TWU Secures Legislature Approval of Station Agent Pension Buy-Back Bill

The New York State Legislature has passed one of TWU’s top legislative targets for the 2017 session in Albany, the Station Agent Buy Back bill.  The long sought-after measure enables Station Agents who were laid off during MTA Chairman Jay Walder’s malicious job and service cutbacks in 2010 to buy back pension credits lost during their furloughs.

“We have been fighting to right the injustice perpetrated on our members and the riding public by Jay Walder for a number of years,” said TWU Local 100 and International President John Samuelsen.  “I am confident the Governor will sign this bill so that our members who were so negatively affected by the 2010 layoffs can finally become whole, at least as it relates to their service time.”

State Sen. Martin Malave Dilan carried the bill for the union on the Senate side, and Assemblywoman Latrice Walker performed heroically on the House side.

The union’s Political Action team has been pressing hard for the bill the entire legislative session.  Rank-and-file members underscored the union’s resolve to win the measure this year at its union wide Lobby Day event on May 16, 2017 and then during a mini-Lobby Day event on June 13, 2017.

Nearly 500 Station Agents were laid off in the 2010 cutbacks.  Many were out as long as two years before being recalled to their jobs.

Former MTA Chairman Walder is long gone, but his actions against transit workers and riders have lingered.  “This bill allows us to close the book on Walder and his attacks on the workforce and passengers,” said Local 100 Vice President Derrick Echevarria.