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Unions Are Under Attack!

MARCH 17 -- Administrative Vice President Alexander Kemp says Unions are under attack in America — and calls out all union members to get into the fight:

"There’s an old saying, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” which means when one of the group does well we can all expect a collective benefit. It’s then equally correct to assume that a falling tide lowers all boats. These latest attacks on Unions by Washington are specifically designed to weaken organized labor across the nation, from private Unions to public Unions -- to create a falling tide within the labor movement.

"In the case of public employees, like those employed by the MTA, the weakening of collective bargaining rights empowers management to disregard good faith bargaining. Case in point: the Trump administration decided to take away the collective bargaining rights of TSA agents who have a contract negotiated by the American Federation of Government Employees, all in retaliation for them standing up against nation-wide attacks on federal employees.

"Why attack Unions? Because when our tide rises, all labor rises. The CEOs and the billionaires want a cheap and expendable workforce that will work itself to death with no rights or protections. So when they come after one Union, they’re coming after all of us. An injury to one is truly an injury to all.

"Get ready to get in the fight. In the end, when the smoke clears, our solidarity will have us emerge stronger than ever."

Union Files Grievance for Affected Members in Congestion Pricing Zone

MARCH 14 -- TWU Local 100 President John Chiarello has sent a letter to MTA CEO Janno Lieber demanding reimbursement for union members who must report to work in the Congestion Relief Zone and pay a toll. The letter was accompanied by a formal grievance filed on behalf of union members who work in the congestion zone.

In the letter, President Chiarello tells Lieber that union members picked into jobs within the congestion zone when the project was on pause, not expecting to pay the $9 toll. That expectation was upended when the tolls went into effect. Therefore, these members should be made whole.

He told Lieber: "You neglected to consider thousands of your own employees who work in the relief zone -- many who work in locations that are not easily accessible by transit. You didn't think these workers were worthy of an exemption, even while going to and from their jobs." The City's largest Bus Depot, the Michael Quill Depot, is located on 11th Avenue at 40th Street, a substantial walk from the nearest subway stop.

You can read the letter and the grievance here.

Honoring Women Veterans during Women's History Month

On November 11, 2024, the New York State Women Veterans History Trail was unveiled, recognizing 10 extraordinary women whose service, leadership, and sacrifice helped shape our nation. Women are the fastest-growing demographic of veterans, yet their contributions have often gone unrecognized. This trail is a long-overdue tribute to their place in military history.

The Trail’s Inaugural Honorees:

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – The first and only woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, Dr. Walker was a Civil War surgeon, prisoner of war, and advocate for women’s rights.
Col. Eileen Collins – The first woman to command a Space Shuttle mission, logging over 6,751 hours in space and paving the way for women in aerospace.
Admiral Grace Hopper – A pioneering computer scientist and Navy rear admiral whose work revolutionized modern programming and technology.
Margaret Corbin – A Revolutionary War hero who took over her husband’s cannon at the Battle of Fort Washington and fought until she was severely wounded.
Dr. Olivia J. Hooker – The first Black woman to serve on active duty in the United States Coast Guard, a civil rights advocate, and a survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Harriet Tubman – Best known for the Underground Railroad, Tubman was also the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the U.S. Civil War.
Clara Barton – The “Angel of the Battlefield” who founded the American Red Cross, providing medical aid during the Civil War and beyond.
Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody – The first woman in U.S. military history to achieve the rank of four-star general, breaking barriers in military leadership.
Capt. Elsie S. Ott – A World War II nurse and the first woman to receive the U.S. Air Medal for pioneering advancements in aeromedical evacuation.
Sr. Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent – A trailblazer in Naval Special Warfare and intelligence operations, making history before she was killed in action in Syria.
The United States Military Academy Class of 1980 (West Point) – The first class to admit women, changing the landscape of military leadership forever.

Women have served with courage and distinction in every era of our nation’s history. Their leadership and sacrifices deserve full recognition. Read more here.

#WomensHistoryMonth #Veterans #Trailblazers #NYSHonorsWomen

TWU Celebrates Women's History Month

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Us!

Join us on April 11th as we come together to honor the strength, resilience, and achievements of women worldwide.

Date: April 11th

Location: TWU Local 100 Union Hall

Time: 3rd Floor Celebration (5PM-8PM)

Click here to register now and secure your spot!

Let’s uplift, empower, and celebrate together!

Union Demands Full Investigation of Management Leak of Confidential Video

MARCH 7 -- TWU Local 100 President John Chiarello today fired off a letter to MTA CEO Janno Lieber, demanding a full investigation of how a confidential video of a union member was released and disseminated by management earlier this month. You can read the letter here.

TWU Supports Re-Introduction of the PRO Act

The Transport Workers Union of America strongly supports the introduction of the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which strengthens the collective bargaining rights of workers.

“It is time for Congress to step up and support workers,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “Republicans and Democrats alike talk a good game about supporting working people – signing onto the PRO Act and working to pass it into law shows which lawmakers will back up their words with action.”

The PRO Act is a significant legislative priority for the entire labor movement. The bill bans employer interference in union elections and would end mandatory anti-labor meetings during an organizing drive. It allows newly certified unions to seek binding arbitration and mediation when employers fail to negotiate a first contract in good faith. The bill eliminates so-called “right to work” laws and allow unions to collect dues that cover the cost of collective bargaining and administering a contract. And the PRO Act penalizes employers and corporate executives who violate workers’ rights.

The PRO Act was first introduced in 2019, and reintroduced in 2021, 2023, and 2025. The bill passed the House of Representatives in 2019 and 2021 and passed out of committee in the Senate in 2023. The PRO Act has bipartisan support, notably from President Donald Trump’s Labor Secretary nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

TWU Local 100 Mourns the loss of Hazel Dukes

TWU Local 100 is mourning the loss of distinguished Black leader and trailblazer Hazel Dukes, who passed away this morning at the age of 92. Coming from Alabama to New York in 1955, she started school at Nassau Community College. She worked for President Lyndon Johnson's Head Start program in the 60's, becoming an outspoken leader. From 1989 to 1992, she served as the national President of the NAACP.

TWU Tests New Barriers for Bus Operators

FEBRUARY 26 -- The TWU has begun a campaign to set a new standard for transit worker safety following the shooting death of Bus Operator Bernard Gribbin, who was killed while driving his morning route in Philadelphia’s Germantown section.

On Tuesday, International President John Samuelsen and other TWU reps went to Pennsylvania for an outdoor ballistics test on bullet-resistant barriers to protect Bus Operators.

Samuelsen and TWU Local 234, which represents SEPTA workers, negotiated the agreement to install the new barriers last November. The agency has now equipped eight buses with the armored barriers for road testing for operator comfort and weight distribution. Each enclosure costs approximately $15,000 to $18,000, according to the manufacturer, Pennsylvania-based Custom Glass Solutions. Custom Glass Solutions is a leading supplier of bullet-resistant glass for US Government agencies.

After seeing the live fire exercise on Tuesday, in which marksmen with a variety of handguns shot into the barrier at close range but did not penetrate it, Samuelsen said, “This is the precedent that we’re going to use to bring to every city in America.”

Also attending the exercise from Local 100 were officers from Buses including Tom Lenane and Danny Ascona from Maintenance, MTA Bus/Private Lines VP Danny D'Amato, MABSTOA VP Donald Yates, and Sean Battaglia, Mike Capocci and Gary Rosario from Operators Divisions.

You can watch a news story about the live fire test here.

John V. Chiarello Sworn in as New Local President; Bernabel is Secretary-Treasurer; Kemp to AVP

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FEBRUARY 21 -- TWU Local 100’s Executive Board this morning installed Secretary-Treasurer John V. Chiarello, a union veteran, to be President. Chiarello will fill the remainder of the term of the former President, who resigned on Jan. 21. Chiarello is a 20-year union member who steadily rose through leadership ranks. In addition to being Secretary-Treasurer for the past two years, Chiarello has served as Chair of the Line Equipment-Signals Division and Vice President of Maintenance of Way, the largest union department.

In a speech to the Executive Board this morning, Chiarello vowed to continue the fighting legacy of TWU founder Mike Quill. “We will take no crap from management, and we will do what needs to be done to get what our members expect and deserve,” he said. “If that includes knocking down walls and shaking some foundations, we will do it.”

Chiarello called for unity as TWU Local 100 faces considerable challenges, including contract negotiations that are set to begin later this year. He said he expects MTA Chairman Janno Lieber to try and solve the MTA’s financial problems, including the potential loss of congestion pricing revenues, by squeezing transit workers for concessions.

“Lieber sweet talks the media and appears to be rational,” Chiarello said. “But he’s not. He is the most significant enemy that we in the Local and at the International have had in a long time.”

TWU International President John Samuelsen said: “Congratulations to President Chiarello and new top leadership of Local 100. The focus must immediately be put on fighting back against transit workers’ enemy, MTA CEO Janno Lieber, and the bosses who seek to harm us.”

Chiarello will complete the term vacated by former President Richard Davis, who resigned on Jan. 21. The term ends Dec. 31, 2027.

In other changes made by the Executive Board, Carlos Bernabel is moving from Administrative Vice President to Secretary-Treasurer. Alexander Kemp is moving from TA Surface Division Vice Chair to Administrative Vice President. Shirley Martin remains in her role as Recording Secretary.

Chiarello, 58, started his career with NYC Transit in 2001 as a provisional Car Inspector. He then became a Signal Maintainer and was first elected to the Executive Board in 2002. He became Division Chair of Line Equipment-Signals in 2009 and was elected to that role three times in total. In 2017, Chiarello became Maintenance of Way Vice President and was elected twice. In 2024, he was elected Secretary-Treasurer. John is a lifelong native of Brooklyn, New York and a graduate of Grady Vocational High School.

Carlos Bernabel, 55, started his career as a Bus Operator with Liberty Lines in Westchester County in 1998. He was first elected to union office in 2003 as a depot Recording Secretary. He became Division Chair of Private Operations in 2017 and elected Administrative Vice President in 2024. Born in Dominican Republic, he resides in The Bronx.

Alexander Kemp, 45, started with NYC Transit as a Bus Operator in 2011. He was first elected Local 100 Division Recording Secretary & Executive Board of TA Surface in 2021. Kemp was re-elected to the Executive Board and 1st Division Vice Chair in 2024.

Division Vice Chair Kemp Reveals Why NYC Buses are Slow

FEBRUARY 10 -- “Slow Ride” is an old rock song recorded in 1975. Now it’s also a description used to disparage New York City Bus Operators who are taking the heat for decisions made by Mayor Mike Bloomberg, the MTA, and the DOT – all who have contributed to what the report says are “painfully slow” bus speeds.

A new NYC Independent Budget Office report “blames the slow rides on heavy traffic, too few bus lanes, and inconsistent enforcement of bus lane rules by the DOT.”

New York City Bus Operators know the blame goes a lot deeper.

TA Surface Division Vice Chair Alexander Kemp goes back to 2010 when the stock market crashed and New York City Transit laid off 500 Bus Operators. Those service cuts were never restored.

“New York City Transit used to have 5 minute headways – now they are approximately 15 minutes. And people who are frustrated waiting for service are kept that way by transit supervision, who monitor, adjust, and control on-time performance,” he says. “If a bus is running late, supervision has the ability to speed the bus up to make schedule. But they don’t want to modify or adjust schedules – because this might incur an extra cost -- and people have to wait.”

“There is no shortage of operators who are available for service. NYCT will go on Twitter and say, “your bus is delayed because we’re operating with the resources we have,” but that obscures the reality, which is that we are short on buses. NYC Transit has been forced to put a large order of electric buses on hold because it lacks charging infrastructure.