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Toussaint Stifles Union Dissent

Letters to the Editor

Toussaint Stifles Union Dissent

To the Editor:

Freedom of speech is dead at Transport Workers' Union Local 100. John Samuelsen was fired from Local 100 staff for publicly voicing an opinion that our union should defer discussions about the sale of our union hall until after the contract fight. If you voice a contrary opinion at Local 100 these days, you are immediately considered a traitor to the seemingly infallible Roger Toussaint!

The fact is that the position taken by the Track Committee regarding the building sale is supported by an overwhelming majority of transit workers both in the track division and elsewhere.

As a Local 100 executive board member, I was shocked when, with less than three weeks until our contract expired, Roger Toussaint wasted over an hour of the EBoard's precious time on the contentious building sale issue. On Dec. 10, at the last E-Board meeting prior to the Dec. 15 contract expiration, Toussaint's first order of business was to force a vote on the building sale. I guess in Roger Toussaint's mind, the urgent business of our contract fight with the MTA was secondary to the union hall being sold.

John Samuelsen, Pat Lynch and the rest of the Track Committee were right on the money regarding the timing of the building sale. Samuelsen was fired by Toussaint for voicing an opinion in defense of all TWU Local 100 members.

The price that one pays for disagreeing with Roger Toussaint is high. Samuelsen's meritless firing was accompanied by an equally meritless attack on his reputation. Unable to critique his record as a union rep, Toussaint personally launched a despicable smear campaign highlighted by scurrilous lies regarding Samuelsen's character. Pat Lynch will be Toussaint's next attempt at character assassination. Local 100 members won't buy it, though. Samuelsen's and Lynch's record of fighting management speaks for itself.

Toussaint's attacks are totally transparent. The message is clear: If you disagree with Dictator Toussaint you will be fired and your character will be smeared. If the truth be known, Samuelsen's popularity among transit workers has skyrocketed because of his firing. The members view it as a badge of honor for him.

By the way, if it was Sonny Hall selling the building during a contract fight, Roger Toussaint would be screaming bloody murder and would attempt to have him impeached.

CARLOS ALBERT, Track Division Executive Board Member