All News

Transit Workers Celebrate at the National Puerto Rican Day Parade

SUNDAY, JUNE 12 -- Puerto Rican and union pride both were on full display at this year’s Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan with more than 200 Transport Workers Union members, officers, and relatives taking part in the festivities.

The flag-waving TWU contingent that marched along Fifth Ave. in Manhattan was accompanied by a balloon-packed float, featuring a DJ, and a New York City Transit bus. TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano and Secretary-Treasurer Richie Davis attended, along with Vice Presidents John Chiarello, Shirley Martin and Pete Rosconi.

Roll over the photo above to view the rest of our pictures or go to our Flickr page for the the event.

MTA No Longer Requiring COVID-19 Testing for Non Vaccinated

Citing NY State guidelines, the MTA is no longer requiring regular COVID-19 testing for non-vaccinated workers. If you are experiencing symptoms or have encountered someone who has tested positive for COVID, you should still get tested.

Testing locations on MTA property will remain open through Sunday June 26th.

For more information on MTA policies and resources available to members, go to the MTA Employee Resource Center website:
https://new.mta.info/covid-19/employees

In the Wake of Bus Operator Stabbing, Union Demands Cockpit-Style Enclosures; More Police Presence on Buses

JUNE 7 -- At a press conference held today outside of Methodist Hospital in Park Slope where a Bus Operator is recovering from being stabbed, TA Surface Vice President JP Patafio called for the MTA to install cockpit-style enclosures to protect our Bus Operators from assault as well as more police presence on bus routes. He said that Bus Operators were frustrated and angry that more has not been done to protect them from assault. He demanded that NYC Transit install cockpit-style bus enclosures, similar to those which are already in service in cities like Las Vegas. The press conference was called after a veteran Bus Operator was stabbed in the stomach last night in Brooklyn after a perp forced his way through the rear doors of the vehicle and assaulted the Operator, also slashing him above the right eye.

TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano and Patafio visited the Bus Operator in the hospital this morning. Also speaking at the press event were TA Surface officers Ronald Carter, Gary Rosario, and Alexander Kemp. Rank and file Bus Operators also addressed the media as did East New York Depot Chair Javier Oquendo.

TWU International Announces Scholarship Winners; 8 Win from Local 100

Our Parent Union, the Transport Workers Union of America, has announced the winners of its Michael J. Quill Scholarships as well as additional scholarships provided to union members. Eight TWU Local 100 students -- sons and daughters of rank and file members -- are among the winners. TWU Local 100 has our own scholarship program as well, and those winners are yet to be chosen. Read the memo announcing the winners here.

NYS Legislature Passes New Laws Protecting More Transit Workers from Assault

Both houses of the New York State Legislature passed by overwhelming margins legislation that aims to protect more transit workers from assaults.

Under the bill, criminals could be charged with second-degree felony assault if they intentionally cause serious injury to workers tasked with the repair or maintenance of bus and subway equipment, including elevators, escalators, and tracks; the collection of fare revenues; the testing, inspection and troubleshooting of operating equipment; and other tasks. The existing felony assault law already covers job titles like Train Conductor, Train Operator, Bus Operator, Station Agent, and subway Cleaner.

Training and Upgrading Fund Announces Summer Courses, Transit Certificate Program

The Local 100/NYCT Training and Upgrading Fund announces our Summer Courses beginning this month. Click on the flyer image to download the schedule. We offer courses in defensive driving, writing, sign language, electrical, plumbing, financial literacy, and more.

Exec. Board Elevates Richard Davis to Secretary Treasurer and Donald Yates to MaBSTOA VP

MAY 31 -- The Local 100 Executive Board took decisive action today to fill the leadership vacancy left by the retirement late last week of Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips.

At its regularly scheduled May meeting, the Board voted 43-2-1 to elevate MaBSTOA Vice President Richard Davis to Secretary-Treasurer. The Board then voted 43-2 to raise MaBSTOA Division 1 Chair Donald Yates to Division Vice President.

Local 100 President Tony Utano, who praised both men as eminently ready for the step up in leadership positions, submitted both motions to the Board.

Local 100's Sonya Grey Calls out MTA for Foot Dragging on Contract

TWU Local 100’s Career and Salary unit publicly called out the Authority Wednesday for failing to negotiate a contract with any urgency.

Sonya Grey, “a proud member of TWU Local 100” and the Career & Salary unit, chastised MTA CEO Janno Lieber and upper management at the MTA board meeting for dragging their feet in negotiations that date back to 2019. The pandemic understandably put negotiations temporarily on hold, but the MTA has been offering up nothing but a series of weightless excuses as New York and the country have returned to work, school, and normal activities, she said.

Union Negotiates Promotional Path for Car Cleaners

The Days of No Advancement are Over

Local 100 President Tony Utano, CED Vice President Shirley Martin and CED Division Chair Matt Ahern have negotiated an important stipulation with the MTA creating a promotional pathway for Car Cleaners.

President Tony Utano said: “This big victory was a true team effort by top leadership and our Division Officers in Car Equipment. Both Vice President Shirley Martin and Chair Matt Ahern did an outstanding job pushing this across the finish line.”

Vice President Shirley Martin said: “The days of no advancement for our Car Cleaners are over. Car Cleaner was the only hourly title in Transit with no chance for promotion in the title. This was unfair to the Car Cleaners, and we’re happy to right this wrong.” Division Chair Matt Ahern added: “Car Cleaners are second class no more,”

Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips Retiring at 60

MAY 25 – Earl Phillips, after 11 years as TWU Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer, the second highest position in the Union, is retiring this month. He was warmly congratulated on his tenure by President Tony Utano and other Union leaders and staff at a small reception in his honor on Tuesday. International President John Samuelsen also attended the event.

Brother Phillips, 60, was born in Barbados and came to America in 1987 to join his mother and sisters in America. He started an auto-repair business in Brooklyn and was hired by NYCT as a Chassis Maintainer in 1993, working out of East New York Bus Depot in Brooklyn as well as Gun Hill and Kingsbridge Depots in the Bronx. Witnessing work situations that compromised worker safety, he became active with the Union and became a Field Safety Representative in 2002.