TBOU Action Alert -Post The Election Results Already! Information Picket this Wednesday July 22 at TWU Local 100 Headquarters

Take Back Our Union (TBOU) is calling all members, supporters, and anyone who believes in democracy to join us Wednesday, July 22nd, starting 5:30PM at the TWU Local 100 Headquarters at 80 West End Avenue (At 64th Street. By subway, take the 1 to the 66th Street stop). TBOU demands Election Results be posted now! Over 10,000 TWU Local 100 members voted for convention delegates a month ago, but TWU Local 100 still hasn't posted the results.


United Invincible, however, has a leaflet claiming victory and has posted on the TWU Local 100 website, claiming that the only reason they haven't posted the results is that they are awaiting a AAA re-count of some divisions by hand. This is an outright lie, as AAA has no knowledge of a recount, and the TWU election committee hasn't asked for one. Enough with this circus! Post the results now.

What TBOU demands is simple:

· TBOU demands the election results be made known and the delegates be certified.

· TBOU demands that the Executive Board rescind the bylaw that states General Election votes won't be counted until December 2009. Count all the votes now -- the members have a right to know whom they voted for.

· TBOU demands all Information about Current Contract be available to the members. Put an end to secrecy in TWU Local 100

· TBOU calls for an end to politics and for TWU to join the fight to keep Subway booths open.

TBOU Information Picket: 80 West End Avenue TWU Headquarters
Wednesday July 22th 2009, 5:30PM
With TBOU presidential candidate John Samuelsen and the TBOU Convention Delegates

Call the election committee (212)873-6000 ext.2089 or (212) 873-6000 ext.2059,or send an email to elections2009@twulocal100.org or districtleader@msn.com and demand to have your Vote Counted Now !

Don’t let them hold your Union & your vote hostage! For more information, go to http://www.tbou.org/

Stella D'Oro March and Rally -Take Back Our Union(TBOU) & Healthcare-Now & Private Health Insurance Must Go! Saturday May 30 Bronx NY

Day of Action in New York City -May 30 , 2009
TWO EVENTS

Healthcare-NOW! and Private Health Insurance Must Go! are marching in solidarity with the Stella D’Oro Factory Workers. Stella D’Oro workers have been on strike for over 9 months against the Wall St. private equity firm Brynwood Partners, which is now viciously trying to bust the union by slashing wages, pensions, holidays, and sick pay.

Brynwood is operating the plant with strikebreakers. The strikers are represented by Local 50 of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. They are on the picket line every day in front of the Stella D’Oro plant, W. 237th St. & Broadway in the Bronx.

When: May 30th NOONWhere: MASS RALLY AT STELLA D’ORO FACTORY! 237 ST./BROADWAY12 noon–Assemble across from the Target Mall on West 225 St., east of Broadway (#1 train to 225 St.).1pm (approximately)
March up Broadway to the Factory (about 1/2 mile)2pm (approximately) MASS RALLY at the Stella D’Oro Factory on 237 St. & Broadway.(#1 TRAIN TO 238ST.)

EVENING VIGIL May 30th
Please join the Private Health Insurance Must Go! Coalition, Healthcare-NOW! and ACT-UP: 8pm at the south end of Union Square / 14th Street (”near the steps”)
Bring single payer signs and candles if you can, but most of all please bring yourself and a friend.
Contact: Katie Robbins - info@healthcare-now.org for more details

Take Back Our Union (TBOU)-Update TWU Revenue Equipment Maintainer (REM) Shot At Work

On Saturday May 9th at around 2:30AM at the Winthrop Street Station ,on the 2 Line brazen robbers put a gun to the head of a TWU Revenue Equipment Maintainer (REM) threatening his life and also the life of his escort the Collecting Agent(CA).The gunmen must have been after the money inside the Metrocard Vending Machine (MVM) the REM was coming to repair or they the gunman mistakenly thought they where going to replace or remove cash from the MVM.

What ever the case one of the gunman opened fire on the CA and the REM who was grazed by a bullet near his neck and spine.The REM also broke his ankle getting out the line of fire.The CA thinking quickly returned fire and this stop the robbery attempt and perhaps saved their lives as the gunman ran off.The REM is home recovering and the CA is out on vacation as we will keep them and there families in our thoughts and prayers.

Hopefully MTA management will see the light and stop routine maintenance and cleaning during early morning hours making transit workers the target for the criminal element.Just last week during the Station Cleaner's pick no concerns where shown for Station Cleaners safety as to increase productivity on the 2 line in the Bronx new Station Cleaner jobs start at 7:00PM and end at 3:00 AM.I hope both the union and management will take a serious look at all sections and titles when it comes to safety and security issues.Once again our hearts go out to the REM, and CA and there families.To stay informed on all transit worker news go to the blog at http://www.tbou.org/ .

Take Back Our Union (TBOU) calls on all Trade Unionists to support the Stella D'Oro Strike

To All Trade Unionists and Stella D'Oro Strike Supporters:
Get on the Bus!

After nine months on strike against vicious concessions, BCTGM Local 50 and the 136 strikers at Stella D'Oro have had enough -- and on Monday are taking the fight directly to Stella D'Oro's owners, the private equity firm Brynwood Partners, in Greenwich, Connecticut!

We'll be leaving on buses from the picket line at 237th Street and Broadway promptly at 10AM. This is a full day excursion to leaflet, demonstrate, and otherwise make a scene and pressure Brynwood Partners to settle the strike now. We will be returning in the afternoon. All are welcome; please join us!

In order to determine how many buses we'll need, we are collecting names and phone numbers of those supporters who think they might want to come with us.
If you are interested in joining us on Monday, May 11, to bring the fight to the boss in Greenwich, please e-mail your name and number to micah.landau@gmail.com as soon as possible.
You can also reserve seats for friends or for your organization -- but please try your best to fill them.

Depending on costs, the union may ask supporters to make a donation to defray the costs of the trip -- but bus seats are free, courtesy of Local 50, for the time being.
We hope to see many of you there. Please feel free to call Micah Landau at 917 572 8684 with any questions you may have -- and remember to forward this e-mail widely!

See you on the bus!

For those who have not heard about the strike:

The 136 workers at biscuit- and cookie-producer Stella D'Oro have been on strike since August 13, 2008. Now, almost nine months later, they are still going strong -- to this day not a single striker has crossed the union's picket line.

Strikers walked off the job in August in response to draconian concessions demanded by the company's owner, Connecticut-based private equity firm Brynwood Partners. Brynwood has refused to negotiate in good faith and is demanding enormous concessions from the workers in an attempt to break their union. Concessions demanded by the company include:

- a 25 percent reduction in wages from $18 to $13 per hour;
- elimination of Saturday overtime;
- a new 20 percent employee contribution to health care; and
- elimination of four holidays, one week of vacation, and all 12 paid sick days workers currently receive.

We are fighting back, but we need your help! Tell your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and union brothers and sisters: Get on the bus! Support the Stella D'Oro strikers!You can read more about the strike here.

MTA gets Bailout but not Stations Department

The State Legislature passed a series of new fees and taxes yesterday to stop service cuts, avert layoffs and to keep NY Transit base fare from rising above $2.25 this year. But according to officials from both the MTA and TWU Local 100 this new bail out plan for the MTA will not stop the booth closings.The MTA appears to still plan to close over 150 booths in July even after getting this bail out money from Albany.The closing of so many subway booths also means that members of Station's Department should still be concerned with the possibility of layoffs.

Therefore Take Back Our Union (TBOU) will continue to lead the fight to stop booth closings and to avert layoffs and we are asking for all members to get involved.TBOU will be sitting up a series of protests and rallies at various Stations all over the city to inform the public that the MTA is still planning on closing booths.In addition we will be visiting various elected officials at there offices in there communities.TBOU also has many allies in the community prepared and willing to fight this issue with us. So check http://www.tbou.org/ daily to stay updated on breaking news and further developments on this and all transit worker related issues.

RALLY FOR NEW YORK!This Thursday March 5th

RALLY FOR NEW YORK!
Thursday, March 5th, 4pm, City Hall
Devastating budget cuts still threaten our communities, our jobs, our neighbors and our families.
Speak out for fair solutions! There is a better way!
Join union members, community groups, non-profit organizations and more to speak out against the dangerous budget proposals now being considered in Albany and City Hall. It's Time to Take Back New York !
Rally Hot Line 212-510-6467

Finally Together for the First Time Ever MTA Bus, TA Surface and MaBSTOA

MaBSTOA Bus Driver Isreal Rivera has launched TWUBus.com with information and news for the benefit of all transit workers and will be particularly helpful to MTA bus personnel, who sometimes feel isolated and left out.

Being from Stations Department we understand second class citzenship and being left out, and that's why I would like to thank brother Isreal for doing something that should have been done a long time ago and to keep up the good work.