Rail & Union-Busters

To the Editor:

The entire Queens slate for Rail and Bus - Rod Bailey, Hector Comrie, Joe Sammarco, Robert Graziano and Kevin Cadigan - led an attempt to break the Private Bus Lines away from Local 100 in their respective garages in December 2002. It is a slap in the face to all Queens Members to have these same men ask for support in the upcoming elections. Leading the attempt to break apart the union was VP candidate Rod Bailey.

In 2002, the breakaway group targeted new members. "The MTA will fire guys with less than five years," was the line used again and again. Then, in December 2002, with support from the International TWU, a vote was fast-tracked to the Queens members. This vote took place just days before the expiration of the big MTA contract. The local and its members needed to divert resources to deal with the breakaway vote. I'm proud that Queens members decisively defeated this attempt to split the union. I must question the leadership of Rail and Bus for choosing a team that had no use for Local 100 three years earlier. To even propose this slate is an attempt to reverse the vote taken three years ago. Were there no other candidates available?

Queens members have a real choice. We have to say no to union-busting again this year like we did in 2002. We will reject the Rail and Bus slate of union-busters.

MICHAEL SIRCHIA, Bus Operator
Executive Board Candidate, Queens Private Bus Lines