TWU Retirees Share Great Food, Dancing, and Memories at Verdi's

An enjoyable night was had by all at Verdi's of Whitestone on September 13th, as the TWU Local 100 Retirees Association hosted former International President and TWU Local 100 President Sonny hall and a banquet hall full of guests. In the photo, with Brother Hall (in blue jacket) is Retirees Association Director Mike Tutrone and, to his right, Bob Mawhinney, former Chair of Quill Depot. at left is John Musco, former Chair of MOW. We'll have more photos later on the site as well in the union's publication, the Transport Workers Bulletin. About to retire? You can contact the Retirees Association here.

African-American Day Parade Brings Out TWU Members, MC, Float & Vintage Bus

Dozens of TWU Local 100 members, including an attention-getting phalanx of motorcycles from the Buffalo Soldiers club, to which many union brothers and sisters belong, graced the annual African-American Day Parade on September 15 in Harlem. At a VIP breakfast before the event, Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips and Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp-Sauray were recognized as supporters of the event. We provided plenty of music and got the crowd dancing before stepping off to join the march at around 1:30. Local 100 members showed solidarity to fellow workers in FDNY, Sanitation, NYPD, and Correction. The weather and the spirits could not have been better. 

As We Remember 9/11, Zadroga Act Deadline Nears

Of the thousands of transit workers who responded to Ground Zero and spent weeks and months on the pile, many have not registered in order to file a claim with the compensation fund established by Congress under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The fund is for responders and survivors who were injured or made ill from the attacks on the World Trade Center or the rescue and recovery effort. Even those who are enrolled in the WTC health program for medical monitoring or treatment still need to register with the victim fund if they were injured and want to be compensated. You can go to this link to register. The deadline is Oct 3.

In Brooklyn, PAC's Raybblin Vargas and Dexter Victory help GOTV for our candidates, chalking up wins for TWU

PAC Succeeds In Brooklyn as Cornegy Leads, Barron Romps to Victory

The TWU Local 100 Political Action Team helped Council candidate Robert Cornegy (the tallest candidate in the election, even topping Bill de Blasio) edge out challenger Kirsten Foy in Bedford-Stuyvestant, by a razor thin margin of just 94 votes. Cornegy was a presence with TWU at the West Indian Day Parade. A strong turnout from Starrett City and a push from TWU put Inez Barron on top with 43% of the vote to 24% for opponent Chris Banks. Antonio Reynoso faced down disgraced pol Vito Lopez with Local 100 backing, prevailing by 49% to Lopez's 37%. And on the Upper East Side, candidate Ben Kallos triumped over challenger Micah Kellner, 45% to 39%. Kallos had stumped weekends at the 86th Street IRT stop, vowing to do what he could to bring back the booths.

Michele Gilliam with CED volunteer Ben Merrill working the phones

TWU Effort Played Key Role in ATU Prez's Council Win

Some of the most important political work on Primary Day was done in a windowless basement with whitewashed cinderblock walls where TWU Local 100 Political Action's Michele Gilliam worked the phones with union volunteers for City Council Candidate Daneek Miller, who is also the President of ATU Local 1056. In the six-way race, Daneek edged second-place finisher Clyde Vanel by just 396 votes, to become the first transit union leader to also sit on the NY City Council since Mike Quill's two terms during the 30's and 40's. Michele's team went door to door to target every one of our 1,000 members in the district, following up on the phones, to put Daneek over the top. Transit solidarity won the day.

"Three More Weeks:" Thompson Vows to Fight on as Absentee Votes are Counted

TWU Local 100's endorsed candidate for Mayor, Bill Thompson, led a crowded ballroom at the Eventi Hotel in midtown in chants of "three more weeks" as election night numbers revealed a cliffhanger as to his runoff chances. It will take a few days for the Board of Elections to figure out if Thompson's tally will force front-runner de Blasio into a runoff. If that happens, it'll take place on October 1. For now it's a wait-and-see. Behind Thompson is State Senator Jose Peralta, a key ally of TWU Local 100.

Thompson, In 24-Hour Final Stretch, Comes to Coney Island Overhaul

Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, who we believe is the best hope for building a stronger transit system, came to our largest shop early on the Monday before Primary Day to meet and greet dozens of members of the Car Equipment Department. With TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen, Thompson delivered a rousing plea to Local 100 members to get out the vote and put him in contention for the Mayoralty.

New Hall Opens in Brooklyn Heights

The Local 100 business office at 1700 Broadway in Manhattan is closed as of Friday September 6, 2013. The move to our new union hall at 195 Montague Street in downtown Brooklyn is nearly complete, but we still need the weekend and at least Monday to complete the transition for phone and computer installation. Please call your Division Officers in the interim to access union services. When operational, all contact numbers will remain the same, including the main office phone number: 212-873-6000.

Scenes from the West Indian Day Parade

We're Offering Dozens of Amazing TUF Courses, Starting Next Week -- for Free!

The Union/MTA Training and Upgrading Fund (TUF) is rolling out our fall course line-up now. Many courses begin next Monday -- so download the catalog and get ready! We're offering courses in everything from computer skills and defensive driving to courses in Math, English, Spanish, Italian, and Chinese...training in photovoltaic technology, electronics, and college prep -- help with your GED -- CPR and first aid, and the Transit Certificate Program. So, don't wait. Go to the TUF website and sign up today! All courses are free to Local 100 members.

NY Liberty? We've Got Discount Tickets for Sept. 6

Click here for Discount Tix

From Local 100 Rewards

1. Click the link above.

2. Click on “Find Tickets” for the game date preferred and enter the promo code TWU.

3. Enter email address and create an account.

4. Click on the game date.

5. Enjoy the game!

Local 100, Singing Retiree Chris Dolan Honored by the Mets

Hundreds of transit workers came to Citifield on Monday to see the Mets vs. Phillies game on a warm summer night. The enjoyable game was close (unfortunately, the home team lost 2-1), but TWU fans had the consolation of hearing retired Bus Operator Chris Dolan’s beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and watching our top officers receive a Spirit Award from the Mets for bringing the fans to the park, game after game, on the #7 train. Let's Go Mets! The free tickets were courtesy of our new Local 100 Rewards program.

Just a few of the Local 100 members who marched in Washington

We March on Washington

Ten TWU union buses left New York early on the morning of August 24^th to recreate and honor the legacy of the 1963 March on Washington, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his epochal “I Have a Dream” speech. Said Local 100's Womens' Committee Chair Liz Wilson: "It was excellent. It was one of the most well-organized marches I've been to. It was peaceful and it was educational. We got to speak to different organizations as we marched, and the issues still remain: jobs, justice, affordable health care, and voters rights." Crowd estimates put the number of marchers at 250,000, around the same number who heard MLK speak 50 years ago. In contrast to 1963, when about one in five marchers were white, this year's crowd had fewer white faces. Sister Wilson complimented her bus captain, Aquilino Castro "the best ever" as well as OA Division Chair Richie Davis, "a great host," who joined her on the bus out of the MJ Quill Depot. Quill, who was a great supporter of MLK, would have been honored by the turnout. TWU members watched an educational video on the bus derived from materials obtained by Local 100 officers at the recent Coalition of Black Trade Unionists convention.

Admin VP Angel Giboyeaux Honored by NY League of Puerto Rican Women

Our own Angel Giboyeaux, Administrative VP of Local 100, picked up a Special  Recognition Award at the organization's annual gala at the Marina del Rey in the Bronx Thursday night. Angel was recognized for "careeer achievement and outstanding service to the Hispanic community." In this photo, Angel stands with fellow TWU Local 100 officers including Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp-Sauray and MOW VP Tony Utano, at right, and with the President of the New York League of Puerto Rican Women, Edith Padilla (center). The organization awards scholarships of $1,000 each to young Latina college students.

Elsie McCabe Thompson with (far right) TWU PAC's Raybblin Vargas, City Council Candidate Robert Cornegy, and radio personality Lenny Green

Bill Thompson's Wife Joins Lenny Green's Family Day in Brooklyn with TWU

Elsie McCabe Thompson, wife of TWU Local 100's endorsed candidate for Mayor, Bill Thompson, spent a fun afternoon with WBLS radio personality Lenny Green and transit workers at Green's Family Day at Brooklyn's Von King Park last Sunday in Clinton Hill. Ms. Thompson was warmly received and she spoke on stage with Lenny Green about her husband's stand on stop and frisk and other issues. She posed for photos with transit workers and wore a Local 100 t-shirt to the event. She is President of the Museum for African Art, and is out campaigning as the race enters its final stretch going into the September 10 Democratic Primary. TWU Local 100 photo by Shop Steward Theresa Green.