Can't Justify 1.5%

To the Editor:

Transport Workers' Union Local 100 President Roger Toussaint claims that lies from political opponents helped lead to the membership's rejection of the contract. The only untruths I heard being spoken in the Track Division were spoken by a Toussaint supporter, track union rep Jeffrey Lee.

Prior to the contract vote, Lee came to my quarters at Prospect Park and misled everyone. He said that the new 1.5-percent health premium was capped and wouldn't include all of our overtime.

Worse yet, Lee told me that if I opted out of the TA's medical plan (new to this contract), I would be exempt from the 1.5-percent health payment. This would have saved me about $800 a year.

I later found out that what Jeffrey Lee told me was untrue. I almost voted for this poor contract because of Lee's false statements. Thankfully, I ran into someone who knew what they were talking about before I cast my vote. It seemed like Lee was just saying things to sell the contract to people, instead of giving accurate information.

Why should transit workers get stuck paying first-time-ever health benefit premiums in a year that the TA has a $1.5-billion surplus?

GEORGE TSIHLIS

Editor's note: Mr. Tsihlis is a Track Inspector.