Toussaint Critic Elected Chair of Local 100's Line/Signals Division

A former member of the now-defunct Rail and Bus United opposition caucus within Transport Workers Union Local 100 has won an executive board position representing workers in the union's Line Equipment and Signals Division.

JOHN CHIARELLO: Another dissident on board.

LES Recording Secretary John Chiarello, a worker based at the Dyckman St. station on the 1 line, defeated Shawn Welcome by a tally of 223 to 119, according to one union officer. Mr. Welcome had the backing of Local 100 President Roger Toussaint.

Running-Mate New Vice-Chair

Pete Foley, who was aligned with Mr. Chiarello, defeated Eli Harris in an election for vice-chair of the division.

Mr. Chiarello has been an outspoken critic of Mr. Toussaint's administration and had provoked the union's leadership to distribute literature claiming that he was fighting against Local 100 after he vocally decried many of his members being denied benefits from the union's Child Care Fund.

Even though Mr. Chiarello and Mr. Foley now hold three and two positions in the union, respectively, they have not yet been granted release time by Local 100's leadership.

"We're still helping them while working our transit jobs and we will continue," Mr. Chiarello said. "This only inspires me more by winning the confidence of the members that we're going to push even harder coming into the next election."

He added that unlike some members of the executive board, he will opt not to be paid by the union for his new role.

"I will be the independent voice on the e-board," he said.