Jimmy Willis campaigning on the morning of 9/11

Union Mourns Conductor Jimmy Willis, 59, WTC Responder and Special Assistant to the President

The Local 100 union family is mourning the untimely death of retired Conductor Jimmy Willis, who may be the first transit worker to suffer a service-related death resulting from the World Trade Center disaster. His wife of 15 years, Christy, reported that Jimmy had a fatal heart attack on Tuesday, June 24^th. She posted on Facebook: “He was the most wonderful man and my soul mate. I am kinda lost at the moment but I am so thankful for my daughters who are helping me manage.” TWU Director of the Training and Upgrading Fund Hector Ramirez, who worked closely with Willis in the aftermath of the WTC disaster, called him “passionate, relentless, always working for the members.”

Jimmy had 18 years of service to New York City Transit when he retired. He was a former President of the NYC Transit Emerald Society and also served as the union’s coordinator for heritage events.

His greatest contribution to Local 100 came after the WTC attack. He had spent the morning of September 11^th in Astoria, campaigning with the union’s political action team for City Council candidate Arthur Cheliotes. The next day, he headed to Ground Zero to render whatever help he could and to help in the search for his cousins, Firefighter Michael Roberts of Ladder 35, and FDNY Chief of the Special Operations Command, Ray Downey. He later told the Local 100 Express: “I had hope on Wednesday night, but when I went back Friday, it looked like the gates of hell, like Dresden or Hiroshima, and I thought, I’m not going to see my cousins again.”

Espaillat, with City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, refuses to concede in Hamilton Heights

Espaillat, Not Conceding, Facing Uphill Fight to Count Absentee Ballots

After the polls closed last night in Hamilton Heights, State Senator Adriano Espaillat gave a defiant speech saying he would not concede to longtime Congressman Charles Rangel until all the ballots were counted. The New York Times reported: "With 100 percent of precincts reporting after 1 a.m., Mr. Rangel led by just over 1,800 votes, or 47.4 percent to 43.6 percent." But there are 2,834 absentee ballots outstanding, which still must be counted. Unlikely as a reversal would be, those ballots could still swing the race for Espaillat. TWU Local 100's Political Action Committee helped shave Rangel's victory margin. The smart money had Rangel up by ten points in late polling, but his final percentage spread over Espaillat was less than half that.

The Union's PAC team phonebanked our members heavily and distributed over 20,000 pieces of literature. We estimated that phone calls alone added 300 votes to Espaillat's total, which only counts direct conversations with members. Messages left and literature distributed likely brought in hundreds more. TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen and Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips campaigned with Espaillat, and Brother Philllips was present at the 809 Restaurant on Dyckman Street in Hamilton Heights where supporters gathered to await the outcome of the vote. Local 100 pushed Mr. Espaillat's record in defending mass transit against cuts and supporting union jobs as our main argument for why he should succeed Rangel in Congress.

NLRB Moving on TWU's Petition for Representation at NYC Bike Share

Last Friday, June 20, TWU Local 100 presented 85 cards signed by employees of the New York City Bike Share (aka Citibike) for union representation to the National Labor Relations Board. Several days earlier, a delegation of 25 workers walked into the boss's office and asked that management voluntarily recognize our union as their representative. When management didn’t respond (claiming they didn’t have the authority locally to do so), we filed with the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB acted quickly, scheduling a conference for this week and a hearing this coming Friday. TWU Local 100’s objective is to quickly schedule a representation election – in which the members of NYC Bike Share will have a chance to cast ballots for or against representation by the TWU. We’re confident that representation by Local 100 – the largest transit union in New York State – will give workers at NYC Bike Share the tools to successfully achieve better wages and working conditions, while strengthening the Bike Share program in New York City. The NYC Bike Share is a valuable and environmentally beneficial mass-transit alternative, and we are looking forward to supporting everyone who works for NYC Bike Share as members of TWU Local 100.

$469K in past medical claims won for members

When the TA moved our health coverage from GHI to Empire in 2011, our contract said they had to keep our benefits the same or better. But, some parts of our coverage were not the same. One by one, Local 100 has been fighting to ensure our full benefits are maintained — and we’re winning.

An important win is coverage for clinic visits. We  had always been covered for care in a hospital clinic. Under Empire, however, claims for clinic visits had been denied.

As a result of a contract grievance brought last year by Local 100, the  TA has instructed Empire to cover services provided at clinics and to reprocess all previous claims which were previously denied for this reason. They have also provided the Union with a full report.

The bottom line? 655 members have been saved bills totaling $469 thousand. Did you have a claim for clinic service denied by Empire BC/BS? If so, has it been reprocessed and covered by Empire? If not, contact the Union’s Member Services Department at 347-643-8065.

Need NYCT/MaBSTOA Test Prep? TUF's the Place to Go

Did you know? The TWU Local 100/NYCT Training & Upgrading Fund prepares union members for upcoming civil service exams for jobs at NYCT and MaBSTOA. If there are at least ten members interested, TUF will organize a test prep class for your upcoming exam. Test prep will generally take place at the union hall at 195 Montague Street, 4th floor, but some will also happen off-site. If you're studying or want to prepare for an upcoming NYCT/MaBSTOA exam, contact TUF through its website or call TUF at 718-780-8700.

In court before the brief hearing, (l-r), standing, William Pena's widow, Nancy Rodriguez, MTA CTO Stephen Vidal, OA VP Brian Clarke, and OA Div 1 Chair Richard Davis

Pena Court Date Postponed to July 14; Transit Workers Frustrated by Slow Pace of Prosecution

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 -- TWU members showed up in force to Part 32 of New York County Criminal Court only to find yet another delay in the Peoples' case against Dominic Whilby, who killed Bus Operator William Pena in the early morning hours of February 12th when he drove a delivery truck into Pena's M14 crosstown bus.

TWU Local 100 Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp Sauray expressed the union's anger at the slow pace of the proceedings to the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the case. In a conversation with Sister Crisp-Sauray and OA Division 1 Chair Richard Davis, the ADA said that he expected matters to be sorted out by the next court date, July 14th. He also said that there were questions as to whether Whilby's crime would bear the weight of his most serious charge -- murder in the second degree. If the court determined that the evidence does not support that charge, in that Whilby did not intend to kill Pena when he drove his truck in a drunken stupor into the bus, the lead count would be aggravated vehicular manslaughter, which carries with it a sentence of between eight and two thirds and 20 years in jail.

There are multiple additional charges pending against Whilby as well, along with a civil suit which seeks damages from the adults and establishments which contributed to the drunken joyride that ended William Pena's life. Brother Davis told the District Attorney's office that both the union and management are united in seeking the harshest penalty and a swift prosecution for Pena's killer. The MTA sent Stephen Vidal, the Authority's Chief Transportation Officer (CTO) to the court hearing. Like the many TWU officers and rank and file who showed up, Vidal waited in court until Judge Gregory Carro granted the request for postponement until July 14 and then left the courtroom.

Retail Politics in El Barrio as Samuelsen Campaigns with Adriano Espaillat

SATURDAY, JUNE 14 -- TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen and Sec-Treasurer Earl Phillips campaigned today with transit workers and unionists from RWDSU and LIUNA Local 78 to support State Senator Adriano Espaillat in his run for Congress. Espaillat, who has always been front and center for transit workers, faces longtime Harlem power broker Charlie Rangel in the Democratic Primary on June 24th. We're mobilizing our 1,800 members in New York's 13th Congressional District to get out and vote. TWU Local 100 has set up a storefront office for Espaillat at 118th Street and First Avenue. All members are asked to check in and volunteer. If elected, Espaillat will be a major advocate for more mass transit funding on Capitol Hill.

In Photos: 2014 National Puerto Rican Day Parade

Backed by a large float with a powerful DJ, TWU Local 100 marched up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan’s largest parade celebrating Puerto Rican Day. Director of Grievance & Discipline Richie Rivera waved to the crowd along with TUF Director Hector Ramirez, both of Puerto Rican descent. Great food was provided for members before the parade began by Liz Wilson of the TWU Women’s Committee, along with RTO Officer Erica Guerrido and Nancy Martinez of CED. Enjoy the slide show!

2014 Family Day in Photos

Enjoy these photos from TWU Local 100’s annual Family Day – our third outing at MCU Park in Coney Island. On June 7, former Mets Pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden was on hand to share the fun, as well as our own International President Harry Lombardo along with Local 100 top officers and of course, thousands of the rank and file. Food, beverages, barbecue, baseball, and good times for all! See you next year!

Maureen Hall Passes

Local TWU Local 100 regrets to announce the passing of Maureen Hall, 82, beloved wife of retired Local 100 and International President Sonny Hall, on June 6, 2014.  They were high school sweethearts and were married 62 years.

Arrangements for Mrs. Hall are as follows:

Wake
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home
6110 RIveradale Ave.
Bronx, NY 10471
(718) 884-6100

Funeral Mass
Thursday, June 12, 2014
10:45 a.m.
St. Margaret of Cortona Church
6000 Riverdale Avenue (next to the funeral home).

Burial at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made In Maureen’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project.
 

Contract Implementation Moves Forward

The Contract Implementation Committee, led by Vice President Tony Utano and Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, met with representatives of MTA Labor Relations and the BSC on Thursday, June 5. They report the following progress in putting our new contract terms into effect:

The wage increases will go into effect for the payroll period resulting in paychecks on July 2 for the OA and July 3 for the TA.

Retro payments will be delivered to active members on August 27 for OA and August 28 for TA.

Members will be able to opt to defer up to 80% of the retro money into their 401(k)/457 accounts. Target dates for the process are as follows:
• June 20: BSC mails Retro Election Forms to members
• July 11: deadline for members to return Retro Election Forms
If you have direct deposit, the retro money not deferred will go into your account like any other pay.  Inactive members will receive their Retro Check approximately two payroll periods later.
 

Brother Jenkins is at far right in a white suit.

Local 100's Charles Jenkins Elected to Exec Board of CBTU

Delegates to the 43rd annual International Convention of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) elected TWU Local 100 officer Charles Jenkins, who also heads the New York City Chapter to CBTU, to the body's International Executive Committee. The TWU's delegation to the CBTU convention in Atlanta also included other activists from TWU Locals 100 and 101. The International Union was represented by TWU International Adminstrative Vice President John Bland, who is also a CBTU President in Houston, Texas. TWU members at the CBTU pushed through a resolution supporting mass transit and also gave a workshop on the problem of assaults against transit workers. CBTU is the nation's oldest African-American labor organization. It represents trade unionists from seventy-seven international and national unions with forty two chapters across the country. CBTU struggles to build a national movement for economic, political and social justice for every American.

NYC Bike Share Workers Rally for Union Representation by TWU Local 100

The riding public doesn't just sit on their duffs on subways and buses. Over 100,000 New Yorkers are members of NYC BikeShare, also called Citibike, for its corporate sponsor. They've made 7 million trips in the one year since NYC Bike Share rolled out its docking stations and bikes with blue corporate decals. The program works because of the over 120 men and women who serve as mechanics, drivers, customer service people, and "re-balancers," day in and day out. These workers love Bike Share and want to make it better. Three dozen of them rallied on Memorial Day, the one-year anniversary of the program, to declare they're union ready. They believe that they would be taking a big step towards making NYC Bike Share better by becoming members of NYC's largest transit union, TWU Local 100. Unionization, they believe, would give them what they most want -- a seat at the table and a part in discussions about day-to-day operations. They also want input into such questions as the assignment of overtime, the use of private non-staff contractors within the company, and part-time vs. full-time employment. TWU Local 100 wants NYC Bike Share to succeed, because it's an important part of progressive mass-transit solutions to the problem of how to get around in New York in an environmentally responsible way that also benefits the user through exercise. We welcome NYC Bike Share workers into our Union and say -- if you haven't done so already, sign a union card. Let's see how far we can go together.

A Memorial Day Message from President Samuelsen

Monday May 26, 2014 is Memorial Day, the day set aside each year to commemorate the service and sacrifices of our proud veterans, some of them TWU veterans, who died while on active service to our country.
Many of our work locations from 370 Jay Street to barns, depots and stations have memorials to those who died in World War I and World War II.
Memorial Day is commemorated by various services throughout the country, including the placing flowers and Flags on the graves of deceased Veterans. All over the world the graves of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines will be honored on this occasion, lest we forget their honor and bravery.
We hope that you all enjoy this holiday, but let us never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

Sons of Italy Fete Int'l President Lombardo

On May 22, the Order Sons of Italy, the largest and oldest Italian-American fraternal organization in the U.S., presented TWU International President Harry Lombardo with its Humanitarian Award. (Photo: President Lombardo & family members)

Congratulations, Harry!