THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 -- TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen and the union's leadership negotiating committee launched main-table contract negotiations with MTA brass Thursday morning at the Union Hall in downtown Brooklyn. Samuelsen laid out the union's demands, starting with wage increases that are greater than the 2% accepted by several state unions in late 2016. Samuelsen made it clear in his presentation to the MTA that 2% annual raises are not good enough for the transit workers who move New York.
"We don't want to just keep pace with inflation but get ahead," Samuelsen said. "We don't want to just tread water but gain ground." The union's other demands include better and more comfortable boots for transit workers, additional MTA funding to further improve dental care coverage, increases in longevity pay, and a no-layoff clause that doesn't leave loopholes for management to exploit. Several other economic and non-economic items also were presented and discussed.
Under state law, the MTA doesn't have the authority to alter employee pensions. Still, the union wants the MTA to support legislation that would improve the pensions for workers who were hired after April 2012 and placed in the Tier 6 plan, Samuelsen said. Samuelsen was joined by Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips, Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp Sauray, Local 100's Vice Presidents, Division Chairs and key staffers. The MTA delegation was led by Anita Miller, the authority's Chief Employee Relations and Administrative Officer.
MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast made a rare and brief appearance to address the union leadership before the session got into the nuts-and-bolts issues. The main-table negotiations resume Monday.
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