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Our Upward Advancement Program Graduates 20 to Join Structure Division

JUNE 8 -- The Apex Technical School was the scene of a triumphant graduation for 20 TWU Local 100 members -- Cleaners and Traffic Checkers, who are now moving up to apprentice positions within Maintenance of Way. Each graduate completed a 900 hour course, 150 hours for each trade learned. They will join Structure Division, under Departmental Vice President Tony Utano, as apprentices, with the opportunity to proceed to full tenure in civil service titles after passing exams. This is the result of a push by the TWU to fund the training of our members in lower paid titles to get the chance for advancement into higher paid work within the union. We partnered with New York City Transit, which jointly administers the Training and Upgrading Fund. More classes of apprentices will follow.

TWU, NYC Trade Unions Back Gov. Cuomo’s Fightback Against Trump's Attacks on Infrastructure Funding

JUNE 6 -- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed an energetic union-dominated crowd in a large meeting hall of the Jacob Davits Center, vowing to fight Trump Administration policies  that threaten infrastructure funding, women’s rights, and climate change initiatives. Naming New York State Congressmen John Faso of the Hudson Valley, and Chris Collins of Buffalo, the Governor said he was charging them with “defrauding voters. They said they would help the middle class, they’re doing the exact opposite. They’re political pawns to the puppet masters in Washington.”

Dozens of TWU Local 100 members including Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, MOW VP Tony Utano, and MaBSTOA VP Richie Davis were in the packed room as the Governor laced into the Trump administration and Republican officeholders. He contrasted their defunding plans with New York State’s positive agenda for working people. “If you want to help the middle class and working families,” he said, “start by creating jobs with a record investment in infrastructure, putting people to work, and using the men and women of organized labor to do it.” Other unions waving signs and placards with the hashtag #fightback were hotel and building trades unions, IBEW Local 3, the RWDSU, and the CWA.

“You help the middle class by passing paid family leave and by raising the minimum wage,” Cuomo added. “You protect the people in the ACA because health care is a human right. Also [you help] by protecting our planet and our environment; and understanding that growing the economy is not the enemy of protecting the environment; it is the ally of of protecting the environment.” He also spoke of the vital importance of protecting workers’ right to organize and said that, now that the Trump administration has pulled out of the Paris accord on climate change, that New York State would form a coalition of states pledged to stay in the Paris accord.

M3 Technology President John Pescitelli (at left) holds check for $89,250 which was presented to Michael Dicks (seated, with brother Jaelen, 4). Also present with the Dicks family were Union officers including Sec-Treas Earl Phillips and MOW VP Tony Utano

Slain Conductor Had Union-Endorsed Insurance; Family Receives Check at Union Hall

Conductor Jacqueline Dicks-Drumgold could never have imagined her senseless death – but she did prepare for the worst. In January, just months before her murder, Jacqueline took out an accidental death insurance policy through a union-endorsed vendor. On Friday, Jacqueline’s oldest son and three younger siblings received an $89,250 insurance check at the Union Hall in downtown Brooklyn.

“One of the things your mother did when she took this job was look out for her family,” Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips said. “She did the right thing. Her children were in her heart and in her mind.”

Michael Dicks, 22, Jacqueline’s oldest son, thanked Phillips and Maintenance of Way Vice President Tony Utano, for Local 100’s assistance through the terrible ordeal, including the union paying for his mother’s funeral. “Everyone is grateful,” Dicks said. “Everyone in the family is grateful. Much love for the union. Love in my heart goes out to the union.”

An estranged boyfriend shot and killed Jacqueline May 1 as she returned home from her shift on the N line. Jacqueline, who was hired in June of last year, had six children: Tatiana Dicks, 24; Michael Dicks, 22; Tyrone Dicks, 21; Terrena Drumgold, 16; Terrenc e Drumgold, 14; and Jaelen, 4. The three youngest children came to the Hall with Michael and an aunt, Kenya Cofield, a retired Bus Operator who spent 18 years on the road. During the somber gathering, John B. Pescitelli, President of M3 Technology, the union-endorsed vendor, pledged to give $1,000 towards college tuition to Jaelen, Terrence, Terrena and Michael. M3 Technology essentially is an insurance broker. The insurance company is TransAmerica Financial Life Insurance.

Local 100 Veterans Accept DOD Honors for MTA/NYCT

MTA/NYCT has won the prestigious Pro Patria Award from Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The official recognition by the Department of Defense was presented at an awards banquet on April 28^th . The award, showing an American Eagle perched next to the DOD insignia was picked up at the event by Telephone Maintainer Dartagnan Magana, (in black) and by MaBSTOA Facilities Maintainer Steven V. Carl, along with a certificate. Brother Magana was a Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) in the US Marine Corps, deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan, and was on active duty for ten years. He now works in the Union Hall assigned to the Tier 6 team.  Brother Carl is a Petty Officr 2^nd Class (E-5) in the US Navy, who has served from 2003 to the present. The ESGR award honors the “dignity, fairness, and respect accorded the active members of the Guard and Reserve in the employ of MTA/NYCT.” Congratulations to all concerned.