Paul Piazza
11/12/2016
After his historic election, (and no matter how you voted, it is a historic election.) It should be discussed how Donald Trump would help or hurt TWU Local 100. Everybody likes bad news first so here goes.
As President, Trump could hurt our Union by appointing anti-union Supreme Court judges that would rule in favor of the Friedrichs lawsuit. This lawsuit essentially claims that Union members are under no obligations to pay dues but the Unions are under an obligation to provide those same deadbeat members services. (That’s the short English version). A tough road on that one for Unions.
Many well-meaning people voted for Hillary Clinton under the assumption that she would appoint pro-union and anti-Fredrichs lawsuit Supreme Court judges. But who could really trust her? Honestly, with Hillary Clintons’ real propensity not to tell the truth, how could anyone be sure who she would appoint?
Same with Trump, my feeling is he said whatever he had to, to get elected, but in action, who knows what he’ll do? But we have to assume as President Trump will appoint a conservative judge who will support the Fredrichs lawsuit.
So it is a real possibility that a Trump Presidency will mean a conservative Supreme Court judge who will hurt Unions like TWU Local 100.
So I guess you’re wondering how a Trump Presidency can, in any possible way help, TWU L100? I am by nature an optimist. I also never stop playing until the whistle blows. While some people see things as a disaster, I try to make them work for my side. I believe that even the worst of situations can be turned into a win or not so bad of a loss. So here goes:
Our Contract:
We will shortly begin negotiations on our new contract, in fact you may have heard about a rally being held at 2 Broadway on November 15, 2016 5pm. Now Governor Andrew Cuomo has the final say on our contract. I know the MTA negotiates it, says no to everything and generally tries to screw us out of anything.
I saw it first hand as a negotiator for Stations Division and part of the Women’s’ issues negotiating team in the last contract. Negotiating with MTA big shots is no joke.
But Andrew Cuomo is the bottom line when it comes to contracts. He can tell the MTA to settle for whatever he wants them to.
Andrew Cuomo is also one of the leading contenders for the democratic Presidential nomination in 2020. Hillary is finished, Biden is too old, Chelsea is too young and Michelle is too inexperienced. His only competition seems to be Cory Booker.
Is there any way TWU L100 can play Cuomo’s presidential ambitions off our contract? I think so, but it will take smarts, guile and a tremendous set of cojones.
TWU International is a nationwide Union. TWU L100 is the leading Union inside TWU International. Our President, John Samuelsen is the 2nd in command in the TWU International. You see where I’m going here?
Andrew Cuomo just might want the backing of a nationwide Union during his quest for the Democratic nomination for President.
We can make that happen.
At 70 years of age I can’t see President Trump lasting more than 4 years. So it’s a wide open field in 2020. The Republicans are looking at who? Mike Pence? Paul Ryan? Jeb Bush? Little Marco? All lightweights if you ask me.
Someone should start whispering in Cuomo’s ears how the time is right for him to make his move and how TWU Local 100 can help him.
And that someone should be TWU Local 100.
Change the way TWU collects its Dues money:
Now we’re going to the deep end of the pool. One of the most onerous penalties that the Taylor Law metes out is the ending of dues “check off.” Dues check off is where TWU L100 pays the MTA to deduct monthly Union dues directly from yours and mine paycheck.
After the 2005 Strike, dues check off was not restored for a few years and almost drove our Union out of existence. Don’t let anyone tell you different, I was in office beginning 2010 and saw firsthand the aftereffects of members not paying their dues.
During and after the 2005 Strike I advocated for TWU L100 to begin to develop some kind of alternative to (MTA) dues check off. I even wrote a letter to editor to the Chief about it. But now, with an impending Trump Presidency the necessity of developing a new way to collect dues is paramount.
To me the best strategies are usually simple ones: Instead of paying the MTA to collect our dues from members we should bring in an outside entity that provides billing and collection services and pay them. Maybe a young, new minority owned firm who would be happy to have TWU L100 as a marquee client.
This would serve us in two very important ways.
• Diminish the effectiveness of the Taylor Law
• Act as a countermeasure against any fallout from the Fredrichs lawsuit.
It’s time to stop worrying about who’s President and what’s going to happen to us and start shaping our own destiny. Honestly, none of the Presidential candidates really gave a “you know what” about us. So why do we care so much about them? Let’s start securing our futures and our Unions future.
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Our fellow co worker is very shrewd by coloring this election in the manner he portrayed.
Secondly, we do not agree - with his point concerning dues collection. We are still of the opinion - that we must have legislation from Albany ‘that our dues should be deducted directly from the MTA budget, before reaching MTA’
Why in our infinite squabbles, skirmishes and battles with MTA and Taylor Law - ours TWU Local 100 should not be in an inferior position by worrying the dues check off being withheld by the MTA due to nincompoop judge’s order.
Thirdly, whether Governor Cuomo should run in 2020, we wholeheartedly agree with such a concept based on Trump errors not on his age, one can conclude Trump ‘Tell it like it is’ attitude will cause headaches for the nation.
The pendulum swung right, now - the pendulum will swing left based on that, Governor Cuomo should prepare a ground game and capitalize on Trump errors.
There is no question TWU International is nationwide union - we should be able to dictate what is in the best interest of the membership.
You misunderstand the Taylor Law. One of the penalties is the loss of dues check-off. It is not up to a judge. Self collection by TWU L100 puts us in a better position to have serious job actions.Self collection only strengthens our hand as a Union. It makes the loss of dues check off moot.
ReplyDeleteThere is ecclesiastical laws - ‘Canon law is the body of laws and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (Church leadership), for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members.’
ReplyDeleteThen there are Sharia Islamic laws is the religious law governing the members of the Islamic faith
Kindergartner knows it is the blind lady who is holding scales on one hand and sword on the other.
Our venerable expert on Taylor Law has spoken, however we, would like to point out to his excellency.
The definition of law is ‘the system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and may enforce by the imposition of penalties.’
‘In the vast volumes of laws in our country there are two types. Criminal laws and Civil laws. Criminal laws are enforced by law enforcement and prosecutors. Criminal laws have punishments. Civil laws are enforced by citizens, businesses, and governments but not prosecutors or police. Civil laws can be used to punish a person but the vast majority of the times civil laws are designed to fix something rather than punish a person.’
Since Taylor Law is a civil law - hence a judge order to enforce those laws.
You are missing the point. This is not about the Taylor Law it is about self collection. Self collection takes away a possible Taylor Law penalty. Self collection would put this Union in a better position to use its greatest leverage to win contract demands. Self collection turns a well intentioned rally into a serious threat. But your points are respectful taken, much thanks.
ReplyDelete