Report of June 28, 2012 Executive Board meeting

Steve Downs  T/O

This is NOT an official record or report of the meeting.  It is based solely on my own notes

President's Report

The OA supervisor who licked the face of a female B/O, and is accused of inappropriate conduct by several other women B/Os, has been suspended.  He has been written up for dismissal and is appealing.  This action by management comes as Local 100 has filed actions in state and federal courts accusing the MTA of failing to enforce their own policies against sexual harassment.  Local 100 has also filed a complaint with the Public Employment Safety and Health office.

In July, Local 100 will begin filing in Small Claims court to collect back dues from people who took promotions to supervision while still owing dues to the Local.

The MTA's Business Services Center opens next week.  Meetings between Local 100 officers and the MTA produced some improvements in the MTA's plans.  We will be watching closely to make sure our members benefits and pay are protected.

Reps in Surface and Stations have been working closely with groups in the community to push for the restoration of service cut and booths closed in 2010.  This is beginning to bear fruit.  Some bus service has been restored and the MTA is openly talking about their intention to restore more service.

The MTA continues to refuse to renegotiate interest rate swaps that provide windfall profits to Wall St. banks.  Local 100 will be stepping up activity on this issue and working with other unions and groups to make the money currently going to Wall St available for service restoration, wages and benefits.

Rules for the Local election this fall will be presented at the July or August meeting. 

The US Senate is poised to adopt a surface transportation bill which contains significant incentives to privatize transit jobs.

The processing of refunds from the Solidarity Fund is beginning.  Postcards to confirm addresses are being mailed out in early July to everyone who paid into the fund.  Instructions for confirming addresses will be on the card.  The refund checks should be issued in late August.

Main table contract talks are scheduled for Friday, June 29. 

A memo will be issued to all Local 100 staff with the rules for campaigning that they must follow during the coming election campaign.  The rules will mirror those issued in previous elections.

Financial Report

May's financial report was accepted  27 yes, 2 no, 3 abstentions

The COPE report for the second quarter was accepted  26 yes, 2 no, 3 abstentions

Members at Ardsley Bus are voting on a proposed agreement on 6/29.

Members at Baumann Bus approved their proposed agreement by 122 yes, 0 no.

Executive Board voting

The vote by the Executive Board to send the Ardsley contract to the members for ratification was conducted early last week via an email poll.  (The text of the agreement was emailed, members could send in comments or ask questions, and anyone on the Board could participate in the discussion via email.)  This was because of the very small window available to post the notice of the vote and have it take place before the workers at Ardsley finished work for the summer. 

In early 2010, the Board had voted not to hold votes by phone poll because it did not allow for discussion or an exchange of ideas.  Some current Board members felt that the email vote violated the spirit of the vote barring phone voting.  Others just thought it was a bad idea and an emergency board meeting could have been called.  Samuelsen pointed out that this was an exceptional situation, and the fact that this is the first time in 2.5 years that it has happened is proof that it was not done lightly. 

Ed Benjamin (Structure) made a motion that the Executive Board must meet in person to conduct votes.  After considerable discussion, the motion was voted down -- 8 yes, 24 no, 4 abstentions

The motion to adjourn was made after that vote.

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Steve Downs

Chair, T/O Division

TWU Local 100