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.