November 13, 2006
Roger's Secret
Huh. Transit Workers Union president Roger Toussaint tells the Daily News that he had a "secret deal with the MTA really ended the walkout." Toussaint faces re-election to be TWU president this month and has been criticized by opponents for ending the strike before getting a contract. So we think it's pretty convenient for Toussaint to tell all now. From the Daily News:
Toussaint said he kept the original pact secret because of the highly charged atmosphere: Gov. Pataki had insisted on the second day of the strike that the MTA wouldn't negotiate while workers were still walking picket lines.The MTA would not confirm or deny Toussain't account, but one opponent finds fault with the secret pact. John Samuelsen says, "He had a signed agreement and let 33,000 workers languish over the Christmas holiday in complete uncertainty about their future. Toussaint's legacy will be one of a petty, vindictive, secretive dictator."If the full extent of negotiations had been revealed, the governor and others who struck such a tough public stance would have worked hard to torpedo the deal, Toussaint said.
"In response to my detractors, I was focused on getting the job done and I did," said Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100.
And the TWU race is really ugly.
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The election is over! Now is the time for ALL members to get up off their rear ends and get involved in the union you belong in. Many members bitch and complain but cannot even vote. The union as we know it gains strength from its members and strong leadership. I wish we could clone Mike Quill but we cannot. The future is in the hands of members who believe that all they have to do is pay union dues and thats it. When members don’t care about their union what makes you think the union leaders will! I urge all members of every division in T.W.U. local 100 to go their respective meetings and start making these elected officials to the bidding of the members. We are truly the only one’s who can take back our union, if we do not only we are to BLAME !