Latest news with #TWULocal100
New York Post
16-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Transit union boss touts Zohran Mamdani's free bus fare plan at campaign rally
The head of the national union representing 41,000 New York transit workers is giving a boost to lefty mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — by touting the democratic socialist's proposed fare-free bus program. Transport Workers Union president John Samuelsen insisted his surprise presence at a Mamdani rally Saturday night is not an official endorsement of his campaign — just a nod to the Astoria assemblyman's free bus plan. Still, his presence at the campaign event, which also included official Mamdani backers Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and state Sen. John Liu, did not go unnoticed. Advertisement 4 Transport Workers Union president John Samuelsen has backed mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's plan for free bus fare. REUTERS 4 Mamdani speaking at a Manhattan rally that Samuelsen attended on June 14, 2025. William Miller 'Zohran has collaborated with me on the fare-free bus initiative. He advanced the union's position of fare-free buses,' Samuelsen told The Post, when asked about attending the Mamdani rally. Advertisement 'Fare-free businesses should be the future. It would drive up bus and subway ridership and be an economic engine,' said Samuelsen, who headed TWU Local 100 before becoming the national TWU president. Without the disputes over fare beating, free bus service would dramatically reduce assaults on bus drivers, he added. However, the mayor does not set fare policy. The state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority does, though the mayor appoints some members to the MTA board. 4 The union boss said that Mamdani's plan would 'drive up bus and subway ridership and be an economic engine.' Stephen Yang Advertisement The governor exerts more control over the MTA through more appointments, including the chairman/CEO. Mamdani's campaign said it'd cost at least $630 million a year to replace the fare revenue brought in from the city's bus riders. He claims the city could cover the loss in fare revenue through a 2% tax hike on city residents making $1 million or more a year, which would require approval from the state Legislature in Albany. 4 Samuelsen insisted that his presence at the rally was not an endorsement of Mamdani's campaign. Kyle Stevens/Shutterstock Advertisement The Mamdani campaign estimates the tax package would bring in $10 billion a year. TWU Local 100 has not endorsed in the Democratic primary for mayor. In 2021, the union endorsed Mayor Eric Adams, and Samuelsen noted Adams has supporters within the TWU Local 100. Adams skipped the Democratic primary and is running on an independent ballot line in the general election.
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
At Delta Air Lines, A Labor Union Gets A Foot In The Door
Delta Air Lines has long been successful at battling labor unions, but the Transport Workers Union is nibbling around the edges. The union, which has about 65,000 airline industry workers, said last week that it had organized about 100 bus operators and supervisors who provide shuttle services for Delta at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The workers are not employed by Delta, but rather by Atlanta-based Unifi, the country's largest ground handling and aviation services company. Delta owns 48% of Unifi. "Delta is definitely the economic employer, even though they own about half of the entity,' said TWU President John Samuelsen, in an interview. 'They make all the economic decisions; they pull the economic purse strings. "The contract negotiation might not be against Delta, but the contract fight will be with Delta," Samuelsen said. A Delta spokesman declined to comment for this story. A Unifi spokeswoman said, 'Unifi has a diverse workforce, including both union and non-union employees. We are committed to supporting and advocating for our entire team. Our focus remains on elevating all our employees and fostering a productive and respectful work environment.' She did not comment on when contract talks would begin. Samuelsen said the workers will join TWU Local 100, a historic local with about 43,000 members including 40,000 bus and subway workers. 'On our end we're still taking steps to prepare for bargaining,' he said. 'The rank and file will be the nucleus of the bargaining committee. 'I'm looking forward to engaging Delta,' he said. 'If they don't come to terms, Delta is going to be in for the biggest strategic campaign of their existence if they don't settle.' An recent story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was headlined, '100 Years (Mostly) Union-free: Delta Is Still Striving to Stay 'Different.'' The story noted that about 20% of Delta's 100,000 workforce is unionized, compared with 87% at American and 82% at United and Southwest. Only pilots, flight dispatchers, and flight attendants at subsidiary regional carrier Endeavor Air are union members. In the past 20 years, twelve votes by four unions have failed at Delta, the newspaper said. Currently, the Association of Flight Attendants is seeking to organize flight attendants, while the International Association of Machinists is seeking to organize ramp and cargo workers. Delta recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, while TWU Local 100 celebrated the 99th anniversary of the day its co-founder, Mike Quill, arrived in New York from Ireland. On March 2, 1925, the world's first aerial crop-dusting company and largest privately-owned aircraft fleet in the U.S. incorporated as Huff Daland Dusters began carrying mail. It evolved into Delta. On March 17, 1926, Quill arrived in New York from Ireland. He went to work as a night gate security man for the IRT, then an independent subway line. He started Local 100 in 1934. Perhaps the two vibrant, historic, highly visible institutions -- one the most successful U.S. airline, the other among the most successful labor union locals – are due for a fight.
CBS News
29-01-2025
- CBS News
New video shows suspects who stole NYC subway, took it for a joyride
NEW YORK - The search is on for several suspects who police say stole and vandalized a subway train. According to police, an R train was reported stolen at around 10 p.m. Saturday. The MTA said people entered an unoccupied train that was left secured in a layup area at the 71st Avenue Station in Queens, where trains are stored when they are not in service. Authorities said the people who entered the train vandalized it by breaking numerous train car windows and operated it for a short distance. Video of the thieves operating the train was posted to social media, and shows them inside the conductor's cabin. One person operates the controls, while another sits with his legs dangling out the open front door of the train over the tracks, with another person standing beside him. Police have now released additional surveillance video of the incident, which shows at least six people moving inside the train car. So far there's no official word on how long the group operated the train or how far it was taken. The video posted by the suspects, however, shows the train operating at a high rate of speed. The suspects wore black outfits and masks and covered cameras inside the train with black marker, authorities said. Police say the suspects could face reckless endangerment charges. "Any breach of security on our rolling stock affects not only NYCT personnel but the riding public as well. We are all at risk – trains in active service with members of the public on board can also be compromised," TWU Local 100 interim president John Chiarello said. "Because train keys have been available to bad actors like these youngsters, we are fighting an uphill battle." It's not the first time New York City subway trains have been taken for joyrides. Back in September, two 17-year-olds were charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief after trying to operate an unoccupied train in Queens and crashing it. And last January, another vacant R train was taken from the Forest Hills/71st Avenue station and driven onto train storage tracks. Anyone with information in this case is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
