Three Opposed Toussaint

Say Politics Behind Local 100 Firings

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Three veteran transit workers from the Maintenance of Way Division who held elected positions in Transport Workers' Union Local 100 were taken off the union's payroll Sept. 22 by President Roger Toussaint, THE CHIEF-LEADER has learned.

ROGER TOUSSAINT: An urge to purge.

Rick Figueroa, Peter Foley and Tony Utano - all of whom said they were fired for not supporting Mr. Toussaint in upcoming union elections - received phone calls from MOW Vice President Julio Rivera informing them that they were to report to their regular division titles Sept. 25 and resume working for New York City Transit.

Toussaint: Disloyal

Mr. Toussaint noted that the men weren't elected to staff positions, but "serve in staff positions by my appointment only." He added: "Since they have declared that in those positions they are trying to remove our administration, we are surprised that they don't feel an ethical responsibility to resign and move on to whatever they want to do."

The split in loyalties had harmed the union's initial attempts to get a contract ratified in January, Mr. Toussaint contended, and it hurt his efforts to force the issue with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

"If you decide you can't roll with us, then you leave," he stressed. "Instead of doing what principle requires of them, these individuals wanted both worlds - get our administration destroyed, and work for our administration."

Mr. Figueroa, who was elected MOW division chairman three years ago, was in the middle of a safety hearing when Mr. Rivera's call came.

Calls Firing Political

"I'm sitting in there doing a 1.9 safety meeting, which took a lot to get, and he calls me up to say I've been fired," Mr. Figueroa said. "He didn't give a reason, but we'd spoken earlier in the week and he told me that I'd probably get fired once it came out that I was running on the Rail and Bus United slate."

Mr. Figueroa made the decision to align himself with Rail and Bus United, headed by Barry Roberts of the union's Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority Division, weeks ago. But it only became public knowledge when his candidacy was announced on a flyer distributed last week. Mr. Figueroa said he'll go back to working as a Light Maintainer on the NYC Transit payroll but will keep his elected union position.

Mr. Utano learned that he was being sent back to NYC Transit from the agency's Department of Labor Relations. A manager called to inform him that Local 100 had sent a letter with a list of names of workers who were going back on NYC Transit payroll, and his was on it.

"While I was talking to the Labor Department on the phone, Julio called and left me a message that I'd been fired," Mr. Utano said.

The electrical maintainer has worked for NYC Transit for 26 years, and was chair of the Local 100 Power Division for 23 years - since the position was created.

Mr. Utano said he informed Mr. Toussaint and Secretary Treasurer Ed Watt in June that he wasn't supporting their re-election bid. "They said they'd talk to me again about it, and that was it," he related. "Then I get a call from Julio saying I'm fired, to return my tools on Monday. No reason - just go back to the job."

Not a 'Team' Player

Peter Foley, a Revenue Equipment Maintainer for NYC Transit, had been Local 100's Director of Bargaining Unit Protection since 2003.

Mr. Foley said that two weeks ago he'd spoken with Mr. Toussaint and Mr. Watt. They asked if he would be on their team.

"I said no, and I went over some of the things I felt were wrong - like firing people who were doing good work and bringing people onto the payroll who didn't know anything," he said. "After that first talk, they told me to continue with my work representing some union members at a [New York City Employees' Retirement System] hearing. I did, but I guess I won't be able to show up at this Tuesday's meeting."