NY Conference Putting TWU in Vanguard for Veterans

Veterans Committee members toured Ground Zero and remembered the sacrifices made on that day.

TWU members who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces came to the TWU Local 100 Union Hall from all over the United States this week in a historic conference to promote and expand Veterans’ benefits state by state and nationally. At the initiative of the TWU International, the Airline Transport Division’s Veterans Committee has joined forces with TWU Local 100’s own Veterans to create a national TWU Veterans Committee which includes all of our industrial sectors.

The Conference was opened by TWU Local 100 President and TWU International Executive VP John Samuelsen, who welcomed participants from across the country to New York and pledged his and the union leadership’s full support for the Conference’s agenda. “The TWU of America is committed to putting new resources into the political arena for our Veterans,” he said. “It’s time to bring increased national attention to bringing more benefits to the men and women who have served our country.”

“This conference puts the TWU in the vanguard of protecting, utilizing, and getting new Veterans’ rights legislation passed in the United States,” said RTO Vice President Kevin Harrington, who chairs the Local 100 committee. “It forms the basis for a national network to help TWU Vets and all Veterans.”

Also participating in the conference from Local 100 was USMC Veteran Kevin McCawley, who called the conference “an overwhelming success. The ATD vets have a lot to bring to the table, and Local 100 and the other TWU locals also have a lot to bring. Together, by unifying, we can grow.”

The Conference passed four resolutions including the building of a national political/legislative network, supporting the “Building Homes for Heroes” project, and initiating and passing legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits for all veterans at age 65.

Building Homes for Heroes, a national non-profit that builds and renovates homes for seriously wounded veterans, was represented by its President, Andy Pujol, who emotionally thanked the TWU vets for their service after making a presentation about the organization and its accomplishments. Building Homes for Heroes was brought to the conference by our Union brothers in the ATD.

The conference also resolved to secure and support legislation “that helps veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to re-enter the workforce.”

Elected officials, including New York State Senator Martin Golden, a principal sponsor of legislation to allow vets in New York State to purchase three years of pension credit, addressed the conference. In his speech, Senator Golden said that getting his bill, the Veterans Equality Act, through the Senate was "one of the proudest moments of my career." Also speaking were veterans affairs activists.

"The response from our TWU veterans here has been wonderful," said TWU International Representative and TWUVC Liaison Jose Galarza. "Everyone was motivated, they were seeking information and hungry to get involved politically."

In March, the TWU ATD Veterans Committee leadership voted unanimously to expand the committee to accept as members TWU servicemen from all four of our union’s Divisions — Transit, Rail, Air and Gaming. This move was made in order to reflect the TWU’s renewed commitment to unity, to strengthen and grow the committee, and to better adhere to its mission.

"What we did in New York was solidifying and commencing the integration of what used to be the ATD Veterans Committee with the local veterans committees in all of the Divisions," said Galarza.

"Local 100 has been concentrating on a legislative agenda with its veterans. The ATD Veterans Committee, as it existed before, had been focusing more on giving back, fundraising, and service projects. We want to network and put everything together so that everything we do as veterans has the greatest impact."

In recent weeks, a series of scandals at the US Department of Veterans Affairs has spurred national discussion about how America treats its veterans — and what we can do to ensure our servicemen get the support they need. TWUVC's number one concern is to advocate for TWU members and do everything possible to protect our veterans and their rights, from the bargaining table to Capitol Hill.

TWU International Staff Rep Curtis Tate, who also had a hand in organizing the conference, said that the International leadership “understands the need to take care of our veterans, not just in a charitable way but also by changing laws and writing legislation. When we put our voices together we have a better chance of getting it done.”

The TWU International leadership has asked that all of our veterans connect with the TWU Veterans Committee and encourages all locals to communicate with members about the important work that TWUVC does and the need for all of our vets to get involved.

ARE YOU A VETERAN? Click here to register with our TWU Veterans Committee and sign up for news/action alerts.

Learn more about the TWU Veterans Committee: Click here to visit the Committee website.

Contact the Committee: Click here to email TWU International Representative and Vets Committee Liaison Jose Galarza.