New Bus Drivers Can Vote in 'Concluded' Local 100 Election

TOMMY McNALLY: Incumbents' 'ace in the hole.'

While ballots cast in the general officer election of Transport Workers Union Local 100 through June 20 will remain sealed until December, as many as 600 new members will be able to vote in the interim, as New York City Transit is in the process of hiring Bus Operators in both of its bus companies.

6-Month Delay

An NYC Transit spokesman confirmed that training is underway for the new Bus Operators in both TA Surface and the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority. As a result of a referendum that passed with less than 15 per cent of the membership participating last year, Local 100 moved its general election to June—the same time as its international delegate election—but left the ballot-count on the traditional end-of-year schedule. But members coming into the union prior to the count will have the opportunity to cast ballots.

Ulmer Park Depot-based Bus Operator Tommy McNally, who is running for division rep on the opposition Take Back Our Union slate, said that this would give a tactical advantage to the incumbent United Invincible slate, because both the TA Surface and MaBSTOA Division vice presidents would have orientation briefings with the new members, giving their slate a captive audience of new voters.

"This could be his ace in the hole," Mr. McNally said of Stephan Thomas, the incumbent TA Surface division vice president, noting that TBOU would have to continue to campaign in the bus divisions for the next several months. "We've got more work ahead of us."

He added that aside from the issue of the election, the influx of new Bus Operators was a welcome change, as neither bus company had hired new drivers in the past year and a half.

"There is a shortage of drivers now," Mr. McNally said.