Overcomes Strike Fallout
Toussaint Stays on the Train

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Transport Workers' Union Local 100 President Roger Toussaint survived the fallout from a three-day strike that led to severe penalties against the union and its members, as well as uncertainty about the fate of a contract that was not issued until after the ballots were in, to defeat four opponents and win a third term Dec. 15.

BANGED UP BUT STILL AT THE WHEEL: Roger Toussaint, battered by vilification in the media over last year's transit strike, rank-and-file unhappiness stemming from a health-benefit giveback he agreed to after ending the walkout, and dissension within his executive board, nonetheless retained the presidency of Transport Workers' Union Local 100.

Mr. Toussaint, who had won re-election three years earlier with 60 percent of the vote against a single opponent, this time garnered just 45 percent, 10 points better than his closest challenger, Barry Roberts, a vice president in the union's Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority.

Health Giveback Hurt

His drop in popularity reflected the unhappiness of some members with the contract he had negotiated - which was rejected by 7 votes out of 22,461 cast back in January before being strongly approved in a re-vote three months later - because it required members to pay 1.5 percent of earnings toward their health benefits.

The Chief-Leader/Ginger Adams Otis VICTORY'S TOLL SHOWS: The strain of an arduous election campaign and a long day of counting ballots in tense and cramped conditions showed on the faces of Transport Workers' Union Local 100 Recording Secretary Darlyne Lawson and Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt, who emerged around 10 p.m. Dec. 15 to announce that their slate, led by President Roger Toussaint, won re-election with approximately 45 percent of the 21,000 votes cast.

When the Metropolitan Transportation Authority refused to accept the re-vote as valid, the dispute wound up in arbitration, with an award released shortly after the voting deadline last Friday providing virtually the same terms, including that health-benefits concession.

Mr. Toussaint's failure to gain the support of a majority of his members foreshadowed problems his slate experienced in preserving its strength on the executive board. Although at least one of his supporters picked up a vice president's seat previously held by Mr. Toussaint's political opposition, he suffered an overall loss in the voting for executive board positions.

His One Union team of Ed Watt, secretary-treasurer, and Darlyne Lawson, recording secretary, was also re-elected.

A Need to Unify

Acknowledging the lack of a 50 percent majority, as well as the toll the union's protracted contract struggle and bitter infighting took on the members over the past year, Mr. Watt named unity as one of the slate's pressing goals.

"We are going to pull this union together," he said emphatically.

A final voting tally had not been placed on the union's Web site as of press time Dec. 18, but unofficial results showed that Mr. Roberts - head of the Rail and Bus United slate that proved to be Mr. Toussaint's strongest opposition - won his base at MaBSTOA, but not with the wide margin he'd hoped for. In other divisions, challengers from Union Democracy and Fresh Start garnered significant shares of the anti-Toussaint votes that might have gone to Mr. Roberts.

Mr. Toussaint easily carried the Brooklyn bus division, capturing most of the TA Surface Operators' 2,000 votes.

Minor Spoils

Michael Carrube of the Fresh Start slate did well in the Stations Department, and Ainsley Stewart of the Union Democracy slate showed strength in Car Equipment. Both of those slates got about 10 percent of the unofficial returns for the entire union.

Independent candidate Anthony Staley didn't appear to be a factor in the election. Representatives of the challenging slates who milled around AAA headquarters during counting agreed that the four opponents ended up splitting the insurgent vote to the advantage of the incumbent.

The strong showing of challengers in certain departments prevented Mr. Toussaint from consolidating his power within the union, however.

Mr. Toussaint and his supporters previously held five of the top 10 union positions - besides himself, Mr. Watt, and Ms. Lawson, they had two vice president posts. The election of three supporters to VP posts gives Mr. Toussaint another ally on the executive board.

VP Seat Runoff Likely

Rail and Bus United took three vice president seats. The final seat produced a tight race between the two slates. Three hand counts were done Friday night, with one ending with 966 votes for One Union and 965 for Rail and Bus. A run-off vote is expected between the One Union and Rail and Bus United candidates.

If the candidate from Mr. Roberts's slate captures most of the 470 votes that initially went to the Union Democracy candidate, Rail and Bus United will get an easy victory - and the fourth vice president spot.

During the union's previous election three years ago, opposition members took five of seven vice president spots, with two held by Mr. Roberts and Mr. Stewart. They formed a vocal dissident group that openly challenged Mr. Toussaint's leadership, even filing a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the union leader that was later withdrawn. They also spearheaded the "vote no" campaign that Mr. Toussaint credits with torpedoing his post-strike contract with the MTA.

Union sources also said several Toussaint loyalists were voted off the executive board, costing him about seven allies on the 47-member board, where he retains 30 supporters. Five seats from MaBSTOA, the Maintenance of Way Department and Private Bus Lines reportedly went to the challenging slates.

'Stayed With Our General'

The unofficial results were announced to reporters at a hastily-convened press conference when there were about 1,000 votes left to be counted, with Mr. Toussaint holding a comfortable 2,000 ballot lead, according to Mr. Watt.

He stood next to Ms. Lawson as she read a prepared statement on behalf of Mr. Toussaint.

"Transit workers were asked to reject the leadership that took them onto the battlefield," she said. "They answered the challenge and refused to dishonor their own fight."

Newly-elected union officers will be sworn in and assume their duties after the new year, but several depots are already holding orientation meetings this week.

The tallying process that began at 8:30 a.m. last Friday in the basement of the AAA building grew more tense and heated as the day progressed.

Unlike in years past, members of the press were not allowed to watch the proceedings. Building security tightly controlled access to the basement, which resulted in long lines around midday as interested transit workers and candidates vied to get downstairs. Police were called in briefly when a shoving match broke out between members of opposing slates. A cop was stationed in the building lobby for the rest of the afternoon.

Cops Called Again

A worker who exited the tally room around 8 p.m. said about 200 people were crammed into tight quarters. When the building shut down the air circulation system a few hours earlier, she reported, the room grew hot and stuffy, exacerbating what was already an uncomfortable situation.

Tempers flared about 30 minutes later, with workers reporting that a second altercation broke out between two members of opposing slates, one of whom reportedly had a knife. The NYPD was called in again, and five cops went to the basement to quell the unrest. No arrests were made.

Some candidates were gracious in defeat.

Louis Garcia Jr., who ran for a division position on the One Union slate, shared a moment of levity with Joseph Bermudez, who was one of the top three on the Fresh Start slate.

"We'll be back, though - trust me, we're not going away," Mr. Bermudez said, puffing energetically on a cigarette after jovially congratulating Mr. Garcia on his win.