Roger Toussaint
Roger Toussaint
Roger Toussaintwas the President of Transport Workers UnionLocal 100, the union of New York City Transit Authority employees in New York City and former Vice President of Strategic Planning for the parent union, an international organization...
benefits concession consider coverage fair health items lifetime major medical members pension resolution respect worth
We got the major items that were important to our members with respect to lifetime medical coverage and with respect to a pension rebate worth a lot of money. We made a concession in respect to the health benefits ... We consider that to be an appropriate and fair resolution to the strike.
benefit coverage decent dignity erosion eventual fight hard hard-work health people respect rewarded whether work
New Yorkers, this is a fight over whether hard work will be rewarded with a decent retirement, a fight over the erosion or eventual elimination of health benefit coverage for the working people of New York, it is a fight over dignity and respect on the job.
appear appreciate front governor nation needs political public television threatened tough
We do not appreciate being threatened on public television nonetheless and in front of our children. Even if the governor needs this to appear to be tough to the nation for his own political ambitions, it's inappropriate.
members stand sure together
Our members will stand together and stand firm, and make sure the organization is not broken.
agenda chairman explains stake taking
That explains why he has been muscling and intervening in these negotiations all along, why the chairman has been taking instructions from the mayor. There's an agenda at stake here.
affairs business decide determine involved message stick transit workers
My message is let transit workers decide and determine their own fate. Don't get involved in the business and affairs of our union. If you make a deal, stick to it.
believe burden demands forth pension
That would go a long way to us resuming the negotiations. We believe that the pension demands put forth by the MTA are illegal, and burden the negotiations.
meet near reach results vote
We will communicate with the MTA the results of this vote and we will reach out to meet with them in the near future.
binding possible
We, of course, will do everything possible to keep it out of binding arbitration.
cannot check dollars dues face fight finances impending loss millions paid price standing
We paid the price in millions of dollars in fines, 10 times that for our members, and face impending loss of dues check off which is going to hemorrhage the finances of our union. But you cannot take on a fight like this and not get bloodied. We are still here standing before you bloodied but unbowed.
behavior morning move selfish thugs trains wake
We wake up at 3 and 4 in the morning to move the trains in this town. That's not the behavior of thugs and selfish people.
accept begin bus contract generation leave lines next offered private series spread start strikes transit voted workers
The contract they offered would leave the next generation of transit workers behind, and we will not accept that. We have voted to begin a series of strikes that will start with private bus lines and then spread to MTA properties.
begin board bus executive extending lines onto private series voted
The executive board voted to begin a series of strikes, first out on some of the private bus lines and then extending onto MTA properties.
city extremely fathers points problem shared state
We are not thugs. It points to the problem at the MTA that is shared by the city fathers and the state fathers. ... We find it extremely regrettable.