Jeff Vogel, a long-time member of the New York City Labor Chorus, recently published a poem/song entitled, Soul of the City, featuring lyrics celebrating the role of our subways in the life of New York City. Here’s the song set to a charming video of scenes across the system. Lyrics by Jeff Voegel; music by Joe Gutierrez; Ruben Gutierrez on saxophone. Video production by Abigail Gutierrez. Enjoy the show!
TWU Local 100 marks the one year anniversary of Track Worker St. Clair Richards-Stephens, who lost his life on the tracks at 125th Street on the Lexington Avenue line one year ago. He was only 23 at the time of his death. HIs death sparked a renewed effort to make the job safer for all of the transit employees working for the MTA who put their lives on the line in dangerous conditions. Mourn the dead -- fight like hell for the living -- Mother Jones.
The Local 100 Executive Board today (Friday, March 15, 2019) unanimously adopted a comprehensive set of economic and departmental contractual demands for presentation to the MTA in early April. The Board ratified the work of the Local 100 Contract Policy Committee, which crafted the package from the proposals gathered at all Division meetings during the month of February.
“I’m very happy that our Executive Board stands unified behind this package,” said Local 100 President Tony Utano. “Both the Contract Policy Committee and our Executive Board have done an outstanding job of crafting this package. Their hard work is a huge step forward in ultimately attaining a fair contract for our members at the MTA.”
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 -- Transport Workers Union Local 100 is urging the State Legislature to enact Congestion Pricing, which would give transit workers the equipment and infrastructure they need to provide world-class service.
TWU Local 100 is running a full-page advertisement in The New York Daily News today (at left). TWU also will be leafleting riders in the transit system, Local 100 President Tony Utano said Tuesday.
“The New York economy will falter if the NYC bus-and-subway system subway crisis is not solved,” Utano said. “We’ve made progress with the Subway Action Plan – but we can’t stop now. Our elected officials must pass congestion pricing.”
The ad states that Congestion Pricing would generate billions of dollars for improvements such as hundreds of new subway trains, thousands of new buses and a modernized signal system.
TWU Local 100 represents more than 40,000 bus and subway workers employed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, including train operators, bus operators, mechanics, station agents and trackworkers.
Hundreds of school bus workers in Westchester County will be receiving significant raises and – for the first time - paid sick days, thanks to a contract Transport Workers Union Local 100 reached with the White Plains Bus Co. "This contract will undoubtedly improve the lives of our brothers and sisters at White Plains Bus,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “They will be better able to take care of their families and themselves. If they need to take a sick day, now they can without being penalized by a loss of pay.”
Local 100 represents about 400 employees at White Plains Bus, including Bus and Van Operators, Bus Monitors and Mechanics. The company, a subsidiary of National Express, provides school bus service for the White Plains school district, paratransit service for Westchester County, and charter bus service for special events and summer camps in the region. Over the course of the five-year agreement, Local 100 Bus Operators, Van Operators and Mechanics will see their pay increase by 16.5%, and Bus Monitors will get a 15% rise. The contract runs from July 2018, through June 2023. Members ratified the contract in overwhelming fashion: 217 to 2 on Friday, March 8.
Other benefits from the agreement include:
- The length of time workers must have on the job to get the top pay rate will be slashed from four years to just one year. This will add another raise to the top rate for all employees who've been there between 1 and 4 years.
- The guaranteed work week for Bus Operators will rise over the length of the contract from 22.5 hours to 27.5 hours. Van Operators and Monitors’ hours will increase from 22.5 to 25 hours.
- Up to five (5) earned sick days per year. For every 30 hours worked, an employee earns one hour of sick time.
- Workers can cash out unused sick time. The company will pay workers for 40% of their unused time. There also are safety and attendance bonuses. Workers with 15 or more years of service get an extra personal day.
This contract is believed to be the first to incorporate the provisions of the Earned Sick Leave Law that TWU Local 100 helped to enact with the support of Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Legislator Catherine Borgia last October. The law goes into effect April 19. Because of the success in getting the law passed, Local 100 negotiators were able to win paid sick time in these negotiations.
The contract was negotiated in Tarrytown, New York. In addition to President Utano, the Local 100 team included: School Bus Divison Chair Gus Moghrabi; Organizing Director Frank McCann and TWU Section Chair Luis Fernandez.
Local 100 President Tony spoke out today against the assault on a Conductor at the 125th Street IRT station on the 4 line this morning. He talked to 1010 WINS about the right of our members to defend themselves against assault.
The MaBSTOA Emerald Society honored Local 100 President Tony Utano at its 57th Anniversary Dinner-Dance on Friday evening, March 1, 2019. Emerald Society President John Mullane presented Utano with the organization’s ‘Man of the Year’ award. Also honored was Quill Depot Chair Sukhy Singh for his steadfast support for the organization over the years. On the management side, Don Martin, Assistant General Manager of the Baisley Park Depot, was named ‘Irishman of the Year.” Utano told a packed house at the Villa Barone in the Bronx that MaBSTOA – which was established by the New York Legislature 57 years ago after a bruising 29-day strike against the Fifth Avenue Coach, Omnibus and Surface Transit Bus companies – has always served as a bulwark of support for a unified TWU. He said that a unified TWU would be needed once again as the union prepares for contract negotiations with the MTA. “I know I can count on you,” said Utano, “and I know that you in MaBSTOA will provide the backbone of support for this effort, as you always have in the past.”
photos: From left, President Utano, Emerald Society President John Mullane, Local 100 Organizing Director and previous honoree, Frank McCann. Group photo of some of the well-wishers at the MaBSTOA Emerald dinner. President Utano with attendees from the School Bus Division. Quill Depot chair Sukhy Singh with President Utano and other depot officers.
The final economic piece of the union’s 2017 contractual agreement with the MTA – a $500 lump sum bonus – will be paid in members’ checks in the March 20th and 21st pay period.
The contract provided a 2.5 percent across-the-board increase on Jan. 16, 2017; a 2.5 percent increase on Feb. 16, 2018, and now the $500 lump sum bonus.
The union’s agreement with the MTA expires on May 16, 2019.
Local 100 President Tony Utano said that the lump sum payment, minus taxes, will be paid in the employee’s regular check.
Local 100 has chalked up an important win in an arbitration to reverse the Authority’s attempt to shortchange members on the amount of payment of the Longevity Bonus as outlined in the union’s collective bargaining agreement.
According to the contract, the Longevity bonus is to be paid in the following amounts: $750 after 30 years of service; $550 after $20 years, and $450 after 15 years. However, the Authority shortchanged that payment, because they omitted a two-month period between November 2017 to January 2018 as part of their calculation. The union said that the Authority’s fuzzy math violated the intent of the parties when the contract was signed. Local 100 President Tony Utano and General Counsel Denis Engel presented the case before arbitrator Howard Edelman, Esq.
Edelman agreed with the union. As a result, members who received longevity payments will be getting an additional $37 dollars in an upcoming check. President Utano said that, while the actual per member amount may be modest, the principle of the case was paramount. “We are here as a check on the MTA to make sure that our members receive what they are entitled to. In this case, management did not live up to the intent and spirit of the agreement. We challenged them on it and we were vindicated at arbitration.”
Announcing the full schedule of meetings at MTA facilities to take advantage of the MTA Deferred Compensation Program by meeting with a retirement education counselor, to help you get to your next step on your personal financial wellness journey. Download the flyer with the schedule here or log on to prudential.com/mta and take the financial wellness self-assessment. You can also call 877-PLN-4MTA.
TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano denounced a letter the MTA circulated among employees warning of a possible reduction in workforce unless the Authority secures new funding to close budget shortfalls in the next few years.
“To be talking about layoffs of any job title is ridiculous and outrageous," he stated. "Transit workers have been pushing non-stop to improve service, rebuild tracks, signals and structures, and in general to bring our system back to a state of reliability for the riding public. Threatening layoffs is carelessly destructive to workforce morale at a time when the MTA should be thanking its workers for doubling down on bettering the system.”
These TWU Local 100 members are on a new career track.
A group of 30 cleaners, property protection agents and traffic checkers started training Monday to become plumbers, masons and carpenters – higher paid, skill-based titles in the Structures Department.
This is the third – and largest – class of Local 100 members to participate in the union’s Upward Advancement Program at The Apex Technical School in Long Island City, Queens. “I’m proud to be standing here and I’m proud of this program,” Local 100 President Tony Utano told the students in an opening ceremony. “This program is worth gold. You are going to learn a trade, and a lot of people don’t get this opportunity.”
For six months, the students will attend class full time at Apex while receiving their regular pay. As part of their training, they will build a small replica of a house, complete with a foundation, brick masonry, electricity and plumbing. After completing the program, they will be assigned to work in the field alongside skilled tradespersons at NYC Transit.
"The road ahead is long,” Charles Jenkins, acting director of Local 100’s Training and Upgrade Fund. “It will be challenging and exciting, but most of all, it will be rewarding.” Participants are selected by a joint union-management committee using criteria that includes their grades following completion of a math and reading comprehension course, and their disciplinary and attendance records at NYC Transit, Jenkins said. After working as a cleaner, CTA Sakina Brown, 37, said she was looking to advance economically. “I want to provide a better life for my kids,” she said. “I started as a cleaner. The pay is okay. It keeps you above water. I just want better.”
Utano was joined at the opening ceremony by Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, Car Equipment Vice President Shirely Martin, MOW Vice President John Chiarello and Structure’s Executive Board member and Division Chair Richie Rocco.
FEBRUARY 26 -- President Tony Utano administered the TWU Oath of Office to a group of newly elected union officers today. The ceremony took place before the regularly scheduled meeting of the TWU Local 100 Executive Board.
Union members and families packed the hall on February 21 to celebrate Black History and the contributions of African-Americans to transit. Food was provided by Melba's of Harlem, and Melba received an award from the union. If you weren't able to make it -- check out our video!
