TWU Dues Obligation

To the Editor:

The Chief these past years, since I retired as an elected officer of TWU International and Local 100, has served to fill a void in my life, a union life I very much miss.

While it's frustrating to at times read in The Chief articles and letters that make false and misleading statements about my union history and reputation, I nonetheless, applaud The Chief for printing letters sent by union members, giving them a voice, including those letters I may disagree with.

Most importantly, I write to relate a discussion I had a short time ago with three Local 100 members, a Bus Operator I knew and a Train Operator and a Bus Operator whom I had never met before. I was having a cup of coffee at a Bronx McDonald's which these days gives me my only opportunity to meet and say hello to active and retired Local 100 members, since I no longer get invited to lunchrooms.

I was reading The Chief when the Local 100 members sat down at my table. After a few words of hello and how are you doing, I was taken aback by their statement that they have not been paying their dues to Local 100 ever since Local 100 lost weekly paycheck dues deduction as a result of the ill-conceived 2005 subway and bus strike.

The three Local 100 members stated that they are angry and disappointed in their union leadership, and by not paying dues, they are letting their union know how turned off they are. The three appeared to be surprised by my response that I believed they were making a mistake by not sending their monthly dues to Local 100.

We went back and forth as to the right and wrong of Local 100 members not paying their union dues, to the point that some people sitting near us asked if we would stop talking so loud. I continued to explain that my comments were not about the right or wrong of their stated anger and disappointment with their union leadership, but about their responsibility to pay their union dues in bad times as well as good times. Just as important is Local 100 members' obligation and right to maintain a voice and vote in their union's future, as well as their own future. I explained that allowing themselves to become union members in "bad standing" by not paying their local dues was in fact giving away their rights as union members.

I asked my transit co-workers: just who do you believe wins or loses when you give away your voice and vote in your union's future? Is it the union leader you may be angry and disappointed with who loses? Or, is it yourselves who lose when you give away your union voice and vote?

As well, I explained that payroll dues deduction will return to Local 100 and that they would, nonetheless, have to pay all owed back dues to Local 100 before they could again be union members in "good standing," adding that they would have to be members in good standing for 12 months before they would regain all of their union rights. This information appeared to surprise all three Local 100 members, who believed that as soon as payroll dues deduction was restored to Local 100, they would again be members in good standing.

As our discussion ended because the three Local 100 members had to return to work, I was pleased that two said they would pay their dues in full to Local 100; however, the third member just said he would think about it.

I hope every Local 100 member who owes dues will think about it and pay every penny and do so soon, reclaiming their strong collective voice in their union's future.

After the three Local 100 members left McDonald's, I stayed for a second cup of coffee. While sitting alone I thought, who am I to preach to these good Local 100 members when I have been doing the very same thing myself? When I retired almost three years ago, I sent a personal check to Local 100 for the full years of union dues, which a retiree can choose to do, and which my father did when he retired as a transit worker years ago.

However, I as well stopped sending union dues to Local 100. Because I as well was angry and disappointed in what was occurring there. But now, after talking to three Local 100 members, I took a look within myself. Yes, I too was angry and disappointed in some active Local 100 members who painted me to be a terrible union officer without ever having met or talked to me.

And sure I was angry that false statements continue about my union history, such as was painted in The Chief (Feb. 8 article) stating that I had not allowed some elected local officers their right to be part of their collective-bargaining team and talks with management.

And you can bet that some time back, as International President, I was disappointed when I was attacked because I refused to bend to Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt's demands that I deny Local 100 Private Lines members their right to vote on their own future, with Watt claiming that the Private Lines members would have to be denied their rights to vote because somehow it would disrupt contract talks with the MTA.

Having said all this, and regardless of my disappointments, I realized that I was making the very same mistake as my three transit co-workers by stopping my dues payment to Local 100, losing my voice in my local union. I once again sent a personal check to Local 100, putting my retirement money where my mouth is.

Can I at least get an "amen"?

SONNY HALL, Local 100 Dues-Paying Member, International President Emeritus