Thursday, August 27, 2009

TBOU Action Alert-Wednesday September 2,2009 at MTA Headquarters

On Wednesday September 2 ,2009 at 4:30PM the MTA will be holding its Capital Budget Hearing at its Headquarters located at 347 Madison avenue (between 44 & 45 street) in Manhattan.The Take Back Our Union(TBOU)Movement is organizing scores of rank and file transit workers to appear and speak out about the subway booth closings.

Over 100 subway booths will be closings on Sunday September 20 making our mass transit system less safe and secure.The Capital Budget Hearing offers our last and best chance to keep our subway system safe. We are calling on anyone and everyone who rides the NY transit system to not only come out to the MTA HQ Wednesday September 2 but to speak out on keeping subway booths open registration to speak closes at 6:00PM and everyone is allow to sign up and speak. So join TBOU and community activists on Wednesday September 2 as we Take Back the New York Transit System.For more info contact Marvin Holland at 347-804-6982.Please pass the word and post widely.Thank for your support from Take Back Our Union(TBOU).

Saturday, August 15, 2009

SUPPORT STELLA D'ORO STRUGGLE TODAY AT NOON

KEEP STELLA D'ORO OPEN!

Celebrate One Year of Struggle at Stella D'oro! Rally with Workers and Supporters at the Stella D'oro Plant Saturday, August 15, 12PM-2PM 237th Street & Broadway
(#1 Train to 238 St)
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RALLY !Live Music, Poetry, Food, Drink & Conversation
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
3101 Kingsbridge Terrace
(#3 Bus to Heath Ave & Ft. Independence OR a short walk from the factory--cars also available for transport)

It's one year since Stella D'Oro workers walked off the job against unfair concessions and launched a now internationally famous struggle for the labor movement.

Let's celebrate the victories achieved so far, but also send a message to Brynwood Partners that we are united behind the workers at Stella D'oro and will not rest until their jobs -- good union jobs -- have been secured.

Community & Labor support
helped sustain the workers during the bitter strike
successfully fought off a bid by Lance, Inc. to buy the company and relocate production
is critical for the battles ahead to:
KEEP STELLA D'ORO in the BRONX: NO LAYOFFS, CONCESSIONS or CLOSURE!

Monday, August 10, 2009

TBOU Action Wednesday-Help Keep Subway Booths Open August 12 at Franklin Avenue on the C train

On Wednesday August 12 from 4:15 PM to 5:45 PM at the Franklin Avenue stop on the C train the Take Back Our Union (TBOU) movement continues the struggle to keep subway booths open.This Wednesday August 12 we come to Brooklyn to leaflet the public and educate them on the dangers to their safety and security if the MTA gets its way and closes subway booths. So please join the only organize fight of transit riders and workers to stop the MTA service cuts 'the MTA is going the wrong way charging you more money but giving you less service.Next Wednesday August 19 2009 TBOU will be in Queens at the 74 Street Station on 7 line at 5:00PM.

After the leafleting on Wednesday August 12 many members of the TBOU movement will be going to 16 East 34 street in Manhattan for the Cornell open house see information below.

You are invited to an OPEN HOUSE for the Cornell ILR/CUNY Undergraduate Joint Certificate in Labor Relations on Wednesday, August 12th, 6pm, at the Cornell Conference Center,
16 East 34th Street, 6th floor, Room A.

This 16-credit Undergraduate Certificate Program is offered through an educational partnership between two of the nation's leading institutions for the study of labor: Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and CUNY's Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Workers Education and Labor Studies. The program is designed to provide students with an understanding of employment relations, labor law, and unions.

The weekday evening classes begin the first week in September and include Collective Bargaining (4 credits), Labor and Employment Law (4 credits), Unions and Labor Relations (4 credits), Work, Culture and Politics in New York City (4 credits) and Labor History (4 credits).
To find out more about the program, please call 212-340-2847 or visit our website: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CornellILRLaborProgr/3e047a7584/2c146a81cb/4e2a650dc9.
I hope you can join us!
In solidarity,
Pam Whitefield Cornell ILR/CUNY Murphy Institute Joint Certificate in Labor Relations

Sunday, August 9, 2009

TWU Contract Update :Where is Our Contract by Christine Willimas

As most of us know TWU has a stations message board on Yahoo called station-to-station: this message board is supposed to be about stations members discussing issues and asking questions.

Here is a recent exchange between some members and either Div. Chair Chisolm or VP Andreeva Pinder. All the members want to know is where is our contract? A good frigging question if you ask me.

This is directly from the Station-to-Station message board:
The member asks this question: WHERE IS OUR NEW CONTRACT?
It's now Friday, July 31, 2009. I would like to know why we still haven't seen or heard anything about the arbitrator's decision on our contract, someone please tell me what are they waiting for? Are they holding this announcement until December when they open up the ballots to see who the new president will be? I hope not, I just read in the Chief that a group is trying to have the ballots opened and counted in September rather than in December. This is a great idea and I hope it's done. A question from a concerned station agent. And this is the response from our union elected officials,- Why are you asking ? If it had been up to you and the rest of the dead beats there would have been no union to negotiate a contract. (A.G. PINDER)

This is word for word. And it has Pinder's name on it, but it was posted by Jamel..
Nice right? This is what we have come to expect from this group in the Union Hall now.
Thank God they will be leaving in December.
Ask a simple question, A question you as a member have every right to ask and get shouted down...and called names....This is not Unionism.

The discussion goes into high gear:

Re: WHERE IS OUR NEW CONTRACT? From:( hhay637694 3b. )
Re: WHERE IS OUR NEW CONTRACT? From: (JW 3c).
Re: WHERE IS OUR NEW CONTRACT? From:(sauceyrose2000)

Here are 3 replies from our members: -
How about answering the question. Not everybody is a dead beat.

(The member opens the second round with a stinging jab) Who is writing this? Is this AG Pinder or Chisholm. Every member has a right to ask this question, May I remind you that you are on the union payroll, which the members pay into which pays your salary so stop the name calling which is disrespectful and try to answer the question. I can only imagine how you were in the booth towards customers if you treat your union brothers and sisters this way you should not hold a position in the union.

(the member bangs to the body with powerful, devastating blows) This revenue collecting agent spent two cold day/nights on the picket line in 2005, she paid her dues on time each and every month when she was asked to by her union and when election time came around, she made sure she marked her two ballots in complete support of TAKE BACK OUR UNION. Now Andreeva Pinder you're referring to me and others as deadbeats? I know my obligations to the union are and were fulfilled, what about YOURS? It sounds like you're upset at your defeat, maybe we can sum it up by saying it looks like you're just a sore loser !

(left hook to the head, right hand to the jaw, it's over ladies and gentlemen...... a knockout.)

All joking aside, this group on the Union Hall now still must work for the members, they still must respect the members, they still have to remember to do their jobs.
These people do not realize that the reason they lost the delegate election (and most likely the general election) is they no longer have the confidence & respect of the membership.

If you have the time contact station to station I think it's at Yahoogroups.com and ask to join: then ask them a simple question: WHERE IS OUR CONTRACT?
Also why did TWU spend all kinds of money on a TV & radio ad and NOT mention 1 thing about booth closings?
Why is Kendra Hill (united invisible VP candidate) on the TV ad and NOT talking about the 100 booths that will be closing in a few weeks and the over 200 jobs we lost ?

Stations is now on rise again....and we'll remember who helped us and who didn't the time is now for change inside of TWU Local 100 join the movement and take back our union.