Watt, Roberts Running On Tate Slate to Keep TWU Local 100 Posts

ED WATT: Hoping to stick around.

Two of the top leaders at Transport Workers Union Local 100 will run on the same United Invincible slate as the local's acting president.

Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt and Administrative Vice President Barry Roberts will run for those positions in the June election on the ticket with acting president Curtis Tate, currently the vice president of the union's Rapid Transit Operations Division, and recording secretary candidate Andreeva Pinder, who is the vice president of the union's Stations Division.

President Roger Toussaint, who will leave the local in December to assume full-time duties at TWU of America, appointed Mr. Roberts to the administrative vice president position in December. The post was created by a union-wide referendum to take on leadership functions in the local.

Could Pull MaBSTOA Votes

The move surprised many observers, as Mr. Roberts had previously run against Mr. Toussaint in the 2006 election on the Rail and Bus United slate. His presence on the incumbent slate provides a tactical advantage for Mr. Tate, as he is likely to pull key votes from the union's Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operation Authority Division.

Last year the local announced that Mr. Watt would also soon assume fulltime duties at TWU of America, but insiders in the union have suggested that a rift between him and some of the International's officials influenced him to seek re-election at Local 100.

In addition to overseeing the union's finances, he holds a non-voting seat on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board.