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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NYC transit union threatens to sue GOP mayoral hopeful Curtis Sliwa over ‘defamatory' comments
The politically influential Transport Workers Union is threatening to sue Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa over 'defamatory and false' comments he recently made about the labor group. In a letter sent to Sliwa on Monday, John Samuelsen, the TWU's international president, wrote that the mayoral hopeful engaged in the remarks during a July 24 rally at City Hall organized by NYCLASS, a group advocating for a ban on horse-carriage rides in Central Park. Samuelsen, whose union represents horse carriage riders, wrote he came across Sliwa's speech in a video of the gathering posted on YouTube. 'In this video, you say, 'There is money under the table to the TWU leadership.' This statement is false and defamatory. The statement asserts bribery and/or corruption,' Samuelsen wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily News. 'By this letter, I demand that you issue a written retraction of the statement and offer an apology to the members of the TWU whose leadership you have slandered and defamed,' the union big continued. 'If you choose not to act honorably by retracting the false statement, we will commence legal action against you for your actions forthwith. We will seek damages commensurate with the harm done to my reputation and to the reputation of the TWU.' Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder who has made animal welfare a big component of his mayoral campaign, rejected Samuelsen's demand, saying his remarks amounted to 'First Amendment protected speech.' 'I offered my opinion on an area of concern for New Yorkers regarding the horse carriage industry and the TWU,' he said. 'My statement was generic and not individual specific. I believe Mr. Samuelsen and the TWU have other things to focus on.' In response, Samuelsen told The News that Sliwa's comments aren't 'protected by the Constitution and he will pay for it.' In addition to horse carriage riders, Samuelsen's union represents tens of thousands of MTA workers. His union hasn't endorsed anyone in the 2025 mayoral race, but Samuelsen did appear at a June 14 rally for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, where he praised Mamdani's proposal to make public buses free in the city. The horse carriage industry has long been a source of controversy in New York, with animal rights activists condemning the practice as inhumane, while TWU and other supporters of workers say banning it would destroy livelihoods. The union has also maintained reforms can be taken to ensure the safety of the horses. Last week's City Hall rally was held to call on the City Council to adopt a bill that would ban the local horse carriage industry. The rally came days after a Manhattan jury acquitted a horse carriage rider who was indicted in 2023 on animal abuse charges for allegedly forcing his horse, Ryder, to work in scorching summer temperatures. As the Republican candidate, Sliwa faces long odds in November's mayoral election, given the city's heavily Democratic electorate. Sliwa, who also ran for mayor in 2021, has been especially upbeat about his prospects this year, though, as the field is more crowded than in a typical local election year. In addition to Mamdani on the Democratic line and Sliwa on the GOP line, Mayor Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Jim Walden are running as independents in November's contest, creating a vote-splitting scenario Sliwa hopes might benefit him. Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Mamdani Defies His Party Just as Donald Trump Did, a union leader says
Zohran Mamdani takes the subway betweenr campaign events on May 27. (Photo by Andrew ... More Lichtenstein/Corbis) Corbis via Getty Images A top New York City labor leader says mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is succeeding for the same reason President Donald Trump has succeeded: 'In the eyes of working people, he is the antidote to what has plagued his party." This is according to John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union and former president of TWU Local 100, the historic local that represents New York City subway and bus workers. 'This is about working people with establishment fatigue, exhausted with same old, same old, corporate Democrats and Republicans catering to corporate interests,' Samuelsen told me in an interview. 'Zohran smashed establishment Democrats,' Samuelsen said. 'He talks about economic security and affordability for working people. He focused on economics. Trump did the same thing in 2016: Now it's ten years later and Democrats still have not learned the lesson. Imagine how desolate the Democrats are that a Democrat running on affordability is an anti-establishment Democrat. That's nuts. But Zohran learned the lesson.' TWU has not endorsed Mamdani. However, Samuelsen backs Mamdani's plan for free bus service. 'I've spoken to him at length about his positions on public transit, as far back as four years ago,' Samuelsen said. 'His discussions with TWU have shaped his vision for public transit. That separates him from the crowd: he has the humility to come and speak with the union.' Mamdani was elected to the state assembly in 2020. He championed a 2023 pilot program to test free busses on five NYC routes. Unlike TWU, the New York City Central Labor Council, a coalition of over 300 unions, endorsed Mamdani on June 30 following his victory in the June 25th Democratic primary. 'As a coalition of more than 300 unions representing over one million workers, the NYC CLC's endorsement carries the collective strength of the city's labor movement and reaffirms our shared commitment to electing leaders who will fight alongside working people,' the council said in a press release. Regarding a TWU endorsement, Samuelsen noted that he has relationships with all three mayor candidates. TWU has about 48,000 members in New York City, including 42,000 members of Local 100 and about 6,000 flight attendants at JetBlue. Nationally, TWU has about 161,000 members and is the largest airline union, with members at American, JetBlue, Southwest and others. First elected president of Local 100 in 2009, Samuelsen served two terms before being elected TWU international president in 2017. He has ongoing relationships with Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. On Tuesday, Adams won the backing of a dozen city unions – nearly all the city police, corrections and sanitation unions, but not the Police Benovolent Association, the largest police union. Adams 'is a working-class guy from the streets of New York who has support among our membership,' Samuelsen said. 'He took crime in the transit system, subway and bus, very seriously. There is a level of appreciation from our membership and from the officers of the TWU. He's not perfect. Nobody's perfect.' Adams' website cites significant economic and public safety improvements during his term. They include a record number of city jobs, contracts with 100% of the city's uniformed workforce, a 7.3% drop in homicides and 6.8% drop in shootings in 2024 and the removal of more than 20,000 illegal guns from city streets. Cuomo said Monday that he will run as a third-party candidate. Samuelsen said Cuomo betrayed TWU workers when he committed to a bill that includes overtime earnings in pension calculations, then vetoed it. In a video released Monday, Cuomo told supporters, 'I am truly sorry I let you down.' He noted that 'Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary,' cited economic issues he wanted to focus on, and said he would listen more to city residents. He also added that Mamdani offers slick slogans without practical solutions. Union workers may disagree. Samuelsen said that, like Adams, Mamdani has support within Local 100. In upcoming subway contract talks, 'We don't bargain with the city, but I think he would be supportive of the TWU in our contract fight and our fight to keep conductors on the trains,' Samuelsen said. Other unions appear similiarly swayed by the upcoming Democrat. The United Auto Workers released a statement in June saying: 'We were proud to be the first union to endorse Zohran because it's time for a political movement that puts the working class first. Our members spoke out and turned out in a big way — and we're just getting started.' Likewise, the UAW praised the Trump administration in March for addressing the 'harmful economic framework that has devastated the working class.' While responses to the tariff negotiations are ongoing, it's clear that many unions see policies that impact wages and cost of living as an urgent priority. In contrast, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA issued a statement in March claiming the Trump administration was attacking workers' rights, but that particular union has not been as vocal about the New York City mayoral election so far. Mamdani still has the opportunity to win endorsements from even more unions related to transportation. 'He is focused on affordability," Samuelsen said. "If he effectuates his campaign agenda, it will look great for Democrats in the rest of the country. But on the policing side, if New York spins out of control, that negates the affordability.'
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Mamdani Defies Corporate Dems, But Workers Back His Free Bus Fare Plan
Zohran Mamdani takes the subway betweenr campaign events on May 27. (Photo by Andrew ... More Lichtenstein/Corbis) A top New York City labor leader says mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is succeeding for the same reason Donald Trump has succeeded: 'In the eyes of working people, he is the antidote to what has plagued his party. 'This is about working people with establishment fatigue, exhausted with same old, same old, corporate Democrats and Republicans catering to corporate interests,' said John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union and former president of TWU Local 100, the historic local that represents New York City subway and bus workers. 'Zohran smashed establishment Democrats,' Samuelsen said. 'He talks about economic security and affordability for working people. He focused on economics. Trump did the same thing in 2016: Now it's ten years later and Democrats still have not learned the lesson. 'Imagine how desolate the Democrats are that a Democrat running on affordability is an anti-establishment Democrat. That's nuts. But Zohran learned the lesson,' he said. TWU has not endorsed Mamdani. However, Samuelsen strongly backs Mamdani's plan for free bus service. 'I've spoken to him at length about his positions on public transit, as far back as four years ago,' Samuelsen said. 'His discussions with TWU have shaped his vision for public transit. That separates him from the crowd: he has the humility to come and speak with the union.' Mamdani was elected to the state assembly in 2020. He championed a 2023 pilot program to test free busses on five NYC routes. The New York City Central Labor Council, a coalition of over 300 unions, endorsed Mamdani on June 30 following his victory in the June 25th Democratic primary. Samuelsen is among the council's most visible members. Samuelsen made a surprise appearance at a June 14th Mamdani rally on June 14. Before a cheering crowd, he endorsed the free bus plan, which would be likely to substantially diminish assaults on bus drivers seeking to collect bus fare. 'I'm here for one reason tonight: that reason is to talk about Zohran's policy on public transit, particularly fare free busses,' Samuelsen proclaimed. 'Three pillars to get out of urban poverty are quality education, quality health care and robust public transit,' he said. 'Tie all those together, and our kids have a chance of escaping the type of urban blight that we've been subjected to all these years.' 'Zohran of all the mayoral candidates recognizes this,' he said. 'Only Zohran reached out to the workers to say I have policies on public transit, what does the union think?' First elected president of Local 100 in 2009, Samuelsen served two terms before being elected TWU international president in 2017. He has ongoing relationships with Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. As for a TWU endorsement, Samuelsen said 'There are ongoing conversations. They may or may not lead to an endorsement.' He noted that he has relationships with all three mayor candidates. Adams 'is a working-class guy from the streets of New York who has support among our membership,' Samuelsen said. 'He took crime in the transit system, subway and bus, very seriously. There is a level of appreciation from our membership and from the officers of the TWU. He's not perfect. Nobody's perfect.' Cuomo said Monday that he will run as a third-party candidate. Samuelsen said Cuomo betrayed TWU workers when he committed to a bill that includes overtime earnings in pension calculations, then vetoed it. 'I talk to him,' Samuelsen said. 'It's not personal. We just can't trust him.' Mamdani, meanwhile, 'is a dynamic candidate, and he has support as well' within Local 100. In upcoming subway contract talks, 'We don't bargain with the city, but I think he would be supportive of the TWU in our contract fight and our fight to keep conductors on the trains,' Samuelsen said. Regarding Mamdani's controversial stand on the Middle East conflict, Samuelsen said, 'Our position is we will endorse candidates on their economic positions as it relates to TWU members.' In the end, if Mamdani wins, 'We will have to see how he governs,' Samuelsen said. 'He is focused on affordability. If he effectuates his campaign agenda, it will look great for Democrats in the rest of the country. But on the policing side, if New York spins out of control, that negates the affordability.' TWU has about 48,000 members in New York City including 42,000 members of Local 100 and about 6,000 flight attendants at JetBlue. Nationally, TWU has about 161,000 members and is the largest airline union, with members at American, JetBlue, Southwest and others.
News.com.au
14-07-2025
- News.com.au
‘Absolutely devastating': Bus driver allegedly stabbed in neck during Sunshine Coast attack
A 67-year-old Sunshine Coast bus driver was allegedly stabbed in the neck during a violent altercation at a Caloundra bus station. Emergency services were called to Caloundra Station, near Cooma Tce and Latona Ave, at about 11.30am on Saturday following reports of a fight between two men. Police allege the altercation between a 44-year-old Parrearra man and the older man, a working bus driver, escalated into a stabbing, leaving the 67-year-old with serious injuries. He was assessed by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a serious but non-life-threatening condition. According to the Transport Workers Union, he underwent surgery to close the laceration on his neck on Sunday and is now recovering. The 44-year-old man was arrested and charged with serious assault of a person over 60, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, and possession of a knife in a public space. He was due to face Caloundra Magistrates Court on Monday. The attack has reignited calls for improved safety measures for Queensland bus drivers, with the TWU demanding the immediate reinstatement of the Bus Safety Forum, a statewide initiative scrapped by TransLink and the Queensland government. In a statement released on Monday, the TWU said the incident was the latest in 'a string of violence' affecting public transport workers, claiming there had been 'countless incidents and five high-profile attacks on drivers and passengers in as many months'. TWU Queensland director of organising Josh Millroy said this latest assault was 'absolutely devastating'. 'TransLink and the state government's decision to scrap these safety forums, without any consultation with drivers or their union, is a disgrace,' Mr Millroy said. 'Five serious assaults since March and countless more incidents of aggression and verbal abuse shows the urgency of this issue.' He said the forum had been the 'only structured platform' where drivers, unions, operators and government bodies came together to confront issues facing the public transport industry. 'Removing the forum removes transparency. It silences driver voices. It strips workers of a vital avenue to influence decisions that directly impact their safety,' Mr Millroy said. The union said it had written to Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg more than a month ago, but hadn't received a response.
Perth Now
14-07-2025
- Perth Now
Bus driver stabbed in neck at station: Cops
A 67-year-old Sunshine Coast bus driver was allegedly stabbed in the neck during a violent altercation at a Caloundra bus station. Emergency services were called to Caloundra Station, near Cooma Tce and Latona Ave, at about 11.30am on Saturday following reports of a fight between two men. Police allege the altercation between a 44-year-old Parrearra man and the older man, a working bus driver, escalated into a stabbing, leaving the 67-year-old with serious injuries. A bus driver was allegedly stabbed in the neck by a 44-year-old Parrearra man in Caloundra on Saturday. Credit: Supplied The 67-year-old bus driver reportedly underwent surgery on Sunday. Credit: Supplied He was assessed by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a serious but non-life-threatening condition. According to the Transport Workers Union, he underwent surgery to close the laceration on his neck on Sunday and is now recovering. The 44-year-old man was arrested and charged with serious assault of a person over 60, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, and possession of a knife in a public space. He was due to face Caloundra Magistrates Court on Monday. The attack has reignited calls for improved safety measures for Queensland bus drivers, with the TWU demanding the immediate reinstatement of the Bus Safety Forum, a statewide initiative scrapped by TransLink and the Queensland government. In a statement released on Monday, the TWU said the incident was the latest in 'a string of violence' affecting public transport workers, claiming there had been 'countless incidents and five high-profile attacks on drivers and passengers in as many months'. A 44-year-old man was arrested and charged with serious assault of a person over 60, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, and possession of a knife in a public space. Credit: News Regional Media TWU Queensland director of organising Josh Millroy said this latest assault was 'absolutely devastating'. 'TransLink and the state government's decision to scrap these safety forums, without any consultation with drivers or their union, is a disgrace,' Mr Millroy said. 'Five serious assaults since March and countless more incidents of aggression and verbal abuse shows the urgency of this issue.' He said the forum had been the 'only structured platform' where drivers, unions, operators and government bodies came together to confront issues facing the public transport industry. 'Removing the forum removes transparency. It silences driver voices. It strips workers of a vital avenue to influence decisions that directly impact their safety,' Mr Millroy said. The union said it had written to Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg more than a month ago, but hadn't received a response.
