Samuelsen Challenges de Blasio’s Labor Credentials and Talks About the Upcoming Contract Fight in Radio News Interview

Local 100 President John Samuelsen made quite a bit of news in a recent radio interview on AM 970 on the weekly LaborPress radio show, Blue Collar Buzz.

Samuelsen said that the union leadership has no intention of protracted negotiations with the MTA in Local 100’s upcoming contract campaign. He said that the “economic calamity” of 2012 and a lingering organizational hangover from the 2005 strike dictated that the union continue to negotiate beyond the expiration of the contract on Jan. 16, 2012. But, he said this time will be different. Samuelsen said he favors Local 100’s more traditional path of setting a deadline and sticking to it.

Samuelsen also challenged the notion that labor would line up behind Bill de Blasio if the embattled Mayor runs for a second term. “I don’t see Bill de Blasio as a pro-trade union Mayor,” said Samuelsen.