New York’s first woman to serve as Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, with TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano at a recent event.

Daughter of TWU Local 100 Member is New York’s First Woman to Be Selected Senate Majority Leader

The new leader of the Democratic Majority in the State Senate is a long-time TWU Local 100 friend and supporter, Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins. 
 
Sen. Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers), whose father was a member of TWU Local 100 as a Car Maintainer for more than 20 years, has been the Democratic Minority Leader since 2013.  The November elections gave a clear majority (40-23) to the Democrats for the first time in decades.  Her selection marks the first time a woman has held this influential post.
 
Local 100 President Tony Utano hailed Stewart-Cousins ascendency as “a win for all working families in our state, and especially for transit workers.  As the daughter of a transit worker, Sen. Stewart-Cousins knows first-hand the kind of sacrifice we all make to deliver New York City’s most important public service.  It will be good to have one of our own in one of Albany’s most important positions.”
 
She was first elected to the State Senate in 2006 where she has been a strong advocate for human rights; quality education; accessible and affordable health care; and making government more efficient, transparent and accountable to all citizens.
 
Prior to her service in the Senate, she served for a decade as a Westchester County Legislator where she authored and passed landmark legislation, including: Westchester County’s first human rights laws; living wage laws; smoke-free workplace laws; tougher gun laws; laws that prosecute "predatory lenders,” and laws that have provided tax cuts for seniors and veterans.

Utano Attacks NY Post Op-Ed’s Call for Wage Freeze

Local 100 President Tony Utano lashed out at an Op-Ed piece which appeared in the New York Post on Nov. 19, 2018.  The piece, by long-time TWU critic Nicole Gelinas, calls for the elimination of LIRR and Metro North Conductors as well as a wage freeze for transit workers in the Local 100 contract amendable on May 16, 2018.  Utano’s full letter to the editor blasting these “solutions” to a projected MTA budget deficit, is below:
 
To the Editor:
The Nicole Gelinas op-ed on what ails the MTA (Nov. 19th) is a piece of wonky codswallop that takes the easy (and predictable) way out – cut jobs, and expect transit workers to accept a pay freeze in their new contract in May 2019.  Forget the fact that transit workers are on the job 24-7 toiling in dirty, dangerous conditions to provide this City’s most vital public service, while the City they serve takes bigger and bigger chunks out of their paychecks in the form of rising rents and everything else.
Here’s the real problem facing the MTA; debt service of $3 billion a year (and growing) on billions in fare-based bonds that had to be floated to cover years of system underfunding by whiny politicians.  How about the banks and Wall Street taking a “freeze” on the ever growing MTA debt service?  There’s an idea I can assure you not one finger-pointing politician or think-tanker would dare to suggest.
Tony Utano
President, TWU Local 100

City Limits: Union Calls on Officials, Advocates to Better Protect Transit Workers

In the current issue of City Limits magazine, TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano pushes back against calls for cuts. "Instead of trying to eliminate positions, advocates, officials -- and pundits writing in the safety of their offices -- should join TWU Local 100's efforts to better protect transit workers. Read the full article here.

Stations VP Derick Echevarria led the fight to protect provisional Station Agents

Union Scores Important Win for At-Risk Provisional Station Agents

TWU Local 100 Station Division Officers have scored a vital job security victory for hundreds of provisional Station Agents. An agreement, completed today (Nov. 20, 2018) with management, guarantees that NYCT will offer permanent appointment to all of the affected provisional Station Agents in the order that their names appear on the DCAS list that is expected to be certified on or before Feb. 1, 2019.

“This is the strongest possible assurance that all provisional Station Agents will eventually be made permanent,” said Local 100 Vice President Derick Echevarria. Union attorney Arthur Schwartz explained that current provisional Station Agents were hired off a DCAS list that had not been certified.  “In years past, provisional employees often faced layoff when a list for their title was certified by DCAS,” said union Attorney Arthur Schwarz. “This agreement provides a very important layer of protection to these workers.”

Local 100 President Tony Utano added his praise to Station Division officers for their work.  “I’m thrilled that these workers can now enjoy their Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season without fear or pressure of possible job loss hanging over their heads,” said Utano.  “This is a great win for all involved."

Local 100, MTA Bus Sign Historic Consolidation Agreement

Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the MTA Bus Company have completed the historic consolidation of the collective bargaining agreement, unifying the contractual provisions at all six Local 100/MTA Bus locations. This precedent setting agreement brings together the terms and conditions previously reached, including the two Impasse Awards and two MoU’s since the takeover of the former private bus companies more than a decade ago.

“With the publication of this agreement, Local 100 members at MTA Bus now have a single document that covers their substantially improved working conditions,” said President Tony Utano. The newly published document also includes a Sick Leave cash out pilot program modeled after the OA/TA Agreement.

Click here to download the full agreement.

Jolly Eapen Retires; Samuel Ponnolil Appointed to Exec Board

Longtime Chair of Jerome Barn Jolly Eapen has retired from NYCT, making him ineligible to continue as a member of the Local 100 Executive Board. He was honored with a retirement cake at the last meeting of the Executive Board. The Board then voted to appoint Car Inspector Samuel Ponnolil to the Executive Board to fill the vacancy, with President Tony Utano swearing him in. Congratulations, Jolly, on a great career with NYCT and TWU Local 100 and every good wish for your retirement.

Local 100 President Tony Utano (left) and company Vice President Tony Murgo shake after settling the proposed 5-year contract.

Union Scores 5-Year Contract for STA School Bus Members

TWU Local 100 negotiators brought home a hard-fought five-year contract for 150 members at Student Transportation of America, Inc. (STA Greenwich) that features annual wage increases, important new guarantees on daily and weekly pay, and a host of benefit improvements. The agreement was reached on Nov. 15, 2018 after months of negotiations.  Local 100 President Tony Utano joined the talks in the final hours in an effort to conclude the agreement.
 
President Utano praised the union committee for its “steadfast” efforts in reaching a negotiated settlement, including School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi, Mary Pryce, Jamille Aine, John Zelinsky, Director of Organizing Frank McCann, and union attorney, Edward Kennedy. The proposed settlement increases pay by 3 percent in each year of the 5-year package. The first increase is retroactive to July 1, 2018.  The compounding factor brings the actual total increase to nearly16 percent.

On guarantees – one of the primary focuses of the negotiations – Drivers and Monitors will now be paid their weekly picked run hours from the first scheduled day of school to the last actual day of school including all intervening school holidays, closures, scheduled or unscheduled vacations, unless the employee absents him/herself from work. The daily hourly guarantee goes from 5 hours per day to 5.3 hours per day (26.5 per week) in the 4th year of the agreement, and to 5.5 hours a day (27.5 weekly) in the 5th year of the contract.  Currently, Drivers earn $29.16 per hour and Monitors earn $17.00 per hour.  For the eight Spare Drivers and Monitors (a picked job), there will be an immediate increase in the guaranteed minimum hours to 7 hours per day or 35 hours per week.
 
The negotiating committee won increases in the Life Insurance Benefit for all employees, regardless of service time; a hike in the company matching contribution to a worker’s 401(k) plan, and an increase in the employer cap to both single and dependent health care coverage.  Finally, the committee scored wins on years-of-service bonuses for all workers, and safety bonuses for Monitors. The package will be presented to the Local 100 Executive Board for approval and then be presented to the membership for ratification.

Photo: The union negotiating committee, from the left, include John Zelinsky, Jamille Aine, School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi, Local 100 President Tony Utano and Mary Pryce.

Utano Fires Back

In a scathing Letter to The Editor of the New York Post, TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano blasted a right-wing policy analyst for claiming subway riders don’t need conductors on board.

Utano’s letter – which was published in Sunday, Nov. 11th edition of the tabloid – was in response to an opinion piece that appeared in The Post five days earlier. This is what Utano wrote:
 
"Transit workers know garbage when they see it: We haul 40 tons of it from the subway every day.  “The cure for New York’s ailing transit system,” an op-ed  in The Post on Nov. 6, is exactly that: garbage (Connor Harris, PostOpinion).  Harris, of the right-wing Manhattan Institute, wrote that compared to systems in cities like London, the MTA’s labor costs are too high. Harris doesn’t bother to explain the Underground closes at midnight. Yes,  providing service is more expensive than suspending it.

Harris also recklessly claims conductors are “obsolete.” Really? Conductor Kevin Bartsch performed CPR on a rider who went into cardiac arrest, saving his life. Conductor Warren Cox prevented a distraught woman, who was holding a child, from jumping in front of a train. Conductor Benjamin Schaeffer evacuated his train after a deranged man poured gasoline on the floor.

Transit workers provide valuable service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s the truth, not trash." -- Tony Utano, President of Transport Workers Union Local 100, Brooklyn, NY.

Cuomo's Team Cruises to Victory, as TWU Builds Political Clout

TWU Local 100 got behind Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, and Attorney General Tish James from the start –and stayed with them until each crossed the finish line in yesterday's general election.

President Tony Utano enjoys close relationships with New York's top elected leaders, building on close ties forged by the TWU over the years. "This union has been stalwart in supporting Andrew Cuomo, Tom DiNapoli, and Tish James," Utano said. "They understand our need for good contracts."

The Union's political action operation put money and resources into the primary fights, where Tish James had a tough race which saw her down in the polls. She prevailed, with President Utano personally campaigning for her in Brooklyn. Attorney General James has been in the trenches with transit workers for over a decade, building on her time as a City Councilwoman and Public Advocate. She has attended numerous TWU events, as has Tom DiNapoli, keynote speaker at this year's Italian American Day event, who pledged that state budgets "would not be balanced on the backs of transit workers."

Governor Cuomo, instrumental in funding last year's Subway Action Plan and ongoing intiaitives to modernize the subway system, has also marched with the Union and has been a powerful advocate for civil service workers and union members. In particular, he did much to blunt the dangerous fallout from the Janus v. AFSCME decision in the Supreme Court. All three political leaders are big winners today –a fact of which our 45,000 members can be proud.

We Celebrate Indian Heritage

NOVEMBER 4 -- The union's top leadership turned out with hundreds of rank and file members and guests to our 13th annual celebration of transit workers' Indian heritage. With great performances in dance and song, and a fabulous buffet of Indian cuisine, the evening was enjoyed by all. President Utano lit the ceremonial candle to honor the Diwali holiday and gave keynote remarks as did Indian-American community activist Harry Singh. We were also joined by a longtime friend of the TWU, newly elected State Senator John Liu. Enjoy the photos and videos of this great event!

Local Sponsors Training for MTA Bus, Big Bus Reps

Local 100 President Tony Utano (center, blue shirt) dropped by to congratulate reps and shop stewards from MTA Bus and Big Bus, for completing the union’s training program for grievance handling.  Frank McCann, Jr. (left). Director of Organizing, and instructor Robert Wechsler (right) are shown with the group.

Local 100 Negotiates National Interim Grievance Agreement With Big Bus Tours

Local 100 President Tony Utano and Big Bus Executive Vice President Julia Conway signed an interim agreement on grievance procedures for Big Bus workers in Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Chicago while contract talks between TWU and the company continue.

Big Bus workers in New York and Washington, DC have ratified TWU contracts. Talks with the company for workers in the four other cities are progressing. The interim agreement on grievances is a major show of good faith by the company.

Director of Organizing Frank McCann and Organizer Karla Kozak were present for the signing of the agreement.

Elevator Positions are Saved

An Announcement from Transport Workers Union Local 100

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 – The Transit Authority has agreed not to proceed with two proposed budget cuts that would have directly impacted subway riders and station staff: the elimination of elevator operators at five deep-cavern stations in Washington Heights, and the closure of subway station booths in the system. This breakthrough came as a result of extensive discussions between Local 100 President Tony Utano and NYC Transit President Andy Byford.

TWU Stations Vice President Derick Echevarria, along with other Local 100 officers and members, also have been leafleting riders and urging them to tell the MTA to shelve these cuts, which were included in the preliminary 2019 budget. “This is a great outcome that both riders and workers wanted to see,” Echevarria said. “It wasn’t an easy process but this is the right result. The presence of transit workers gives riders a sense of safety and security. We are the ‘eyes and ears’ and provide valuable customer service.”

The Washington Heights stations where elevator operators will now remain are: 168thSt., 181stSt. and 190thSt. on the A line, and 181stSt. and 191stSt. on the No. 1 line. These are unique deep-cavern stations. The 191stSt. station is 180 feet below street level and the deepest in the subway station. Riders overwhelmingly have said that the presence of transit workers gives them a sense of safety and security.

Read the Daily News story on the reversal of the cuts

MTA ditches proposal to do away with subway booths, elevator operators - NY Daily News

The MTA won't go through with a proposal to close several subway booths and do away with 75 station agent positions, after the idea got pushback from workers and riders worried about safety.

Italian Night at the Union Hall Features NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25 -- Tom DiNapoli, sole Trustee of New York State's pension fund, joined TWU Local 100 leadership and rank and file members to celebrate the Italian heritage of transit workers. In a keynote address, DiNapoli vowed that the MTA's budget would not be balanced on the backs of transit workers. He was given a plaque by the Union. President Utano, the first Italian-American President of our Union, warmly welcomed transit rank and file to the event, introducing his family and first grandchild, Nina Fay. Union leadership at the event included our top four officers and most of our Vice Presidents, including newly elected VP of Maintenance of Way John V. Chiarello, who introduced Brother Utano. Enjoy the pix!

NYCT Restores Cleaners on A, R, 6 and D Lines

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26  The New York Post reports this morning that Transit has decided to reverse a pilot program that cut CTA night tours at certain stations during the overnight. Riders surveyed by the paper were concerned about the build-up of trash and also about the lack of a human presence in the stations during late night.

"We told the MTA last year that their plan to practically eliminate overnight cleaner positions stunk to high heaven. We're glad the new administration now appears to agree and is restoring positions at the affected stations," Local 100 President Tony Utano told the paper.

The story:

MTA brings back night cleaners as subway stations reek of filth

A year after the agency cut many of its overnight cleaning shifts to save money, it's restoring some of the positions because the stations are too dirty. About 30 of the positions will be reinstated on the A, R, 6 and D lines, union officials said.