Lobby Day 2014 Pushes Partitions, Attacks 'Sweeps', and Ramps Up Contract Fight
Some 1,200 TWU members thronged the halls of Albany on March 25th, wearing green t-shirts that proclaimed zero tolerance for "net zero," and "the MTA MUST pay." State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the most prominent politician to address TWU at the capitol's convention center, got the largest round of applause for scoring the MTA on $1.9 billion in savings that they don't want to pass along to workers. President Samuelsen was joined by two dozen lawmakers at a 1 PM press conference pushing back against the Governor's recent $40 million 'sweep' of dedicated transit funds from the MTA's budget. Bus partitions to prevent assaults were also high on the agenda, with one politician after another vowing to enact A7424/S5684, which would mandate their installation. After a lively program at the convention center and the press conference, where a group photo was taken, TWU Local 100 members staged a sit-in demanding a "fair contract now" on the 'million dollar staircase' leading up to the State Senate chambers in the capitol building. President Samuelsen briefed members on the day's accomplishments while other top officers held the union's "no concessions" banner.