Post-Rally Message from President Tony Utano

The turnout by more than 10,000 transit workers at our contract rally on October 30th sent a powerful message to the MTA, City Hall and Albany that TWU Local 100 is determined to win a fair contract for this membership. Thank you, brothers and sisters. It was an amazing event that has supercharged TWU Local 100 and the entire New York City labor movement.

So, here’s where we are: MTA Chairman Pat Foye, out of the gate, infuriated transit workers by painting us in the media as overtime cheats and pampered no-shows. He piled on those insults by taking aim at me personally. He labeled me a criminal, and then doubled down by insinuating that my Italian heritage predisposed me to corruption. Foye has drawn his line in the sand both in the media, and in our initial meetings with him. He expects us to pay for our own contract raises with crippling givebacks.

He obviously doesn’t know me, or transit workers, very well.

We are ready to meet with the MTA at a time and place mutually agreeable. And we are ready to negotiate for as long as it takes to get to where this membership needs to be. The ball is in their court. In the meantime, I ask every member of this union to stay fully engaged in the process, and be ready to take additional steps when called upon.

Stay strong, stay informed, stay united!