All News

MAC Nurses Unionize

The nurses are in the house.

Staff nurses who work at the MTA’s Medical Assessment Centers have joined Transport Workers Union Local 100.

Management granted voluntary recognition to the group after all members signed pledge cards, Local 100 Senior Director of Organizing Frank McCann said.

“The nurses were united in wanting to join and they remain united,” McCann said. “We look forward to negotiating on their behalf.”

The nurses first expressed interest in unionizing to Member Services Director Chris Lightbourne. Lightbourne then connected the medical workers with the Local 100 Organizing team.

Staff Nurse Peter Fung said his colleagues need help addressing a range of problems, including inadequate staffing, irregular and last-minute job assignments, and insufficient compensation for additional duties.

“Overall, the group is feeling pretty positive,” Fung said. “We feel like we can ask for some changes and make some solid improvements.”

Stations Vice President Kelley Raises Assault Issues on National TV

Stations Vice President Robert Kelley took the national airwaves recently to talk about the assault on CTA Anthony Nelson and the need to elected officials to modify laws to better protect workers in the transit system. Nelson was attacked by a career criminal Alexander Wright, whom authorities repeatedly arrested, jailed, and released to asault again.

You can watch some of Kelley's comments here: https://youtu.be/Y-JX1CJ4IE0

Working Women's Committee and Family Assistance Coordinator Giselle Martinez (second from right) with Committee Members Celeste Kirkland (far left) and Isabel Camacho (far right)

Marching Against Domestic Violence

The Working Women’s Committee participated in two marches that were held in Washington Heights to raise awareness about domestic violence, which affects millions of Americans.

Committee members joined Working Women’s Committee and Family Assistance Coordinator Giselle Martinez at The Bride Walk on Sept. 26 and the Shine The Light Community March on Oct. 1. Both events were started in response to brutal murders of young women from the northern Manhattan neighborhood.

These public demonstrations are held to condemn violence and educate community members about services that are available to help victims escape abusive relationships, Martinez said.

Tuition Reimbursement Open Houses Set for October

On October 19th and October 25th, the Training and Upgrading Fund will present tuition reimbursement information for members employed the OA/TA and MTA Bus. For more information, just click on the image of the flyer.

MaBSTOA V.P. Donald Yates Commends Bus Operator Raynell Cody

SEPTEMBER 29 -- Thanks to the alertness and quick-thinking of one of our Bus Operators from West Farms, a mother and newborn baby – who arrived into this world on the bus – received near-immediate medical care, Yates reports.

“To this Brother, I want to say ‘Thank you for your service,’ Yates said. “This is just a fraction of what we do as transit workers. I’m very proud.”

Here’s the story:

A pregnant woman boarded Cody’s westbound bus at 161^st St. and River Avenue in the Bronx on Tuesday and took a seat towards the rear with other passengers. He continued on his 103/Bx6 route and headed towards the Macombs Dam Bridge near Yankee Stadium.

Suddenly, there was panic in the back of the bus.

Union Meets with 9/11 Museum; Sets Course Toward Recognition of Transit Workers at Ground Zero

IB Image

SEPTEMBER 27 -- President Utano and other union reps met today with curators and executives of the National September 11th Memorial Museum to advance our campaign to obtain recognition for the efforts of transit workers on the pile.

The Museum reached out to request a meeting after the union launched a petition on change.org demanding recognition, and secured widespread media coverage of the campaign. The petition has garnered more than 27,000 signatures thus far.

President Utano and Executive Board Member Mario Galvet, who has been heading up the union's 9/11 recognition project, made the point that in the first 48 hours, NYCT played the critical role of clearing debris crushed vehicles as well as cutting steel to enable first responders to begin rescue efforts.

The Museum's representatives, including Executive VP Clifford Chanin, were receptive to the union's concerns, and asked us to present 9/11 member stories along with artifacts from the rescue and recovery effort for their consideration as museum exhibits.

President Utano volunteered to donate a large screen TV so that the Transit Transit Newsmagazine episode, "Above and Below," could be screened on a continuous loop for museum visitors. He said that when he -- along with many other transit workers -- brings his grandchildren to the museum, they must be able to see the documented critical contributions that transit workers made to the rescue and recovery effort on full display.

In the photo: At today's meeting, the union's reps (on left) included President Utano and Exec Board Member Mario Galvet. In the foreground at left is Julie Booth, the daughter of 9/11 responder and Structure Maintainer Robert Booth.

Our Latest Video Recap -- Watch it on YouTube

Eastern European Day is October 16th

Eastern European Day celebrates the heritage of TWU Local 100 members who come from Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Russia, and the former Soviet Republics. It's a great evening at Tatiana Restaurant in Brighton Beach. Click here to register.

Union Mourns Joseph Calisi, 67, Aided in Organizing New Unit

Union members in the Career and Salary Unit are mourning the passing on August 30 of Computer Associate 3 Joseph Calisi, 67. At his retirement in 2020 he had 34 years of service with NYCT.

He was a dedicated union activist, working doggedly to organize workers in the Computer titles, producing pamphlets and publications for the effort. Thanks to his tenacity and the commitment of a core group of that formed around him, the unit voted to join TWU Local 100 in 2017.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber announces the approval of a contract for Career and Salary unit members

MTA Board Approves "Career and Salary" Unit Contract

SEPTEMBER 21 -- The MTA Board approved a negotiated contract between TWU Local 100 and the Authority on behalf of approximately 900 employees in the "Career and Salary" unit, many of whom work at 2 Broadway. The titles include Staff Analysts, Computer Specialists, and others. The approval was reached in an MTA Board executive session, closed to the public, and it was announced by MTA CEO Janno Lieber after the board returned to its public meeting on September 21st, approximately 3 hours into the meeting. The contract mirrors the gains achieved by the last general contract reached by TWU Local 100 in 2019 including a compounded wage increase of 9.84% over the life of the contract. More details about the agreement will be forthcoming, including details on retro checks.