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TWU Celebrates African-American Day Parade

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Our union's leadership joined dozens of other transit workers in a march through Harlem to celebrate African-American Day. It has become an essential annual event for TWU Local 100.

Union Honors Transit 9/11 Responders

IB Image TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano marked the 17th anniversary of the rescue and recovery effort at Ground Zero by honoring five transit workers, who have verified illnesses caused by their service at Ground Zero. Honored with the union's 9/11 service medal were CTA Gwendolyn Broughton, Structure Maintainer Dennis Buccello, Trackworker Dan Demody, Structure Maintainer Bobby Nash, and Track Specialist Johnny Sparks. Each of them has had a claim for victim's compensation because of 9/11 illness accepted by the federal government. In addition, more than a dozen other workers received 9/11 recognition pins from the union. Recognition pins are given to those transit workers who participated in the rescue and recovery effort. In all, about 3,000 TWU Local 100 members were either assigned to duty at Ground Zero or volunteered to help.

In his remarks, President Utano recounted the false promise by then EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman, who assured responders that air at the WTC site was safe to breathe. He recounted the sacrifice of thousands of transit workers who risked their health in the response and pledged to continue to push for public recognition of the role of transit workers at Ground Zero. Assemblyman Peter Abbate, Chair of the Governmental Employees Committee, who sponsored New York State's bill to compensate 9/11 workers for health care expenses, also spoke. He told the audience of transit workers that there is still more work to do in assisting those who responded. He also said that he would work to have the 9/11 transit response recognized both in the state's museum in Albany and also in the 9/11 memorial museum in lower Manhattan.

Read the Daily News's coverage of 9/11 related transit worker deaths here.

New York State has extended the deadline to file for workers' compensation benefits until September 11, 2022. For more information, see a workers' comp attorney.

Union Push Ends Aetna-Montefiore Standoff

A hard push by TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano has broken a contractual stalemate between insurance carrier, Aetna, and Montefiore Health System, an 11-hospital mega-health provider in the Bronx and the Hudson Valley. The two parties signed the new contract on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.

Montefiore had threatened to cease accepting Aetna unless the carrier agreed to a new schedule of payments. The standoff could have impacted use of the hospital’s many facilities for nearly 7,000 Local 100 members.

In August, President Utano called a meeting with the MTA and Aetna officials at Union Headquarters to inform the carrier that the loss of Montefiore’s services was unacceptable to the union.

Utano said of the settlement: “I am happy that this dispute has been settled, and that Local 100 members will continue to have full use of Montefiore’s services without interruption. Access to professional and convenient health services is essential to our members and their families.

This union would never have allowed our members to be shut out from services at such a major health care facility.”

West Indian Day Parade a Big Party for TWU

SEPTEMBER 3 -- Hundreds of transit workers and their families converged on Eastern Parkway on Labor Day to celebrate New York's biggest parade -- celebrating the Caribbean heritage of so many union members and New Yorkers. Local 100's contingent featured exuberant dancers, a large union float, the TWU Local 100 van showcasing our workers, and an antique City bus. We proudly marched with Governor Andrew Cuomo, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Assemblywoman Rodnyese Bichotte, and other friends of Local 100. The joy was apparent throughout, as you will see in these photos!

Exec Board Approves Contract for Big Bus Washington

SEPTEMBER 5 -- The TWU Local 100 Executive Board today unanimously approved a negotiated contract between the Union and Big Bus Tours of Washington, DC. If ratified by the membership, benefits will include a raise of $10,000 for each Bus Operator.

Representing the negotiating committee was Big Bus Operator Jonathan Williams, Sr., (in checked shirt) who is pictured next to Private Lines Division Chair Carlos Bernabel. With the union leadership including (l-r) Administrative VP Nelson Rivera, President Tony Utano, Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp, and Secretary Treasurer Earl Phillips. Next to Brother Rivera is Manny Agosto, an Executive Board member representing Liberty Lines in Westchester. At far right is Private Lines VP Pete Rosconi.

Big Bus is one of the world's largest open top double decker tour bus companies, with fleets in 20 cities in 11 countries.

Police Capture B15 Bus Mace Assailant; Union Pledges to Keep the Pressure On

At 12 AM this morning, the Daily News reported the capture of Andre Chandler, 46, in spraying attacks against two Bus Operators represented by TWU Local 100. Read the entire story in the Daily News here. TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said, "We have been working with the NYPD and the MTA to get menaces like this off the street, so this is a satisfying development. The B15 is safer today for our bus operators — and for our bus riders — than it was yesterday. We're going to keep the pressure on and continue to distribute photos of suspects so that there are more arrests like this. No one who assaults a transit worker should ever get away with it.”

Molinaro Plan to "Fix" the MTA a Non-Starter

After reviewing Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro's plan to "fix" the MTA, TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano had the following statement, which was also covered in the New York Post:

"The Molinaro plan for the MTA is a total non-starter that relies on faulty statistics, and a vicious anti-union theory that workers are overcompensated for their labor.

"The core of the Molinaro plan would slash wages and benefits for a transit workforce that is laboring 24 hours a day 7 days a week to operate and improve the system, while fending off assaults and dodging the incredible day-to-day dangers on the job. Just this week, one Trackworker nearly lost his life after an accident on the tracks, and yet another was the target of a mace assault.

"These are daily occurrences that Molinaro obviously doesn't take into consideration or he simply doesn't care. If he did a ride-along for one night with a Bus Operator or Train Crew, or stood alongside Trackworkers laboring near live third rails and live train traffic, he might change his tune. Molinaro's scheme is just cribbing nonsense from anti-worker sources. He obviously doesn't have a clue what goes on in transit."

Fourth Spot in Union’s Radio Campaign Now On Air

Photo Above: Latasha Goodall, Local 100 President Tony Utano and 1010 WINS/CBS Radio Producer/Engineer David Plotkin.

TWU Local 100 launched its fourth in a series of radio spots on New York’s “Most Listened to Radio Station” 1010 WINS. This one features Latasha Goodall, a veteran Cleaner who is now on a new career path after completing the 6-month TWU Local 100/NYCT Apprentice program at Apex Technical School in Long Island City. The spots all highlight how transit workers contribute mightily to New York City both on and off the job. Here’s Latasha…

TWU, MTA Hold Joint Press Conference on Worker Assaults

AUGUST 14 – TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano and MTA NYCT President Andy Byford held a news conference today addressing the latest round of attacks on transit workers. They discussed a pilot program on body cams and the joint effort to widely distribute a wanted poster with images of the perpetrators.

Union Sponsors Grievance, Steward Training for Big Bus, GoNY Tours Reps

Local 100 sponsored a day-long training session at the union hall for section representatives from Big Bus New York and GoNY Tours on Aug. 13, 2018. The Big Bus reps include Mark Williams, Mike Nuñez, Brien Milesi and Paul Stewart. Daniel Morales attended from GoNY. Local 100 President Tony Utano (center rear) and Division Chair Carlos Bernabel (center front) were on hand for the graduation. Instructor Robert Wechsler is at the far right.