News from TWU Local 100

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

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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.

photo courtesy ABC-TV

ABC Report: Train Operator Saves a Life

For the second time in less than a week, a Local 100 member from the Rapid Transit Operations department was featured on prime-time television for life-saving actions.

Subway Train Operator Louis-Mark Perry was taking his No. 7 train through a tunnel in Long Island City, Queens, Tuesday when he saw a man wedged up against the wall. Perry hit the brakes and then convinced the disorientated man, who was then in jeopardy of being electrocuted by the third rail, to board the train. "Once he got up into the train I told him, 'I don't know if you're married or if you have kids," Perry told WABC news reporter N.J. Burkett on Wednesday. "But if you do, you need to go home and hug your wife, hug the kids and be thankful you're alive. Because you really, you really could have been killed."

You can watch the episode here.

Just days earlier, Conductor Benjamin Schaeffer quickly evacuated his N train in Brooklyn after learning that an apparently homeless man spilled gasoline onto the floor of one of the cars. Schaeffer was featured on WNBC Channel 4. “I’m proud of how Operator Perry and Conductor Schaeffer handled these life-or-death situations - but I’m not surprised,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “We are trained professionals and we do what needs to be done when there is an emergency situation.”

Utano said both men will certainly be in contention for a TWU Local 100 Transit Heroes Award later this year. Transit Heroes will honor Local 100 members who do exceptional deeds for their bus or subway riders, their co-workers or communities.

NBC Report: Conductor Acted Fast to Mitigate Urgent Risk

A veteran Train Conductor, who also serves as a TWU Local 100 Shop Steward, is being praised for taking quick action after a rider spilled gasoline inside his N train Sunday, October 14.

Conductor Benjamin Schaeffer immediately secured his cab and evacuated riders from the Manhattan-bound train after passengers came to his window at the 36thSt. and said an apparently homeless man with a shopping cart stuffed with items spilled the flammable material from a canister. Schaeffer was interviewed by NBC Channel 4 Reporter Andrew Siff. The piece aired Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

"I was proud of him," RTO Vice President Joe Costales said to Siff. "This is what we train to do in a daily emergency situation." See the full report here.