In a surprisingly serious interview with the Wall Street Journal on March 13, 2012 under ‘Clash at Transit Union by Ted Mann’ Roger Toussaint talked about his disappointment with President of TWU Local 100 John Samuelsen and with the Executive Board.
Here are some of Mr. Toussaint’s comments: 1) ‘He previously ruled out a power grab, including in an open letter to the union's executive board in January’ 2) ‘It's about getting it from them’ 3) ‘including appearing at a recent meeting of the executive board’ - imagine George W Bush hanging outside of the US Congress it makes no sense. Those we would imagine are made up pejoratives.
In regard to Roger Toussaint’s spotty record, he can blame John Samuelsen all he wants but he cannot run away from his spotty record. He has to answer for it - he can look at the man in the mirror who gave away ‘No Layoff Clause’. Until now he has not come clean with an explanation to the membership which deserve an explanation. He had the ability to deny in giving the MTA ‘No Lay off Clause’ but he did not rather he gave it away freely - why.
Who gave away Union Hall (80 West End Avenue) - it should have been for thirty million more than he received. Until now he has not come clean with an explanation to the membership who deserve an explanation - isn’t that the truth, Mr. Roger Toussaint? Can you deny it?
Who gave away Christmas contract deadline? We are not sure what he truly thinks is the right path for the current contract negotiations, other than that he governed by fear. As president he kept everyone around him who blindly obeyed him but tossed away any who questioned him.
Let us give you now our personal opinion of Roger Toussaint - we believe Roger Toussaint does not represent membership interests no matter how you look at him. He has betrayed membership interests.
At this particular point in time, Roger Toussaint has not yet been proven to be corrupt (we’ll see how the 80 West End Avenue scandal plays out however in the minds of the membership it is clear) but he certainly has proven to be inexperienced, insincere, insolent and above all incompetent.
Roger Toussaint unfortunately for TWU Local 100 is in over his head. He is not up to the job and is even more of a catastrophe than the inept George Armstrong Custer who was at Little Big Horn - based on his spotty record Roger Toussaint is a bad idea!
who gave away the Health Benefit Trust?
ReplyDeleteWho ignored the layoffs in the 2008 MTA budget?
Who forced through a huge number of by-law changes and made the 209 election process so crazy that nobody knows who paid dues and who did not?
Now we get the DOL investigation?
Who created the Administrative VP position for politics only?
Who had 5 out of 7 VPs sue him for non-payment of wages?
Who witheld AInsley Stewarts' wages when he was VP and when Ainsely sued the Union because of it Ainsley collected over $300K of members dues money i an out of court settlement?
Who? who? who?
who reduced the Union officers pensions, saving the members money?
ReplyDeleteWho got us the 70/30 sicktime thing?
Who got us a refund of our 25/55 money?
who got us a changed the pension rom 30/62 to 25/55?
Who got retiree bridge benefits until medicare?
who told Bloomberg to shut up?
who got us decent wage increases?
who broke the stranglehold Sonny Hall had on the Union?
Who helped amke the Union more militant and fight harder against management?
BUT...................
who made us pay medical, the 1.5%
who lost the no layoff clause?
Who kept loyal incompetants (like Mc-Hoople) around and fired anyone who challenged him?
Who hugged Kalikow?
Who took us out on strike with no organization?
Who came back from a strike after 3 days and got hosed in a contract?
Who had the MTA on the ropes and let them get off?
who went out on strike with the MTA having a Billion$ surplus and came back with a bad contract?
Who has no idea what democracy means?
Who made us vote on a contract twice because he did not like the first vote?
Who did such a bad job at dues collection 40% of the members are still in bad standing?
Who? Who? Who?