All News

TWU Friend is the New Prime Minister of Barbados

Mia Mottley, the newly elected Prime Minister of Barbados, is a close personal friend of TWU Local 100 Secretary Treasurer Earl Phillips, who was born and raised in this island paradise. Prime Minister Mottley has, in fact, visited the TWU Local 100 union hall in Brooklyn on two occasions. TWU’s Phillips, who admits “staying up all night waiting for the election results to come in” said he is thrilled with Mottley’s victory.

In a congratulatory letter to the new Prime Minister, Phillips stated: “On behalf of the 44,000 members of the Transport Workers Union Local 100, many of whom trace their ancestry to our beautiful country of Barbados, I wish to congratulate you and the Barbados Labour Party on its sweeping victory in the national elections on May 24, 2018.

“The people of Barbados have given you a tremendous mandate to govern. The vote demonstrates their deep belief in your ability to uplift our economy and deal with pressing infrastructure issues. Back here in New York, we are proud that you are blazing a trail as the first woman Prime Minister of our country. And we are equally proud and confident that you will lead Barbados into a new era of economic and political prosperity.”

Phillips said he has invited Prime Minister Mottley “back to TWU Local 100” on her next visit to the U.S. As her first act as Prime Minister, Mottley announced an emergency plan to deal with the country’s debt.

We Endorse Marisol Alcantara for Re-Election to the State Senate

JUNE 1 – TWU Local 100 officers and rank and file at the Kingsbridge Bus Depot in Upper Manhattan proudly endorsed State Senator Marisol Alcantara (D-Washington Heights/Inwood) for re-election to her State Senate seat. Surrounded by Bus Operators, TWU Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips spoke in support of Senator Alcántara’s union work and her determination to protect workers’ rights of workers. The union had previously endorsed Ms. Alcantara before she won the seat vacated by Adriano Espaillat in 2016.

A former organizer for the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), she has distinguished herself in the State Senate as a worker’s and union advocate, fighting wage theft and supporting better workers’ compensation benefits. She supported all of Local 100’s legislative priorities, including sponsoring a bill that would reduce Tier 6 member contributions to the level of Tier 4.

“The 43,000 members of TWU Local 100 are proud to endorse Senator Marisol Alcantara’s re-election,” said Local 100 President Tony Utano. “She is a champion of of trade unionism and is one of the most outspoken supporters of workers’ rights in the State Senate.”

Senator Alcantara said: “It’s an honor to be endorsed by Transport Workers Union Local 100. These workers maintain our buses and trains, and make our city run, and I couldn’t be more grateful for what they do and to receive their support. Throughout my career and as a New York State Senator, I have fought hard to protect workers' wages, benefits, job conditions and the right to join an union. Together we will continue to raise our voices on behalf of workers' rights and all New Yorkers. I am proud to stand with TWU during my re-election campaign. Together we Progress!”

Zachary Arcidiacono is Sworn In as Train Operators Division Chair

MAY 30 – The Local 100 Executive Board today elevated Zachary Arcidiacono, formerly Vice Chair of B Division (Train Operators) to Division Chair. He was sworn in by President Tony Utano after a vote of 38 in favor and 2 abstaining.

After taking the TWU oath of office, Brother Arcidiacono said: “I would like to thank the Train Operators in RTO for their vote of confidence. I am taking this post to move forward, whatever our differences and in defense of our common interests and to provide administrative continuity. To the extent that there is a gap between RTO and the central leadership, I will endeavor to close that gap, on the basis of mutual respect, and to do my best to fill the shoes of those who came before me.”

TWU Mourns Passing of Political Friend, Herman “Denny” Farrell

TWU Local 100 mourns the passing of retired Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, 86, who devoted a remarkable political career to fighting for fairness in housing, jobs and access to credit and home loans for average New Yorkers.

Local 100 President Tony Utano said that Farrell’s death “is a sad day for all New Yorkers, especially New York’s working class and working poor who looked to him for leadership on a host of issues in Albany.”

“Assemblyman Farrell was a true friend of working families, and he was a tower of integrity and honesty in politics. He will be greatly missed.”

Herman D. Farrell Jr., a Fixture of New York Politics, Dies at 86

Herman D. Farrell Jr., a perennial New York State Democratic assemblyman from Manhattan and one of the last survivors of Harlem's political Old Guard, died on Saturday in a Manhattan hospital. He was 86. The cause was heart failure, his son, Herman D. Farrell III, said.

TWU Local 100 Attends CBTU National Convention

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TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano (center), Recording Secretary Latonya Crisp, Admin. VP Nelson Rivera, VP’s Derick Echevarria, Richard Davis and Shirley Martin, are part of TWU Local 100’s delegation to the 47th International Convention of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists this weekend. Also in attendance for Local 100 is TUF Director Charles Jenkins, who is President of the New York Chapter of CBTU. Others shown include Duvet Williams, Brander White, Harriette Goodridge-Seymour, Brian Brooks, Shawn Graves, Keith Wilkes and Felix Oliva.

A Message from TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano

TWU Pitches in for WW1 Memorial

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As America is set to kick off the summer with the Memorial Day weekend, the TWU Local 100’s Veteran’s Committee is sending a donation to the World War I Centennial Commission to go towards the construction of the World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo here shows TWU Local 100 Veterans Committee Chair and Vice President Joe Costales (left) presenting check to President Tony Utano to be sent in the Union’s name.

The World War I Memorial will be unveiled on Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2018. World War I is the only 20^thcentury war, in which American soldiers fought and died, to not have a memorial in the Nation’s Capital. “Many transit workers fought and died for our freedom in World War I and this donation is made in their memory,” said Utano and Costales in a joint statement. The money contained in the donation was collected a various events sponsored by the Local 100 Veterans Committee.

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TWU Local 100 honors America and our military veterans this Memorial Day week.

Union Pushes for Earned Sick Leave Bill in Westchester

TWU Local 100 joined more than a dozen labor and community groups to demonstrate support for Earned Sick Leave legislation in Westchester County on Monday, May 21st.

More than 50 people - union members, elected union officers, community leaders and activists - packed the steps of the Westchester County government building on Martine Ave. during the spirited White Plains rally.

MTA Staff Analysts Get 2.5% Raise, Benefit Gains in Pact

In a copyrighted story, the Chief's Bob Hennelly reports this week on TWU Local 100's latest contract ratification vote. The MTA's Staff Analysts, who voted to join the Union last year, now have their first contract, which gives retro money, raises and additional benefits including a commuter pass and, for the first time, overtime. This brings the newly organized MTA units, including the Staff Analysts, Computer Specialists, and other titles, to 1200 new union members. Read the story here.

Local 100 President Tony Utano (center) with Secretary Treasure Earl Phillips, Administrative Vice President Nelson Rivera, RTO Vice President Joe Costales, Conductor/Tower Division Chair Crystal Young and RTO members stand in front of the new union office at Stillwell Avenue crewroom.

Local 100 Opens Union Office at Stillwell

Local 100 President Tony Utano was on hand to open a first-ever union office at the Stillwell Avenue RTO crewroom, the busiest in the system. Utano said that a union officer would be available on a rotating schedule for both AM and PM shifts. A business schedule will be posted in the crewroom for the membership’s convenience. The union will also set times when a pension and/or health benefit expert would be available on site to provide those services.

The office will be outfitted with a computer to access records and other pertinent information, and will have business forms available for a variety of union functions. Utano said that he is considering similar union outreach at other facilities. “We are going to monitor traffic at the office to see if the members use this service. If it proves popular, we’ll expand the program,” he said.