By Ed Kehoe, Shop Steward
In
an unprecedented demonstration of
bad faith, TWU Local 100 negotiators for the Signal Workers insist that
their restricted jobs be cut. This in spite of the fact that the Transit
Authority wants to keep the men. Many of the restricted duty workers
have between 10 and 25 years on the job, many of them do work that requires
special training, they produce work that is desperately needed by the TA,
They are all union members in good standing. I was told by a member of the
management team that he was absolutely flabbergasted when the union insisted
on cutting the restricted restricted jobs. This is not to say that the management
negotiating team couldn’t have given up something to keep us, of course
they could. The simple fact of the matter is that these blood sucking bastards
on both sides of the table saw a beautiful opportunity to get rid of the
disabled workers while each side blamed the other. Nevertheless, the simple
fact remains that the union is selling us out a piece at a time. If you
haven’t made up your mind to fight against these atrocities by this
time, then you had better find yourself a good hiding place. Because sooner
or later, they will come looking for you. Make no mistake about it "YOUR NEXT". |
A RECENTLY NEGOTIATED CONTRACT BETWEEN THE NEW YORK TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND
THE PRESIDENT OF TWU LOCAL 100 ALLOWED THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY TO BRING WELFARE
WORKERS INTO THE SYSTEM. THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WERE ENTERED INTO WITHOUT
THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE MUCH LESS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
THE MEMBERSHIP WAS INFORMED AT THE TIME
THAT THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY HAD TO MAKE CUTS IN THEIR BUDGET OF ABOUT 350
MILLION DOLLARS. THAT UNLESS WE ALLOWED THE "WEPS" TO JOIN THE
WORKFORCE THE CAR CLEANERS WOULD BE FIRED. WELL THEY ARE HERE NOW. WHAT
HAPPENED TO THAT SHORTAGE OF MONEY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. IT NEVER EXISTED.
A BEAUTIFUL CON JOB LAID ON US BY THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND OUR UNION LEADERSHIP,
AS EVIDENCED BY THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SURPLUS FUNDS THEY ARE NOW PULLING
OUT OF THE HAT
THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONTRACT WERE WORDED
IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE THE MEMBERSHIP BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE IN FACT GETTING
A GOOD DEAL. WE FOUND OUT, MUCH LATER OF COURSE THAT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER
FROM THE TRUTH. THE 1% THEY GAVE BACK TO THE 25/55 PENSIONERS WAS MONEY
THAT WAS EARMARKED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING TO BE RETURNED. WHY, BECAUSE
THEY HAD STOLEN IT FROM THE MEMBERSHIP IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY GAVE US
NOTHING.
LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WE CAN ALL BE A LITTLE
BIT LAZY AT TIMES. BUT NOBODY IS SO DAMNED LAZY THAT THEY WONT EXERCISE
THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE IN A REFERENDUM THE MAGNITUDE OF WHICH HELD ALL THE
RAMIFICATIONS INVOLVED IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT. YET ONLY 50% OF THE MEMBERSHIP
VOTED. THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY AFRAID
TO VOTE NO. MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT THE PROPOSALS
WERE SO INHERENTLY OUTRAGEOUS THAT THE CONTRACT WOULDN’T HAVE A CHANCE
OF PASSING. SO WHY TAKE A CHANCE ON SOMEBODY IN THE UNION FINDING OUT THAT
YOU VOTED AGAINST THEIR PET PROJECT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT NOW THE REST OF
US HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR COWARDICE. IN ORDER FOR US TO SURVIVE WE WILL HAVE
TO REMOVE THE THREAT OF UNION RETALIATION. THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH EDUCATION.
KNOWLEDGE OF ONES RIGHTS CAN HELP TO REMOVE THE FEAR. THE UNION NOW THREATENS
THAT YOU WILL LOSE YOUR JOBS TO THE RESTRICTED WORKER, MORE FEAR, MORE LIES.
LETS WORK TOGETHER TO....... TAKE
OUR UNION BACK! |
