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Local 100, MTA Bus Sign Historic Consolidation Agreement

Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the MTA Bus Company have completed the historic consolidation of the collective bargaining agreement, unifying the contractual provisions at all six Local 100/MTA Bus locations. This precedent setting agreement brings together the terms and conditions previously reached, including the two Impasse Awards and two MoU’s since the takeover of the former private bus companies more than a decade ago.

“With the publication of this agreement, Local 100 members at MTA Bus now have a single document that covers their substantially improved working conditions,” said President Tony Utano. The newly published document also includes a Sick Leave cash out pilot program modeled after the OA/TA Agreement.

Click here to download the full agreement.

Jolly Eapen Retires; Samuel Ponnolil Appointed to Exec Board

Longtime Chair of Jerome Barn Jolly Eapen has retired from NYCT, making him ineligible to continue as a member of the Local 100 Executive Board. He was honored with a retirement cake at the last meeting of the Executive Board. The Board then voted to appoint Car Inspector Samuel Ponnolil to the Executive Board to fill the vacancy, with President Tony Utano swearing him in. Congratulations, Jolly, on a great career with NYCT and TWU Local 100 and every good wish for your retirement.

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Local 100 President Tony Utano (left) and company Vice President Tony Murgo shake after settling the proposed 5-year contract.

Union Scores 5-Year Contract for STA School Bus Members

TWU Local 100 negotiators brought home a hard-fought five-year contract for 150 members at Student Transportation of America, Inc. (STA Greenwich) that features annual wage increases, important new guarantees on daily and weekly pay, and a host of benefit improvements. The agreement was reached on Nov. 15, 2018 after months of negotiations. Local 100 President Tony Utano joined the talks in the final hours in an effort to conclude the agreement.
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President Utano praised the union committee for its “steadfast” efforts in reaching a negotiated settlement, including School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi, Mary Pryce, Jamille Aine, John Zelinsky, Director of Organizing Frank McCann, and union attorney, Edward Kennedy. The proposed settlement increases pay by 3 percent in each year of the 5-year package. The first increase is retroactive to July 1, 2018. The compounding factor brings the actual total increase to nearly16 percent.

On guarantees – one of the primary focuses of the negotiations – Drivers and Monitors will now be paid their weekly picked run hours from the first scheduled day of school to the last actual day of school including all intervening school holidays, closures, scheduled or unscheduled vacations, unless the employee absents him/herself from work. The daily hourly guarantee goes from 5 hours per day to 5.3 hours per day (26.5 per week) in the 4th year of the agreement, and to 5.5 hours a day (27.5 weekly) in the 5th year of the contract. Currently, Drivers earn $29.16 per hour and Monitors earn $17.00 per hour. For the eight Spare Drivers and Monitors (a picked job), there will be an immediate increase in the guaranteed minimum hours to 7 hours per day or 35 hours per week.

The negotiating committee won increases in the Life Insurance Benefit for all employees, regardless of service time; a hike in the company matching contribution to a worker’s 401(k) plan, and an increase in the employer cap to both single and dependent health care coverage. Finally, the committee scored wins on years-of-service bonuses for all workers, and safety bonuses for Monitors. The package will be presented to the Local 100 Executive Board for approval and then be presented to the membership for ratification.

Photo: The union negotiating committee, from the left, include John Zelinsky, Jamille Aine, School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi, Local 100 President Tony Utano and Mary Pryce.

Utano Fires Back

In a scathing Letter to The Editor of the New York Post, TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano blasted a right-wing policy analyst for claiming subway riders don’t need conductors on board.

Utano’s letter – which was published in Sunday, Nov. 11th edition of the tabloid – was in response to an opinion piece that appeared in The Post five days earlier. This is what Utano wrote:

"Transit workers know garbage when they see it: We haul 40 tons of it from the subway every day. “The cure for New York’s ailing transit system,” an op-ed in The Post on Nov. 6, is exactly that: garbage (Connor Harris, PostOpinion). Harris, of the right-wing Manhattan Institute, wrote that compared to systems in cities like London, the MTA’s labor costs are too high. Harris doesn’t bother to explain the Underground closes at midnight. Yes, providing service is more expensive than suspending it.

Harris also recklessly claims conductors are “obsolete.” Really? Conductor Kevin Bartsch performed CPR on a rider who went into cardiac arrest, saving his life. Conductor Warren Cox prevented a distraught woman, who was holding a child, from jumping in front of a train. Conductor Benjamin Schaeffer evacuated his train after a deranged man poured gasoline on the floor.

Transit workers provide valuable service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s the truth, not trash." -- Tony Utano, President of Transport Workers Union Local 100, Brooklyn, NY.

Cuomo's Team Cruises to Victory, as TWU Builds Political Clout

TWU Local 100 got behind Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, and Attorney General Tish James from the start –and stayed with them until each crossed the finish line in yesterday's general election.

President Tony Utano enjoys close relationships with New York's top elected leaders, building on close ties forged by the TWU over the years. "This union has been stalwart in supporting Andrew Cuomo, Tom DiNapoli, and Tish James," Utano said. "They understand our need for good contracts."

The Union's political action operation put money and resources into the primary fights, where Tish James had a tough race which saw her down in the polls. She prevailed, with President Utano personally campaigning for her in Brooklyn. Attorney General James has been in the trenches with transit workers for over a decade, building on her time as a City Councilwoman and Public Advocate. She has attended numerous TWU events, as has Tom DiNapoli, keynote speaker at this year's Italian American Day event, who pledged that state budgets "would not be balanced on the backs of transit workers."

Governor Cuomo, instrumental in funding last year's Subway Action Plan and ongoing intiaitives to modernize the subway system, has also marched with the Union and has been a powerful advocate for civil service workers and union members. In particular, he did much to blunt the dangerous fallout from the Janus v. AFSCME decision in the Supreme Court. All three political leaders are big winners today –a fact of which our 45,000 members can be proud.

We Celebrate Indian Heritage

NOVEMBER 4 -- The union's top leadership turned out with hundreds of rank and file members and guests to our 13th annual celebration of transit workers' Indian heritage. With great performances in dance and song, and a fabulous buffet of Indian cuisine, the evening was enjoyed by all. President Utano lit the ceremonial candle to honor the Diwali holiday and gave keynote remarks as did Indian-American community activist Harry Singh. We were also joined by a longtime friend of the TWU, newly elected State Senator John Liu. Enjoy the photos and videos of this great event!

Local Sponsors Training for MTA Bus, Big Bus Reps

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Local 100 President Tony Utano (center, blue shirt) dropped by to congratulate reps and shop stewards from MTA Bus and Big Bus, for completing the union’s training program for grievance handling. Frank McCann, Jr. (left). Director of Organizing, and instructor Robert Wechsler (right) are shown with the group.

Local 100 Negotiates National Interim Grievance Agreement With Big Bus Tours

Local 100 President Tony Utano and Big Bus Executive Vice President Julia Conway signed an interim agreement on grievance procedures for Big Bus workers in Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Chicago while contract talks between TWU and the company continue.

Big Bus workers in New York and Washington, DC have ratified TWU contracts. Talks with the company for workers in the four other cities are progressing. The interim agreement on grievances is a major show of good faith by the company.

Director of Organizing Frank McCann and Organizer Karla Kozak were present for the signing of the agreement.

Elevator Positions are Saved

An Announcement from Transport Workers Union Local 100

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 – The Transit Authority has agreed not to proceed with two proposed budget cuts that would have directly impacted subway riders and station staff: the elimination of elevator operators at five deep-cavern stations in Washington Heights, and the closure of subway station booths in the system. This breakthrough came as a result of extensive discussions between Local 100 President Tony Utano and NYC Transit President Andy Byford.

TWU Stations Vice President Derick Echevarria, along with other Local 100 officers and members, also have been leafleting riders and urging them to tell the MTA to shelve these cuts, which were included in the preliminary 2019 budget. “This is a great outcome that both riders and workers wanted to see,” Echevarria said. “It wasn’t an easy process but this is the right result. The presence of transit workers gives riders a sense of safety and security. We are the ‘eyes and ears’ and provide valuable customer service.”

The Washington Heights stations where elevator operators will now remain are: 168thSt., 181stSt. and 190thSt. on the A line, and 181stSt. and 191stSt. on the No. 1 line. These are unique deep-cavern stations. The 191stSt. station is 180 feet below street level and the deepest in the subway station. Riders overwhelmingly have said that the presence of transit workers gives them a sense of safety and security.

Read the Daily News story on the reversal of the cuts

MTA ditches proposal to do away with subway booths, elevator operators - NY Daily News

The MTA won't go through with a proposal to close several subway booths and do away with 75 station agent positions, after the idea got pushback from workers and riders worried about safety.

Italian Night at the Union Hall Features NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25 -- Tom DiNapoli, sole Trustee of New York State's pension fund, joined TWU Local 100 leadership and rank and file members to celebrate the Italian heritage of transit workers. In a keynote address, DiNapoli vowed that the MTA's budget would not be balanced on the backs of transit workers. He was given a plaque by the Union. President Utano, the first Italian-American President of our Union, warmly welcomed transit rank and file to the event, introducing his family and first grandchild, Nina Fay. Union leadership at the event included our top four officers and most of our Vice Presidents, including newly elected VP of Maintenance of Way John V. Chiarello, who introduced Brother Utano. Enjoy the pix!