Leadership Discusses Record-High $870 Million Contract With Members Across the Transit System

PRESIDENT DAVIS HAS BEEN BARNSTORMING THE BUS AND SUBWAY SYSTEM, talking about the tentative contract with members at more than 100 work locations across all departments.

In just the last two days, Davis and other officers shopgated at the Cozine Ironworker shop in Brooklyn; the Structures quarters at the West 4th St. subway complex in Manhattan; the Grand Ave. Bus Depot/Central Maintenance Facility in Queens; the Quay St. Mobile Wash facility, also in Brooklyn; and the new RTO facility at 138th St. and 3rd Ave. in the Bronx. “We committed that there would be no concessions, no givebacks, and that’s exactly where we ended up,” Davis, joined by Secretary-Treasurer John Chiarello, said to the MOW workers at West 4th St. Thursday morning. “We paid for nothing in this contract out of the members’ money.”

MTA negotiators began the contract talks by saying the Authority only budgeted for 2% annual raises – and would only improve benefits if transit workers generated savings to pay for them, Davis said. The MTA’s demands included doubling paycheck deductions for healthcare from 2% to 4%; limiting overtime to after 40 hours worked, instead of 8 hours; running trains without Conductors (OPTO) and reducing vacation schedules for new hires.

Local 100 refused to budge. After all, the MTA received a financial bailout from the state Legislature and Gov. Hochul in part because of Local 100’s lobbying efforts, Davis said. “We walked the halls of to Albany, visited with Gov. Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and other Legislative leaders, to make sure they sent money down to the transit system, which they did,” Davis said.

After the West 4th St. shopgate, Davis headed to Corzine shop and other locations where he was joined by Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp, Administrative VP Lynwood Whichard, and other officers. Here are some of the other points being made at the shopgates:

Medical Coverage for Medicare Eligible Retirees Improving.
Coverage is being improved, not diminished, said Davis, whose father is a retired transit worker. Retirees will be able to keep using their current doctors, and coverage will be available in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The TWU Local 100 Enhanced Retirement Program, which has two options, is superior to the new city plan, which does not have nationwide coverage and is loaded with co-pays and deductibles our retirees can avoid.

Maternity/Paternity Leave
Fully paid maternity leave is rising from 2 weeks to 12 weeks. Paternity leave doubling from 2 weeks to four weeks. The NY State Paid Family Leave program offers paternity and maternity leave, but you must pay into it. It’s now $400 a year but can go up annually. Participants only receive 67% of their average salary with a maximum weekly payout of $1,131. Medical insurance for Covid families. The MTA recently halted medical insurance coverage for the widows and children of members who died after contracting Covid-19. The tentative contract restores coverage and continues for the next three years.

“We wanted to make sure didn’t forget those who passed away here, so we covered their children and spouses,” Davis said.

Improved Dental
The contract requires the MTA to provide $4 per member per month – nearly $2 million a year – for improved dental and vision care. Davis plans on directing most of those funds towards dental improvements.