Roberts Enlists Ex-Ally: Local 100 VP To Take on Toussaint

Roberts Enlists Ex-Ally
Local 100 VP To Take on Toussaint

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Three senior transit workers have come together to challenge the leadership of Transport Workers' Union Local 100 President Roger Toussaint in upcoming elections.

ROGER TOUSSAINT: New challenger declares. The "Rail and Bus United" slate is led by Barry Roberts, currently the elected vice president of Local 100's Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority division, representing 6,000 members.

Cast-Out Ally Now a Foe

John Samuelsen, once a part of the incumbent's "Reform Slate," was fired from his position as acting vice president of Maintenance of Way last fall after disagreements arose with Mr. Toussaint. Mr. Samuelsen, who is running for secretary-treasurer, is currently the elected chairman of the Track Division, representing 7,000 members in MOW.

Former union staffer Nat Cummings, who once represented the 6,000 members of the Rapid Transit Operations division, is running for recording secretary. Mr. Cummings is currently a Train Conductor in RTO.

If the men can unify their departments, they'll be bringing together three disparate units that haven't voted as a bloc in prior elections.

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow THROWING HIS HAT IN: Barry Roberts, vice president of Transport Workers' Union Local 100's Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority division, announced candidacy for president of Local 100 Sept. 18 alongside John Samuelsen, an elected chairman in the Track Division who is running for secretary-treasurer. Mr. Samuelsen comes out of the same division that traditionally has been Mr. Toussaint's strongest base. Mr. Roberts has strong ties in the bus divisions that produced current Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt.

Ballots for Local 100's elections are expected to be mailed to members in late November and returned in mid-December. Mr. Roberts has called for an independent monitor to oversee the process.

He accused Mr. Toussaint of "polarizing" the union and setting "member against member, division against division."

Mr. Roberts, who was elected MaBSTOA vice president in 2003, said he experienced Mr. Toussaint's tactics first-hand.

"He told me personally, 'I'll make it my business to see that you don't succeed.' That's why we need a change," the challenger remarked.

It's unclear if Local 100 members will have a contract at the time of the election. If elected, the slate may inherit arbitration proceedings in the ongoing contract battle with The Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens, or what kind of contract we have when we take office in January," said Mr. Samuelsen.

Rail and Bus United is running a full slate with candidates for vice president and the union's executive board. The seven vice president candidates include Patrick Lynch for Maintenance of Way; Richard Rivera for Car Equipment; Rod Bailey for Private Lines; Harry Wills, TA Surface; Richie Borish, RTO; Brian Clark, MaBSTOA; and Richard Watson, Stations.

Calls for Reforms

The slate's platform consists of a 10-point program that promises to restore democratic principles to the union, starting with a commitment not to fill paid union positions with elected executive board members.

Mr. Roberts added that his slate will be focused on pouring Local 100's resources back into field representation by pulling union reps from their desk jobs and sending them into the rail yards and bus depots to serve the members.

The leaders of Rail and Bus United also pledged to work with all elected officers, even if they come from an opposing group, and to establish a permanent Women's Department within Local 100 to address the numerous health and gender parity issues confronting the union's increasingly female work force. The department will be managed and staffed by women, under the direct oversight of the president's office.

Grass-Roots Politics

Another key issue, said Mr. Samuelsen, is to change the way the union uses its political clout with elected officials. "Instead of just writing checks to politicians and then seeing them when they show up for a photo op at a rally," he said, "we need to do more direct work with local officials in our communities and neighborhoods. And we need to get more done legislatively in Albany for pension reform for our members."

Much work will have to be done to repair divisions among some union members, said Mr. Cummings. His department in particular faces special challenges as New York City Transit pushes ahead with plans to increase train automation and implement One Person Train Operation.

Mr. Cummings said that "union meetings used to be big and strong, but a lot of members have just drifted away. We're going to work hard to bring them back and get them involved."

The slate leaders said a massive organizing effort will start right after they are elected to reinvigorate member confidence and enthusiasm about Local 100. And fences must be mended to a degree with the riding public as well, Mr. Roberts noted.

Need Public's Support

"There are always going to be people who think, no matter what your salary is, you are paid too much. They were saying that back when I was a driver," he said, referring to complaints from some city residents during last year's transit strike that transit workers had it too good. "But when we have a cohesive union, and a happy union that is strong and proud, the public will be able to better appreciate our service."

Improve Communication

The slate will also establish a permanent division chair council to provide a direct line of communication between workers and union leaders, and will try to create a three-quarter disability pension for transit workers who are disabled as a result of their work at Ground Zero.

Mr. Roberts said the slate was committed to full transparency in all its financial dealings, including the establishment of a standing executive board committee charged with fiscal oversight of the union's top officers. Every member can ask for an accounting of the union's finances, including any pending real estate transactions, he added.

Mr. Toussaint is also facing opposition from Mike Carrube, a Train Conductor who is another disaffected ally. It is likely that at least one more presidential candidates will emerge.