TWU Local 100

TWU Local 100 is mourning the death of Michael Fitzpatrick, the retired Director of the TWU Local 100 Retirees Association and former Vice Chair of MABSTOA Division 2. He had been retired since 2002, but remained connected to the union through the Retirees Association and by attending union dances and other events. He was 83 and passed away in a nursing home in his sleep. Brother Fitzpatrick is a veteran of the U.S. Army and was stationed in Greenland after boot camp in 196...3. He joined transit as a Bus Operator in 1967 and drove out of Kingsbridge Depot for many years until Gun Hill Depot opened in 1989. Brother Fitzpatrick, along with retired President Sonny Hall and the late Int’l Executive Vice President Frank McCann Sr., lobbied successfully to have the former Greyhound Bus Depot renamed the Michael J. Quill Depot after TWU’s founding President. He was also the prime mover in having a plaque dedicated to the late Local 100 President John E. Lawe in the main lobby of Gun Hill Depot. Born in the Bronx, Brother Fitzpatrick had lived in Lake Ariel, PA since his retirement with his wife, Mary. His son, Christopher, is a Surface Line Dispatcher at Tuskegee Airmen Depot on 100th Street and Lexington Ave. Arrangements are as follows: There will be a Viewing on Friday Oct. 23, at the Wilson Funeral Home, at 143 Gravity Rd., Lake Ariel, PA from 9:00am to 11:00am. A Funeral will be held immediately following at St. Thomas More Church, 105 Gravity Rd., Lake Ariel PA.

Line Equipment/Signals is mourning the passing of a dedicated union man. Signal Maintainer James O'Donnell passed away from cancer on October 5. He was 55 years old and had 35 years of service with NYCT. Many in the division relied on Brother O'Donnell for his knowledge of how to solve signal troubles. He leaves a brother and a girlfriend. Brother O'Donnell will be buried on Friday, October 23rd, at 1pm at Flushing Cemetery, 163-6 46th Avenue, Flushing, New York.

NYU RELEASES COVID-19 SURVEY LOCAL 100 AND EXPERTS URGE THE MTA TO DO MORE TESTING - AND SCREENING OF MEMBERS The New York University scientists asked by the union to research COVID-19’s impact on transit workers and to make recommendations have released the results of their initial survey. ... Nearly 650 Local 100 members anonymously completed a survey questionnaire, and nearly 24% stated they tested positive for the virus. Many did not live in areas with high infection rates, suggesting they contracted the virus at work, according to the researchers. The survey also quantified a high percentage of workers fearful of becoming sick or assaulted. Through gaining a deeper understanding of how COVID-19 has impacted transit workers’ health and quality of life, we can determine how to best support them and protect them moving forward, said Robyn Gershon, clinical professor of epidemiology at NYU School of Global Public Health, who leads the research project. In the NYU press release, the researchers said they recommend that the MTA not only continue offering testingboth virus and antibodyto workers, but expand it to better identify and isolate workers who may have the virus but do not show symptoms. This has also been recommended by TWU’s leaders. In addition to expanded testing and screening, the researchers recommend that the MTA continue making personal protective equipment readily available and support the wellbeing of transit workers with mental health services. We put the city on our shoulders when the pandemic hit, and we are still carrying it forward, TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. It has been a heavy burden. There are now more protective measures against the virus in place than when the crisis erupted, but we can’t let up. We need stay vigilant, and push forward with new and better ways to defend our blue-collar heroes still moving millions of riders a day. Utano also said transit workers should get priority when there is an approved vaccine. The NYU Release can be found here: https://www.nyu.edu//transit-workers-covid-pilot-study.html

TRANSIT WORKERS HONORED Stand up and be recognized! Bus and subway workers will be honored by the Riders Alliance next month at the organization’s annual gala. The virtual event will also pay tribute to John Raskin. Raskin founded the grassroots movement, which advocates for public transit, and served as its first executive director.... The program will feature a special salute to the extraordinary transit workers of TWU Local 100 and ATU Locals 726, 1056, 1179, and 1181 in recognition of their dedication, valor and sacrifice to keep New York City moving in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. This is a fundraising event, but transit workers do not have to pay to view when it is streamed live on-line on Monday, Nov. 16, from 7-8 p.m. Choose the I am a transit worker and would like to attend for free as a gala honoree" option when registering here: ridersny.org/gala2020. It also will be recorded for later viewing. We put the city on our shoulders and have been carrying it since this pandemic hit, Local 100 President Tony Utano said. It’s great to see the members receive some much-deserved recognition from this important activist organization. See more

Your union has been pressing the MTA to accelerate the installation of the sliding-panel bus partitions, utilize higher-grade air filters on rolling stock, and increase membership testing in order to better identify workers who may have the virus but do not yet have symptoms. All of us, meanwhile, can take steps to combat the virus. We are in this together. These are just some of the measures we can take: Please, wear your masks. As we demand riders wear face coverings on bus...es and subways, we also must be diligent and mask-up in our crew rooms and break rooms. Try to social distance when you can. Management is moving to place empty buses and trains outside facilities to create more available space. The MTA also is moving to utilized trailers and lease additional office space for this purpose. Enroll in Direct Deposit. Thousands of members still pick-up printed paychecks. You can avoid this person-to-person contact with Direct Deposit.

https://youtu.be/Af_ATvs2Of0

Carriage horses are back in #CentralPark and drivers have affiliated with TWU Local 100 driver holds #union bandana

OCTOBER 2 -- Horse-drawn carriages - one of New York City’s most popular tourist attractions are back in Central Park after a nearly 7-month absence. Carriage rides were temporarily halted in March when the state directed all non-essential businesses to close because of the pandemic. The drivers and horses provide so much color, and are such a familiar part of the New York City landscape, just the sight of them will bring smiles to peoples’ faces, owner-driver Colm McKeev...er said. I believe that in my heart and soul. Manhattan has seen some dark days, but this is a step towards normalcy. It will give people a little hope that we will get out of this mess. The 162-year-old industry in NYC features 68 licensed horse-drawn carriages. Drivers are now affiliating themselves with Transport Workers Union Local 100. The union represents 40,000 bus and subway workers at the MTA, but also has a growing number of members holding tourism-related jobs. They include bus drivers at both Big Bus Tours and New York Waterway. There’s no doubt that workers have a better chance defending and improving their livelihood when they are united, Local 100 President Tony Utano said. It’s true whether you are operating a bus, a subway train or horse-drawn carriage. We look forward to working with the carriage drivers and their beloved horses. Read more in today's Daily News https://www.nydailynews.com//ny-central-park-carriage-hors

Executive Board Elevates Lynwood Whichard To Administrative Vice President Also Names Robert Kelley as Stations Vice President, And Derick Echevarriaas Stations Division Chair...Continue reading

Please join us to say farewell to Light Maintainer Delroy Durant, 35, killed in tragic accident. 9AM Oct 3 at the Harmony Funeral Home, 2200 Clarendon Road, in Brooklyn, RIP Brother -- Rosario Parlanti, Division Vice Chair, LES

https://thechiefleader.com//article_c515f8de-ff5c-11ea-b17

LOCAL 100 MEMBER & AIR FORCE VETERAN KEVIN HERTELL TAKING ACTION TO SAVE LIVES By Pete Donohue TWU Local 100 Communications...Continue reading

MTA Moving on Union Testing Demands TWU Local 100 has been urging the MTA to adopt a COVID-19 testing and screening program to identify members who might have the virus - but are not yet experiencing symptoms. This goal appears in the TWU 10-Point Transit Plan For a Re-Opened NYC, which the union released in May. Since then, Local 100 President Tony Utano and other union officers have stressed the importance of this issue to elected officials, ... Click below to read more. http://www.twulocal100.org//mta-moving-union-testing-deman