Says Benefits At Risk
Toussaint Talks Of Transit Travails

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Transport Workers' Union Local 100 President Roger Toussaint got a chance to sharpen his debate skills at a Nov. 8 local chapter meeting for the grassroots group known as Blacks in Government.

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James A DISTURBING 'DRUMBEAT': Roger Toussaint (left), listening as Blacks in Government President Brandon Ward introduces him, later told his audience that he was concerned about the 'drumbeat to do away with pensions and health benefits as we know them.'

During an hour-long discussion in which Mr. Toussaint was quizzed about his decisions leading up to last December's three-day strike, the group of civil service employees - many of whom as managers for city agencies must oversee unionized workers - paid him the compliment of undivided attention.

Inquiring Minds

But they also had specific questions, like how many members did the union have (approximately 37,000, according to Mr. Toussaint); how many of them voted in the last union election (less than 50 percent); and what steps had he taken to improve turnout. They also wanted to know why he'd used electronic voting for the contract (faster results) and what he thought of Taylor Law reform.

After Mr. Toussaint talked about the internal strife and "vote no" campaigns that culminated in the rejection of the post-strike contract deal reached with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the next question was, "What steps have you taken to address the problem of 'disinformation' within the union?"

For his part, Mr. Toussaint was forthright and engaging, acknowledging some missteps in his leadership and noting that he had to do more to improve the flow of information about union business to his members. To some degree, he said, referring to his background as a Track Worker, "We are carpenters doing plumbing."

Wins Them Over

But as he detailed the specific changes he had made to the union since taking office - adding a family day, cultural days, securing day care for workers' families, a defined benefit health plan instead of a defined contribution, and regular membership meetings among other things - he garnered nods of approval.

There were many comments tossed back and forth - some before Mr. Toussaint arrived - about what the Democrats' ascendancy to power would mean for civil-service and unionized workers, both locally and nationally, and what Eliot Spitzer's gubernatorial win would mean for Local 100's stymied contract, which is currently in arbitration. Brandon Ward, the president of BIG's New York chapter, reminded the room that "We have to hold the hands of those in power to the fire - Democratic cronyism is just as bad as Republican cronyism."

Several of the members expressed cynicism about the re-election of Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, who ran as an Independent after losing the Democratic primary to anti-war candidate Ned Lamont, prompting someone to say that "there are no long-term friends and no long-term enemies - only long-term interests."

Kalikow in Headlights

Mr. Toussaint predicted a "collision course" for Mr. Spitzer and MTA Chairman Peter S. Kalikow, whose tenure has been extended by another six years thanks to a late-term appointment by Governor Pataki that was confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate.

Mr. Spitzer has made it known that he would have pushed for a settled contract with the union after the first deal was rejected instead of forcing the issue into arbitration. He also stated during a pre-election campaign debate that he would replace Mr. Kalikow if elected. Mr. Kalikow, however, has said he won't step down.

But the topic that generated the most interest that night pertained to the uncertain future of public-employee retirement and pension benefits.

Drawing on several recent stories in the national press that labeled public-employee pensions a "$57 trillion unfunded liability," Mr. Toussaint spoke passionately about the need for direct action to protect workers' rights.

Sees Racial Component

"There is a drumbeat to do away with pensions and health benefits as we know them," he said. "I know how we got these jobs that helped us join the middle-class - our parents cleaned houses and tended to the sick and elderly so we could wear suits and ties. And I don't think it's a coincidence that as blacks and new immigrants of color are accessing middle-class jobs, the safety and guarantee of pensions is being challenged."

He added that, "We're not talking about 15 years down the road. They are coming to take what we have, and they are moving rapidly and fast, and they have an agenda." But Mr. Toussaint's hopes for Local 100 - and his re-election - were clearly buoyed by the Democratic sweep of Albany's top three offices the night before. He had passed the evening in the Sheraton New York Hotel alongside Mr. Spitzer and other Democratic winners like U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

He told the room that the "final chapter" of the December 2005 transit strike was about to be written with the coming union elections.

Who's Chasing Who?

Mr. Toussaint said that the finale that "the New York Post, Governor Pataki, the MTA and Kalikow, right-wing forces and [his] presidential opponents wanted" would be that Local 100 workers briefly shut down the city during the strike, but "'look at them now, we broke up their union and we ran Toussaint out of town.'"

But in light of the midterm elections, he said, he believed that the last words could read, "transit workers stood up for their dignity and self-respect and they took their blows, and they took the MTA down a few pegs because it damn well needed it, and when the dust had all settled, Pataki was gone, Kalikow was gone, and the transit workers were still standing."