Ban TWU VP Over $15 In Unpaid Dues; Toussaint Foe Denies Arrears, Charges Bar is Political

By ARI PAUL

Transport Workers Union of America President James C. Little is seeking the removal of International Vice President Ainsley Stewart for allegedly not paying his dues, a move Mr. Stewart charged was unjustified and an improper political favor to Local 100 President Roger Toussaint.

AINSLEY STEWART: Insists he's current on dues.

Mr. Stewart ran unsuccessfully against Mr. Toussaint in the December 2006 elections, and he has remained a vocal critic of his administration. He said the claims that spurred his suspension as vice president Sept. 17, pending the result of union proceedings, were "without merit."

A $15 Beef?

Local 100's own paperwork offers conflicting information about Mr. Stewart's payment status. The union issued a list Sept. 12 of members in good standing, on which Mr. Stewart was included. However, union staffer Ademola Oyefeso wrote a memo to Mr. Toussaint Aug. 23 stating that Mr. Stewart was behind in his dues payments by "[$]15.5[0]."

Mr. Stewart's own receipts and pay stubs indicate that he has paid what is owed. Mr. Little notified Mr. Stewart Aug. 28 that a Local 100 document showed that he was in bad standing and that if it was in error he should notify the union. Mr. Stewart sent his documents to Mr. Little. Yet, Mr. Stewart was still charged with violating the union's constitution for non-payment less than a month later.

ROGER TOUSSAINT: Nickel-and-diming foes?

'I'm Paid Up'

"Since automatic dues check-off was suspended June 1, 2007, I paid my dues in a responsible and timely manner with money orders for $102 in June, and another in August for $99, plus $32.91 dues overpayment credit established in January 2007, after Local 100 and NYC Transit overcharged me dues," Mr. Stewart said in a formal response to Mr. Little's charges Oct. 3.

Mr. Toussaint has cited the non-payment of dues as reason to bar certain members from union activities or from holding Local 100 offices.

Several Local 100 sources said that Mr. Little has warmed up to Mr. Toussaint in order to get Local 100's delegation behind his candidacy when he runs again for TWU of America's presidency at the international convention in 2009.

Mr. Stewart speculated that Mr. Little wanted to create a vacancy in the international's executive council that Mr. Toussaint could fill sometime before his current term as local president concludes in December of 2009.

International Vice President William Pelletier said he was also wrongly accused of not paying dues, and believed he and Mr. Stewart were being targeted for their opposition to Mr. Toussaint.

"It's trying to stop any dissenting opinion that you have," he said in a phone interview. "They want to purge the International of us."

Calls to Mr. Toussaint and Mr. Little were not returned.

Mr. Stewart and Mr. Pelletier are waiting for decisions by the International's hearing committee regarding their cases. If it rules against them, Mr. Pelletier said, they would seek redress in Federal court.

"We're going to go all the way with it," he said. "We're not going to take it."