Short sighted policies

It is incomprehensible that John Samuelsen would announce to the membership the purchase of the property at 350 Schemershorn Avenue without consulting or even getting a tentative approval from the TWU International. We here in why did you join the union will play the the devils advocate, Samuelsen as president of Local 100 should have initially consulted as well as sought advisory from the TWU International in regards to the purchase of the property. 

Lets assume for argument’s sake that the TWU International felt slighted that one of its local did not seek advice but rather gave an order and demanded for their approval of the property purchase. Without prior consultation or discussion they definitely would reject the concept of the property purchase.

Secondly property purchase should be a physical building not an imaginary one. Here we would use an old story where a farmer had a chicken and the chicken laid a dozen eggs. The farmer collected the eggs put them in one basket and started to walk towards the market with the aim of selling the eggs. While walking he was imagining that he would sale the eggs in order to buy a cow and that the cow would be giving milk and then he would sell the milk to buy so and so. As he was dreaming big while walking he tripped and fell to the ground thus breaking all the eggs. The point is 350 Schemerhorn Avenue is an imaginary dream.

Thirdly we do not believe that James Little or Roger Toussaint put the stop towards the purchase of the property at 350 Schemerhorn Avenue. Mainly because the said property had so many questionable characteristics and issues. It is not credible that Toussaint is interested in coming back to the Local 100 for its prestige as the current mouthpiece as is being claimed.

Fourth the real estate market has gone down. So it is a mystery how? Previously when Roger Toussaint was interested in purchasing the same property he got it at a price of 60 million. Now Samuelsen got the property at a price of 30 million. Clearly Samuelsen would use that to gloat infinitely.

Fifth the membership should be allowed to be apart of the process in going to see the new property. However in the purchase 350 Schemerhorn Avenue the membership were left out.

Sixth it is not clear what the status is of the deposit monies for the purchase of the property at 350 Schemerhorn Avenue. We should take a hard look at ourselves and ask the hard questions. Why did we not consult or seek advisory from the TWU International to get a tentative approval? Anyone who is interested in purchasing a property before looking gets an approval for the mortgage from the bank. Why did we skip that process? Can you imagine NYC archbishop Timothy M Dolan not consulting and seeking approval from Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican?

Seventh licking of the wound with the current propaganda that the TWU International considers Local 100 as a weak organization because they don't have a treasurer.  The point is why can’t Samuelsen appoint a temporary treasurer. That alone creates a negative impression and gives validity that the TWU Local 100 is a troubled organization.

Eight there is no question the membership is mad at Samuelsen with his solidarity fund due to nature it has created animosity between brethren. That is also another credible sign of faulty leadership by not seeking discussion with the membership about the solidarity fund. Instead it was enforced onto the membership who had to accept it without any say so.

Ninth that there will be a mass membership meeting to seek an ‘aye’ vote with the a raise of hand to approve the purchase of the property. Clearly this would be challenged in courts for a lengthy period of time thus a waste of time resources and energy.

We here why did you join the union advice Samuelsen to move on and start fresh with cooperation, consultation respect hierarchy and chain of command of the TWU International. In seeking to purchase a property this time around before depositing any penny for the purchase of any property (the property must be physical not imaginary) we must secure a tentative approval from the TWU International beforehand. Then after it will be just following the formalities. Now we must do it the right way - like anyone who is interested in purchasing real estate they must get a mortgage approval from the bank before depositing any monies.