A Toussaint 'Power Play'
TWU Opts to Move Up '09 Elections

By ARI PAUL

The executive board of Transport Workers Union Local 100 Feb. 28 voted in favor of moving forward the date of the local's election next year by several months so it will precede the International TWU's convention, a shift that appears designed to increase the political leverage of President Roger Toussaint.

AINSLEY STEWART: Smells 'trickery.'

The Local 100 board also approved the creation of a new leadership position. Both changes went through over the opposition of Recording Secretary Darlyne Lawson.

Mr. Toussaint had introduced the measures before the board a week prior, according to a member who was present, but Ms. Lawson successfully got them tabled on the grounds that members had not been briefed on them. Mr. Toussaint argued that moving the elections - which were scheduled to be held in December 2009 - would save the union money and that a new administrative vice president would act as the chief assistant to the president.

Strengthens His Hand

In the last two weeks, e-mails circulated among Local 100 members and former employees stating that moving the election to before the TWU of America convention next summer was intended to give Mr. Toussaint the ability to go to the convention with a fresh set of delegates supporting him.

ROGER TOUSSAINT: A tactical acceleration.

The e-mails alleged that Mr. Toussaint was hoping to get a critical mass of loyal delegates elected because many of his opponents were in arrears on dues payments and could not vote or run for a position, and that Mr. Toussaint would use the delegates as leverage to persuade TWU of America President James C. Little to give him an international vice president position.

"He wants to go there with some measure of power in his hands to say to Little, 'Look, I'm here to stay,''' said Ainsley Stewart, a former Local 100 vice president who ran against Mr. Toussaint in the last election. "Then Jim will understand that."

Power Division Executive Board Member Edward DeCamillis voted against the changes.

"He didn't come up with anything that stated how it was saving money," he said. "They want to add a new job title. This would cost more money."

He added that tensions between Mr. Toussaint and Ms. Lawson, a longtime supporter of his who holds the third-highest office in the union, ran high during last week's meeting as she continued to push her opposition to the election changes.

Lawson: Need Unity

A spokesman for Mr. Toussaint did not respond to requests for comment. Ms. Lawson declined to comment on the matter, saying only, "This is a contract year. We need to be together as my union should be to get the contract."

An exact date for Local 100's elections will not be set until the International sets its convention schedule.

Calling it a "power play," Mr. DeCamillis distrusted the creation of the administrative vice president position as well.

"Roger wants it if he decides to give the presidency to [Secretary-Treasurer] Ed Watt, and then at the convention becomes VP at the International," he said. "I think this guy would have a lot of power. If he did have two jobs, one at the local and one at the International, he could influence both ways, kind of having the international rule the local."

Mr. Stewart saw no reason to move the election dates.

"It's a whole set of trickery," he said. "I think what's most important is that the members in the union be allowed to continue electing their president at the end of three years as they have throughout the history of the union."