Media Reports Highlight Union's Push to Amend Taylor Law

Both the Daily News and the Chief  covered Local 100's drive to amend the Taylor Law to give transit workers the right to strike once our contract ends.

On March 17, the News noted that the bill — sponsored in the State Senate by Sen. Jessica Ramos and in the Assembly by Assemblywoman Stacey Pfeffer Amato — "would put subway and bus workers on largely the same footing as those at the commuter railroads."

The paper quoted President Richard Davis: " This is a democracy. Working men and women should have the right to withhold their labor so they can secure good wages and provide for their families as best they can."

On the same day the Chief noted that the proposed amendment also applies to other transit workers — making Local 100's case stronger. We are trying to erase the disparities between our system — which is mainly staffed by people of color — and other railway and transit systems, putting us all on a similar footing.

Under the proposed amendment, which you can read here (link), a lengthy series of steps including negotiations and mediation would have to time out before we could call a strike. But that right  which TWU International President John Samuelsen called "a matter of equity" is rightfully ours. "Prohibition against striking for inner city transit workers, while our suburban counterparts can legally withhold work, is grossly unfair, grossly inequitable," he said.

AM New York also covered our push for the Taylor Law amendment in print, and CBS-New York featured the story on their evening news.

Senate Bill S5785