Local 100 Local 100– A Union of Minorities No doubt the special depth that typifies your Union springs from the fact that you are virtually a Union of minorities, because I understand your membership is largely made up of Irish, Italians, Negroes and Jews. Each of these minorities had to pursue a struggle for equality as a people. This heritage you are able to understand more clearly, than others—the goals and methods of the Negro’s present-day fight for freedom. Negroes who are now beginning their march from the dark and desolate midnight of discrimination can find from you inspiration and lessons for the hard-road still ahead. But though we have a multitude of problems, we cannot be unmindful of new problems confronting labor. Toward these problems we are not neutral, and certainly not indifferent, because they are our problems as well."
Click here to read the complete address by Dr. King.
