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Local 100, MTA Bus Sign Historic Consolidation Agreement

Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the MTA Bus Company have completed the historic consolidation of the collective bargaining agreement, unifying the contractual provisions at all six Local 100/MTA Bus locations. This precedent setting agreement brings together the terms and conditions previously reached, including the two Impasse Awards and two MoU’s since the takeover of the former private bus companies more than a decade ago.

“With the publication of this agreement, Local 100 members at MTA Bus now have a single document that covers their substantially improved working conditions,” said President Tony Utano. The newly published document also includes a Sick Leave cash out pilot program modeled after the OA/TA Agreement.

Click here to download the full agreement.

Local 100 President Tony Utano (left) and company Vice President Tony Murgo shake after settling the proposed 5-year contract.

Union Scores 5-Year Contract for STA School Bus Members

TWU Local 100 negotiators brought home a hard-fought five-year contract for 150 members at Student Transportation of America, Inc. (STA Greenwich) that features annual wage increases, important new guarantees on daily and weekly pay, and a host of benefit improvements. The agreement was reached on Nov. 15, 2018 after months of negotiations.  Local 100 President Tony Utano joined the talks in the final hours in an effort to conclude the agreement.
 
President Utano praised the union committee for its “steadfast” efforts in reaching a negotiated settlement, including School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi, Mary Pryce, Jamille Aine, John Zelinsky, Director of Organizing Frank McCann, and union attorney, Edward Kennedy. The proposed settlement increases pay by 3 percent in each year of the 5-year package. The first increase is retroactive to July 1, 2018.  The compounding factor brings the actual total increase to nearly16 percent.

On guarantees – one of the primary focuses of the negotiations – Drivers and Monitors will now be paid their weekly picked run hours from the first scheduled day of school to the last actual day of school including all intervening school holidays, closures, scheduled or unscheduled vacations, unless the employee absents him/herself from work. The daily hourly guarantee goes from 5 hours per day to 5.3 hours per day (26.5 per week) in the 4th year of the agreement, and to 5.5 hours a day (27.5 weekly) in the 5th year of the contract.  Currently, Drivers earn $29.16 per hour and Monitors earn $17.00 per hour.  For the eight Spare Drivers and Monitors (a picked job), there will be an immediate increase in the guaranteed minimum hours to 7 hours per day or 35 hours per week.
 
The negotiating committee won increases in the Life Insurance Benefit for all employees, regardless of service time; a hike in the company matching contribution to a worker’s 401(k) plan, and an increase in the employer cap to both single and dependent health care coverage.  Finally, the committee scored wins on years-of-service bonuses for all workers, and safety bonuses for Monitors. The package will be presented to the Local 100 Executive Board for approval and then be presented to the membership for ratification.

Photo: The union negotiating committee, from the left, include John Zelinsky, Jamille Aine, School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi, Local 100 President Tony Utano and Mary Pryce.

Cuomo's Team Cruises to Victory, as TWU Builds Political Clout

TWU Local 100 got behind Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, and Attorney General Tish James from the start –and stayed with them until each crossed the finish line in yesterday's general election.

President Tony Utano enjoys close relationships with New York's top elected leaders, building on close ties forged by the TWU over the years. "This union has been stalwart in supporting Andrew Cuomo, Tom DiNapoli, and Tish James," Utano said. "They understand our need for good contracts."

The Union's political action operation put money and resources into the primary fights, where Tish James had a tough race which saw her down in the polls. She prevailed, with President Utano personally campaigning for her in Brooklyn. Attorney General James has been in the trenches with transit workers for over a decade, building on her time as a City Councilwoman and Public Advocate. She has attended numerous TWU events, as has Tom DiNapoli, keynote speaker at this year's Italian American Day event, who pledged that state budgets "would not be balanced on the backs of transit workers."

Governor Cuomo, instrumental in funding last year's Subway Action Plan and ongoing intiaitives to modernize the subway system, has also marched with the Union and has been a powerful advocate for civil service workers and union members. In particular, he did much to blunt the dangerous fallout from the Janus v. AFSCME decision in the Supreme Court. All three political leaders are big winners today –a fact of which our 45,000 members can be proud.

Local Sponsors Training for MTA Bus, Big Bus Reps

Local 100 President Tony Utano (center, blue shirt) dropped by to congratulate reps and shop stewards from MTA Bus and Big Bus, for completing the union’s training program for grievance handling.  Frank McCann, Jr. (left). Director of Organizing, and instructor Robert Wechsler (right) are shown with the group.