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TWU's Roberts Sells Out

To the Editor:

As an elected officer in the TWU Local 100 Maintenance of Way Department, I was shocked and appalled that Barry Roberts agreed to join the horribly destructive Toussaint dictatorship (Dec. 26 issue).

As one who ran with the Rail and Bus United slate, I supported Barry Roberts wholeheartedly. This was not such an easy task. Local 100 President Roger Toussaint also subjected him to the most personal negative attacks of any election in our union's history. On top of everything else, Barry refused to debate Toussaint. He refused to properly defend his motivation for signing what Toussaint refers to as the "We Give Up" letter.

As has been reported, Toussaint blamed Barry Roberts along with MaBSTOA Vice President Brian Clarke for his decision to end the strike prematurely. To make matters worse, Barry Roberts was invisible on the campaign trail. Yet, against all odds, we fought Toussaint to a standstill in his own department and nearly got Barry Roberts elected president. If not for the other two slates, Toussaint would have been cast out of the union two years ago.

Although John Samuelsen was clearly the stronger candidate, we in MOW agreed to support Barry Roberts because he pledged to support our reform platform. In signing on with Toussaint, he has agreed to support the man who has brought TWU Local 100 to the brink of destruction. Toussaint's endless attacks against anyone who dares to disagree with him have been relentless. The result has been devastating. The membership is under attack while Toussaint stands by doing nothing but bragging about his wonderful relationship with Howard Roberts and the MTA.

If Toussaint would stop eating cheesecake in Junior's with the MTA brass and start going into the field, he would realize what a laughingstock he has turned this union into.

Howard Roberts is playing Roger Toussaint for a fool. Roger Toussaint is playing Barry Roberts for a fool. But we, the members, will not be fooled. Barry Roberts will go down with "Toussaint's Titanic." If Barry Roberts truly had any ideals to begin with, he obviously flushed them down the toilet for a position on Toussaint's payroll.

ANTHONY OSORIO, Recording Secretary, Power Distribution, TWU Local 100