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Transit Workers Up in Lights at Times Square

TWU Local 100 members bring millions of New Yorkers and visitors in and out of Times Square -- the Crossroads of the World -- in a fast-paced, 24/7 rhythm that moves with our buses and trains.

If all those people didn’t know who really moves New York underground on subways and above ground on buses, they’ll be reminded of it on a giant Times Square jumbotron right across from a subway entrance.

That's because TWU Local 100 has purchased time on the big screen at 1500 Broadway (at 43^rd Street) to show New Yorkers who their City’s real movers and shakers are.

Here is the first 15-second segment that will be played four times an hour for 20 hours per day for the three-month period of Oct. 15, 2016 to Jan. 15, 2017 (which is not coincidentally the expiration of our agreement).

Local 100 President John Samuelsen explained that the messaging would first and foremost highlight transit workers’ contributions to the economic and social fabric of New York. He said that future messages would shine a light on the union’s fight for a new on-time contract, and be used as a tool to generate interest in union events such as our contract kickoff rally on Nov. 15, 2016, outside 2 Broadway.

Russian Day a Wonderful Afternoon at Tatiana's

OCTOBER 9 -- TWU's Russian Day at Tatiana's on the Brighton Beach boardwalk was another display of diversity and union power. Line Equipment Signal Chair John Chiarello worked closely with Executive Board Member Grigory Dunichev of Car Equipment to bring 1200 members from all over the Union to the event. Besides huge turnouts from CED and MOW, members from TA Surface and Private Lines -- Quality Bus -- were represented. "Russian Day began during horrible weather conditions," Chiarello said, "but even with a massive storm outside we filled Tatiana's to capacity." Grigory Dunichev praised the 20-member Russian Heritage Committee for their outstanding work in arranging the event. "They put out a very good effort. As a result, it went very smoothly and was a big success based on feedback from the membership." Dunichev noted that the gypsy dance troupe Danchenko got President Samuelsen down onto the dance floor where he proved equal to the task.

Top Union officers including President John Samuelsen and Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips greeted members and received prominent public officials, including Comptroller Scott Stringer, who President Samuelsen encouraged to step up to run for the Mayoralty, and New York State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon. Local political leaders including Councilman Alan Maisel also attended. There was dancing, great food, and of course spirits to keep everyone in a festive spirit. Enjoy the slide and video show!

Nuestras Naciones, our Annual Celebration of Hispanic Heritage

Enjoy our slide show from this year's event, which took place at the Union Hall and featured a salute to Ecuador!

We Remember Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson, a Powerful Fighter for Human Rights

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TWU Local 100 mourns the passing of Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson, at the age of 50, from cancer. DA Thompson was a shining star in Brooklyn, an outspoken leader in the criminal justice arena, and a solid supporter of transit workers. DA Thompson attended TWU Local 100’s rally in support of a good contract in October of 2013 on the anniversary of Super Storm Sandy and spoke powerfully at our Black History Celebration on February 25, 2015. His speech at our event is a fitting commemoration of Ken Thompson’s values and what he stood for.

Samuelsen Op Ed in the Daily News: The raise transit workers deserve: The state and MTA, which have the money, must pay bus and subway professionals more.

They can't really protect us. So they damn well should pay us. The unique stresses and perils that come with being a transit worker have been on full display in recent months.

On Sept. 14, a rider with a chip on his shoulder and some screws loose in his head slammed a female conductor against a wall on a J train. The next day, someone smacked a B-train conductor with a bag. Weeks earlier, another miscreant set fire to a station booth while an agent was inside.

You can find an example every single day of a bus or subway worker being assaulted or abused: punched, spat upon, threatened, knocked to the ground or worse.

Members Pack Brooklyn Courtroom in Arson Case

Dozens of TWU Local 100 members went to Brooklyn Supreme Court Thursday to face down a lowlife who tried to set a token booth on fire during a failed robbery. About 30 union officers and members filled the public rows behind the prosecutor’s table as Everett Robinson was arraigned on attempted murder, attempted assault in the first degree and other charges. Robinson briefly turned and took notice of the TWU Local 100 contingent glaring at him. He was then led shackled back to jail on Rikers Island. Justice William Harrington continued Robinson’s bail requirement: $50,000 cash or $75,000 bond.

Local 100 members then marched down the hallway with their fists in the air as photographers from the New York Daily News and New York Post snapped away.

Stations Vice President Derick Echevarria and Stations Chairman Joe Bermudez told the reporters they were pleased the Brooklyn district attorney’s office jacked up the charges against Robinson to attempted murder and first-degree assault. Robinson was initially charge by police with attempted arson and second-degree assault, which carry significantly lower maximum prison sentences. He now faces a minimum five years behind bars and a maximum 25 years upstate. But Echevarria and Bermudez were angered that Justice Harrington denied - without explanation - a media request to take photographs of Robinson in the courtroom. “Why is he coddling someone who tried to kill one of our members, a Station Agent who was simply doing her job serving the riders?,” Bermudez said.

Station Agent Percilla Augustine-Soverall, 44, told police that she was in the booth at about 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 12 when Robinson doused the aperture with a liquid that smelled like gasoline. “He said that if I didn’t give him the money, he would light me up,” Augustine-Soverall said. Robinson then held up a shirt or rag and lit it on fire, according to the criminal complaint filed by NYPD Det. Daniel Artega. The fire apparently spread more quickly than Robinson anticipated, forcing him to drop it to the floor before he could stuff it into the booth’s opening, according to a law enforcement source.

Still, the smoke from the burning cloth filled the mezzanine and booth, triggering the Halon fire-suppression system. “Everything was just cloudy in the booth,” Augustine-Soverall told the New York Daily News. “I couldn’t do anything…I just started crying. I was in shock.” Agent Augustine-Soverall was not physically injured but remains traumatized.

Indian Day a Festive Night

On September 24, at the IBEW Local 3 hall in Queens, we held our annual day celebrating transit workers of Indian heritage. Enjoy the slide show!

Our Annual Chinese Day -- Mid Autumn Festival -- a Roaring Success!

With a festive lion dance, great food, and entertainment by vocalist Winne Huang, the TWU's second annual mid-Autumn festival, celebrating Chinese Heritage, got underway in mid-September in Brooklyn. For those who missed it, enjoy the slide show!

News Report: Hero Conductor Brought Girl, Suicidal Mom to Safety

In a copyrighted story in Wednesday's edition, Daily News Reporter Dan Rivoli reports on Conductor Warren Cox, who noticed something very wrong at the station where he was assigned. He intervened to stop a likely suicidal plunge of a woman, clutching her nine year old daughter, into the path of a train. Read the story here. TWU Local 100 President told the news: “Saving lives is not in the job description, but that's what transit workers regularly do, sometimes at great risk to their own safety,” said John Samuelsen, Transport Workers Union Local 100 chief. “We're proud of Conductor Cox for intervening until the police arrived.”

Health Benefits: Aetna Wins the Contract to Administer Local 100 Health Benefits

The right to unilaterally change health carriers was given to the MTA by the union in the 2002 contract negotiations. The MTA has once again exercised this contractual right to bring in a new health care provider.

Starting on January 1, 2017, Aetna will be responsible for administering all the different medical plans for Local 100 members and retirees at TA/OA/MTA Bus. Each of these plans will remain distinct with the benefits and terms set in prior collective bargaining between the Union and the Authority. There will be NO change in the level of benefits due to this changeover. This change does not affect the prescription, optical and dental plans.

Some members – much fewer than in 2012 -- will see their doctor go out of network and may want to find a new one. Later this year, any member facing such a disruption will be notified by letter. Additionally, during the Open Enrollment period members will be provided with all the information they need to check for themselves. On the plus side, several thousand doctors who were out of network will now be in-network. Transitional arrangements will be made for members in special circumstances; for example, pregnant women and members undergoing chemotherapy.

This year’s Open Enrollment period will run from October 15 to December 5 for active members, and from November 1 to December 5 for retirees. Open Enrollment packs will be mailed out at the beginning of those periods. Open Enrollment informational meetings will be held at locations throughout the system, starting October 11. The schedule of meetings will be published shortly.

Active members who do not receive their Open Enrollment pack by October 15 can contact the BSC at that time. Retirees who do not receive their Open Enrollment pack by November 1 can contact the BSC at that time. However, if you do not want to change your plan you do not need to file anything during Open Enrollment, unless you want to add a dependent or if you are a retiree turning 65.

The 2012 changeover was accompanied by too much disruption and confusion. The Union is working to make sure that this time is different.