Hey, remember Roger Toussaint? He was the president of the Transit Workers Union Local 100 who made the decision to lead its members on a two-and-a-half day transit strike in 2005. More recently he's been vice president in charge of strategic planning at TWU, but now the Daily News reports he was at the MTA's Brooklyn office to be "reinstated as a track workers... [He] filed paperwork and took a physical required of any employee seeking to return after an extended absence, sources said." And when told of the news, a TWU official said, "Holy s---." more ›

[Update below] As rumblings of a "slowdown" "enhanced care" continue (seriously, the R train we took this morning was moving like a bus) the MTA and its largest union, Transit Workers Local 100, are set to return to the negotiating table. And though the last set of talks broke down because of leaks to the media, the Post today has some interesting details reportedly already agreed upon by the two sides. Most notably, when the contract is signed subway operators and conductors will be able to take three (paid) days off if they witness someone being hit by a train. more ›

The MTA's financial problems are well-known, so naturally it would want to take a tough line with the transit union, TWU Local 100. And naturally the union isn't happy with no raises for its 34,000 members, so its contract expired at midnight on Sunday without any resolution. However, the two sides are kindly continuing negotiations so we won't have to deal with a transit strike. more ›

Welcome to the MTA, John Lhota—now deal with the union! The MTA's new chairman only just started his job yesterday and already he is being thrown into the fire. Nearly six years after the Transit Workers Union struck and ground the city to a halt for three days negotiations for a new worker's union have begun. Luckily, one of the first things Lhota has done to differentiate himself from his predecessor, Jay Walder, is start buddying up with the union. more ›

Even though the MTA assured everyone that all of the signals in the system have been retested and found safe since officials found workers were faking inspections, straphangers are still anxious about the ride. "It makes me nervous," one told the Daily News. "But at the same time, it's my way of getting around. I've got to take the train. Hopefully they'll do something about it." Of course this isn't helping the MTA's image either. "I am outraged," said Jose Disla. "I believe it, and it's horrible. It's dangerous, and they're going to raise fares and cut services." more ›

Today, over 200 MTA workers are turning in their work badges to comply with the agency's layoffs. The Transit Workers Union, which is planning a mass protest today, says that 202 workers are turning in their IDs today (WABC 7 reports 194 are station agents). The MTA issued the layoffs to deal with its huge deficit. TWU president John Samuelson told NY1, "Our members that lost their health insurance, we just came up with a plan within ourselves and we all kicked in $10 a pay period just to keep our 3,500 members that are laid off with health insurance all right. It shows you the fortitude of our membership and it was done in a very quick motion." more ›

Last month, it was reported that MTA Chairman Jay Walder had purchased a $1.6 million condo at Central Park West and 96th Street. The three-bedroom abode is near five subways (the B/C and 1/2/3), not to mention a number of buses, which makes it easy for Transit Workers Union members to protest! TWU Local 100 president John Samuelson told the Daily News that Walder's pricey home, high salary and vacation home in France "demonstrates he's a rich elitist completely out of touch with New York City transit workers and riders." more ›

Thanks to some bad publicity, the MTA has decided to re-hire Sgts. Alvin Taylor and Anddy (Angel) Moreno, who were laid off from their bus driving jobs while serving overseas. The two had originally lost their jobs because of MTA downsizing, and though federal law guarantees members of the military may resume their civilian jobs upon return from deployment, they can't guarantee jobs in companies that have downsized or collapsed. But the MTA pulled some strings, and the two are now under payroll at MTA Bus, an authority where there are job vacancies. more ›

After rumors that the Transit Workers Union would "slow it down"—it being subway and bus service—yesterday during its "Day of Outrage," the jury is out on whether or not service was truly affected. One reader described, "The worst B/Q train service I can remember. Waited 20 minutes this morning, and the train was too packed to fit on. When another one finally arrived, it went half speed the entire way into Manhattan," yet another who must have slipped into a Bizarro dimension said, "My service this morning was actually noticably better than it usually is (on the F)"? more ›

Did your subway or bus commute seem a little slower than usual today? It's possible there really wasn't "train traffic up ahead"—apparently the Transit Workers Union wants to give the MTA (and riders) hell because the agency won't pay arbitrator-decided raises. And a text message last week suggested that workers were advised to "slow it down" today. more ›

New York City public schools are performing so well according to the DOE's assessment that the performance bonuses earned by teachers is bursting the budget. With 97% of elementary and middle schools earning A's or B's in their annual grades from the Department of Education, yesterday it was revealed that such high marks meant the city would have to shell out $33 million in bonuses, almost twice last year's total despite a slimmer budget and two million over the program's budget before high schools are even accounted for. One education consultant told the News, "It's clear the bonuses are a complete waste, with the reading and math exams becoming easier and easier." more ›

The MTA is once again seeking to save money by expanding the practice of running trains without a conductor. The One Person Train Operation program, or by its robot name, "OPTO," has been previously stopped in the courts after objections were raised by the Transit Workers Union. The only instance an arbitrator has allowed the OPTO plan is late nights and weekends on the G line. Now the MTA would like to expand it to 7, L, J and M lines as well. A TWU spokesman told the Daily News, "Of course, this is one of management's demands. This is something the MTA has been pursuing the last two or three bargaining rounds and we continue to completely disagree with them." The last fight between the two was in 2006; it's unclear if the same arbiters will rule in the union's favor again or if robojudges have since ascended within the court system. more ›

With his back against the wall as his union's resources having been dried out, Transit Workers Union President Roger Toussaint has sworn in a court affidavit that transit workers have no intention of going on strike again "now or in the future." The affidavit was filed in hopes to have the union's automatic due payments restored, a privilege taken away after the TWU's illegal strike in 2005, a penalty that has cost it millions. more ›

The Daily News reports that the MTA has been meeting with the Transit Workers Union, "holding secret negotiations to hammer out a contract months ahead of schedule - and without the usual rancor." Nice, as we all remember what rancor and a lack of a contract meant last time: A three-day transit strike without subway and bus service--the exercise was good. more ›