Day 3 at TWU Convention Focuses on Worker Safety, Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez Pledges His Support

SEPTEMBER 17—The focus of much of Day 3 at TWU's Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas was worker safety, with Local 100 taking the lead.

A vote on a resolution to advance safety in the workplace was introduced by Local 100 Administrative VP Alexander Kemp.

“Most of these fights that we have collectively as a union, when it comes to safety, are usually on the ground and in real time, and unfortunately when those stands are not taken the cost is ultimately people’s lives,” said Kemp from the podium.

One of the three TWU members tragically killed on the job since the last convention in 2021 was Local 100 Trackworker Hilarion Joseph, who was fatally struck by a subway train on November 29, 2023.

Most of the members who spoke in support of the resolution were from Local 100, which sees an outrageously high number of workplace violence incidents.

“We get assaulted every day, we have so many court appearances going on right now it’s just ridiculous,” said Stations Vice Chair Vanessa Jones.

MaBSTOA Operators Division Chairman Sean Battaglia blasted the “rat bastard bosses” for not caring about keeping workers safe.

“They want to only give us stuff when safety is involved, unfortunately, when there’s some sort of fatality or when there’s some sort of major injury or assault on the workforce,” Battaglia said.

Lamonte Burke, Chair of the Train Operators Division, became emotional while remembering his brother Ronald Burke, a Train Conductor killed in February 1991.

“When it comes to my members—it’s my job to protect the members. It’s hard to do when you have to be fighting the people who’re supposed to protect us,” said Burke. “So when it comes to safety, this resolution, anything about it, I’m 100% for it.”

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez addressed the convention shortly after the resolution passed, noting that his father’s membership in Local 100 gave his family stability and security. The DA also highlighted TWU’s sacrifices and contributions after 9/11 and during the height of the Covid 19 pandemic.

“And it goes on and on. Because when there’s flooding and hurricanes it’s TWU members who are out there trying to drain the tunnels, get the work back on, removing debris in hazardous conditions.”

Gonzalez also pledged his support to TWU.

“I’m happy and proud to tell you, in front of all of you, that I am an ally in this fight," said Gonzalez, before turning his focus to violent crimes against members and mentioning the attack on Train Operator Myran Pollack, who was viciously stabbed and nearly killed by an unhinged passenger last year.

“I made sure that my office is holding that person responsible. He’s going to spend a long time in jail, he’s going to be sentenced to 15 years,” said Gonzalez. “We’re sending a clear message that if you attack a transit worker there will be significant consequences.”

However, the DA also said more preventative measures needed to be put in place rather than just reactive ones.

“We need to do so much more than simply prosecuting when someone attacks a worker, we need to invest management where it needs to protect you by working on prevention,” said Gonzalez.