Subway Workers' Faceoff: Bus Divisions Key to Vote

The Chief-Leader/Michel Friang OUT FROM THE UNDERGROUND: Transport Workers Union Local 100 presidential candidate John Samuelsen, left, hands a campaign leaflet to a Bus Operator in upper Manhattan. Mr. Samuelsen and his opponent, Curtis Tate, both come from the union's subway divisions and are fighting for the votes of the 10,000 members in the two New York City Transit bus companies.

Transport Workers Union Local 100 presidential candidate John Samuelsen stepped off a bus idling near the entrance to the George Washington Bridge on Broadway in upper Manhattan, trying to speak to a Bus Operator on break over the loud roar of late-afternoon traffic. Since buses from three New York City Transit depots—West Farms, Kingsbridge and Michael J. Quill—run through there, it was an ideal place for the dissident Take Back Our Union slate to campaign.

Mr. Samuelsen had been stepping onto buses introducing himself to drivers for an hour. And as the West Farms-based Bus Operator walked off to take his personal time, he said something that convinced Mr. Samuelsen that going person to person offered the type of connection he couldn't make campaigning before large groups at each depot.

GOING HIS WAY?: Transport Workers Union Local 100 Vice President of Rapid Transit Operations Curtis Tate (left) may benefit in his bid for strong support from the union's two bus divisions from the presence on his ticket of several running mates who come out of those divisions, including Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority Chairman Barry Roberts.

"I'll remember you," the driver said.

Race Runs Through Bus Divisions

Since 2000, the union has been run by former Track Worker Roger Toussaint, who will leave in December to assume full-time duties at TWU of America. His replacement will also come from the subways: either Mr. Samuelsen, a Track Inspector, or Curtis Tate, currently the union's vice president of the Rapid Transit Operations Division. But with 5,000 members each, the two divisions representing workers at NYC Transit bus companies—TA Surface and Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority—are the key battleground for the union's June officer and delegate election, leaving the two subterranean laborers wooing their counterparts above ground.

Mr. Tate's incumbent United Invincible slate has a few advantages in the two companies. In 2006, the divisions elected Toussaint-allied vice presidents, Brian Clark of MaBSTOA and Stephan Thomas of TA Surface, who are both running for re-election. Current Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt and Administrative Vice President Barry Roberts, who are running with UI, come from TA Surface and MaBSTOA, respectively. Many workers from both companies have said that despite having been without dues checkoff for more than a year, the divisions were still able to represent workers during disciplinary procedures.

Got More Protection in B'klyn

Last year, the union under Mr. Toussaint's leadership successfully pushed the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office to create a special office to investigate assaults on transit workers; there are more assaults on Bus Operators in a year than on workers in any other title Local 100 represents.

But when Mr. Samuelsen campaigned earlier this month in Washington Heights, he sensed that many bus workers were unhappy with the incumbent administration, which he has said lacks member input on key decisions. One driver said the union needed change. One said he was already planning to vote TBOU. And when Mr. Samuelsen tried to hand one driver a TBOU leaflet, the Bus Operator pulled a copy of it out of his pocket.

A Kingsbridge Depot-based Bus Operator said he was leaning towards voting for Mr. Samuelsen, and that one main issue for him was the lack of downtime for drivers on their shifts.

"If you're working eight hours you're supposed to get an hour lunch; sometimes it's 30 minutes," he said.

Questions Softer Approach

There are several problems in the two bus companies that Mr. Samuelsen cites to sell what he calls a more militant brand of unionism, as opposed to Mr. Toussaint's more-conciliatory strategy since he was re-elected in 2006. Until six months ago, Mr. Samuelsen and other union members said, Bus Operators working on shuttle buses, which offer service to subway stations closed due to maintenance, were paid at an overtime rate. NYC Transit ended this practice, and Mr. Samuelsen blames the current administration for not putting up a fight.

"Management has taken a lot of that work back and doled it out on straight time," Mr. Samuelsen said. "This is a bread-and-butter issue that takes a lot of dollars out of our members' wallets."

The prospect of a consolidated Regional Bus system also worries members in both divisions as well as Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bus members. The system, which aims to provide more-efficient bus service in the region, would consolidate the seniority lists, something many members oppose. Mr. Toussaint has insisted that the creation of this system must be negotiated, but Mr. Samuelsen has speculated that Regional Bus language could be written into the pending arbitration award.

Michael J. Quill Depot-based Bus Operator Jimmy Colon, who is running for the union's MaBSTOA vice president position, joined Mr. Samuelsen last week. He believes that he has a good chance against Mr. Clarke, the incumbent, claiming the incumbent has been absent from several recent division meetings.

Identity Crisis?

"I find that when I'm walking around and I'm talking to guys and tell them I'm running for vice president they say, 'Against who?'" Mr. Colon said.

Mr. Tate declined to comment for this article. He was reportedly campaigning MaBSTOA members last week.

Mr. Clarke and Mr. Thomas did not respond to requests for an interview.

The union's handling of the on-thejob murder of Bus Operator Edwin Thomas in Brooklyn in December could either help or hinder the incumbent slate. The union, under Mr. Toussaint, acted quickly to have NYC Transit begin a pilot program providing protective shields for drivers, but some Bus Operators say these devices obstruct their views. During Mr. Thomas's funeral, Stephan Thomas gave an emotional, tear-filled speech that drew applause from bus workers, but Mr. Toussaint was notably absent.

Mr. Roberts, a MaBSTOA Division chair, ran against Mr. Toussaint three years ago on the Rail and Bus United slate with Mr. Samuelsen running for the secretary-treasurer position. His past history could lead members to conclude that the Tate slate will be something more than a continuation of Mr. Toussaint's regime.

But Mr. Samuelsen, while campaigning in Washington Heights, insisted that he was well-received by bus workers.

"We haven't met anybody that's against us," he said. "Everybody is for change."