MTA Issues New COVID-19 Return to Duty and Travel Directives

NOVEMBER 5 -- the MTA has issued new directives for return to duty protocols and travel directives. You can read them here.

MTA Expands COVID Testing Sites

Your union told the MTA that the number of subway locations for COVID-19 testing and screening was insufficient. The authority has agreed to add several new sites to the schedule, including: the Stillwell Ave. complex in Brooklyn, the Wakefield station at the northern end of the No. 2 Line (East 241st St. & White Plains Rd) in the Bronx, the Rail Control Center in Manhattan, and 130 Livingston St., Brooklyn. 
 
Testing will also take place at one of the Church Ave. subway stations on a line the MTA has not yet designated.
 
The MTA's current schedule for November can be found through the MTA employe portal and this link.
 
Getting the MTA to test and screen thousands of Local 100 members a week for COVID-19 was a top priority for TWU Local 100. Experts agree this will help identify and quarantine members who are sick but not showing symptoms, and help defend against the infectious virus. Take advantage of this program. Get Tested! 
 
Don't wait. If testing is not currently scheduled at your work location in the very near future, go to one of the 52 Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care centers in the region. They are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. For more information, visit:  http://Gohealthuc.com/nyc

 

Stations Mourns S/A Ghayasuddin Patel, Lost to COVID-19

The Stations Department is mourning the loss of Station Agent Ghayasuddin Patel to COVID-19.

A veteran transit worker with 15 years of service, Agent Patel is survived by his wife and an adult son. He worked nights at the 18th Ave. station on the F Line in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

“The entire department is saddened,” Vice President Robert Kelley said. “We lost another good union brother to this virus. Our hearts are heavy. He will be missed by many.” Division Vice Chair Saim Montakim said Agent Patel was always willing to lend a hand or give advice to his fellow union members. "He was a very gentle, polite man,” Montakim said. “He was very good to his co-workers.”

New: Union Flyers on COVID-19 to Download and Distribute - Just click to download

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RTO Mourns the Loss of Conductor Donald Duvert, 39

The Union is mourning the untimely death of Conductor Donald Duvert, 39. On Saturday, October 24th, Conductor Duvert was working at Euclid Ave. on the “C” line when he fell ill and passed away. He was rushed to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

His sister, Marcy, remembers him to us: Born in Brooklyn, Brother Duvert resided in Valley Stream, NY. He joined the Transit Authority as a Conductor in 2018, and was assigned to Subdivision “B”. He loved his dog “Chichi”, and enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved boxing, basketball, nice cars and most importantly his family. Brother Duvert is survived by four siblings Dabir, Marc, Marcy, Chrishell, four nieces - Eboni, Elicia, Kayla, Khloe, and his parents, Pierre Duvert and Emmanuella Antoine. He will be truly missed.

RTO Vice President Eric Loegel expressed his condolences: "This is another sad and tragic loss for the Department and the Union. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brother Duvert, and wish them peace and comfort during this extremely difficult time."

President Tony Utano also expressed his condolences to the family of this young Union Brother.

Daily News Covers MTA/NYU Variance over Infection Rate

FYI. More information on MTA and NYU data from the Daily News:

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-mta-covid-cases-nyu-study-202010...

MTA Agrees to TWU Local 100 Request for Expanded COVID-19 Testing and Screening for NYC Bus and Subway Workers

OCTOBER 26 -- The MTA has agreed to implement one of Transport Workers Union Local 100’s top priority proposals – the testing and screening of thousands of transit workers for COVID-19 every week. The early detection program, believed to be the first of its kind for transit workers in the United States, involves voluntary testing at select bus depots and rail yards, NYC Transit Medical Assessment Centers and MTA Occupational Health Services facilities. Members also are encouraged to schedule free tests at their nearest Northwell Urgent Care facility as they have been allowed to for months.
 
The on-the-job testing locations will be changed and rotated on a regular basis. The MTA will give priority to locations in hotspot and cluster zones identified by New York State.The goal is to test up 15% of transit workers weekly, which means that more than 6,000 bus and subway workers will be tested a week if the MTA meets its goal. TWU Local 100 represents approximately 40,000 bus and subway workers at the MTA including Bus Operators, Train Conductors, Mechanics, Station Agents, Track Workers and Cleaners.
 
“This is exactly the type of screening program we have been asking for and it’s a huge step forward in terms of protecting TWU Local 100 members from a possible second wave,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “We will closely monitor its implementation but we’re grateful our requests for testing and screening on such a scale have been heard.”

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NYU Releases COVID-19 Survey; Union, Experts Urge the MTA to do More Testing and Screening of Members

OCTOBER 20 -- The New York University scientists asked by the union to research COVID-19’s impact on transit workers – and to make recommendations – have released the results of their initial survey.
 
Nearly 650 Local 100 members anonymously completed a survey questionnaire, and nearly 24% stated they tested positive for the virus. Many did not live in areas with high infection rates, suggesting they contracted the virus at work, according to the researchers. The survey also quantified a high percentage of workers fearful of becoming sick or assaulted.
 
“Through gaining a deeper understanding of how COVID-19 has impacted transit workers’ health and quality of life, we can determine how to best support them and protect them moving forward,” said Robyn Gershon, clinical professor of epidemiology at NYU School of Global Public Health, who leads the research project.
 
In the NYU press release, the researchers said they “recommend that the MTA not only continue offering testing—both virus and antibody—to workers, but expand it to better identify and isolate workers who may have the virus but do not show symptoms. This has also been recommended by TWU’s leaders.”
 
In addition to expanded testing and screening, the researchers recommend that the MTA continue making personal protective equipment readily available and “support the wellbeing” of transit workers with mental health services.
 
“We put the city on our shoulders when the pandemic hit, and we are still carrying it forward,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “It has been a heavy burden. There are now more protective measures against the virus in place than when the crisis erupted, but we can’t let up. We need stay vigilant, and push forward with new and better ways to defend our blue-collar heroes still moving millions of riders a day.” Utano also said transit workers should get priority when there is an approved vaccine.
 
The NYU Release can be found here:

 

Join Your Union in Supporting Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

TWU Local 100 joins Executive Board member Lionel and Nyoka Harrison, as we Make (St) Rides Against Breast Cancer. The event is Sunday, October 18, 2020 at Jones Beach on Long Island at 10:00 am.  To donate please go to this link:
When you get to the landing page, put the name NYOKA HARRISON into the dialogue box, and then please make a donation to support the effort.
Members can feel free to drive through a will -- the event is an all-vehicle caravan.

Transit Workers to be Honored by Rider's Alliance -- You Are Invited

Stand up and be recognized!
 
Bus and subway workers will be honored by the Riders Alliance next month at the organization’s annual gala. The virtual event will also pay tribute to John Raskin. Raskin founded the grassroots movement, which advocates for public transit, and served as its first executive director.
 
The program will feature “a special salute to the extraordinary transit workers of TWU Local 100 and ATU Locals 726, 1056, 1179, and 1181 in recognition of their dedication, valor and sacrifice to keep New York City moving in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.”  This is a fundraising event, but transit workers do not have to pay to view when it is streamed live on-line on Monday, Nov. 16, from 7-8 p.m. Choose the “I am a transit worker and would like to attend for free as a gala honoree" option when registering here: ridersny.org/gala2020. It also will be recorded for later viewing.
 
“We put the city on our shoulders and have been carrying it since this pandemic hit,” Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “It’s great to see the members receive some much-deserved recognition from this important activist organization.”

 

Walgreens & Duane Reade Offering Free Flu Shot to MTA Employees

Walgreens is offering free flu shots at Walgreens and Duane Reade locations for MTA employees. Just click on this letter to download the coupon you'll need. The program is now in effect and will remain so throughout the flu season. Doctors recommend flu shots for everyone over 6 months of age. To find the Walgreens nearest you, call 1-800-WALGREENS or visit Walgreens.com/FindAStore.

It's Almost Time for Early Voting -- Find Out How

OCTOBER 20 -- Early voting begins in New York City on October 24 and continues through Sunday, November 1. You can get complete information about early voting here.

If you don't live within the city limits, or if you live in another state, click here for information.

 

For RTO, Social Distancing Trailers Arrive

IB ImageOCTOBE 8 -- Today, the first of a series of mobile office trailers was delivered at Astoria-Ditmars Blvd. The intention is provide additional space for crews, as Ditmars is tiny, and COVID-19 cases are going up again in parts of the city.
 
The trailer at Ditmars is being set up, and may take a few days to be ready for occupancy. Other locations slated for trailers include Middle Village-Metropolitan Ave, and Crown Heights-Utica Ave. This is all part of a union-led effort to create safer, more comfortable work environments for our members. As always, we’ll keep you posted with further updates. --- In Solidarity, Eric Loegel,RTO VP

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Focus on Safety as Union Pushes Best Practices

Your union has been pressing the MTA to accelerate the installation of the sliding-panel bus partitions, utilize higher-grade air filters on rolling stock, and increase membership testing in order to better identify workers who may have the virus but do not yet have symptoms.

All of us, meanwhile, can take steps to combat the virus. We are in this together. These are just some of the measures we can take:

Please, wear your masks. As we demand riders wear face coverings on buses and subways, we also must be diligent and mask-up in our crew rooms and break rooms.

Try to social distance when you can. Management is moving to place empty buses and trains outside facilities to create more available space. The MTA also is moving to utilized trailers and lease additional office space for this purpose.

Enroll in Direct Deposit. Thousands of members still pick-up printed paychecks. You can avoid this person-to-person contact with Direct Deposit.

Pres. Utano Welcomes Fourth Class of Apprentices

OCTOBER 6 -- TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano welcomed a new class of 20 apprenticeship candidates who have begun training for MOW jobs at the Apex Technical School in Long Island City. The class -- 15 men and 5 women -- is drawn from the ranks of Traffic Checkers, Cleaners, and Transit Property Protection Agents. Upon completion of the Apex training program, the candidates begin apprenticeship jobs in MOW titles, significantly enhancing their salaries and careers in Transit. The program is administered by Charles Jenkins, Director of the Upward Advancement Program, and coordinated by Kristle Black. Also addressing the new candidates was John V. Chiarello, Vice President, Maintenance of Way.

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