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TA Surface Division Chair Willie Rivera with Bus Operator Francisco DeJesus

DA Takes DeJesus Case Off Court Calendar

Bus Operator Francisco DeJesus, a 30-year veteran with a good record, was arrested under the Vision Zero law on February 13th for "failure to yield" in an accident which injured a 15-year-old girl in Williamsburg. Today, his case was taken off the court calendar pending further discussions between the Union, the lawyer representing Mr. DeJesus, and the Brooklyn District Attorney. TWU Local 100 contends that Brother DeJesus should not have been arrested at the scene. We believe that this practice criminalizes Bus Operators who do their jobs professionally but nevertheless get into accidents.

JP Patafio, Vice President of TA Surface, addressed a room full of Bus Operators who gathered to support DeJesus. On hand were most of the Union's top officials in the leadership of the two Bus Departments, TA Surface and MaBSTOA, representing some 10,000 bus operators. Patafio noted that TWU Local 100 currently is closing in on a majority in the City Council needed to amend the Vision Zero law so as not to mandate arrests of Bus Operators at accident scenes. DeJesus thanked the operators for showing up, saying that their support was a great lift to his spirits. Operator Felix Lopez, who had DeJesus as an instructor, stood to ask the room to stand for a moment of silence for DeJesus's mother, who had just passed. It was a moment that spoke volumes about the solidarity we feel for each other in the TWU.

Mocker Takes a Turn on the "Zero Vision" Simulator

WPIX Transit Reporter Greg Mocker took a turn on NYCT's bus simulator recently, and found it quite challenging. He reported on the additional training being mandated in the wake of the Vision Zero law. TWU Local 100 is working to amend the law so as to de-criminalize bus operation by removing mandatory arrests which are called for after accidents even if there is no evidence of recklessness.

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Albany Legislators Pledge Support to End Bus Operator Arrests

More than 1,300 Local 100 members who attended Lobby Day on March 24, 2015 heard key Albany legislators line up behind the union’s legislative initiative to end the arrest of Bus Operators under Vision Zero. Assemblyman Walter Mosley’s bill (A6048) to decriminalize Vision Zero as it relates to Bus Operators got a huge boost as a result of our lobbying efforts. Sen. Martin Malave Dilan pledged to introduce companion legislation on the Senate side in his address to the Lobby Day assembly.

TWU Tells Albany: #WEARENOTCRIMINALS

Capturing the anger of Bus Operators over the Vision Zero law that has criminalized their profession, Local 100 President John Samuelsen speaks to members who thronged the Empire State Plaza concourse for the Union’s Lobby Day event. Overturning the law – which has put Bus Operators under arrest even where no reckless or unlawful behavior has occurred – is a major objective of the Union for this legislative session both in Albany and at the New York City Council.

Patrick “Pat” Kilduff, Long-Time OA Officer, Passes

TWU Local 100 officers and members mourn the passing of Patrick “Pat” Kilduff, retired MABSTOA Division Chair on March 19,2015. Pat had retired some 16 years ago. He was 81 and a Veteran of the U.S. Navy in the Korean War. He is survived by a son, John, a grandson, and three brothers and and three sisters, including a twin sister, Veronica. His wife, Margaret, passed away in 2008.

Arrangements are as follows:

Viewing
Monday, March 23, 2015
2:00pm-4:00pm / 7:00pm-9:00pm
Scarr Funeral Home
160 Orange Avenue, Suffern, NY
(Phone: 845-357-1137)

Funeral Mass
Tuesday, 10:00am
Sacred Heart Church
125 Lafayette Avenue
Suffern, New York

Working Families Party Endorses Bill to De-Criminalize Bus Operator Accidents

The New York State Working Families Party, an influential backer of Mayor de Blasio and other progressive elected officials, has issued a Memorandum of Support for City Council Bill Int. 663, "An amendment to Vision Zero law Int. No. 238, creating a new subdivision of the law clarifying exemption of City bus operators from right of way codification."

Read the Daily News story here.

The bill was introduced in the Council by Daneek Miller (D-Southeast Queens), a former Bus Driver, and has garnered significant support in the Council. It its Memorandum, the Working Families Party cites the "impossible situation" in which Bus Drivers are placed by the current Vision Zero law, which mandates an arrest for "failure to yield" at an intersection when there is a pedestrian accident. The impossible situation is created because mass transit Bus Operators, alone among public employees, must negotiate dozens of turns each day into busy pedestrian crosswalks where both the bus and the pedestrians have the right of way. When accidents occur, either through inadvertent carelessness on the part of the pedestrian, glare or lines of sight which prevent the Operator from seeing, the Operator is held culpable under Vision Zero even when no recklessness occurs.

The Bill would stop the automatic arrests of Bus Operators after "right of way" accidents, allowing the current MTA accident investigation system to take its course, assigning culpability, if warranted, following the investigation. Click "read more" for the complete text of the Memorandum of Support.

Accused Off Duty Cop Faces Transit Workers in Bronx Court

Mirjan Lolja, the off-duty police officer who assaulted a TWU Local 100 sister working the platform at Tremont Ave. last Dec. 23rd, appeared in a Bronx court Wednesday, March 11, 2015 to face charges for his actions.

The hearing dealt with preliminary motions filed by Lolja’s attorney, including one to have the charges dismissed.

Lolja and his attorney appeared surprised if not a bit shaken when they looked around to see the courtroom packed with transit workers wearing their union colors.

At least 25 members, led by RTO Vice President Kevin Harrington, and Administrative Vice President Angel Giboyeaux, delivered a strong message that “It Is Not Okay to Assault Transit Workers.”

The next court date is scheduled for April 24 when the judge will issue her decision on the motions.

Eric Garner's Transit Family Comes to the Union's Black History Month Celebration

TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen and the rest of the Union's leadership greeted Alicia Flagg, the sister of Eric Garner, who died while being arrested by police officers on Staten Island seven months ago. Alicia is a New York City Transit Bus Operator, a member of TWU Local 100. Also on hand were Eric's mother, Gwen Carr, a retired Train Operator, and Eric and Alicia's Aunt, a Station Agent.

We Are NOT Criminals

The Union has launched a multi-pronged campaign to stop the arrest of Bus Operators involved in accidents under Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative. On Feb. 24, 2015 the union achieved a clear victory in court in the case of Bus Operator Reginald Prescott, one of those arrested under Vision Zero. After the court action, President Samuelsen addressed a standing-room-only assembly of Brother Prescott’s co-workers and union activists, where he pledged a relentless fight-back against this injustice.

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