Clergy, Union Ally for Youth Training

The Union's top leadership heard from clergy in Central Brooklyn

TWU Local 100 is moving with community church leaders to tell kids enrolled in or just graduating from High School that good-paying transit jobs are out there – and that they’re within reach, given the proper training. It’s a message that 23 clergymen and women, representing over 10,000 parishioners, found welcome during an issues breakfast in Central Brooklyn on May 14.

The gathering, organized by the Union’s Political Action Committee, featured a discussion between clergy and top Union leadership, including President John Samuelsen and Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp-Sauray, who both attended. The partnership between the Union and clergy is a natural one: both have a stake in economic development of the local community – and that means good jobs.

President Samuelsen began the presentation by saying that politicians often talk about the need for good jobs on the one hand, but then attack them on the other by allowing agencies like the MTA to propose part-time workers, reducing the value of those jobs. He said that what’s at stake today is finding ways to support good jobs and train young people to take those jobs once they are trained, so they can improve their prospects and realize the dream of living better than their parents.

Political Action Director Marvin Holland, in the Union’s formal presentation, noted that half of all transit workers will retire or become eligible for retirement during the next ten years, opening up thousands of new jobs. And these new jobs, he said, will pay between $45,000 and $75,000 – a much better rate than the $30,000 workers can expect on the open market. He said the Union is now partnering with CUNY, the United Federation of Teachers (which has an interest in strengthening vocational schools), and the Consortium for Worker Education, in addition to the churches, to set up new training programs for young people. “We have all the pieces to put these programs together,” he told the clergy. “If we don’t’ do it, shame on us.”

Key to the Union’s partnership with the clergy is shared advocacy for the expansion of bus service all over the City, especially where it’s crucial to bring economic opportunity to small businesses along transit routes and where people need to get to work faster and with greater reliability.

Bishop Orlando Findlayter of the New Hope Christian Fellowship , who chairs Churches United to Save and Heal (CUSH), served as the breakfast’s convener, along with President Samuelsen.

Dr. Alfred S. Cockfield, Pastor of God’s Battalion of Prayer, attended along with his son, also a minister. He invited TWU Local 100 Union reps to come to churches, and “share the vision of the union.” He said that he wants to make sure community college teach practical job skills, and said, “a lot of youths didn’t grow up with a father, they don’t have discipline, the church is connected to the community to make life successful for them.”

Mr. Holland, responding to the pastor, said Local 100 wants to revitalize Helper titles, to bring young people without a high level of skill onto jobs where they can learn a trade and set themselves up for promotional opportunities. Bishop Findlayter said the churches would bring young people if Local 100 would sponsor classes in how to do well on civil service exams leading to jobs. John Williams of New Creation Ministries spoke to one of the Union’s key concerns when he vowed to take action together with the union “against attacks on the civil service system. We have the numbers,” he said, “to make the politicians listen.”

Recording Secretary Crisp-Sauray spoke out about the need for churchgoers to join the Union in speaking out against service cuts and pressing for the expansion of service. Clearly, churchgoers need to be educated about transit issues –and that requires a relationship between the Union and their pastors. That’s what TWU Local 100 is committed to put in place.