THE CHIEF-LEADER welcomes letters from its readers for publication.
Correspondents must include their names, addresses and
phone numbers. Letters should be submitted with the understanding
that all correspondence is subject to the editorial judgment of this
newspaper. Letters can be e-mailed to: RSTEIER@RCN.COM or
mailed to: Richard Steier, Editor, 277 Broadway, Suite 1506, NY, NY
10007.

Account in Error

Account in Error

To the Editor:

There are some factual errors in Richard Steier's Razzle Dazzle column from last week. Julio Cesar Rivera, the vice president of Maintenance of Way and long-time Roger Toussaint associate, never approached me regarding the 2006 election at TWU Local 100. He approached my colleague, Pat Lynch. Rivera offered the support of himself and President Roger Toussaint for a Pat Lynch run for M.O.W. vice president, but only if Lynch agreed to run on an Ed Watt slate for president. Pat Lynch rejected the offer.

Rivera continued shopping support for an Ed Watt presidency in the other divisions. Soon enough, there was a buzz around the union hall that Toussaint wasn't going to seek re-election and Ed Watt was going to make a run for it. People at the hall had no reason to believe otherwise, since Rivera was Roger's right-hand man.

The next election became a hot topic of discussion in the union hall. There was widespread discontent with a future Ed Watt presidency. Officers from both subways and buses approached me to see if I would have any interest in opposing Ed Watt in 2006.

Roger Toussaint got wind of these events and called me into his office for a meeting in March 2005. Essentially, I was told by Toussaint that if he chose not to seek-re-election, I must support who he told me to or he and Rivera would squash me in Track Division. I informed Toussaint that I could not and would not support an Ed Watt presidential run.

I offered these comments after I was contacted by The Chief for an interview. I did so reluctantly. The fact is we are in the fight of our lives right now against an aggressive boss. All of our focus must be on winning a better contract for our members. Discussions regarding the upcoming elections must be shelved. Whether you supported the contract or opposed the contract, we must all come together as TWU Local 100 members. We must close ranks and fight management, or the membership will not get the contract they deserve.

JOHN SAMUELSEN, Chair of Track Division, TWU Local 100

Richard Steier replies: The "errors" Mr. Samuelsen claims appeared in the column regarding the meeting that took place with Mr. Rivera were based on his own statements to me during a Jan. 25 phone interview. Mr. Samuelsen noted at the time that he was a bit groggy, having been awakened by my call a short time after he returned from a work shift. He made no attempt, however, during the five days between that interview and the time that the column was published to clear up any misconceptions his remarks may have created.