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President Samuelsen Marks the Passing of Signal Maintainer Louis Moore

Just hours after Signal Maintainer Louis Moore died on the tracks at the 46th Street and Broadway subway station in Astoria, TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen spoke to the press about the tragic incident, placing it into the context of the number of fatalities over time and the intractable safety challenges facing transit workers.

Misdirected Anger

About two dozen people picketed outside Local 100’s offices April 18, chanting that the TWU had “abandoned” over 600 members who recently lost their jobs at First Transit.  While a few of the pickets hope to score some cheap political points, most of them are understandably angry at losing their jobs.  However, their anger is misdirected. 

First Transit lost their bid to continue their contract with the MTA. They were underbid by an anti-union contractor from South Carolina. Despite our efforts, the  new contractor refused to hire most of the existing workforce.  But we never abandoned our brothers and sisters there.  In fact, the Local is continuing its efforts to force the new contractor to bargain with the TWU and offer jobs to the workers from First Transit.  Charges have been filed at the NLRB against the MTA and the new contractor for discriminating against the workforce in place because of their membership in the TWU.

One good flyer deserves another.
One good flyer deserves another.

London Calling! TWU Local 100 Glad to Help Out

London’s Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (the RMT) – our brothers in arms across the pond – found inspiration in our recent graphic campaign to slow trains and prevent subway fatalities. We sent them our graphics files and they went to work, repurposing our graphic image of a chalk outline on the roadbed and making it the centerpiece of their campaign to bring back laid off workers who ensure safety on the Bakerloo line. The line’s management cut staffing, forcing train operators to drive out of service trains into stations or “sidings” in yards without checking for passengers who didn’t get off in time. The RMT points to the case of a 12-year old boy who found himself alone in a yard walking the tracks. Now the public is getting the message that this unsafe practice should end and that they should let London Underground management know they need to bring back the laid-off staff. See the RMT’s flyer here.

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