Who's on Ballot? TWU Election Chair Pulls A Double-Reverse

TOMMY McNALLY: Flipflopped by union.

Two candidates in the upcoming Transport Workers Union Local 100 election who were originally disqualified because they allegedly fell behind in their dues last week were reinstated and deemed eligible to run, but one received notice the next day that he was put back into bad standing.

The union's election committee disqualified 30 candidates for allegedly not maintaining continuous good standing for a year prior to the election, as the local's constitution mandates. Eight candidates appealed their cases last week.

Out, In and Out Again

Ulmer Park Depot-based Bus Operator Tommy McNally, who is running on the opposition Take Back Our Union slate, was reinstated after providing the union's election committee with copies of checks dated on the 15th of each month. Station Agent Christine Williams, also running on TBOU, was reinstated.

But a day after Mr. McNally's reinstatement, he received a letter from James Mitchell, the election committee chairman, informing him that his reinstatement was revoked and that the driver "failed to maintain continuous good standing during the 12 months preceding nomination."

"In my case I paid a year in advance and have been in good standing since 2007, even receiving a refund for overpayment," Ms. Williams said in an email sent to TBOU supporters. "And I got a [disqualification] letter. After further review by the 'impartial' TWU election committee—which has at least two people on the Local 100 payroll— it was determined that my letter was sent as an 'oversight.' "

Arthur Schwartz, the election committee's attorney, explained that many of the members who were disqualified believed they had maintained continuous good standing, but in many cases had paid their dues several days after the monthly deadline.

"Everybody who got knocked off was cutting it a little bit close," he said.

TBOU presidential candidate John Samuelsen accused the election committee of disproportionately disqualifying his running-mates on grounds of falling into bad standing in the last year and claimed that the rules were not being adequately applied to candidates on the incumbent United Invincible slate. Mr. Schwartz claimed the process was fair.

"Some UI got people knocked off," Mr. Schwartz said. "The rule is the rule."