Conductor Alerts Police, Who Make Gun Arrest on Transit Property

OCTOBER 14—Conductor Abdul Adetunji, heading home Saturday after a visit at MAC 3 for a random test, saw an encounter between three men on the A train that had the potential to escalate into a violent situation.

"I'm actually trying to doze off a little bit," said Adetunji, after noticing two young men on the train who were rolling weed, but not bothering anyone. "Then I saw another gentleman who gets on the train, wearing a ski mask and gloves. The first two start throwing gang signs at the third man, who starts throwing gang signs back. Then one of the men who was already on the train lifts up his waistband to show a firearm."

In full MTA uniform, Adetunji maintained a low profile on the southbound A Train and kept his eyes on the men as the train rolled to 59th Street, where one man—though not the one with the gun—exited.

The EECA Day Committee enjoying the fruits of their labor

Eastern European and Central Asian Day Delivers Solidarity Message

OCTOBER 14—Eastern European and Central Asian Heritage Day livened up the Brighton Beach boardwalk on Sunday, with a crowd of 800 transit workers enjoying the festivities as a nor’easter churned up the surf. 

CED Executive Board Member Gregory Dunichev introduced President John Chiarello as the first TWU Local 100 President to serve as a Car Inspector. President Chiarello noted that he was a provisional Car Inspector briefly before moving on to becoming a Signal Maintainer. He thanked event participants, union leadership in attendance, and the Committee that ensures a successful event year after year.

“In order to keep what we have gained, we have to be ready to fight,” he said, invoking the upcoming 2026 contract fight. “Just as we have gathered together from different nations,” he added, “we must gather together to fight for what we deserve: good pay, good benefits for our families, and dignity.”

Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrated in Sunset Park

OCTOBER 13—More than 500 transit workers of Chinese descent and their families gathered at the New Phoenix Seafood Restaurant in Sunset Park on Friday to enjoy an evening of dining, entertainment and solidarity.

The annual Mid-Autumn Festival sponsored by TWU Local 100 included a wide variety of dances and entertainments, including the iconic dragon dance where costumed performers drive away evil spirits and bring good luck and blessings to the community.

Both President John V. Chiarello and International President John Samuelsen addressed the festive crowd, bringing up preparations for the 2026 contract fight.

“You have to get ready to fight, shoulder to shoulder, for a contract,” Chiarello said. “We’re going to call for rallies, and when that time comes, we need you to show up.”
 

2026 Open Enrollment Begins Oct. 15th, Closes Nov.15th

OCTOBER 10—Active employees covered by our OA/TA/MTA Bus insurance plans can change their insurance plan and take advantage of other benefits for 2026 over a one-month period starting October 15th. If employees are not planning on making any medical plan changes they don't need to take any action. This notice does not apply to members who are not MTA employees.

The information for enrollment is available on the internet at the MTA portal at www.mymta.info/openenrollment. At that site a health benefits summary can be seen that has various options, including the MTA Opt-Out Program and the Flexible Spending Account.

You will receive dental, vision and hearing benefits information directly from your providers by October 15th, 2025.

The open enrollment period for retirees begins December 1.

More information, incliding downloadable postcards, will be available on this site soon.

Local 100 Statement on Attorney General Letitia James

OCTOBER 10—TWU Local 100 stands in support of New York State Attorney General Letitia James. It is clear that this indictment is politically motivated, and a gross misuse of this country’s justice system. Attorney General James has always been on the side of democracy and working people, and we remain in her corner.

New Poll Shows Strong Support for Keeping Carriage Horses in Central Park

Voters say Keep Horses in Central Park

OCTOBER 9—A new poll of NYC voters shows strong support for continuing horse-carriage rides in Central Park - with 70% of those surveyed saying the horses “add beauty and charm” to the park.

Read more and see the full questionnaire here»

At Flatbush Depot, Councilwoman Narcisse Talks to Our Rank and File

OCTOBER 6—Local 100 President John V. Chiarello and other union leaders visited the Flatbush Depot in the Flatlands neighborhood of South Brooklyn today to show our support for Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse, a registered nurse who represents hundreds of transit workers in District 46, which covers Canarsie, Flatlands, Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach and Sheepshead Bay.

Rank and file Bus Operators and Bus Maintainers heard from Narcisse, who is facing a challenge from two opponents this coming November. Sharase DeBouse, Local 100's Political Action Director, introduced her to the members saying she is a strong supporter of Local 100 and is working to protect our jobs against incursions from dollar vans, which saturate South Brooklyn.

MTA: Gov't Shutdown Poses No Risk for Medicare Advantage Recipients

OCTOBER 6—In the wake of the ongoing federal government shutdown, some retirees have been calling our Member Services Department with concerns about their Aetna Medicare Advantage coverage.

Addressing those concerns, Member Services Executive Director Chris Lightbourne reached out to MTA/NYCT about this issue. In an email received today, the New York City Transit Health Benefits Department says that "There is absolutely no disruption for your Medicare Advantage membership as a result of the federal government shutdown."

Retireed members should rest assured that their health care insurance coverage is solid and in full effect.

Union, Citing "Grift", Seeks to File Suit Against Horse Carriage Opponents

OCTOBER 3—TWU International President John Samuelsen charged today that deep-pocketed Manhattan elites funding opposition to the Central Park horse carriages may be illegally conspiring with a Florida businessman and a cryptocurrency lawyer who ran a PAC for New York Mayor Eric Adams to end the industry. 

Union Mourns Julia McMillon, 85, First Female Recording Secretary

OCTOBER 2—Julia McMillon, who rose from the ranks to break the glass ceiling at Local 100’s top echelon of leadership, passed away Tuesday, September 30, at her home in Co-Op City.

Starting out as a Cleaner in 1982 at the age of 42, she became a Shop Steward in the Stations Department, at a time when women were under-represented and their issues were often sidelined.

McMillon grew up on Dean Street in Brooklyn before her family moved to the Lower East Side and later ended up working nearby, at the 2^nd Avenue station on the F line.

According to her niece, longtime Local 100 staffer Siaida Bryant, Julia was the glue that held the family together. “She was the matriarch,” Bryant said. “If someone fell short and needed help with the children, she was that aunt that picked up the pieces.”

(l-r): Previous medal winners Dom Spagnolo, Alan Grande, and Hector Soto, who was also honored this year, stand with Local 100 Pres. John Chiarello and Exec. Board Member Mario Galvet in front of glass case containing transit artifacts

11 Are Honored with 9/11 Medals at Sept. 29 Event

OCTOBER 1—Eleven retired TWU Local 100 members—all of whom suffer from medical conditions associated with their service at Ground Zero—were honored at the TWU Local 100 medal ceremony held at the National September 11th Memorial and Museum on Monday.

Local 100 President John V. Chiarello noted that, even now, 24 years later, most members of the public are not aware of the fact that New York City Transit workers were "the largest group to respond on the ground, saving people off the streets, clearing debris, taking part in rescue and recovery efforts and swiftly restoring transit services." 

"None of our medal recipients could have known that that day would result in lifelong illness," he added, calling for the federal government to continue to fully fund care for 9/11 workers under the Zadroga Act.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration an Opportunity for Solidarity

SEPTEMBER 29—Local 100 celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at The Hudson event venue in Upper Manhattan Friday with live music, great food, dancing and our own TA Surface VP Gary Rosario's salsa band.

Union leadership, including International President John Samuelsen and Local 100 President Chiarello, were on hand, with Samuelsen emphasizing unity going into next year's contract fight and the support of our brother and sister transit workers across America.

Chiarello spoke about the importance of TWU Local 100’s solidarity in the face of ongoing threats to labor.

"The most important thing is us coming together to understand how to fight for a contract. If you look at the political climate we’re in now, they’re decimating unions. They lost nearly a million union jobs in the federal government. We have to go forward and fight for what we have."

Car Equipment Mourns Albert Dyment, 53

SEPTEMBER 29—Coworkers at the Coney Island Overhaul Shop are mourning the recent untimely passing of Car Inspector Albert Dyment. Brother Dyment, who did under-car inspections at the Shop, suffered a back injury at work three months ago and went for an MRI, said CED Recording Secretary Eugene Bleynis.

The MRI revealed that Dyment had late-stage pancreatic cancer which was inoperable. After three months of care, he died in active status on September 15 and his funeral was held three days later.

New Flagging Quarters Opens at Chambers St.

SEPTEMBER 26—Conductor and Tower Chair Chris Drummond (center) joined General Superintendent Archer and Superintendent Landis to celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated flagging quarters at Chambers Street in lower Manhattan. It is the largest flagging facility in Manhattan and shares some space with Maintenance of Way personnel.

"I thanked Superintendent Archer and everyone involved in the renovation," Drummond said. "I told them it was great and thanked them on behalf of our Flaggers. There are new TVs, showers, and plenty of lockers for both men and women. There's an office for supervision and for TSS as well."

Drummond said that the renovation was five years in the making, and that he hopes these renovations continue. "We finally have a facility that meets our standards," he said.

Sedgwick: The Scourge Goes Beyond Local 100

SEPTEMBER 25—Over the summer, thousands of Local 100 members discovered firsthand Sedgwick’s incompetence in paying workers comp payments. 

It turns out that our experience is not unique. At the just-held TWU Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas, Local 579, representing some 6,800 Jet Blue flight attendants, introduced a resolution declaring that their members “have been abused, ignored, mistreated, disrespected, and caused pain by the unprofessional, uncourteous, and uncaring third-party claims/benefits administrator, Sedgwick.”

That resolution – approved unanimously by the delegate body – called on employers, including the MTA and Jet Blue, to cut out middlemen like Sedgwick. The MTA paid Sedgwick a whopping $51 million in a three-year contract to “reduce costs by $20 million or more,” money that will come right off the backs of transit workers.