News from TWU Local 100

TWU Fighting Back

by Pete Donohue

Anger. Disgust. Frustration.
That series of emotions often follows news that another transit worker was punched, spat upon, cursed out, struck with a bottle, splashed with an unknown liquid, or subjected to some other form of foul abuse. Those feelings can be even more intense when there’s an iPhone or surveillance camera recording, like the one posted on Facebook last month showing a man and woman beating an A-train conductor because service was being rerouted. It’s even more real and troublesome when you actually see such reprehensible behavior.

That’s why it felt good to be at the end of the No. 5 line in the Bronx a few weeks ago passing out TWU Local 100’s first-ever “Most Wanted” poster, hoping a rider would recognize one of the individuals and call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline. The posters feature images of suspects police believe attacked transit workers but have eluded arrest. As Local 100 President Utano told the media, “We’re fighting back against these criminals. If you attack one of our members, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure you are identified, arrested and prosecuted.”

Brooklyn D.A. Gonzalez Joins Union’s Fight for a Safer Workplace

TWU Local 100 has a powerful new partner in the fight against assaults on transit workers. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez joined Local 100 President Tony Utano to record a radio spot to be aired on local New York City AM radio stations.

In the spot, Gonzalez says that “assaulting a transit worker is a felony. And if it happens in Brooklyn, I will aggressively prosecute these cases.”

Utano responds: “Transit workers don’t cause delays. Anger towards them is totally misplaced.”

This is the fifth spot in the union’s media campaign to highlight the contributions of transit workers to New York City; the dangers they face on the job, and how the union transform people’s lives.

This is the first spot that specifically targets assaults on transit workers. Listen to it by clicking on the link above.

Chief Edward Delatorre (front, wearing uniform hat) stands with TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano and Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips along with other personnel

NYPD Transit Bureau Heeds Utano’s Call for Increased Protection for Workers

Local 100 President Tony Utano’s aggressive push-back against assaults has scored a major win for safety on the job.

Chief Edward Delatorre, head of the NYPD’s Transit Bureau, outlined a new policing strategy at a meeting on Sept. 18, 2018 with Utano, Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, and other union leaders that he pledged would provide increased protection for Train Crews and other transit workers in the subway system. Delatorre said that the new approach will include tighter coordination of police resources and greater interaction between Police Officers and Train Crews.

Delatorre told Utano that he wants his Officers to get to know the Train Crews through interaction with them at crew quarters and terminals. He also said that the Bureau intends to facilitate better communication between train crews and Police to help prevent potential crimes or to respond more quickly to a crime in progress. He praised Local 100 for its new anti-assault tactic of posting “Most Wanted” fliers in the subways. He said the union’s posters serve as a deterrent to those who might think of taking out their frustrations on a transit worker.

In addition to the “Most Wanted” posters, Local 100 has partnered with NYCT in pressing the union’s case against assaults through the media. The NYPD’s Transit Bureaus comprise 12 transit districts, located within or adjacent to the subway system, and overseen by three borough commands: Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Bronx/Queens. The Bureau, he explained, also has a number of specialized units including three borough Task Forces, an Anti-Terrorism Unit, Citywide Vandals Task Force, Canine Unit, Special Projects Unit, and MetroCard Fraud Task Force.

The Police Captains in charge of the 12 Transit Bureau Districts also attended the meeting, which was held at 130 Livingston St. in Brooklyn. The NYPD’s Transit Bureau only covers the subway system. Utano said he will be facilitating additional meetings between the union and borough commands to address safety in the bus system.

Train Operator Leon George Has Died

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 -- Brother Leon George, the beloved elder statesman of the Train Operator’s Division, has died of complications from a stroke at Interfaith Hospital in Brooklyn. Brother George’s family informed the union of his passing earlier today.

George, 77, was the longest serving Train Operator in the system and carried the distinction of being #1 on the union seniority roster. He suffered a stroke on the way to work on Monday, September 10th.

Rapid Transit Operations Vice President Joe Costales said that he will provide the arrangements for Brother George as soon as they become available. Costales, President Tony Utano and many others had visited Brother George in the hospital. Utano had assigned a union representative to be available to the family, including George’s brother, a retired Train Operator.

TWU Mourns Laura Adams

TWU Local 100 mourns the passing of Laura Adams, grandmother of Derick Echevarria, Vice President of Stations Department. Here are the arrangement for those wishing to pay their respects: There will be a viewing at Benta's Funeral Home, at 630 St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan, from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday, September 20. A Funeral Service will take place on Friday, September 21, at 10 am at the same location.

Union Honors Transit 9/11 Responders

IB Image TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano marked the 17th anniversary of the rescue and recovery effort at Ground Zero by honoring five transit workers, who have verified illnesses caused by their service at Ground Zero. Honored with the union's 9/11 service medal were CTA Gwendolyn Broughton, Structure Maintainer Dennis Buccello, Trackworker Dan Demody, Structure Maintainer Bobby Nash, and Track Specialist Johnny Sparks. Each of them has had a claim for victim's compensation because of 9/11 illness accepted by the federal government. In addition, more than a dozen other workers received 9/11 recognition pins from the union. Recognition pins are given to those transit workers who participated in the rescue and recovery effort. In all, about 3,000 TWU Local 100 members were either assigned to duty at Ground Zero or volunteered to help.

In his remarks, President Utano recounted the false promise by then EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman, who assured responders that air at the WTC site was safe to breathe. He recounted the sacrifice of thousands of transit workers who risked their health in the response and pledged to continue to push for public recognition of the role of transit workers at Ground Zero. Assemblyman Peter Abbate, Chair of the Governmental Employees Committee, who sponsored New York State's bill to compensate 9/11 workers for health care expenses, also spoke. He told the audience of transit workers that there is still more work to do in assisting those who responded. He also said that he would work to have the 9/11 transit response recognized both in the state's museum in Albany and also in the 9/11 memorial museum in lower Manhattan.

Read the Daily News's coverage of 9/11 related transit worker deaths here.

New York State has extended the deadline to file for workers' compensation benefits until September 11, 2022. For more information, see a workers' comp attorney.

Union Push Ends Aetna-Montefiore Standoff

A hard push by TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano has broken a contractual stalemate between insurance carrier, Aetna, and Montefiore Health System, an 11-hospital mega-health provider in the Bronx and the Hudson Valley. The two parties signed the new contract on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.

Montefiore had threatened to cease accepting Aetna unless the carrier agreed to a new schedule of payments. The standoff could have impacted use of the hospital’s many facilities for nearly 7,000 Local 100 members.

In August, President Utano called a meeting with the MTA and Aetna officials at Union Headquarters to inform the carrier that the loss of Montefiore’s services was unacceptable to the union.

Utano said of the settlement: “I am happy that this dispute has been settled, and that Local 100 members will continue to have full use of Montefiore’s services without interruption. Access to professional and convenient health services is essential to our members and their families.

This union would never have allowed our members to be shut out from services at such a major health care facility.”

West Indian Day Parade a Big Party for TWU

SEPTEMBER 3 -- Hundreds of transit workers and their families converged on Eastern Parkway on Labor Day to celebrate New York's biggest parade -- celebrating the Caribbean heritage of so many union members and New Yorkers. Local 100's contingent featured exuberant dancers, a large union float, the TWU Local 100 van showcasing our workers, and an antique City bus. We proudly marched with Governor Andrew Cuomo, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Assemblywoman Rodnyese Bichotte, and other friends of Local 100. The joy was apparent throughout, as you will see in these photos!

Exec Board Approves Contract for Big Bus Washington

SEPTEMBER 5 -- The TWU Local 100 Executive Board today unanimously approved a negotiated contract between the Union and Big Bus Tours of Washington, DC. If ratified by the membership, benefits will include a raise of $10,000 for each Bus Operator.

Representing the negotiating committee was Big Bus Operator Jonathan Williams, Sr., (in checked shirt) who is pictured next to Private Lines Division Chair Carlos Bernabel. With the union leadership including (l-r) Administrative VP Nelson Rivera, President Tony Utano, Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp, and Secretary Treasurer Earl Phillips. Next to Brother Rivera is Manny Agosto, an Executive Board member representing Liberty Lines in Westchester. At far right is Private Lines VP Pete Rosconi.

Big Bus is one of the world's largest open top double decker tour bus companies, with fleets in 20 cities in 11 countries.

Police Capture B15 Bus Mace Assailant; Union Pledges to Keep the Pressure On

At 12 AM this morning, the Daily News reported the capture of Andre Chandler, 46, in spraying attacks against two Bus Operators represented by TWU Local 100. Read the entire story in the Daily News here. TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said, "We have been working with the NYPD and the MTA to get menaces like this off the street, so this is a satisfying development. The B15 is safer today for our bus operators — and for our bus riders — than it was yesterday. We're going to keep the pressure on and continue to distribute photos of suspects so that there are more arrests like this. No one who assaults a transit worker should ever get away with it.”