Week In Review

Week In Review  October 22, Thru October 27 2012 Monday and Tuesday the crossover portion of the pick commenced And finished without incident. Consolidated pick began on Thursday, but not without incident. Last year when the kiosk computer system was first introduced, the TWU and Management agreed to provide a body designated by the Union to teach the other picking members how to use the kiosk.  Eddie Melendez acting Chief Transportation Officer made an arrangement with the Union to follow the same pattern as years past, but welched on the handshake agreement the next morning (Tuesday). A meeting was called between TAS Vice President Stephen Thomas Division Chairs Frank Austin and Richard Davis, Vice Chairs Donald Yates and Tony Aiken with Eddie Melendez to see if the issues could be resolved, which ultimately couldn't, because management was hellbent on the cost savings factor, so Richard Davis and Frank Austin informed management that once the consolidated pick started, MABstoa TWU would stop the pick for violations of the kiosk agreement from last year. October 24th 2012 the MaBstoa coalition (Richard Davis, Frank Austin and Donald Yates) met with CTO Eddie Melendez and VP Steve Videl  and ironed out a deal acceptable to the MaBstoa TWU which also benefitted TA Surface as the deal was better than originally worked out with the Brooklyn Division concerning the Kiosk. The agreement consist of release time at run pay for operators teaching the system to others. The agreement is for this year only as we have to revisit the topic at a later date. Bronx Division Nominations took place October 24th 2012. Good luck to all candidates, and congratulations to Frank Austin who went unopposed and is reelected automatically.   

Week In Review

Week in Review October 15th thru the 19th As the pick concluded for the incumbents of MaBstoa, there were again many delays which seemed to be the fault of the computer system.  Leaving The Scene Of An Accident There have been many instances where Transit officials accuse Bus Operators of leaving a scene of an accident based on customer allegations. Bus Operators who have collisions or are approached by customers on or off the bus alleging accidents should cover themselves by notifying the command center. The above mentioned holds true for operators who knowingly didn't have an accident, but are accused.  Message From Richard Davis Brothers and Sisters, make sure that you check the UTS regarding holiday pay,as the MaBstoa practice has been corrected based on a grievance filed in December of 2009. All Incumbents of MaBstoa hired prior to December 16, 2002 are required by contract to get paid double your weekday blueprint. The corrected pay will be from 2009 moving forward. Check UTS computers to see if you were paid correctly during that period. If any member of MaBstoa is part of the Brooklyn Division at this time, have the Depot chairs contact me at 212-712-5001 Reminder: Retirees Dinner Dance MaBstoa Div1 Saturday October 27th 2012 504 West 41st St.

Week In Review

Week In Review Second Week of the Pick was a disaster with 2 to 3 hours of delays for at least 3 days this week. Management blames the Union, the Union blames management, but who suffers? The members!  Nominations for Union office and convention delegates took place in MaBstoa Div 1 on Tuesday.  For those involved in the process, good luck! Press Conference For Assaulted Bus Operators Thursday of this week, Members from the press congregated at Kings Bridge Depot to interview Officers and members about the continued assaults, and the lack of managements commitment to reduce it. President Samuelsen led the interviews, while Tony Aiken, Div officer from the Bronx gave an emotional array  of facts regarding Managements mishandling of Assaults!  Shop-Gate Tuskegee  Airmen Depot (100st)  Discussion; Leaving the scene of accidents and the potential for arrests and heavy discipline including dismissal! Open Enrollment for health benefits Starts October 15th  2012 and ending November 26th 2012 TA/OA/MTA-Bus This will allow for healthcare changes. For more info view the locals website at www.twulocal100.org

Week In Review

Week In Review  While at Manhattanville Depot 2 problems popped up which enraged me a great deal 1) Bus Operator who went on comp in 2010 for 2 months went to the IME just recently, the Authority tried to make him go to the Mac when he was done, of course I made a big stink about it, but the Authority couldn't understand why I was bitching. End result Operator stayed in service and didn't go a damn place other than home.   2) AGS at Manhattanville wanted 2 Operators to sign for work place violence memo's, when I refused to let them sign the AGS threatened to take them out of service. I simply said take them out then! As I called his bluff the AGS called  Labor Relations who told him he couldn't take the operators out of service, just simply hand them the policy!  3) SLD came back to work from a period of absence,  B/O welcomed the SLD back to work and SLD took it as a threat and wrote the same. I went to the AGM of the Depot and stressed my concern over the issue and threatened that if they took this Operator out of service over the Dispatchers false allegations there would be serious consequences including the shutting down of this depot! I was assured that all would be ok Pick News Pick started for all incumbents on October 1st 2012, there were a few errors that were caught early on the MaBstoa side, but we're resolved thanks to the TWU pick team