Union Focuses on Contract Campaign

TWU Local 100 on Twitter

Pres. Samuelsen discusses strategic campaign for MTA contract (expires 1/16/17) with top officers, div. chairs #1upic.twitter.com/f7KvBDMhfw

TWU Local 100 officers, staff and Division Chairs gathered August 1-2, 2016 to discuss goals and tactics for the union’s campaign to win a fair, on time contract for TA/OA and MTA Bus members. Those agreements with the MTA expire at midnight January 15, 2017.

Local 100 President John Samuelsen chaired the two-day workshop and expressed his desire to bring home successor agreements on or before the January 16 expiration date.

Samuelsen said that the union’s leadership and membership showed great restraint and patience during the last contract go-round because “the MTA, the region and the entire nation for that matter faced a genuine economic crisis.”

But, said Samuelsen, those mitigating factors no longer exist. “The MTA is in a stronger financial situation than it was in 2012. I fully expect that if the MTA negotiates in good faith we should be able to win a contract we can all be proud by January 15, 2017.”

Samuelsen said, however, that if the negotiations sour the union will be ready for all contingencies. “We obviously have certain lines-in-the-sand concerning jobs and protection of our work that we will not allow the MTA to cross.”