COLA

Do prices rise? The answer is yes. However do wages rise to the parallel rising of prices? No. So what is this (COLA)? It is a cost of living allowance - it is a clause in a contract that is bargained by a union.

COLA clause provides for automatic increases in the level of wages usually on a quarterly basis based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Only 25 percent of workers covered under the union contract in the past had some kind of COLA protection. The figure had risen in the late 1970’s through the 1980’s to 60 percent. 

As inflation has receded in the 1980s, many unions have elected to trade away COLA protection for other benefits just like in our case with the Local 100. However, Mr. Steve Downs, chair T/O division does not believe that. With the result being that in the late 1990’s through 2000 only about 20 percent of workers were still covered.

The COLA clause have a contradictory effect on strike activity because they reduce the frequency of strikes for two reasons. First, by linking wages to prices, they help to eliminate large catch up wage demands that result from unanticipated inflation. Second, union contracts with COLA clauses are on average of longer duration, reducing the frequency of negotiations and the opportunities for strikes to occur. In certain situations, however a COLA clause increases the probability of a strike. 

For the 2012 contract Samuelsen and his skilled seasoned bargainer Mr. Steve Downs, chair T/O division will reinstate the COLA clause. Downs always points at our previous presidents how they let go of the COLA clause and tries to paint them in a negative light as a result. However he is devoid of moral courage to indicate that COLA was traded for what? His memory seems to fade but now it his turn to rise and shine and the proof will be in the pudding. We believe and suggest that in many cases the employer will not resist wage indexation.

The probability of a strike is also higher when the COLA clause contains a cap on the maximum allowable wage increase either because removing the cap became a haggling issue or because the cap generates catch up demands as wages fall behind inflation.

Reduction of employee health contribution

There is a new award which states 'effective August 15, 2009, the employees' health contribution rate shall be reduced to 1.5 percent of wages, measured as a maximum of 40 hours per week times the base hourly rate'.

Samuelsen and TBOU do not care as long as our employer does not honor the contract. Then why would Samuelsen and TBOU would be going along with the employer? There is a question that need to be answered from Samuelsen’s end regarding this issue. Specifically what hinders him from enforcing the award on the 2009-2012 contract? Samuelsen’s propaganda machine when asked any questions shifts gears and tries to change the subject.

The membership should have a low expectation from Samuelsen and TBOU. For instance regarding this issue which clearly is stated in the contract, it was signed and delivered. However, Samuelsen does not have the ability to hold our employer’s feet to the fire which is troubling. This clearly shows that Samuelsen is not fit to lead. He is only good at heading to P. J. Clarke’s for prime steak and filet mignon while you are at McDonalds.

This is a straight forward issue that is a benefit for the membership, it is obvious Samuelsen has no clue or maybe has no time or room to tinker about the memberships gain. The membership is entitled to the awards on the 2009-2012 and are entitled to the fruits of the awards and not the run around that has been deployed by Samuelsen and TBOU.

We demand the enforcement of this clause, the membership is entitled to a refund of all the monies collected since August 15, 2009 by the employer. The refund must be for now and not delayed until Christmas.

Contract 3

Tier wage system must be destroyed Local 100 contract of 2012 should not accept dual wages structure as part of it’s contract concession bargaining. This may be suitable in other industries in which two-tier systems have been adopted such as airlines, trucking, retail grocery and automobile manufacturing. However our contract having this dual tier wage structure is harmful to the membership and it benefits the employer.

A two tier wage system establishes two pay scales in the company, a lower one for a newly hired workers and a higher one for existing employees. They can be either temporary or permanent. In a temporary system such as ours new employees are hired at a lower wage than employees that were hired earlier, but over time can advance to the top pay scale. In some recent contracts in the trucking industry, for example new hires are paid at 70 percent of the going rate of the hourly pay, but must be brought up to the full rate after 3 years.

In a permanent system, new workers start at a lower wage scale and never reach parity. An example is in the airline industry where at one company ‘B-scale’ flight attendants begin at $972 a month and peak at $1,199 a month in their 5th year, whereas ‘A-scale’ attendants employed prior to fifteen years started at $1,194 a month, and reached $1,837 in the 5th year, and toped out at $2,217 a month in the 12th year.

This ridculous two tier wage systems were accepted by unions in situations where employers might have gone out of business or substantially reduced employment without wage relief. The savings for employers are often substantial - approximately $100 million a year for American Airlines, for example. Confronted with a demand for concessions, unions often found a two tier system the easiest to grant, since the existing membership lost nothing and new workers who bore the cost had no vote in the contract ratification process. In our situation Samuelsen who is a Toussaint protege and loyalist with the current leadership of TBOU - Local 100 could not help new hires in the layoff.

This absurd two tier wage systems may save some jobs, but it also has a number of drawbacks. Low morale and higher turnover among new employees is a cost employers pay. Phony unions such as our Local 100 which has accepted this two tier wage system under Samuelsen and TBOU, are aware that it could destroy the membership’s solidarity and violate the principle of equal pay for equal work. For us workers, the principal drawback is that a two tier system leads to considerable divisiveness - the new employees resent earning less than the older workers, while the older workers fear that the new employees will take their jobs.

We recommend this two tier wage system must be abolished, in the contract of 2012, we believe Mr. Steve Downs, Chair, T/O division, who is an excellent, skilled, haggler and negotiator who always fights for solidarity will accomplish this task.

Putting the membership back into Local 100

Since Samuelsen and his TBOU chums took office they have claimed that democracy and transparency is their corner stone, and that Local 100 has made ‘historic gains’. The TBOU won the four local-wide positions and 4 of the 7 VP spots, this all has enabled Samuelsen’s to hijack complete control of the policy making apparatus. 

Samuelsen and his TBOU cronies, painted and portrayed unimaginable and unrealistic achievements, and it was an exciting and wonderful ride while it lasted. But with lay off results, Samuelsen and his propaganda machine claims came crashing to the ground. Samuelsen and his TBOU comrades fantasies went up in smoke. The miracle  was no more. The belief that Samuelsen’s democracy and transparency was a panacea for the rank and file was no longer sustainable.

Samuelsen propaganda machine has gone around for the past eight months singing praises of his fake and phony democracy.  People that brag that they’re great, often do this because they really doubt themselves. Samuelsen’s propaganda machine know what they are doing is not helpful for the membership. They don’t care if it harms the membership as long as it it benefits them because they only care about their own well being. They are creating a facade of a great reputation on the outside but on the inside they have nothing to offer the membership. 

Enough is enough Samuelsen and TBOU needs to be held accountable for their lack of concern and effort for the membership’s well being. All decision-making power is vested in the president Samuelsen, however there is no accountability on his part. Samuelsen’s version of control means that the rank and file have no voice. The shell of the executive board is dominated by Samuelsen’s buddies. If anything went wrong the membership would know who to hold accountable, not the faceless executive board, but Samuelsen himself.

The executive board and council approves of whatever Samuelsen wants while at the same time neglecting what the membership needs. The memberships requires changes which can eradicate having to endure petty and abusive supervisors. However the employer disciplinary machine continues to roll on unabated, unchallenged, and undiminished.

Samuelsen’s propaganda machine narrative is ending on a sour note. This is obvious  when the employer is auditing family members for health benefits. All of Samuelsen’s propaganda machine portrayals of helping out the membership are meaningless, fake and phony.

Samuelsen and his TBOU pals responded to the new situation not by accepting responsibility and accountability, but by denying the facts, they still insist on the ‘historic gains’ of democracy and transparency being intact. The larger story is this Samuelsen’s control does not benefit the membership but in fact it puts them in harms way.

Contract 2

Sonny Hall’s contract of 1992 gave major givebacks, and Willie James’ contract of 1996 agreed to let the TA use WEP workers and then the 1999 contract was not good. Roger Toussaint’s contract of 2002 ‘making our contract an issue in the governor race’ coupled with elimination of the non layoff clause which gave the employer the right to merge the bus divisions. The 2005 contract employer shifting one set of costs onto the workers is as good as shifting another.

Samuelsen and his TBOU propaganda machine keep on blaming previous presidents that were not up to the task to deliver good contracts for the membership. If history is a predictor for the future, and all of those previous presidents of the Local 100 could not deliver any good contracts,  what makes Samuelsen and his TBOU chums think they can deliver a superb contract in 2012?

It is rumored that the 2012 contract will be handled and guided by Mr. Steve Downs, Chair, T/O division. Downs is Samuelsen’s right hand man, he is known as being a  skilled haggler and negotiator in complex matters, and an excellent deal maker in the labor movement. Mr. Downs promised to get back the no lay off clause. For those who do not know Mr. Downs, he wears black jeans and a white shirt is bald and wears glasses just like our boss.

The perimeter of the Samuelsen and Downs 2012 contract are as follows: its a four year contract - first year 6% raise, second year 5% raise, third year 5% raise, fourth year 4.88% raise. A total of 20.88% raise in the four years. Pension and health fund cost will be the employer’s sole responsibility and the membership would be spared from contributing anything. In addition we will get back the (COLA) cost of living adjustments for the current and future employees.

Samuelsen will smash up of the employer disciplinary machine, any hearing or grievance will be co-chaired by the Local 100 steward and management with all decisions being made under the condition that they be mutually agreed upon. Restricting the employer by not being able to talk to the member only in the presence of a union officer. Any member of the management must identify themselves by providing their badge number, name, date of hire and RDO when addressing any member of the Local 100, in an incident or accident the member will not be asked to provide any information to the management a statement will be provided by a Local 100 steward after 24 hours from such occurrence. 

Randoms will be limited once a year based on documented reasonable suspicion. Specifically the member will be chauffeured to the MAC center by the employer without time constrains, for known stressful positions such as bus operators would get a yearly lump sum bonus $3,500 increasing annually at a rate 15%. Sick leave would increase to thirty days annually, OTO would increase to twenty days annually.

Vacation time, members will be granted two days vacation for each month - for those who have less than five years, three days vacation for each month for those who have less than ten years, four days vacation for each month for those who have less than fifteen years, five days vacation for each month for those who have less than twenty years, six days vacation for each month for those who have less than twenty five, for those who have over than twenty five years get seven days vacation plus $101 bonus that increases at a rate of 12% annually for each month. 

Retirees will get full health care insurance, their passes will not be revoked, the employer must pursue the legislator and get a new tier for the membership so they could retire with a full pension after 20 years at age 50 from the legislators. 2012 would be a gift from the train operators division hot shot Mr. Steve Downs, Chair, T/O division. Downs is a gifted, talented and seasoned haggler - haggling runs in his veins and arteries, he also believes that Samuelsen would be the best, extra ordinary, greatest, and popular president in the history of Local 100 than any previous presidents.

Contract 1

Companies have been famous for their two-tier employment systems composed of ‘core’ groups of permanent employees and larger groups of ‘contingent’ workers with little or no job security. In some cases, the contingent workers had little or no job security. 

In our contract, there are section 1.13 - Farming out of work and section 1.28 - Miscellaneous provisions subsection D. Part-Time Operators - those two sections are causing harm to the membership thus they must be stricken and removed from the future contract. We expect Mr. Steve Downs, Chair, T/O division, our skilled, seasoned, negotiator and haggler - Mr. Downs is a proven commodity even though he has a diminutive stature he is tall in solidarity.

In other contracts the contingent workers are directly affiliated with the parent company while in others the contingent workers are employed by subcontractors. In either case, the result is something of a dual labor market structure where one group of employees have good jobs providing good wages, extensive fringe benefits, considerable opportunities for promotion, and the guise of job security. In the 2002 under the tutelage of Samuelsen - Toussaint protege and loyalist the contract eliminated the no-layoff clause causing a group of employees to have less desirable jobs paying low wages with few fringe benefits and providing little if any job security.

A blue collar or white collar job with companies meant for lifelong economic security should at least consider job security once the employee has established some seniority in the company. Driven by the need to reduce costs and increase flexibility however many companies have replaced thousands of employees with temporary workers and part-timers. That was clearly done to us by our employer with the acquiesce of Samuelsen and TBOU - who have bid out the work to contractors and subcontractors.

This brings two advantages one is that the contingent worker costs less, partly because their hourly pay is often only half that of regular employees and partly because they receive far fewer fringe benefits such as paid vacations and health insurance. A second benefit of contingent employees is that they can easily be let go when the company no longer needs them which clearly was done by our current boss. With comply silence from Samuelsen and TBOU there is a turning the quasi-fixed cost of regular employees into a variable cost. 

According to some estimates, the ranks of contingent employees have doubled since 1980 to include nearly 49 percent of the work force. One of the most rapidly growing  segments of the contingent work force is temporary help workers. Here section 1.28 subsection D clearly harms the Local 100 membership - Apple Computer laid off 20 percent of its work force due to a slow down in sales in 1985. When business picked up again rather than hire more workers the company hired temporaries. The company’s manager of staffing said of the decision, ‘If we bring someone on board full time, there is an implied obligation that the job won’t disappear, but that can’t happen in an industry as volatile as ours.’  

Another source of rapid growth in the contingent work force is the decision of companies to farm out of work - clearly here section 1.13 is harming the membership of Local 100 .The USX Corporation, for example lowered the number of in-house of labor needed to produce a ton of steel from 10 in 1982 to 4 and currently lower. In part by farming out maintenance work rather than paying a union pipe fitter $13 an hour plus ample benefits, the company got the same work done by a smaller nonunion company that paid its workers $5 an hour and provided no benefits. 

Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation chopped its public affairs department from 31 people to 4, and farmed out it’s work, through corporate restructuring such as this, the company cut operating costs in half.

This two tier work force created two classes of workers for the same work done, and does not create equality among ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ and a sense that one group of workers was destined to live with the revolving door of contingent work while another gets to enjoy the guise of job security and of good pay. Clearly farming out of work is thrust upon us members of the Local 100, and member regular jobs fall victim to employer cost cutting. 

Why did you join the union? To be a super power! Why did you join the union? To fight for our rights! Why did you join the union? To poke our fingers into the management’s eyes for change! Why did you join the union? To eradicate management’s exploitation! Why did you join the union? To move to the middle class! However you have to remember Samuelsen and TBOU are exploiting us - do not despair the future is ours use your power of vote to send the fat cat Samuelsen and TBOU back to work.

Samuelsen and TBOU deceit

Since the shameless vote with a minuscule margin of less than 70 votes that imposes financial obligation on the membership, we oppose this 'solidarity fund' and challenge the outcome of the vote due to irregularities, let us explain the circumstances.  Samuelsen and his TBOU buddies, claimed to aid the laid off brethren in the name of ‘solidarity fund’ that would have provided health benefits for them. This was a worthwhile endeavor. If we restrict our questions on this topic all you will get is the evil-eye, temper tantrums, acts of extreme agitation from Samuelsen’s propaganda machine.

Now the hard part comes to the forefront which is who will oversee this solidarity fund? Who are those chosen ones? They are Tony Aiken, Lloyd Archer and Derrick Echevarria. If we look at their backgrounds two are bus operators and the last is from the station. Do they have any accounting background? Have they administered funds in the past?

It becomes clear that the overseer must act competently, that is, with accounting knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the overseers. Those three may try to handle a matter without necessary preparation, knowingly taking on matter and not competent enough to handle situations. Those three have no experience. It is not known whether they would put in time to become competent, assuming they can do so without delay or expense to the membership.

It is true that those three, Aiken, Archer & Echevarria are good people and they may have good intentions however that is not enough of a requirement. It is competency which they clearly lack and they have no background in. Thus the obvious question is are those three going to be the fall to guys in the event of a so called ‘solidarity fund’ that goes south? 

We recommend the ‘solidarity fund’ be overseen by Mr. Steve Downs, Chair, T/O division who has tons of experience, loyalty, integrity and he only cares for the membership’s well being. The rank and file will be assured that the fund would never go south under his auspices and tutelage.

The sound of bubbles bursting

TWU Local 100 is at crossroads. We can continue to accept the third rate opportunities afforded to us by Samuelsen with his current leadership, and the likes they tell us to justify themselves, or start to demand change.

Must we have union staff foisted on us that clearly can’t do the job? The blame for perception that our TWU Local 100 is sub par is largely the result of the TBOU and the rabid infected poodle that come to us unqualified and without vision and objectives so desperately needed if we are to fix our TWU Local 100.

And what of Samuelsen? who was narrowly elected, a large part of the rationale for electing Samuelsen was based on that ‘we seek accountability and transparency in all major decisions that affect the membership, and union democracy overall’

But now we see that there is no accountability, no transparency and no democracy, we do see something that looks very much like a stolen election.

We also see lay offs, no local has fallen further and faster than TWU Local 100, all the gains of the past have been virtually wiped out. Similarily, the executive board has been pressured into ‘temporary assessment to cover medical benefits for our laid-off brothers and sisters’ we recommend that you oppose Samuelsen shenanigans, We believe you will not be fooled, of this indefensible dictatorial control of the executive board by the totally unqualified president John Samuelsen.

Samuelsen has been exposed as a dismal failure, that you will see that he does not care for the laid off brethren except he wants to lay his hand into your wallet, it is up to you to chop that hand before it reaches your wallet.

$22,000 annual pension

(22000/12/1833.33/30/61.11~ 40) What are those figures? Those figures represent the  retired member pension income. After serving 25 years his income annually from the pension is $22,000.

Now lets take a closer look at those figures. $22,000 divided by 12 months is $1,833.33 monthly divided by 30 days comes to $61.11 of a gross daily income. However, after taxes his net daily income comes out to $40.

This worker laments that after his hard work of 25 years his worth comes out to $40 a day. His observation is that he would prefer the amount to be higher due to inflation and rising prices. He observes that if he was to depend solely on the pension, ‘it would be tough’, however there is social security in addition.

His recommendation is that $40,000 as an annual pension would be a good amount. Currently however he realizes that the inflation rates are raising and that future pensions annual income should be raised in order to meet the inflation rates.

Dollar van

Why expose the TWU Local 100 to liability?  It has been reported on August 10, 2010, TWU Local 100, will provide ‘new van service’ however on August 5, 2010, Samuelsen, a Toussaint protege and loyalist was critical of the ‘dollar vans’. We oppose this engagement in financial or business dealings that might be perceived to exploit the public. What is Samuelsen thinking about?

Why a change of heart within five days and why is it TWU Local 100? It was clear that he has impulsive behavior and it was not a well thought out plan. It was an honorable thought to aid our laid off brethren, however incurring liability responsibilities makes it an unattractive venture.

What kind of liability are we talking about? We are talking about the type that crippled Pan Am and TWA who were forced out of business. Simple - accidents, maintenance costs, operating costs, depreciating values of assets and revenues. The margin to be on the positive side of the ledger is minuscule. It maybe viable for a single operator, which leads us to believe the TWU Local 100 dollar vans may operate on the negative side of the ledger.

The elephant in the room is will the TWU Local 100 dollar vans accommodate the disabled and the infirm? Will the dollar vans comply with the ADA? What about others who would feel discriminated clearly those questions point to liability. Now lets weigh liability against economic or other interests such as aid to the laid off brethren. It is obvious that this is not a well thought idea because it is like trying to mix water and oil which would never work.

Lets look at it from the finance end, where is the capital coming from? Maybe from the ‘solidarity fund’ that is why Samuelsen and his TBOU fake phonies were in a rush to get the funds before the launch date in mid-September. That is a possible nexus, and in addition whether TWU Local 100 is a not for profit organization, whether that status will be affected, changed or amended to comply with the tax laws? It only casts a dark cloud over the TWU Local 100 under Samuelsen’s dictatorial draconian ways.

Here again the membership were not engaged in a full discussion. The fat cat Samuelsen has a duty to communicate and he must keep the rank and file reasonably informed, and must seek their consent, must explain this ‘dollar van’ scheme matter sufficiently to allow the rank and file to make their own informed decision about it.

Fair-weather friend

‘The TWU International actively worked to undermine the 2005 strike. In order to avoid fines against the national union, TWU president Mike O’Brien publicly urged Local 100 members to “cease strike activity” and return to work.’ Now there is a call from TWU International to all members to join “One Nation: Marching for One Dream” on 10-2-10.

TWU International without Local 100 is nothing! There were many questions that needed to be answered such as: Why should we join them without them paying through the nose for undermining expression of worker power? Also are they worthy of Local 100 members’ obedience?

We recommend that the Local 100 be a stand alone union, and we do not need 

TWU International. In fact they need us this can be seen if you go around the country and ask anyone what TWU International is and they would not know them. However when you ask them if they are aware of the NYC Transit workers Local 100, you can see their eyes shine brightly with admiration and jubilation.

Local 100 has reached its height and maturity and we do not need TWU International. There is no visible return or benefit to the rank and file except for paying an extremely expensive price for that worthless friendship and those worthless T shirts. A common sense investor would stop the bleeding once they realize that there is not return. That money should used for the benefit of the membership of Local 100.

Every member of the Local 100 must be made aware of this heinous and cowardly act of the TWU international for undermining the strike. Fingers must be pointed to the TWU international and they should feel the wrath of Local 100.

There is an unconfirmed report that the TWU International will move to Washington DC and we say good riddance! Out of sight and out of mind, and once they move we recommend that we sever ties and everyone fend for themselves.

Emperor John Samuelsen Enron accounting imposes financial burden on membership

We oppose this financial burden imposed by a minuscule margin of less than 70 votes which gave the right to Samuelsen’s fat sticky fingers into our thin wallets. We take no pleasure in being proven right in this ‘solidarity fund’ by calling it Samuelsen’s money grab scheme and the membership was not informed. He failed to promptly communicate with the membership so that the rank and file had no input in making the decision that affected their substantial financial well being. This was not a decision to be made by emperor Samuelsen solely. Samuelsen should furnish the rank and file with all the information that is necessary to allow the membership to participate intelligently in making decisions about their financial obligation.

First there was no prior full discussion or communicating with the rank and file whether through shopgate, monthly meetings or mass general membership meetings, mail, email or even telephone calls.  The membership was not made aware financial obligation that was to be imposed on them. Samuelsen’s propaganda machine alleged that this is an emergency situation and that there was not enough time to conduct a full discussion. However there was no emergency situation [The local media and the public and the whole world was aware of the lay offs since February 24th, 2010] but there was no discussion from then on. Nothing in February, March, April, May, June, July and August a total of seven months of deafening silence and no full discussion and no input from the rank and file.

Second the ballots were not clear with providing information for the rank and file about who opposed Samuelsen’s money grab scheme. It was his duty of fairness to the opponents not to suppress information and make it aware to the membership what his plans were.

Third a deadline means a deadline and there was an extension of the deadline which was not disclosed  to the rank and file which clearly shows Samuelsen’s lack of ethics and responsibility. In his view a deadline means nothing, once the deadline came he realized that he had nothing and the membership was determined to eradicate his dictatorial behavior he changed the deadline.

Fourth one vote per person is allowed in a democracy. However not in Samuelsen’s den of ethical troubles where you can recast your vote along with his shenanigans. This shows that it is not just mere error in judgement but a breach in the whole voting integrity.

Fat cat Samuelsen has a duty to communicate and must keep the rank and file reasonably informed. It is his duty to seek their consent and he must explain this money grab scheme matter sufficiently to allow the rank and file to make an informed decision about it. We challenge this outcome based on what has been mentioned above and we ask this hypocrite solidarity vote to be nullified with no financial obligation imposed on the rank and file.

Union hall attendance

It is a surprise, if you walk through the corridors, gangways and hallways of TWU Local 100 and observe that almost 95% of the offices are empty and no one is there. Then you realize that aha 5% can run the function of the TWU Local 100. It is clear that Samuelsen has a direct supervisory responsibility over all personnel at the TWU Local 100, then the question is why is there such a huge absence of personnel (95%)? You realize that it is the TBOU chums of Samuelsen. Clearly Samuelsen is negligent and is failing in his duty to see if his comrades are present.

Clearly you can see why we are not organized because and that gives our employer an upper hand and having a field day. But the question still remains of why 95% the personnel are missing? We also know ‘For most of them, being on the union payroll had meant a large pay increase and the obvious, benefit of not having to work a dirty job under sometimes petty and abusive supervisors’ .

Samuelsen will give you excuses and we will list them for you: 1) they are on vacation, [is that possible that the whole department is on vacation?], 2) they are conducting hearings [is the whole department conducting hearings at the same moment?], 3) they have a family emergency [every day and everyone in the department has a family emergency at the same time?], 4) they are sick [wow that’s remarkable that the whole department is all ill during the same exact time!]. We can list infinite excuses, however the problem is Samuelsen’s inability to take a hard look at his TBOU buddies which will cause the membership to pay the price.

One disturbing fact is that we have observed some personnel who have never sat on their seats for over a period of months. This makes you wonder what is the use of this personnel if they are never present?

Why are they not present at West End Avenue? One thing is that these phonies of Samueslen’s TBOU personnel  are hypocrites. They would state that members do not show up for the union’s functions when they themselves are never around. That like the pot calling the kettle black.

There are many questions that need to be asked like why then did those Samuelsen TBOU fakes accept those positions if they were not serious about it? Was it their intention just to collect paychecks? Clearly their absenteeism renders these personnel incapable of actually representing the rank and file’s interests. 

The issue must be looked at from another angle which is on Samuelsen’s side. Did Samuelsen hold his personnel accountable for their absence? Also was there any disciplinary actions that were taken against them? Obviously there should be consequences that these personnel must face for their lack of concern for the union. However, Samuelsen who is hindered and clouded with his friendships with his personnel allows them to get a free pass. 

Now lets look at the 5% of personnel who are actually present. If you observe them they are fixated to the PC monitors looking at personal e-mails, on their twitter accounts or facebook accounts etc. You will also find ‘welcome to Samuelsen den of solitaire, gossiping, offices turned into clutch cafes and a lot of hanging around’.

TWU Local 100 personnel absenteeism greatly harms the rank and file’s interests. We demand that they have to be present in order to earn a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work.

Family day

For a majority of us and our families, who were excluded from TWU Local 100 Family Day due to the fact that we are not buddies of Samuelsen’s TBOU. Now you know that Samuelsen has total disregard for you and your family. He only cares about his chums and himself.

If Samuelsen found it easy to exclude you from the family day then he is indirectly telling you that he could care less about you.This is what TWU Local 100 is coming to! Under Samuelsen there is no sense of unity. Samuelsen has clearly revealed that he is playing favorites to his buddies and giving them preferential treatment. This creates a separate and not always equal union because we don’t get any respect.

This feeling of disassociation was brought to the fore this year by Samuelsen. He favors his buddies because they are the only ones who were invited to family day but not everyone else in the rank and file. Do not feel a sense of despair in this TWU Local 100 like you have no power and no voice. You do have power and you do have a voice to keep this Samuelsen out in the future.

Samuelsen wants you to believe that TWU Local 100 is no longer your union. However it is everybody’s union and everyone is entitled to equal participation in all union activities. Nothing should be restricted to Samuelsen and his click.

Maybe Samuelsen chooses to believe that you do not exist. However when you vote for your next president you must not forget the TBOU phony and fake rhetorics ‘As a group, we seek accountability and transparency in all major decisions that affect the membership, and union democracy overall.’ Simply you do not count, we here in ‘why did you join the union’ consider there should be no line of separation and we want to crush any separation Samuelsen has created. Your voice and say matters and you will be included as one big union which is the way it should be at the TWU Local 100!

2005 Strike scandal

TWU Local 100 performed miserably on the 2005 strike, illustrating we are not immune to the nosedive in the labor movement.

Samuelsen’s propaganda machine led by the rabid infected poodle claimed ‘the lack of preparation limited both Toussaint’s options and what the strike could accomplish’ the coward rabid infected poodle is unable to point which department specifically undermined the 2005 strike, by crossing the line and going back to work.

Which department could not stand the cold? Could it have been one of the following departments listed below:
Stations
Maintenance of Way
Rapid Train Operations
Car Equipment Department
Private Bus Lines/MTA Bus
TA Surface
Mabstoa

This scandal must be addressed and that specific department should be questioned. What’s wrong with that? If the 2005 strike could not accomplish anything then who are to be held accountable? We need to evaluate our performance.

Den of irresponsibility

Samuelsen’s den is ethically, professionally, integrity and independence challenged. Safeguarding rank and file money and property should be the priority of any elected official. However that is not the case by Samuelsen and his TBOU pals.

Recently there is an unconfirmed flurry of union credit cards being used improperly. There were several questions that arose such as why there wasn’t any loyalty to the union? Also if Samuelsen was aware of these improper usage of union credit cards then what actions did he undertake to solve this? For example did he refer the matter to the Manhattan District Attorney?

Samuelsen owes a duty of loyalty to the union, rank and file. Samuelsen must be reminded of the rank and file interests, Local 100 funds are not his little piggy bank to play with as he feels like. Clearly this improper use of the credit cards indicates Samuelsen ‘s den is full of unsavory characters which causes substantial injury to the union. Did Samuelsen try to minimize this harm? Does the TBOU comrade interests supersede  those of the union, rank and file in Samuelsen’s eyes?

If Samuelsen’s den has been misappropriating or borrowing union funds in their improper use of union credit cards then they should go to Rikers Island. Samuelsen must inform his TBOU chums that these union credit cards are to be used for the union, rank and file interests only.

Samuelsen should be subject to discipline when his TBOU buddies use union credit cards improperly because that violates the loyalty to the union, rank and file. Whether Samuelsen ordered  these conducts or knew about it, there is no question he has supervisory responsibility over his TBOU cronies. 

Samuelsen should not accept gifts or favors from his TBOU associates. Samuelsen failed to conduct necessary factual investigation regarding this matter. Maybe he is knowingly not competent to handle this matter due to the friendship level that clouds his judgement. It is also disturbing that he has the power to tell his TBOU companions ‘NO’ when it comes to improper use of the union credit cards but he doesn’t since they are his buddies.

Rebirth of Toussaint

‘$5 per week temporary assessment to cover medical benefits for our laid-off brothers and sisters’.  We oppose this assessment, arguing that there was a lack of discussion with the general membership regarding this matter. Also why was the rank file not informed before hand? Samuelsen and his cronies TBOU (rubber stamp executive board) imposed this shameful extension of his hand into the memberships wallets with his fat sticky fingers in this dire economic state in guise of helping out laid off members. This is a repeat of Toussaint’s behavior where he refused to discuss his decisions and actions with the broader group and all decision making authority is laid into Toussaint - Samuelsen’s hands.

Laid off workers are entitled to medicare and medicaid which is provided by the government. It is also not clear how many of the laid off members have requested or demanded health care coverage from TWU Local 100. Also whether those members ever applied for medicare or medicaid and were denied thus the rationale to help them out by allowing Samuelsen’s sticky fat fingers into our wallets.

Solidarity means that the workers should join together to fight exploitation by the  management. It is shocking that the exploitation is being led by Samuelsen and his cronies TBOU (rubber stamp executive board) against the rank and file well being.

Jobless workers are entitled unemployment benefits in addition to welfare programs such as the cash assistance programs which are Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and in-kind benefit programs such as Food Stamps, Medicaid, and the low income energy assistance program.

The other side of the equation is our employer, what if the employer layoffs more members, does that give Samuelsen the right to stick his hand with its fat sticky fingers into our wallets to make them more thinner than they are? That is utter nonsense, medicare and medicaid are the proper solution. It is true we are part of the ‘working poor class’, rank and file who  have worked year round. However, we are still hovering in poverty because of the low rates of pay. Samuelsen should know better than to get his sticky fingers into our light paychecks. 

It is ridiculous that the current members have trouble in gaining full medical benefits. That does not interest Samuelsen and his cronies TBOU (rubber stamp executive board). ‘Ballots have gone out for a membership vote’, we are opposed to Samuelsen’s money grab scheme. If you don’t vote no the problem stays because the ballots will only show a yes vote. Thus Samuelsen will head to P.J. Clarke’s for prime steak and filet mignon while you will head to McDonalds.

Vote No and there will be no more of Samuelsen - Toussaint’s loyalist. Let Samuelsen and his cronies TBOU (rubber stamp executive board) know how you feel. It is time to make your voice heard! The only way is by voting NO to Samuelsen - Toussaint loyalist.

The cost of union membership

A workers who buys union membership by paying the initiation fee and monthly dues gains certain benefits but also incurs certain costs. Among these cost or drawbacks of union membership are the following .

Strike costs, one cost of union membership is the loss of wages during a strike. The threat of a strike gives a union its ability to raise wages and benefits, but this extra bargaining power is not without cost, for sometimes the strike must actually be used. A recent study a strike occurred on average, in 13 percent of major (1,000 workers or more) union contract negotiations. The loss in wages during a strike may be offset by strike benefits from the union, although not all unions pay them and those that do, usually pay only 20 to 30 percent of regular earnings. There is also a possibility that the worker may never get the job back at all if the employer can successfully hire nonunion workers and break the strike. Finally, strikes lead to psychic costs for workers due to the conflict and ill feelings that strikes engender between union members and nonstriking workers and management personnel.

Loss of job, a second possible cost of union membership is the loss of the job due to layoffs or the closing of the plant. When a union wins higher wages, greater benefits, or restrictive work rules, the general result is to increase the employers cost of labor per hour. An increase in labor cost leads to decline in employment as the company is forced to the point where the revenue of the company are less than its costs of production, the employer will close the plant and all union members will lose their jobs

Fear of management retribution a third cost of union membership to the worker is possible management retribution. This retribution may take several forms; the employer may fire the worker, reassign him to a less desirable job or give a smaller wage increase.Employees recognize however that the protection of the law is not ironclad. It is often difficult for worker to prove he or she was fired for union activities rather than a legitimate cause such as insubordination or being late to work. Court proceedings are also quite time consuming and expensive and in general the employer has the greater staying power in such matters

Loss of individualism and flexibility at work a fourth possible cost of union membership for a worker is a loos of individualism and flexibility in doing the job. In a unionized company personnel policies are generally more rigid, allowing workers less discretion in choosing work schedules or job assignments. Workers also have less room for personnel initiative in how the job is done. Another consideration is that lines of communication between workers and management in a unionized company are not open and informal as in nonunion company, cutting off the access of the worker to the employer. Finally individual union members may feel they have no influence on the decision making process in the union.

Loss of social status a fifth possible cost of union membership is loss in social status. Many white collar workers for example associate labor unions with lower status factory workers. A second consideration is that many workers regard joining a union as a tacit admission that they can’t get ahead on their own, an admission many of us find very difficult to make. You as member of TWU Local 100 do you embrace those costs? now think about Samuelsen shenanigans that goes on at the union hall do you approve? Do you believe Samuelsen is capable of moving you to the middle class?

Honda or Jeep?

The following excerpts from an article in Forbes discuss the labor relations climate at two different auto plants. One epitomes the high-conflict employer, the other provides an excellent example of the low-conflict employer. Note how both the union and management in the high-conflict firm view the employment relationship as a zero-sum game, and how in the end both sides lose.


For one factory, these are the best of times. The plant is happy, hiring and turning out a product of remarkable and consistent quality.

For the other factory, it is quite a different story. While the plant’s product, a natural in today segmented auto market, is selling briskly, its habits and hardware are old, morale is sagging and management threatens to close the place maybe by the end of this year if the union doesn’t make concessions.

This two different worlds are in fact a mere hundred miles apart. One, the Honda of America plant of Marysville, Ohio, stretches across a rural landscape of grass and wood lands 30 miles, north of Columbus. The other, the Jeep division of Chrysler., lies two hours by car farther north in Toledo, the very geographic center of the Great Lakes industrial belt. The factory outwards appearance has not changed much since it cranked out Jeeps during World War II, and it remains an enormous, inner-city like industrial warren of old buildings and parking lots. Honda and Jeep have one thing in common: output. Each working day Honda turns out 875 four wheel passenger vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, Jeep produces 750 of the machines. Beyond that similarities end. Honda produces its vehicles in 1.7 million square feet of tightly organized floor space, while Jeep fills more than three times that amount. Honda needs 2,434 autoworkers to produce its cars. Jeep requires slightly more than twice that number.

Some of the difference is attributable to American car manufacturer’s habit of offering so many options. Much of Hondas shop floor equipment is also newer and more sophisticated than Jeep’s. At both Honda and Jeep, relative levels of investment are not only a question of available capital however but perhaps even more important of the attitudes of the workers themselves.

At Jeep a management is frustrated by union intransigence regards such investment skeptically. After all, why continue to upgrade a plant if union work rules frustrate cost savings?

But past Chrysler managements have not covered themselves with glory. It was they, after all who permitted labor relations to get as bad as they did. A member of that management told us: ‘The union merely exists to protect guys who try to screw the company.’ Even if that is true the statement betrays an attitude that bodes ill for employee morale.

Last year tension built to the point where a group of shop floor workers abruptly began sabotaging the assembly line, bashing Jeeps with welding tools. The line was intermittently shut down during the week that followed, costing more than $1 million in lost wages.

By contrast, at Honda workers are persuaded that automation will not eliminate jobs but improve quality control, with the result that workers see it as an investment in their own job security. Thus many new automation ideas at Honda came right from factory floor.

With management and labor so tightly knit at Honda, the United Auto Workers hasn’t been able even to come close to getting its foot in the factory door, despite continued efforts. What bonds the company together and helps generate its growth is a kind of corporate chemistry - an environment that encourages both labor and management at the firm to regard themselves collectively as ‘us’ rather than as ‘us versus them.’

Results? Honda’s shareholders have seen their stock rise 220 percent in the last 3 years. In the same period starting wages on the factory floor have risen 78 percent, not counting bonuses. And Honda is still building, still hiring.

At Jeep, management has failed to improve a bad situation, which is growing worse with each passing month. As for the union, charged with protecting its members jobs, it is actually doing the opposite, leaving the management no choice but move production elsewhere. Now you as a member, if you were to chose between Honda and Jeep what would be your preference? TWU Local 100 which model does emulate Honda or Jeep?

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Transport Workers Union Local 100 by-laws in section XVI Finances part (b) states ‘The Local Secretary-Treasurer shall report at least once each two months the comparisons of estimated income to actual income with a report of expenses to the Executive Board.

To that same report we must add would be published to the rank and file in a manner of fair and open government. The local finances must be open to the rank and file for discussion to enable them to advance TWU Local 100 goals.  As long as finances are viewed to be the focal point and they are clouded with mystery it is a recipe for abuse.

It is also a known fact the executive board members have been ‘tailoring their votes to avoid offending the person who could fire them from the union staff’ the executive board has no credibility and they are a rubber stamp of Samuelsen’s shenanigans, which clearly does not benefit the membership, except the rank and file are put at harms way.

Begging the question, we all wish for easy answers to what should be a logical black and white agreement on what the finances should be. However, its not that easy in TWU Local 100. This week TWU Local 100 came out with a propaganda to get your vote, in the guise of helping out our laid off brethren with a temporary health insurance that will cost you $5 per week. However they neglected to mention that the government is providing medicaid and medicare which is paid for by the courtesy of tax payers which was not fully discussed.

Vote no, to double agent!

A rabid infected poodle likes to play it both ways, with both camps and is “wishy-washy”. TWU Local 100 is no place to have up-the-hill and down-the-hill tensions between rank and file. The claws come out with the divisive proposals ‘reform from above and those pushing for reform from below’ when it comes to rank and file it is clear that the membership did not benefit but paid a price. However the rabid infected poodle loves ‘being on the union payroll [which] had meant a large pay increase and the obvious benefit of not having to work a dirty job under sometimes petty and abusive supervisors’ .  The rabid infected poodle is scared of abusive supervisors so it hides at the union hall because it is a coward.

Clearly TWU Local 100 is a troubled union, it is no longer the union that it once was of the days bygone, and the layoff results are disastrous. We are concerned and point it as a tipping point for TWU Local 100 in the labor movement. And that reputation will never be restored as long as the current leadership under Samuelsen and the rabid infected poodle are failing the membership. There is no effort to pull up the rank and file to the middle class except the willingness to put the membership in harms way. However they hide at the union hall, with all their fringe benefits. They should volunteer their services.

Of course, just as there is Samuelsen’s propaganda machine, there are legions of us on the other side of the issues. What weighs heavily with us is how the laid off brethren are being used as bait. We are in the USA where medicare as well as medicaid are available to anyone who needs it can be provided by simply filing an application form without any cost. We oppose the assessment, arguing that there is lack of discussion on the overall temporary medical coverage. It is impossible to know whether the laid off brethren would not need medical coverage after six months?

Rat saw a cat

No teeth, no claws, poor vision, no stamina and over weight those are the signs of a loser in a fight and that is what happened to the rat at TWU Local 100 event of solidarity. He got deflated once the cat came and he turned to be a coward and a traitor who has no fight in him.

Our employer had its board meeting on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. As usual we assembled outside of our employer office without any clear intention, objective or goal. If our presence was to be a useful and meaningful tool for TWU Local 100 that was not at all portrayed by the current leadership. 

If we take a step back and assess how the membership fared the rat got deflated and then after less than twenty minutes the membership started to disperse. Everyone had an important appointment and that's the sign of a troubled union those are the phonies of the TBOU slate. Clearly they can not stand the heat, just like the coward rat who could not stand up to the cat.

John Samuelsen may look good on the outside but in reality he is a fatally flawed president. He is part of the problem - not the solution. He and his TBOU slate members who were not in good standing and who did not pay the dues in a timely manner all had important appointments so they had to leave. In their view ‘we are not going to stand out here’.

We are gentlemen, we pride ourselves on telling the truth and we’re mad. What we want to know is whether this deception was intentional or not? our suspicion is that it has to be, because they are adults and not children. Determining if this is true should be the subject of an investigation. The questions that need to be asked are how much financial resources were employed in this wasted effort which the membership has a right to know, and why those toothless rats are abandoning the ship? They should be held accountable because you will find them infront of the cameras and during the photo opportunities.

A rabid infected poodle chimed in that ‘lack of preparation’ ‘the lack follow up pressure’ ‘no information’ the poodle could not stand the heat. Also they have mastered the art of the disappearing act. Do you believe Samuelsen will explain the abysmal performance? What we have turned into is a sub par and a troubled union.