Tate/Toussaint fears of Take Back Our Union(TBOU) causing election fraud

Toussaint’s United Invinsible Unjustly Removes MaBSTOA Candidates
Jimmy Colon – Sandra Santiago – Fernando ChilloThe Union is afraid of a fair fight.

They trumped-up false charges against several MaBSTOA candidates running with the Take Back Our Union slate.What happened to Colon?Vice Presidential candidate Jimmy Colon was disqualified by Toussaint over an absolutely false claim that he paid his dues late. The fact is Colon paid his dues every time the Union sent him an invoice. And he paid these amounts in full.What happened is last year the Union sent Colon two incorrect invoices. Colon paid what the invoices said he owed. Now, the Union says he can’t run because he only paid what the Union said he owed at the time.What happened to Santiago and Chillo?Santiago, who was nominated for Executive Board at OA Division 1 also paid every cent she owed and on time and she has the receipts to prove it.

The Union won’t even tell her what months they claim she didn’t pay her dues. Fernando Chillo, who was nominated for Division 1 Chair, is also in the dark about why the Union claims he didn’t pay on time. It’s not right to bounce people without even telling them why.Vote: Take Back Our UnionWhen a Union targets people like Colon, Santiago and Chillo and prevents them from running for office, there is only one answer: we all must vote for the slate supported by Colon, Santiago and Chillo: Take Back Our Union.If elected, Take Back Our Union will respect our differences and treat every member the same. We will win good contracts and protect our livelihoods.

We will rebuild Local 100 by uniting, organizing and mobilizing the membership into a Union that has real power in the subways, on the buses and in the halls of government to get us good contracts. We believe in having a Union that management must respect.

John Samuelsen for President, Israel Rivera for Secretary-Treasurer ,
Benita Johnson for Recording Secretary,Angel Giboyeaux for Administrative Vice President
For More Information: http://www.tbou2009.org/

Take Back Our Union (TBOU) Fundrasier This Thursday April 30th

Come join us for a Take Back Our Union (TBOU) fundraising event hosted by the
Car Equipment Division Candidates of Take Back Our Union.
You will have an opportunity to meet and greet with
candidates of TBOU from various departments.

Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009
Time: 3PM – 7PM
Location: Shell Lanes (Bowling Alley), 1 Bouck Court,
Brooklyn NY, 11223.

Off of Shell Road one block south of Avenue X, across the
street from the Coney Island Yard Entrance. F train to Ave X.
Belt Parkway to Ocean Parkway.
Donation: $20 includes international buffet, and soft drinks. Cash bar.
Entertainment: Musical Mike
50/50 raffles with instant winners, and prize

Contacts: for tickets
Richard Rivera 646-996-5981 Horace Briggs 718-877-9824
Nicholas Lucas 917-658-1702 George Perlstein 917-364-3635 3PM-7PM
Michael Russel 207 Maintenance Shop Lawrence Rafalovich Coney Island OH
Ron Jones Jerome Maintenance Shop Jose Arroyo 917-678-5260
Marvin Holland 347-804-6982
Please visit our website for more information on the Take Back Our Union Campaign.
www.takebackourunion.org

Rally Today to Stop MTA Service Cuts

Rally Today To Stop MTA Service Cuts: Union Square South @5:30PM

Time is running out to prevent layoffs, deep service cuts and steep fare hikes on the MTA. Due to lack of funding at by both the State and City , 8 million transit riders will face a 23% fare increase and wide service cuts. In addition over 1,10o transit workers face layoffs which would make the NYC transit system less safe and secure.Mass transit is essential to ensuring our City runs efficiently. More importantly, it is the only means of transportation for many people.

Workers who have been priced out of the City will face even longer commutes. Even more of their already shrinking paychecks will have to go to paying for transportation. With our environment facing a serious crisis, we need to encourage more people to take public transportation, not discourage them by making transit more expensive and less accessible. You can act to stop this from happening.

Rally Tuesday, April 28Union Square, South Plaza5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Make your voice heard. Hold Albany responsible for the gridlock that has prevented action on a workable MTA plan for months. It's a matter of protecting our workers, our environment and our jobs. You can also take a minute to let your state representative know that you are fed up with the roadblocks in Albany and want to see a real, workable plan for the MTA. Visit: http://ga3.org/campaign/adv_keepnymovggen

No Contract For TWU Still No Plan from Toussaint & Tate

The Daily News reported last week that the MTA will soon meet with Acting President Curtis Tate to tell him there is no money for raises this year. This bad news comes only a week after the MTA announced that 1500 TWU members may lose their jobs.

What is our Union’s strategy for getting a good contract in the face of this terrible news? According to our Union’s website, the Tate/Roberts/Watt team’s response is to “not attend” the meeting to learn the details of the problem. Pretty feeble response to a really bad situation, don’t you think?

The fact is the Tate/Roberts/Watt team doesn’t know what to do and is in a state of panic. They have repeatedly shown that they have no idea about how to properly run Local 100, return it to the power it once had and get a good contract for the members.

For a year, during all of 2008, the Tate/Roberts/Watt team allowed Toussaint to secretly negotiate our contract with the MTA. The membership was not mobilized for a contract campaign and not one word was ever said to the membership about the progress of negotiations. The only progress report we ever got was the shocking news that Toussaint decided to put our contract into binding arbitration without getting any Executive Board approval. The Tate/Roberts/Watt team just stood there silently and let Toussaint take away the right of the membership to vote on the contract.

After putting our contract into binding arbitration, it was doubly shocking to find out that Toussaint appointed himself to be one of the arbitrators. Again, the Tate/Roberts/Watt team and their Executive Board simply stood there, did nothing and let Toussaint give himself the power to decide the terms of our contract.

In early January on the Union’s website Toussaint promised that, “In the weeks ahead, arbitration hearings will proceed and a final decision will be issued.” To our knowledge hearings have not occurred. And weeks have turned into months as the news about what is happening gets worse and worse.

After leading a disastrous strike that nearly destroyed Local 100, Toussaint and Watt should have rebuilt the Union and organized the members for a full court press to get a good contract. Instead, it appears that Toussaint - supported every step of the way by the Tate/Roberts/Watt team - thought he could get a good contract by simply being nice and asking for one.

As one of three Arbitrators, all Toussaint now has to do to get us a contract with good wage increases, no layoffs, no bus regionalization, no new reduced pension tiers and which restores our free health insurance is get one of the other two arbitrators to agree with him. The Tate/Roberts/Watt team’s strategy for getting such a contract has been to bet on Toussaint while keeping the membership completely demobilized. That’s a bad strategy. The recent demonstration - where only about 1,000 members showed-up to protest against layoffs - shows how hard it is to carry on an effective fight after spending years demobilizing the membership.

If elected, Take Back Our Union (TBOU) will rebuild Local 100 by organizing, mobilizing and uniting the membership in a Union that has real power in the subways and on the buses and in the halls of government to get us good contracts. We don’t bet. We believe in a sure thing: having a Union with real power that management must respect. John Samuelsen President candidate Take Back Our Union (TBOU).

Take Back Our Union endorses & supports TWU Rally this Thursday April 23

Take Back Our Union (TBOU) fully supports and endorses the emergency demonstration to stop the layoffs this coming Thursday April 23, 2009 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM @ MTA HQ -347 Madison Avenue at East 44 street Mid -town Manhattan.

TWU Local 100 has called an emergency demonstration to protest the threatened layoffs of hundreds of Bus Operators,Station Agents,and Cleaners.Take Back Our Union(TBOU) urges all members and supporters to attend.This is not a time for partisan politics, as every union member and supporter must do everything they can to help stop the layoffs of our brothers and sisters.

Take Back Our Union (TBOU) has been demonstrating with our allies around the city for months against the threatened layoffs. We have testified against layoffs at MTA Board meetings and at every fare hike hearings in NYC.In addition we have attended dozens of community meetings ,protests and rallies to stop service cuts and fare hikes.Unfortunately,until now, our current union leadership has not understood the need for action.We welcome them to the struggle to stop the layoffs.So once again Take Back Our Union(TBOU) is calling for all members to come out to the: Emergency Demonstration To Stop The Layoffs this Thursday April 23 2009 from 4:30PM to 6:30PM @ MTA HQ 347 Madison avenue at 44th street.

So wear your Take Back Our Union (TBOU) hats, buttons and T-shirts. Brings signs and banners every TWU Local 100 member should plan on attending.

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

MARCH TO STOP THE MTA FARE HIKES -

Mon. Feb 2nd

BAIL OUT RIDERS, NOT THE BANKS!

THIS MONDAY FEBRUARY 2ND 2009 @ 5:00pm

125 STREET at ST. NICHOLAS AVENUE on (A/B/C/D ) Train AT 5:30pm

MARCH TO 125 STREET LENOX AVE. ( 2/3) Train for and then Rally and PROTEST Against

MTA SERVICE CUTS from 6:00 to 7:00 PM(on Lenox avenue station)

This Monday, Feb. 2nd Transit Workers will lead a march across Harlem to protest the fare hikes and service cuts. We can not allow the MTA to pit riders against transit workers to try to fix their budget problems. The MTA crisis was created by the MTA. The bank crisis was created by their own bond debt; Why should the people pay? We say bail out the people -- not the banks. Many of those same banks were just bailed out by billions of dollars of the people's money. Bank of America just got 20 billion more.

No, now is not the time to raise fares and cut services. Now is time for the banks to use one of the billions they sucked out of mass transit, the treasury and our labor to pay for mass transit. So please join us this Monday, in Harlem at 125th street, starting at 5:00PM.

Sponsored by :

The Take Back Our Union Movement and The Bail Out the People Movement

How to Rebuild TWU Local 100-by Steve Downs

On December 23,2008 President Toussaint sent the MTA/TWU 2009 contract to arbitration without any input from anyone.The question was asked by members all over the system what can we do about this?I think comrade Steve lays out an excellent blue print for us to follow but are the members of TWU Local 100 up to the the task of Taking Back Our Union.

from Steve Downs, Chair, T/O Division of TWU Local 100

1. Organize to defend ourselves on the job. The union's and the members' fates are ultimately determined by how well organized we are on the job day in and day out. Whether the problem is winning a good contract, dealing with abusive supervisors, mobilizing members to vote, correcting unreasonable schedules, or challenging the mayor or governor's call for cuts, if the members are well organized, we are more likely to achieve our goals. Unfortunately, in most parts of the system, the members are less organized now than they were 8 years ago. A big part of this is the union officers' fault, but part of it is the membership's fault.Following the union election in 2000, members on the job let their networks wither as they looked to the new union leadership for solutions to their problems. For a couple years, the officers tried to meet that challenge. Then the union stopped training stewards and Toussaint has denied elected reps the authority to represent the members who elected them. When Toussaint abandoned the worksites and concentrated the union's resources at the union hall, the members weren't in a position to step in and fill the void.A priority for anyone who cares about the future of our union, our contracts, and being able to survive 25 or 30 years on the job, is to build strong organizations on the job. Union resources need to be shifted toward officer training, steward training, developing stewards' councils, and working with members to identify and solve problems on the job.A strong union presence is part of the solution, but it's not everything. Members need to pull together even when a union rep is not available. Learn the rules and apply them to your advantage. Enforce safety regulations. Back each other up when someone is being harassed by a supervisor. Tight organization on the job, so that management and the union leadership both know that the members have the willingness and the ability to disrupt service, is our best defense against a bad contract or a bad ruling from the arbitrator.

2. Hold your elected reps accountable. Holding someone accountable is another way of saying, don't accept excuses. At the January Executive Board meeting, Toussaint was asked why he didn't let the Board decide whether or not to send the contract to binding arbitration. He replied that he didn't because he didn't have to. When he was asked what issues had been agreed to and what the arbitrator would be ruling on, he refused to answer, saying that it might effect the outcome of the arbitration. Management knows what's going to be in front of the arbitrator, why shouldn't the Local Executive Board? For that matter, why shouldn't we? (Has anyone else noticed that, despite his support for Obama, Toussaint's model of how to be a president is George W. Bush? Bush refused to give information to Congress; Toussaint refuses to give it to the Executive Board. Bush lied about the reasons for an ill-prepared war; Toussaint lied about the reasons for an ill-prepared strike. Can't you picture Toussaint standing at a podium refusing to explain his actions, saying, "I'm the decider"?)Every member of the Executive Board should be asked why he or she didn't make a motion ordering Toussaint to explain what issues remain to be resolved by the arbitrator – or be suspended from office. Why didn't they pass a motion overruling the declaration of impasse and the decision to seek arbitration? Those are just a few examples of the actions or inactions our officers need to be held accountable for.

3. We also have to hold each other accountable and reject the excuses we tell ourselves and each other. Do you know anyone who said they weren't paying dues because they didn't support Toussaint? Well, Toussaint survived, he's collecting their dues again, and he can ignore them because they're not in good standing. What's their excuse for not paying their back dues now? Or how about those people who didn't pay dues saying that the union doesn't do anything them? Did a single one of them go to management and say, "just pay me what you think I'm worth", or "I don't need to pick, just assign me where you need me", or "let me know how much vacation you think I deserve and when I should take it"? No, not a single one. They were just making excuses. If you're reading this and you haven't paid your dues, what's your excuse?Don't believe the person who says they don't get involved because it won't make any difference. Whether you attend union meetings, do safety inspections, come out for rallies, become a steward or, most important, work with your co-workers to correct problems on the job, you'll be making a difference.Don't accept excuses from those who don't vote. The 2005 contract was initially rejected by 7 votes. In 2006, the race for Local 100 VP from Car Equipment was rerun because the first vote ended in a tie. The 2008 Senate race in Minnesota was decided by about 250 votes. There is no excuse for working under unsafe conditions. Anyone who points out an unsafe condition makes a difference. Everyone who backs that person up makes a difference.

4. Those who argue that it won't make any difference if they get involved have gotten a lot of reinforcement from the Toussaint administration. By ignoring the decision of the members to reject the 2005 contract, altering the election rules, removing elected officers and stewards on trumped charges, refusing to allow the members to elect replacements to vacant VP spots, refusing to report fully on the progress of contract talks, and sending the contract to binding arbitration, Toussaint and his supporters on the Executive Board have severely damaged the commitment of members to the union and their willingness to get involved.We need to become a union run by its rank and file members. Any measures that move us away from that goal should be rejected. We want officers who will seek out measures that will bring us closer to that goal.The current Board can't undo the decision to ignore the contract vote in 2006, but they can make sure that the election rules in 2009 guarantee that officers are elected with the support of a majority of the voters. They can take steps to make sure the members vote on any new contract and to remove Toussaint from office if he refuses to comply with their decisions.The Board can restore elected officers to the duties they were elected to perform. And they can broaden the choices that will be available to the members at election time. A few officers who were late making a dues payment were not only removed from their office, they are barred from running for office for three years. The excuse given was that officers have to set an example. But no member who refused to pay dues did so because some officer was a week or two late with their dues. The removal of these officers was motivated by partisan maneuvering and does not serve the interest of the membership. The Executive Board should restore the right to run to those officers who are currently denied it. In addition, the Board should request a waiver from the national union to enable all members in good standing to run for office. The loss of dues check-off was an exceptional event that was not contemplated when the union's constitution was drafted. Someone who is in good-standing, but whose payments were late once or twice should not be treated the same as someone who refused to pay dues. The unintended consequence of this rule is to bar the overwhelming majority of members of the Local from being able to run for office. That does not serve the interest of increasing membership involvement in, and rank and file control over, the union. Or, instead of holding the union election in June, the Board could vote to return the union election to the end of the year. This would greatly increase the number of members eligible to run, it would ensure that the election doesn't take place before the arbitrator's award is issued, and it would avoid the absurd situation of waiting 6 months after the voting to count the ballots.

5. In the union's relationship with management, there are no "win-win" outcomes. The MTA, the governor, and the mayor all want us to work harder and get less in wages and/or benefits. They want new hires to work longer before they can collect a pension. The union's objectives should be that we get more in wages and benefits and work at a pace that will enable us to survive the job and collect our pensions for years and years. Our objectives are incompatible with our bosses'. Early last year, Toussaint welcomed the kinder, gentler approach of the new MTA head. He endorsed the MTA's "workforce development" plans. Similar schemes have unfolded in the private sector. It's clear that they are just sugar-coating the same old push for productivity and speed-up. We need to reject all talk about "partnership" between workers and management. We do not have any goals in common with our bosses.

6. There are no quick fixes. There are no shortcuts. Electing union officers who support this approach will help, but members must make it happen with or without them. Building rank and file power on the job and in our union will not solve all of our problems. But it's hard to see how our problems will be solved without it. And it is the only way to make sure that we hold onto the gains we make. If any of this makes sense to you and you're ready to start making it happen, or if you just want to get a deeper understanding of the suggestions I've made, please get in touch.-- Steve DownsChair, T/O Division of TWU 100
__._,_.___

When Silence is not Golden- Join us on August 13th

The GHI /HIP PRIVATIZATION HEALTH CARE PROPOSAL Will Increase Costs and Reduce Health Care Benefits of Transit Workers.

Therefore it is time for the MTA and TWU leaders to break their silence and join the movement to stop the privatization of GHI/HIP.


With the GHI/HIP merger now complete, the newly formed Corporation has sent a new proposal to change their status from a non-profit to a for-profit corporation. Much is still unknown about the merger, as GHI/HIP are still operating independently right now, but if this next and final step of a conversion is allowed to go though, history tells us it will not be good for workers.

The conversion of GHI/HIP will undoubtedly lead to higher premiums and higher co-pays. Workers wages will also either be cut or greatly reduced to cover rapidly raising health care costs. For transit workers, there is the added burden of the 1.5+%. with no cap, which will also undoubtly go up at a much faster rate. There will most likely be a ranking of subscribers as too risky; factors which can be extremely problematic for retires and members with pre-existing medical conditions.

Claims and care will be more frequently denied as profit for shareholders and not care by doctors and medical providers will be the priority of a for-profit company. The salaries of the CEO’s of HIP have already begun to skyrocket and GHI's CEOs are sure to follow suit soon. History also shows us that the work forces of both GHI and HIP will be downsized as part of the conversion to a for profit corporation.

The conversion of GHI/HIP to a for-profit company is just a signature away, yet all we hear is silence from both the leadership of TWU local 100 and the MTA.

The plan to covert non-profit healthcare into for profit has become common place around the country, but the speed and secrecy which was attempted to privitize GHI/HIP has been unique. There have been no impact studies and only two public hearings held back in January 2008 on the GHI/HIP conversion. The privatization of GHI/HIP which will affect over four million people and over 90% of the municipal work force in NYC now rests in one man's hands, Eric Dinallo, the NY State Superintendent of Insurance. Therefore the only thing standing in the way of the deal to make GHI/HIP a public company is Mr. Dinallo -- and the Coalition Against Privatization (CAP).

CAP was formed in Feburary 2008 by Marvin Holland (TWU-Stations), John Powers (UFT) and William Wharton. In just six just months CAP has become a movement though a series of rallies and public demonstrations, the last one on July 30. We are now calling on all the progressive forces in health care reform movement, along with transit workers to come out to the MTA Public Hearing on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2008 at 347 Madison Avenue (44th and 45th) in Manhattan at 4:30PM and speak out against the privization of GHI/HIP.

We think the perfect time to educate working class people about the GHI/HIP conversion is at a MTA public hearing on the Capital Budget. The MTA cannot have it both ways -- on the one hand they blame the health care cost of workers for fare hikes, but will remain silent on the conversion of GHI/HIP. We also think it is time for TWU Local 100 President Roger Toussaint to break his long silence on the GHI/HIP merger and now conversion. Mr. Toussaint is highly accountable as he sits on the GHI board which means he would have had to vote on both the merger and now conversion but has been mute on this subject. Like the MTA, Mr. Toussaint cannot have it both ways; on the one hand he attacks the McCain-Bush republican health care plans to undermine existing employer-based health care. But remains silent on his own involvement in this which will lower health care standards for his own members.

In addition we call on all elected officials in the State from the Governor to the NY City council to take a closer look at this conversion. and call for open public hearings all over the state. If GHI/HIP is allowed to become a for profit company it has the potential to very easy break the city and state budgets. CAP is calling for all community activists, union members, students and everyone who believes health care is a human right to join us on Wednesday August 13th 2008 at the MTA building.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Returns to Harlem Wednesday July 23rd

This Wednesday July 23rd the Healthy,Wealthy and Wise Seminar returns to Harlem with two sessions one in the morning from 9:00AM to noon and an evening session from 4:00PM to 7:00PM.Both sessions will take place at the St Thomas Liberal Catholic Church located at :
147 west 144street take 3 train to 145 st. or by bus M10


Among the guest speakers will be Norman Rosenfeld the retired Deputy Director at NYCERS.Mr Rosenfeld is one of the for most experts on the TWU local 100 NYCERS pension plan.Anyone thinking about retiring in the next few years or if you just want to learn more about the NYCERS pension plan should not miss this free seminar.In addition to Mr. Rosenfeld we will also have Chris Arceneaux V.P. from First Republic Bank and an expert in credit repair and an executive mortgage consultant.Anyone who wants to improve their credit score or is looking to purchase a home should also attend this free financial seminar.At the healthy ,wealthy and wise seminars there are always surprise guests,free giveaways and refreshments served, so come out to Harlem this Wednesday July 23rd and join your brothers and sisters who are getting there assets in order.

To RSVP by E-mail - seminars@homestationonline.org or via phone (212)631-5857 anytime day or night 24 hours automated reservation system

Update on GHI/HIP merger and conversion

The latest person to show serious concern about the GHI/HIP conversion is senator Tom Duane here is his letter :

Dear Superintendent Dinallo:
With the 2008 Legislative Session behind us, I understand the New York State Insurance Department will be continuing its consideration of the proposed conversion of GHI/HIP to the for-profit entity EmblemHealth, Inc. I am deeply concerned about the impact this conversion would have on many of my constituents and GHI/HIP members throughout New York State.
As you know, NY Insurance Law §7317(b) prohibits such a change in the status of not-for-profit health insurance entities to a for-profit company if the move would "adversely affect the applicant's contractholders or members," or "negatively impact on the delivery of health care benefits and services to the people of the state of New York." I believe that this conversion will both negatively impact the provision of health care services to the people of New York, and, more specifically, will adversely affect those individuals who are currently enrolled in GHI and HIP's health plans.

All other states considering such conversions within the past five years &ndash Kansas, Washington, North Carolina, and Maryland &ndash have rejected these plans. As with all other for-profit corporations, the foundational legal obligation of EmblemHealth will be to maximize profits for its shareholders. The pursuit of profit will therefore be the company's premiere priority, surpassing the provision of quality health care services to its members as the company's primary goal. This will inevitably lead to higher prices for health care consumers and the cutting of corners with respect to the quality of health care services. If EmblemHealth raises its rates, its competitors are likely to do so as well, and all New Yorkers will suffer. A number of studies have shown that for-profit health insurance companies provide poorer quality health services and have lower rates of customer satisfaction than not-for-profit health care providers.
Currently, both GHI and HIP are financially viable and provide quality health care services to New Yorkers. There is absolutely no reason to permit a conversion to not-for-profit status, particularly when for-profit health care providers have been proven to be worse for New Yorkers than not-for-profits. Comprehensive, quality, healthcare for all New Yorkers must be the primary goal of health care providers &ndash not the acquisition of profit. For all these reasons, I strongly oppose the conversion of GHI and HIP to the for-profit EmblemHealth.
Thank you very much for your consideration of my position on this important matter.
Sincerely, Thomas K. DuaneNew York State Senate29th District

Dear Superintendent Dinallo:
With the 2008 Legislative Session behind us, I understand the New York State Insurance Department will be continuing its consideration of the proposed conversion of GHI/HIP to the for-profit entity EmblemHealth, Inc. I am deeply concerned about the impact this conversion would have on many of my constituents and GHI/HIP members throughout New York State.
As you know, NY Insurance Law §7317(b) prohibits such a change in the status of not-for-profit health insurance entities to a for-profit company if the move would "adversely affect the applicant's contractholders or members," or "negatively impact on the delivery of health care benefits and services to the people of the state of New York." I believe that this conversion will both negatively impact the provision of health care services to the people of New York, and, more specifically, will adversely affect those individuals who are currently enrolled in GHI and HIP's health plans.

All other states considering such conversions within the past five years &ndash Kansas, Washington, North Carolina, and Maryland &ndash have rejected these plans. As with all other for-profit corporations, the foundational legal obligation of EmblemHealth will be to maximize profits for its shareholders. The pursuit of profit will therefore be the company's premiere priority, surpassing the provision of quality health care services to its members as the company's primary goal. This will inevitably lead to higher prices for health care consumers and the cutting of corners with respect to the quality of health care services. If EmblemHealth raises its rates, its competitors are likely to do so as well, and all New Yorkers will suffer. A number of studies have shown that for-profit health insurance companies provide poorer quality health services and have lower rates of customer satisfaction than not-for-profit health care providers.
Currently, both GHI and HIP are financially viable and provide quality health care services to New Yorkers. There is absolutely no reason to permit a conversion to not-for-profit status, particularly when for-profit health care providers have been proven to be worse for New Yorkers than not-for-profits. Comprehensive, quality, healthcare for all New Yorkers must be the primary goal of health care providers &ndash not the acquisition of profit. For all these reasons, I strongly oppose the conversion of GHI and HIP to the for-profit EmblemHealth.
Thank you very much for your consideration of my position on this important matter.
Sincerely,

Thomas K. DuaneNew York State Senate29th District

Marty Goodman Leads Charge to Cool Off Moblie Wash Rooms

In two weeks Marty Goodman did what the union could not for over a decade -- he got air conditioning for the Mobile Wash room at West 4th street.

Mr. Goodman, a three time executive board member of TWU Local 100 went directly to Howard Roberts, the President of the Transit Authority and made it clear that cleaners in Stations need and deserve air conditioning now in the summer.

After going through the very bureaucratic T.A. chain of command, Mr.Goodman said enough and on June 23rd, sent a letter directly to Mr. Roberts about the inhumane working conditions at West 4th street. As of this past weekend, a temporary AC has already been put in at the Mobile Wash room at West 4th St.

But this is not just about West 4th Street; you can go into any Mobile Wash room and you will see many rooms without basic amenities such as AC.

That is why, following several meetings with the members at West 4th Street an informational picket has been scheduled for 8:00 am this Wednesday, July 16th at 2 Broadway at the T.A. headquarters. We will picket until we get A/C in all Mobile Wash rooms.

But that is just a start: we will not stop our Take Back Our Union action approach in Stations until both the T.A. and the union stop treating us like second class employees and members. As the members of Stations prepare to take back our union, this victory for cleaners in Stations is the first step on a long road to dignity and respect.

Is Democracy Dead in TWU Local 100?

With the passing of the recent By-law amendments many feel that true Union Democracy is dead in Local 100. But if you carefully look at it, the Bylaw changes main function is to solidify the position of those already in power. While it does limit the members choices in things like conventions etc, it does not kill democracy in Local 100. It merely changes the playing field.
These Bylaw changes make Union-wide elections even more important than they once were. As it stands, the only way to really effect change in Local 100 is voting in Union-wide elections. If you don't like the job your Union reps are doing: vote them out. If you think they all stink: clean house.
In turn this makes being up to date on your Union dues crucial.
In order to vote, you must be paid up. In order to run for office you must be paid up for 12 months. If you are paid up, both back dues and current dues, you can shape the direction of the Union. Want better reps? Better contracts? Want to vote on the contract? Pay your Union dues.
Having some extra pocket change each month is great, but protecting your pension, your job and having a say in your next contract is even better.

The Healthy,Wealthy and Wise Seminars Series Returns Wednesday July 9th

The Healthy,Wealthy and Wise seminar series returns Wednesday July 9th with both an A.M. and a P.M. session. The free workshops are designed specifically to help transit workers get their finances in order and to better prepare them for retirement. In these changing times of rising expenses, it is never to early to prepare for retirement. Thinking about buying a home, but think you cannot afford it? Don't know what type of life insurance is best for you and your family?Want to know about inside secrets on how to repair your credit? These are just some of the questions that you can have answered absolutely free of charge this summer on Wednesdays.

For those of you not familiar with this series, they are an ongoing series of workshops focusing on helping transit workers reach their individual health, finance and educational goals. The seminars were started by a small group of station members who were each experiencing their own financial challenges and hardships. We first approached the union with the idea of holding financial seminars at the union hall, and were told the union did not have the time or the resources to do these type of forums. We felt this information was so important and powerful we pooled what little resources we had and the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise seminar series was born.

Initially the main focus of these seminars had been finance; recently we have begun to hold seminars on health and wellness, including weight loss. We have also held joint educational forums with the UFT on the GHI/HIP merger, and will soon be covering our workers compensation and safety forums.

But don't take my word on the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise forums; listen to what your co-workers have to say about the workshops. Or better yet, take time out one Wednesday this summer to get your assets in order. These seminars will focus on the topic of finance every other Wednesday though out the summer, so don't be left out - come experience what every one in transit is talking about, and and get your assets in order. Transit workers have no excuse this summer not to get their financial house in order as Healthy Wealthy and Wise will be coming to all five boroughs, beginning Wednesday July 9th, at the Afrikan Poetry Theatre in Jamaica Queens, located at 176-03 Jamaica Avenue.

Vote No to By - Law Changes from Richard Rivera -CED

Executive Board Member -Tony Guishard says:

Screw the members; let them make their dues payments on their own like the rest of us.

Why should the shop committee help them out by collecting checks and forwarding the payments to the Union Hall?

Why would he say this?
Because him, Toussaint and Nelson Rivera don’t want you to pay your dues. They don’t want you to have a voice, vote and an opinion.

He even went as far to say that “allowing the members to vote on the by-law changes is just a courtesy. The E-Board should be making the decision alone, without the members input”.

PAY YOUR DUES SO YOU CAN VOTE!

THE BY-LAW CHANGES ARE A SCAM! VOTE NO
and help to Take Back Our Union from the Scam Artists. Tell ‘em to keep the dog tags

FYI from Richard Rivera Shop Steward Car Repair
Member in Good Standing

Stations members fight for Heathcare Reform while Leadership Remains Silent

Here is another interesting article on the struggle to stop the conversion of GHI/HIP into a for profit healthcare insurance corporation. Members of the Transport Worker Union Local 100 from Stations are stepping up as their leadership remains silent.

City Workers Face Costly HIP ReplacementBy Chris Cascarano From
the June 26, 2008 issue Posted in Local Email this article

Cranes fall. Billion-dollar corporate giveaways are negotiated behind closed doors. Greedy politicians and executives seek to dismember a not-for-profit healthcare company utilized by millions of people. Each of these stories and a hundred others like them are presented randomly by the media. Yet, a single-minded logic flows through them all. As our city is auctioned off to the investor class, is there room for any other concern besides maximizing profit? This article is part 1 of 3 in the Carving Up New York series, please see part 2 and part 3 in this issue of The Indypendent.
Maurice Jenkins, a 50-year-old MTA station agent, stands on his feet for many hours a day, and despite a click in his knee, he has no major illness or condition that needs medical attention. “I’ve been blessed with good health,” says Jenkins.

However, Jenkins and much of New York’s municipal work force face
an uncertain future as their main health care providers, GHI (Group Health Incorporated) and HIP (Health Insurance Plan for Greater New York), move to convert themselves into a single, for-profit enterprise. “I’m not satisfied now,” says Jenkins, who has worked at MTA for 27 years. “You have to shop around to different doctors to get anything done. But the wild thing is, it could get worse.”

GHI and HIP are the two largest remaining not-for-profit insurers in the region, with combined annual revenues of $7 billion. They cover 93 percent of the city’s work force, some 518,000 people, and about 4 million people statewide.

The two organizations united in 2006, raising antitrust concerns that were not pursued by state or federal officials. In April 2007, Emblem Health Inc., the parent company of GHI-HIP, filed a conversion plan with the State Department of Insurance. The conversion is a fundamental change in corporate structure that will legally obligate GHI-HIP executives to make as much money as
possible for shareholders, and critics worry that it will unleash the same
market forces that have left tens of millions of Americans uninsured or under insured.

“Consumers’ cost of coverage will increase and benefits will weaken or
water down,” says Chuck Bell of the Consumers Union, who spoke at a June 19
protest organized by the Coalition Against Privatization (CAP) outside of GHI’s headquarters. According to GHI’s web site, converting to for-profit
status will allow the company to raise more funding in capital markets and be
able to offer “greater flexibility in types of coverage, more choice in benefit
plans, and more customer-driven innovations that improve access to care.” GHI also says rates for customers will be determined by the same factors as before.

Eric Laursen, a New York City-based journalist and activist who writes about social services issues, begs to differ. “They [GHI-HIP] are going to start to differentiate their customers,” says Laursen. “People who are more affluent are
going to get all sorts of boutique packages that they will be charged lots of
money for. For less well-off people they [GHI-HIP] will charge a lot more money for a narrower range of services.”

OFF THE RADAR
The conversion plan has received little attention and has gone largely unchallenged by the leadership of the city’s municipal unions. The first public outcry came in late January when the State Department of Insurance public hearings were held in New York City and Albany. Some 300 people attended the events to voice their opinions before New York State Superintendent of Insurance, Eric Dinallo, who will make the final decision.

According to the city’s Deputy Mayor of Operations, Edward Skyler, who spoke
at January’s hearing on behalf of Mayor Bloomberg, the conversion will lead to higher premiums that the city will have to make up. “All factors demonstrate that GHI and HIP cannot convert to a for-profit corporation without inflicting irrecoverable harm on the city,” Skyler said at the Jan. 29 hearing in New York. The city has filed a
lawsuit to block the consolidation and conversion of GHI and HIP that is still pending in the courts.

Since the meetings, the application has been amended and the conditions of the application are being reworked, according to the New York State Department of Insurance. For those opposed to the conversion, the Department of Insurance’s willingness to scrutinize the conversion more closely was unexpected. “It’s good news,” says Bill Wharton, a CAP organizer. “We really didn’t expect this
and it’s definitely taking a turn for the better.” If the conversion does go
forward, the City would like to receive a sizeable chunk of the $3-5 billion in assets
that will be liquidated when GHI-HIP goes private. So too would various
unions. By law, all the proceeds from the conversion would go into the State’s
coffers even though the City has contributed 60 percent of the combined value of GHI-HIP since the two groups were founded in 1937 and 1947, respectively.

For Laursen, the proposed conversion of GHI-HIP is a part of larger trend over the
past 20 years of mutual insurance companies transforming themselves into
for-profit ventures. “The slow-rolling collapse of our health care system”
“The for-profit drive that started at the top of the insurance market with
the likes of Prudential and Equitable and continued with many of the Blue
Cross/Blue Shields has worked its way down to outfits like GHI-HIP, who for a long time have been the place you went if you wanted low-cost coverage of all the basics,” Laursen says. “This is another ingredient in the slow-rolling collapse of our health care system. The private sector can no longer provide a model of coverage for low-income people with chronic health problems.”

In what may be a sign of things to come, compensation for HIP’s top ten executives doubled in 2007 with CEO Anthony Watson leading the way, according to a report in the New York Sun. Watson’s pay jumped to $4.79 million in 2007 from $2.15 million. HIP’s Chief Operating Officer Daniel McGowan earned $2.46 million, up from $1.14 million while Chief Financial Officer and General Consul Michael Fullwood was paid $1.99 million, an increase from $896,000.

While top executives prosper, Laursen says the cost of for-profit conversions like the ones being pursued by GHI-HIP falls on the public sector. “More
and more people who are low income are going to be forced to do two things: go
to emergency rooms for primary care and fall back on Medicaid,” Laursen says. “By going to a for-profit model, these companies are going to be passing on the cost of covering people who are less well off to the states and the federal government.”

As the number of uninsured people in the United States has increased to 47 million in 2006 and another 40 million are under-insured, the battle for CAP isn’t solely for preventing the privatization of GHI-HIP. It’s allied with Health Care Now, a national coalition that is pressing the United States to join the two dozen nations in the industrialized world that have adopted universal, single-payer health care, a government-sponsored system that guarantees coverage to everyone regardless of income or pre-existing conditions. Legislation that would guarantee this currently has only 88 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

“Any kind of national reform where you reduce the cost of administrative spending will increase health care quality,” Bell said. “It could get consumers more efficiency and bang for their buck in terms of health care coverage.”—

Laursen, who suffers from asthma, would like to see such a move. After being covered by GHI for the past seven years through his union, he switched last month to a bare bones plan offered by Oxford Insurance due to skyrocketing rate increases from GHI. “They are trying to jack things up now so their balance sheet looks better to investors,” Laursen says. “You can’t wait until you go private. You have to make yourself look good now.”

As for Maurice Jenkins, he says GHI has been good about covering his checkups, but he still worries about being denied coverage for more serious problems that might arise after the company goes private. “Checkups aren’t what is important when it comes to health care,” said Jenkins. “What is important is that they take major surgeries or chemotherapy — that is what matters.”

For more, see healthcare-now.org

Additional reporting by John Tarleton. Subscribe to the Indypendent!

Double-Dipping TWU Secretary Treasurer

Interesting Article From the TWU Bus Website:

TWU Secretary Treasurer ED Watt Exposed as Double Agent for MTA!

Ed Watt is the second most frequent user of FREE E-ZPass issued by MTA to
Board Members, as reported by Pete Donohue, NY Daily News on Friday, June 20th, 2008. (Click here for whole story)

Mr. Watt is listed as a non-voting MTA Board Member. I guess that means he gets all the perks too!! Now, lets look at this carefully- A Union spokesman defends Ed Watt by stating "Ed's full-time job is conducting MTA business, and that's what he
uses his E-ZPass for," let's not forget Ed Watt is elected by us, the
membership, to do our bidding not the MTA's. He is on the MTA Board with the #2
highest usage of the free E-ZPass.

His title is still Bus Operator That means he still has a TA issued Employee Metro Card now... The Union Hall is still over on West End Avenue (no new building yet...) and the MTA Headquaters Building is on Madison Avenue and
44th Street. You mean Bloomberg built a toll booth between the Union Hall &
the MTA and we missed it?

Oh wait...got it! He lives out in Belle Harbor, in that really big expensive
Victorian house one door from the Atlantic Ocean that he purchased with his
Union Salary ($125,730 as per 2007 LM2) and commutes over MTA Toll Bridges
daily... for FREE???

As reported by Pete Donohoue of the NY Daily News, MTA Board Vice Chairman David Mack , has publicly stated that the use of mass transit is sort of beneath him... Is this the same sentiment that Ed Watt has? He doesn't use Mass Transit either, a service provided by the very people he is supposed to represent! Another thought... If Ed Watt is on the MTA Board getting this and who knows what other perks, where is the mandate for him to be an advocate for 37,000 members in need of a contract by years' end?

What other perks or deals are our Top "Elected" Officers receiving from the MTA
to soften their views and undermine the membership's voice.

Eddie what have you done?

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.

The Reason I Vote NO On The By-Law Changes

By Station Agent Christine Williams

There are so many reasons that I don’t know where to start. I don’t know, but this whole thing is suspect to me. In my opinion, the last thing this union needs is to amend the Local 100 By Laws.

Think about it. Right now TWU Local 100 has a lot of very important issues to deal with. I think the number one issue is to increase and encourage members to pay their dues. Almost half the membership cannot even vote on this issue, so whats the point?

Changing a union's by laws is a very big deal. These changes can permanently alter this union and burden the membership for years to come. Are any of these changes going to benefit the union as a whole? Or will it merely centralize the control to a few people at the top? Will any of these changes give more control to its members to make changes in union leadership? Or will these changes make it harder for the members to choose who they want to represent them?

Just to give you a couple of examples of what I mean: For one, this union wants us to vote on moving this year’s union election up to June. I mean, really, is that so important that you have to amend the union's by laws?

They also want to change the way to choose delegates that go to the convention.

I can think of a thousand things that can be done to improve this union. And I know you can too. Why spend tens of thousands of dollars on this election to change the union's by laws, when we should be using this money to run the union?

I think the number one issue for this union right now is to encourage all Local 100 members to pay their dues! This union needs to increase the amount of members in good standing to have a fair and honest election. But it looks like this union has another agenda.

I guess it’s going to be up to us, the members of TWU Local 100 to stand up and Take Back Our Union. By not paying your dues you give the union leadership more power to dictate the out come of union referendums and union elections.

I am not going to tell you how to vote, but please just read the ballot for yourselves and ask yourselves some questions. How will all these amendment changes benefit Local 100 as a whole? How will these changes help me and my fellow brothers and sisters in TWU Local 100? Then make your choice.

I have already made my choice. And that is why I vote “NO “ on the by law changes!

May 9th Rally against Privitization of Healthcare

Rally to stop GHI-HIP merger.