Machinist Frank Gurrera, Still Working at 90, Celebrates His Birthday at the Shop
OCTOBER 29 -- Over a hundred rank and file workers at Brooklyn's Car Equipment Coney Island Overhaul Shop paused from their duties to honor Machinist Frank Gurrera who turned 90 today. Gurrera, a WWII Veteran, was saluted by the Daily News on October 21 and nominated for a "Hometown Heroes in Transit" Award. But the recognition that meant the most came from hundreds of his co-workers, who shut down work for a festive lunch. Dozens took photos with their ipads and phones to mark the occasion, and many signed a huge birthday card. The event was coordinated by Shop Chair Horace Briggs, who MC'd the event along with former CIOH Chair Richie Rivera. Then Frank went back to his workbench, where he most recently fabricated a new gate for one of NYCT's vacuum trains which had been broken in service. Because the vacuum train manufacturer is no longer in business, we have to create new parts in the shop, and that's where Frank Gurrero excels. A widower of just one year, Frank reports to work every day at CIOH just as he has for 44 years. He describes himself a a union man for 51 years counting previous employment in a machine shop. He proudly wore a TWU cap today and -- a man of few words -- briefly thanked everyone for attending before the lunch ended.