There will be many people who don't like my comments, but the truth being told, there is a deeper reason for our strike in 2005. (Politics) I was only the Chief Line Steward In Manhattanville Depot, I was proud to support and stand on the pickets. Everyone involved with the Union Politics Claimed that Roger Toussaint was in trouble so a strike was called in order to show the rest of the country that the TWU leadership was solid and strong! At the time I didn't really understand the politics, nor did I care. Everyone talks of the International not supporting the strike, but that too was politics. At the time International Prez Mike O'Brian sided with the the political enemies of Roger Toussanit!
One point that should be recognized is that whatever politics that were going on, the membership only wanted their Union together! And the same holds true now!
Roles have been reversed and the Politics against this leadership is being played out through certain officers, the same as in the past!
Everyone's comments and concerns have some legitimacy, but some are just playing that same old game! I asked a very long time ago why we the membership are not angry? And everything gets pointed back to the leadership! My question is which one? Accountability was promised and given from what I see by comparison, but we are still looking for a savior. Is it not ourselves? We have to realize that we give the strength! Now I'm seeing comments that we didn't take a strike vote! One of the punishments for a strike was the removal of our checkoff. If our Union members still owe money, and a lot of it why even talk about a strike that we know we can't afford to take? The One thing that I got from our mass membership meeting, was that we are still not together!
I can and will promise one thing, I promise to fight along the side of my membership and elected officers to achieve a better future for our children and grandchildren. They don't deserve the POLITICAL back and forth that gets us no where!
Think one thing to yourselves, Can we all do better without a Union, and if not stop the bullshit and let's do this thing together!
In Solidarity
Donald Yates
MaBstoa TWU-100
Please read my post on Transport Workers Retirees. Just stand beside those officers that paid their dues and the strike authorization is a tradition.
ReplyDeleteDECEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING, WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW!
Some facts you may not have known about the," union men", who addressed the membership during the December 3, 2011 Mass Membership Meeting.
The president of local 100 gave a rousing speech confirming he will not fold like the other unions and except a wage freeze. However a strike authorization vote, which is a tradition at these meetings, was not taken even if just for the tradition. Instead the president of local 100 reported January 15 is not necessarily the deadline for the local 100 contract while indicating the leadership would be willing to go beyond January 15 and be willing to go to binding arbitration. Go figure.
International VP Harry Lombardi representing the TWU International had the members believe militancy was the order of the day blaming, "those bastards on Wall Street" for all our troubles. But no one seem to recall that it was the International that openly scabbed on local 100 during the 2005 strike by going to court and declaring local 100's strike was illegal. Mr. Lombardi went on further to declare himself as part of the 99%. At $267,314.00 a year we don't think so. Do you?
Local 100 also invited a representative from the Communication Workers of America. Aligning himself with "militant" theme he blamed the banks for causing the current mess were in and referred to the $22 billion in profits Verizon made. Yet he didn't explain why his union called off the strike after two weeks and had the members go back to work without a contract.
So there you have it. We have said it elsewhere the union movement today more than ever before needs to know the truth that's what we have given you here its up to you to use it.
Posted by Jim Mahoney
I will stand by my comments that I seen this all before! Whether the President took an authorization vote or not, we can't strike, not now! As for going to binding arbitration I missed those comments, and I don't think that Arbitration is what's in store.
ReplyDeleteAs far as truth being told we can go back and forth on a lot of things that I perceived as truth but I think the major point is to fight for our children and grandchildren. Based on the data, we already know that Unions are decreasing and the need to re-educate our members is evident! As far as Verizon is concerned, friends of mine have told me that the company has backed off there position of increased medical costs to it's employees, but I don't have those facts.
International TWU/ TWU Local 100
During the year of 2002 Roger Toussaint had started to build up our political Action Department by hiring folks from 1199 to educate us how to mobilize and lobby. Also during those years Roger Toussaint instituted a shop-stewards program in which I was part of both. What those Stewards were being taught besides how to file grievances, was to have contempt for international President Sonny Hall and MaBstoa Div1 Chair Mike Tutrone. (Politics)
During those times I was a staunch supporter of Greg Davis and Barry Roberts
and saw things from their point of view. (Politics)
Our membership certainly chose sides based on popularity, but voiced in the swing rooms their concern that their Union was divided!
I have a lot of history good and bad! My understanding of our Union is that we need to be together period!
In ending, my Father always expressed to me that it's easy to stand on the sidelines and criticize. I'd rather help! This is not about us grown folks, it's about our children and grandchildren's future!
James, thanks for posting your comments and enjoy the holidays
In Solidarity
Donald Yates
MaBstoa TWU-100
Donald, we both agree a strike would not be in the cards but that should not have stopped us from taking the authorization vote and put the seed of fear in management.
ReplyDeleteI commend you for standing you ground on the picket line, noble indeed. But why are you (honest officers)allowing three officers from MaBSTOA to hold an international position when they didn't pay their dues? Even worse remember the letter from B.Roberts and company calling for a end to the strike? I do. Well now he's an organizer for the international. Is that what we want to teach our new members?
Merry Christmas to you and my O/A family.
James; I'm not really sure how to respond, but being that I'm a truthful man, I must tell it like it is! When we lost our dues Check-off the Union set up a system to pay our dues directly through Amalgamated Bank. Many of our members didn't trust the Union with our personal information, so those members decided to pay directly to the bursars office that was created. The system wasn't perfect, nor do I necessarily blame anyone who was late, in part because Staff Reps and Chairs were collecting dues which was being processed later than the established due date according to the bylaws. Also in the next election after the strike, I won a seat on the executive Board. In my tenure I was selected to be apart of a trial committee team which heard charges brought against officers for various things including failing to pay dues in a timely manor. One particular case I was on, a Division Chair from MTA Bus was removed from office for paying his dues late. The mans name was Danicola. I along with 2 other members ruled that this guy shouldn't be removed from office because proof was substantiated that the Staff Rep turned them in late. Roger Toussaint called us on speaker phone and explained the importance of staying consistent with removing folks late with their dues no matter the reason! Our committee found the MTA Div Chair not at fault for late dues, but in order to satisfy consistency we recommended suspension time instead of removal. The trial committee was overruled by the Executive Board, because Roger insisted the Board had to be consistent just like his phone call to us!
ReplyDeleteSo ultimately I do believe some folks were railroaded to make reelection easier!
What ever the case is with the individuals found guilty by the DOL, I can only fault the process of how we collected those dues!
While in Manhattanville Depot, a rep from RTO Roslyn Carr helped collect dues, taking cash from Bus Operator Alex Bonner. His dues never was paid, and when reported, nothing happened to Roslyn Carr.
In ending, all I'm saying is the system was broken!
Merry Christmas to you and your family as well