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The Transit Workers Union is set to vote on its leadership this fall, and a group of members wants to oust current president Roger Toussaint. Yesterday, the Daily News reported that bus driver (and the chairman of the local's Manhattan and Bronx division) Barry Roberts, track division chairman John Samuelsen and conductor Nat Cummings are running together. Roberts said of Toussaint, "He destroyed the workers' morale." Roberts also said many workers would have wanted to negotiate with the MTA, versus striking last December. Hindsight is always 20/20, but given that the TWU still doesn't have a contract, we imagine the TWU membership might want some new blood.
According to the Post, the tricky thing for union members wishing to run is now they are required to have candidates for president, secretary-treasure and recording secretary - plus a vice-presidential candiate. Of course, this makes some members who don't have a "slate" of candidates upset because they'll have to run as independents on the "back pages" of the mail-in ballot.
Gothamist on the Transit Strike. And if Toussaint is defeated, amNew York suggests he may have to go back to work as a tunnel worker.
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"The Transit Workers Union is set to vote on its leadership this fall, and a group of members oust current president Roger Toussaint."
can't think of a better start than that.
Just as nuts as you not posting with your real name or email address!
Thanks for pointing that out, though.
Better headline: Toussaint May Be in TWUbble.
Curious that labor would have such a restrictive voting process.
Good one, Joe.
Roger is no Mike Quill, that's for sure...
THe same sentiment exists amongst teachers toward Randi Weingarten. Check out the related merch: http://www.cafepress.com/gingerella
And we are supposed to feel sorry for Roger?
Re: Randi Weingarten -
Teachers unions are one of the major reasons the education system is so screwed up. That and the stupid politicos trying to have stupid stadardized tests that just measure how well you can take standardized tests.
You know what I hate about Gothamist? The apparently underemployed toolboxes like "how the nuts are you the editor" who feel the need to point out every single screwed up sentence. No one f'ing cares except you and your toolbox friends! I thought people stopped making "I'm so smart and attentive, you're so stupid and careless" comments in junior high after they were suspended by their tighty-whiteys from a coathook after making some dumb-ass remark to a class like "I think 'concerted effort' is redundant." If I knew who you were I'd gag you with a bag full of Scrabble tiles, bludgeon you with the OED and ram a copy of Elements of Style up your ass. THERE!
The greatest defeat for the membership will be if Mr. Toussaint loses this election. The MTA, having gotten away with reneging on a contract deal, will be in a strong position to force future agreements down their throat. The present opposition slate first voted against going on strike, then against going back to work then worked against passing the agreement and now run complaining that there is no contract. And other workers, public and private, will be taken down with Mr. Toussaint as their leaders become increasingly cowed and intimidated with their employers reneging on future agreements and interfering with their internal union politics in the same manner that the MTA has screwed the TWU people around.
Oh yeah, and you start off with The Post as the driving source for this piece. Gedoudaheah. The Post loses more money than the MTA and is nothing but a font for right wing nut balls. This is discourse.
Handing over the Presidency to Barry Roberts would be like handing over our Union to the MTA.
Barry Roberts could not get anything in his Division, pleaded with Toussaint to fold the strike, then voted "Yes" for the contract negotiated by Toussaint.
Realizing the mistake he did for his political career, he turned the membership against the contract. But curiously his own Division voted for the contract on both votes. Fortunatley for this membership we are beginning to realize what kind of a flip flopper Barry is. This Union does not need a President that does not know his left foot from his right, maybe he should just leave it in his mouth before he makes a fool of himself again.