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Union Scholarships Application Period Extended

The union announced that our application period for scholarships for college students has been extended until June 30. These scholarships are for members, children of members, grandchildren of members, or retirees or their children or grand-children who are attending or accepted by an accredited two or four year college. Each scholarship is worth $1,000, and 50 will be awarded in a random drawing. You can download and fill out the application here. The scholarship program is sponsored by M3 Technology, the union's guaranteed acceptance voluntary benefit administrator. Good luck!

A New Column: Pete Donohue's Perspective on Transit

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Noted transit reporter Pete Donohue – for 16 years at the Daily News the authority on NYC mass transit – has now joined the Union’s staff. In welcoming Pete, we’re proud to announce a regular column especially for our members and the riding public. You used to read Pete in the Daily News. Now, you can catch him only on the TWU Local 100 website. Enjoy Pete’s first column here, and check back weekly for more.

An American Union Story

When the mine whistle sounded in Dickson City, Pa., everyone in the small blue-collar town momentarily froze with fear. The sound was an ominous announcement that there had been a serious accident underground. Elementary school and high school students waited anxiously until their lunch hour when they would hustle home. Some wouldn’t be at their desks when class resumed.

“That’s how you knew whose father was killed or injured," my mother, Marlene, recalled. “Their desks would be empty.”

Her father, Frank Ceci, worked the mines for decades. He started in the early 1900s at approximately 13 years old. At first, he worked above ground as a “breaker boy” picking out unwanted slate from the coal. He joined the men going into the "hole" a few years later. One of his earliest work memories was of men dying during cave-ins. The mining company would have the dead man carried home.

"They'd leave the body on the porch," my mother said.

TWU Local 100 at the 2015 National Puerto Rican Day Parade

Dozens of TWU Local members from all over the transit system proudly marched down 5th Avenue at the annual Puerto Rican Day parade, an exuberant celebration which is reflected in these great photos by our very own Noah Rodriguez. Enjoy!

Labor Movement Unites Behind TWU Local 100 to Amend Vision Zero Law

New York's most influential labor unions, representing some 3 million members in the State and City of New York, have signed on to a joint letter to the New York City Council, urging an amendment to the Vision Zero law which has resulted in the needless arrests of Bus Operators. Read the complete letter here.

Family Day 2015 in Photos

A Message from John Samuelsen:

I want to thank everyone who contributed to the incredible, unprecedented success of our annual Family Day. The wonderful families that make TWU Local 100 such an amazing institution were on full display. The sun was shining (for the most part), and the aroma of grilled meat and fish was floating all over Coney Island. Our Family Day has now developed its own unique style of awesome divisional tailgating, with all kinds of great food and "interesting" beverages.

Video: Highlights of the Edwin Thomas Street Co-Naming Ceremony

Almost seven years after his death in the line of duty, NYCT Bus Operator Edwin Thomas is honored in a formal street naming by his union brothers and sisters and political leaders.

Edwin Thomas street co-naming draws politicians, 300 Bus Operators, and Union leadership

TWU Local 100 and the MTA turned out on a beautiful day to pay tribute to one of our own, Bus Operator Edwin Thomas, who was tragically killed by a passenger on his B46 bus seven years ago. The event marked the first official commemoration of a Bus Operator killed in the line of duty by the City Council, which voted to rename East 49th Street adjacent to the Flatbush Depot. Local 100 President John Samuelsen officiated at the event, which featured the unveiling of a plaque featuring the likeness of Brother Thomas on the side of the depot, and the uncovering of the street name. Also on hand were Thomas’s children and his mother. See our slide show featuring key moments from the event.

President Samuelsen Honored with Labor Award from Brooklyn Democrats for Change

MAY 27 -- TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen received the Labor Leader of the Year award from Brooklyn's Democrats for Change political club in their ninth annual dinner event in Bay Ridge. Speaking to political leaders including Kings County Democratic Chair Frank Seddio, John took the podium to discuss the Union's issues with Mayor de Blasio's vision zero law, and the criminalization of Bus Operators who are involved in accidents through no fault of their own. He described the blind spots and engineering defects in buses and traffic right-of-ways that have given rise to accidents which have resulted in the arrests of Bus Operators, and called on members of the political club to stand with the union in fighting to amend the Vision Zero law in the City Council.

Uncuff 'em, Mr. Mayor!

TWU Local 100 releases our third ad bringing attention to the unfair arrests of Bus Operators under the Vision Zero law in the Daily News tomorrow, May 27th. The ad depicts New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who wears the mantle of a political progressive, in the act of handcuffing one of the pillars of New York City's working class, an NYCT/MTA Bus Operator. The Daily News promoted the ad in a copyrighted article which you can read here. The ad urges the Mayor to stop this unfair policy. TWU Local 100's position is that reckless or dangerous acts by any motorist -- including Bus Operators -- should be punishable offenses, but that arresting responsible Bus Operators at accident scenes is an unwarranted criminalization of professional drivers before the facts of the case are known. The fact that an accident has occurred is not proof of culpability on the part of the driver, or proof that the driver has not exercised "due regard" when operating in the intersection. Bringing added muscle to our ad campaign, TWU Local 100 has filed suit in NYS Supreme Court to have the section of the law that provides for misdemeanor penalties against drivers who infringe on the "right of way" and cause injuries voided. Our reasoning: the law does not contain a definition of what "due regard" actually means. Short of clear evidence that the driver ignored safety rules or was operating under the influence, that's for trained accident investigators to determine -- not for officers on the scene to engage in a rush to judgement. View/download the complete ad here.

It's a matter of fairness. Drivers and Monitors should have the right to an impartial hearing.

School Bus Grievance Process Bill Gaining Support in Albany

Our Political Action Department is making gains on a crucial bill to improve the lives of school bus drivers in Westchester. PAC's Viviana Guzman, a Monitor from Mile Square on union release, is pounding the pavement in Albany, getting more and more legislators to sign on to A.2781 - S.3474, the School Bus Grievance Process Bill. Just this week, State Senators Gustavo Rivera and Jesse Hamilton signed on, as well as Assemblyman Marcos Crespo. That makes the total 16 in the Assembly, and 8 in the Senate. This bill costs the State nothing -- but would make a big difference in the right to due process that's guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution but is often in short supply in the workplace.

Here's the issue: School Bus Drivers and Monitors working for companies that have contracts with school districts -- like Mile Square, Supertrans, White Plains, and Royal Coach -- can be suspended or struck from a company roster by a school district without any recourse. In a recent case, one driver was ordered by a teacher to park his bus in the middle of a block next to a row of double-parked cars. He said that wasn't safe (in fact, prohibited by State regs), and drove his bus further down the block to get curbside so the kids would be safe. This resulted in the teacher's calling the school district for disobeying her order, and the school district then disqualifying him as a driver in that district. The company he worked for had no problem with his conduct, but were helpless to stop the school district from imposing a penalty. So was the union -- because our contract is with the company, not the district. The bill would mandate that school districts are a party to the union contract when it comes to the imposition of discipline. This means that any drivers or monitors who get penalized would have an opportunity to dispute the sanction and get a fair hearing, up to impartial arbitration.

Please call your State legislators -- and ask them to sign on.