All News

Heat Advisory--Taking Care of Yourself

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MAY 19, 2026—It's not even summer yet, but we're already feeling the scorching heat.

Your union advises you follow the following guidance to stay safe as temperatures rise:

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water

• Cool down in designated work areas and break rooms with air conditioning

• Ensure ventilation to bring in clean air and take out hot air

• Make adequate water supplies part of your daily workplace inspection.

A Message from President Chiarello on Our Contract Expiration

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MAY 15, 2026

Brothers and Sisters,

Our contract with the MTA is set to expire at midnight.

Also at midnight, after several years of negotiation as well as mediation from the federal government, a coalition of Long Island Rail Road unions is poised to go out on strike. We support them.

Make no mistake—when it comes to prolonged contract talks, labor unrest, or a potential strike, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber is squarely to blame. He has caused this situation thanks to his ego and his obsession with union givebacks.

I’m here to tell you now that your TWU leadership team is laser focused on securing a fair and equitable contract.

We have been bargaining with the MTA for over a month, making a strong case for the things that we deserve. That means we’re weighing every option very carefully to settle this contract in the best interests of our members while protecting the union as a whole.

With our experienced leadership team, support from our International and its President John Samuelsen, our political might, and most importantly you, our membership, in our corner, I am confident we will reach a favorable outcome to these negotiations.

With that said, we must be prepared for anything, and rule out nothing.

We will keep you informed on all the relevant updates as this process continues.

Thank you, stay strong, keep the faith, and God bless the union.

Relatives of Local 100 Members Win Big in Annual TWU Scholarship Drawing--Deadline for M3's is May 31

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MAY 14, 2026—Among 32 winners who were awarded scholarships through TWU of America’s annual drawing, 12 of the lucky recipients were relatives of Local 100 members, the international union announced last Friday.

The winners were randomly selected for the monetary awards, receiving a combined $112,000 to help pay for college. The largest of the five funds is the Michael J. Quill Scholarship, named for TWU’s founder.

“Every little bit of money helps when you’re trying to put your kid through college,” said Tawana Hutchinson, an Associate Staff Analyst for MaBSTOA.

Her daughter, Karen, is a Michael J. Quill Scholarship winner and will be awarded $4,800 over the course of four years. Karen will be attending CUNY City College in the fall in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

“This scholarship absolutely relieves the pressure and makes all of her hard work worthwhile,” said Hutchinson.

Impromptu Inspections Reveal Unsafe Buses

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MAY 13, 2026—Early Tuesday and Wednesday morning, spot safety inspections were conducted by TWU Local 100 at bus depots across Brooklyn and Queens, revealing that hundreds of MTA buses scheduled to service riders were unsafe.

Local 100 VPs, Division Chairs, members of the Safety Team and others fanned out to the depots, pulling the buses found unfit for the road out of service.

“Between yesterday and today hundreds of buses were found with defects that prevented them from safely going out on runs and performing passenger service,” said Alexander Kemp, Administrative Vice President of Local 100 and a Bus Operator by trade.

TWU Local 100 to Janno: We're Not Playing Around

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MAY 13, 2026—Today’s Daily News has a message especially for MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber: this isn’t a game.

As TWU Local 100 members, we take our jobs seriously. We are just as serious about negotiating the fair contract we deserve.

Stop playing around and let's get this done.

Local 100 Brings Contract Fight to House of Pain on May Day

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MAY 4, 2026—Just over two weeks before the collective bargaining agreement that covers more than 40,000 MTA workers expires, thousands of TWU Local 100 members flooded the streets Friday outside of MTA Headquarters at 2 Broadway, unified under one demand: a fair contract.

Accompanied by Scabby the Rat wearing a Janno Lieber mask, the Top 11 officers took to a stage outside Bowling Green Park to emphasize collective struggle amidst contract negotiations, standing shoulder to shoulder with leaders from other MTA-affiliated unions, including ATU, TWU Local 106, as well as SMART Transportation Division and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represent workers from the Long Island Rail Road.

Spirits remained high during the two-hour rally, and the solidarity among unions sent a clear message: we are more united than ever, and we have each other’s backs.

“Janno doesn’t have to worry about safety or fighting for dignity at his workplace or being treated fairly,” said President John Chiarello. “But he is the one who makes those decisions for you.”

Attacker of MTA Bus Operator Arraigned in Westchester

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APRIL 30, 2026—Officers and members of TWU Local 100 gathered at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains Thursday to show support for our union brother Johnny Rodriguez, an MTA Bus Operator who was brutally attacked by Thywill Anasu on April 4, leaving him hospitalized for over a week with brain bleeds.

In a press conference after the arraignment, President John V. Chiarello demanded that the maximum sentence be given to the suspect for the grievous nature of Rodriguez’s injuries, including the two brain bleeds, a concussion and neck, shoulder and back injuries.

“We expect justice to be served, and I want to thank DA Susan Cacace because justice needs to be served and that’s why we’re here,” said Chiarello. “You see all of my members here from Local 100, this isn’t an accident. When they hurt one of us, they hurt all of us, and we’re going to make sure that they pay that price.”

Management Gives Demands for Contract

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APRIL 29, 2026—In a bargaining session Wednesday afternoon, it was the MTA's turn to hand over their main table contract demands, and as usual, they are going to try and extract a high number of concessions.

Some of them are financial, like a proposal that would more than double of the cost of health insurance contributions, another to change the prescription drug plan to cap costs to the agency, and one to reduce premium pay on an RDO by changing the overtime eligibility requirement from three worked days to four.

There is another proposal to "discourage excessive reliance on ER visits" by raising the co-pay for those seeking emergency care, including those whose tours create schedules that make visiting doctors or urgent cares difficult if not impossible.

Union Mourns Dead, Honors Families on Workers Memorial Day

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APRIL 28, 2026—In honor of Worker’s Memorial Day, Local 100 held a luncheon and ceremony Tuesday to honor the families of members who died in the line of duty and from COVID-19 at the union hall.

The event space, adorned in black and purple bunting, hosted the crowd of over 100, and the day's theme was “Remember the dead and fight for the living,” a phrase commonly attributed to activist Mother Jones. The families of members we lost were given bouquets of flowers to mark the occasion, standing side by side in unity as one transit family. The moment moved many to tears.

“We haven’t had turnout for this event this high in years,” said President John V. Chiarello. “Your attendance here shows that the memories of your loved ones are not forgotten. The grieving process is not easy, so let’s promise to make the world a better place—we really need it.”

Collective Bargaining and Departmental Demands for the Next Contract

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APRIL 28, 2026—As bargaining for our next contract is underway, we're taking a closer look at collective bargaining, the legal process where a labor union and an employer negotiate a contract that covers the terms and conditions of employment.

How do we get a good contract?

We need to build our bargaining strength. Bargaining strength is the ability to achieve our bargaining goals and strengthen our contract. It comes from our solidarity, our determination and willingness to stick together. Taking action to show the boss we support our bargaining committee will send a message that we are not satisfied with the status quo or the boss’ demands. When management sees that we are united, it puts us in a stronger position at the bargaining table.

What happens in negotiations?

Negotiations take place at the bargaining table where representatives from the union and management come together to put forth and discuss proposals. We continue to negotiate. Both sides caucus (meet separately), make counteroffers, test out ideas, and look for ways to bridge differences. For most Local 100 members, there are main table negotiations, departmental negotiations, and special committee negotiations (Health and Safety, Grievance and Discipline, etc.). The union and management have certain mutual interests: both want the company to prosper and grow. But the union and management may differ on issues such as economic improvements, healthcare, and job security. The goal is to reach an agreement that will be mutually acceptable and beneficial to the company and to the union’s membership.

What kind of proposals are discussed in negotiations?

1. Main table discussions contain proposals such as wages, benefits, and healthcare, as well as support departmental proposals. Click here to see our main table demands.

2. Departmental negotiations consist of issues specific to each of the 16 divisions. They may include non-economic items such as breaks, picks, work rules, AVAs, promotional paths, overall morale boosting initiatives, and representative improvements, etc. Click here to see the demands for all divisions.