Why We're Supporting Kathy Hochul for Governor
TWU Local 100 supports Gov. Kathy Hochul for a full-term as Governor because of her ongoing commitment to make our transit system safer for workers and riders, improve the infrastructure that we operate and maintain, and pursue fair treatment for union members. Gov. Hochul has:
· Expanded Kendra’s Law. Courts can more easily order those who are severely mentally ill, and deemed a danger to themselves or others, get mental health treatment. Failure to comply can result in temporary placement in a psychiatric hospital.
· Provided more psychiatric beds. Budgeted millions of dollars to restore up to 1,000 psychiatric beds in hospitals that were taken off-line during the pandemic. Creating two new in-patient units for the subway homeless/mentally ill.
· Increased police coverage and presence in the subway, working with Mayor Adams, the NYPD, and MTA Police Department.
· Enacted the first positive change on Tier 6. The time needed to be vested and receive benefits was cut in half in half from 10 years to 5.
· Signed landmark legislation, championed by Local 100, that allows widows and dependents of workers who died of cancer caused by diesel exposure to file for Workers Compensation benefits. The “Nigro” bill was named after Local 100 Bus Maintainer Bill Nigro, who died of lung cancer in 2012.
· Supported the $52 billion MTA capital plan, the largest investment in the authority’s infrastructure state history