Family Day 2025 Conquers Coney Island

JUNE 7 – Bright spirits made for a relaxing and fun-filled Family Day at Maimonides Park in Coney Island as Local 100 hosted thousands of transit workers and their guests on a cloudy Saturday.

Addressing the crowd, TWU Local 100 President John Chiarello said, “This is what’s it’s all about. This is your day with your family – you earned it – and the Union delivered it.”

Major food vendors kept stomachs satisfied throughout the 7-hour event. Charles Pan Fried, preparing soul food, had the largest set of grills and trucks. Then there were Clemente’s, an Italian caterer, and a Jamaican Jerk stand.

Spanish food rounded out the offerings, not to detract from the individual Departmental barbecues which cropped up around the park. Ice cream trucks with never-ending supplies of cones and pops kept sweet tooths occupied.

A plus this year was that the stadium generally used by the Brooklyn Cyclones was set aside for a kids playland, where little ones could play in a secure area while their parents enjoyed the union’s refreshments and the society of their friends and co-workers.

When an hour’s worth of rain blew in around 2pm we were ready with thousands of ponchos so members could keep partying.

Sports greats Brian Mullen of the NY Rangers, who spent 11 years in the NHL, and Knicks legend Larry Johnson posed for photos with members and kids. Both men signed a basketball which they presented to TWU Local 100 President John Chiarello.

Events Coordinator Jessica Mack said that all 10,000 Maimonides Park themed gift bags were snapped up, with the Union issuing 10,000 wristbands until they ran out. 750 separate half-price tickets to the Luna Park rides in adjacent Coney Island – all the park could provide – went quickly.

International President John Samuelsen, who grew up in Southern Brooklyn, brought the crowd’s attention to the upcoming contract fight. “These are uncertain times,” he said, “and the only thing that standing between Local 100 members and trouble is unity in the face of Janno Lieber and the MTA. This is a moment when we must be absolutely unified and ready to fight.”

But this was not a day for fighting. It was a day for celebrating what we have won – an unbroken record of delivering a better life that stretches from when Mike Quill was able to give transit workers their first vacations to where we stand today.