Local 100 Executive Board 'Strongly Recommends' Contract Approval to Union Membership, 33-0; Releases Contract Highlights and Wage Scales

FRIDAY, APRIL 18 -- At a meeting of TWU Local 100's Executive Board called by President John Samuelsen yesterday, the Board voted to "strongly recommend" to the Union membership, approval of the five-year agreement signed off on earlier in the day by Samuelsen and MTA CEO Tom Prendergast. The vote was 33 in favor, with none opposed and 2 abstaining. Before the vote, President Samuelsen went over the agreement and took questions, reviewing the 8-page memorandum of understanding negotiated by the parties. This memorandum will be sent to every member in good standing along with a ratification ballot so that everyone can see the complete details of the agreement. The Union has also put together a cost-out of what the prospective raises will mean in dollars and cents for every year of the agreement. The first two and a half years of raises will be retroactive, so a retro check will go out to every member after ratification of the agreement. A detailed chart breaking down the retro money for every title will be out soon.

The Agreement in Brief

Wages: The Agreement provides for compounded raises of 1, 1, 2, 2, and 2 percent over five years, retroactive to January 16, 2012. This is a cumulative raise of 8.25%, which equals an approximate raise of $6,000 for the average transit worker. Click here for a wage progression chart for our titles.

First Time Ever "Universal” Railroad Pass: TWU Local 100 members living outside the five boroughs will receive railroad passes allowing them to use either Metro North or the LIRR to go back and forth to work for free, depending on where they live. This is a tremendous economic win for our members living on Long Island or north of the City. Monthly passes on the railroads routinely cost $300 per month or more. That's a $3,000 to $4,000 annual economic benefit for thousands of Local 100 members. We will be able to ride SIRTOA for free now as well with our EPIC Pass.

Health Care: Members will pay an additional "non retroactive" contribution of ½ of one percent of payroll on 40 hours base pay, (6 bucks a week on $60,000 ) but in return we won significant and economically valuable new health care benefits, including these groundbreaking gains:

1) For the first time ever in any transportation union labor contract, our members will have two weeks of fully paid maternity or paternity leave on the birth of a child. 

2) We have won first time ever full health care bridge benefit coverage for the spouse of any member who dies in retirement, until Medicare eligibility.  This means that, for example, if a 60 year-old retired member dies, and his wife is 55, she will be fully covered as an active member for health care for until she reaches Medicare eligibility. Upon ratification of the contract, we can rest assured that our spouses will be taken care of in retirement.

3) That’s not all: Dental and Optical benefits have been significantly improved. Upon ratification, TWU Local 100 members will have radically improved dental coverage and top notch optical benefits. The disrespect of an inferior dental plan is over! 

There are more significant economic gains and enhancements in the Agreement:

Death Benefits: The Agreement would raise Line of Duty Death benefits from the current $100,000 to $250,000. Death benefits for active duty members (not in the line of duty) would be raised from $5,000 to $25,000.

Miscellaneous Provisions: The Agreement provides for a longer progression to top pay for new hires. New hires will take five years to get to top scale, rather than three. The progression is weighted to over 90% of top pay in the last three years. The Agreement continues the Union’s apprenticeship training program.

Women's Issues: The Agreement addresses women’s issues and mandates new restroom facilities for female Bus Operators throughout the system.

Bus Operator Security: The Agreement improves security for Bus Operators by expediting the installation of partitions. It also provides that each bus shall carry a DNA kit so that any assault which leaves traces can be tied to a perpetrator.