Twu In A Positive Light!

[Checking it Out]

The Transport Workers Union of America was founded in 1934 as an industrial union dedicated to the promise that an organization built on trust and equality for all workers cannot be denied. Our motto is "United-Invincible."

TWU is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the worldwide International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). We are a trade union representing workers in Mass Transportation, Airline, Railroad, Utility, University, Municipalities, Service and allied industries.

Our union operates on three levels -- the International Union, Industrial Divisions and Local affiliates. All TWU members belong to Locals formed on the basis of interest and geographic location. The members elect their own Local officers who handle most of their problems. The International Union coordinates the activities of the Divisions and the Locals and assists in negotiations, organizing drives and legislative campaigns. It provides professional legal, education, research and public relations services to the Locals and Divisions.

The supreme policy-making body of the union is the International Convention which is held every four years. International officers are elected at the Convention. The International Constitution, which governs all union activities, is reviewed and amended at that time as well.

Between Conventions, the policy-making bodies of the union are the International Executive Council and International Executive Board. Division Councils meet at regular intervals to discuss and formulate policies affecting their own particular memberships.
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The TWU represents many in the transportation Industry including Rail, Aviation and transit divisions. Many want you to believe the TWU cannot effectively represent you! This is a false impression.

We have seen the destruction of our profession within the airline industry caused by a group who believes in the concept of divide and conquer. This has worked within the aviation mechanics profession. At NW, United and SWA this concept is working very good. All you hear about is the continued decline of moral. Whether it’s outsourcing, layoffs or who should be allow in a local body? It’s all about the divide and conquer concept. As this continues the division becomes so great that all you see is a hate for all unions and associations. Families break up, distrust sets in and companies do what they want to employees and so forth. Of course the concept of having AMT’s in one union should be allowed? Well the NMB over the last 50 years determines this concept.

We at AA know this best of all! We have been in a constant mode of divide and conquer since 1998 from outside influences! This outside organization has done extensive damage. To the point we may never see the kind of unity that was so prevalent in the 40’s.

I know that a spin will be put on this, All you have to do is look and see who is in the papers on a continues basis in a negative light and who is in the paper on a positive light. The track record is evident! Get informed and become educated and don’t allow outside influences cause the downfall of us at AA!

Go to the TWU International and see all the positives the TWU is doing on a daily basis!

 

[TonyB]

CIO at the Tulsa pep rally Jan 17, 2004


REPEAT THE BIG LIE OFTEN ENOUGH AND SOON EVERYONE WILL BELIEVE IT. :down: :down:

 

[Hopeful]

CIO:

It's funny you would start a topic of the TWU IN A POSITIVE LIGHT!


I see you finally found something that one might perceive as POSITIVE in respect to the TWU!

Keep searching!

 

[NyQuill]

Good post CIO...!

Interesting source of TonyB's pic..http://www.us-israel.org/images/goebbels.jpg

Have a nice day!

 

[Hopeful]

YES

 

[Hopeful]

I see at the end of your post, you give a link to the TWU INTERNATIONAL to see all the positive things the TWU does on a daily basis.!

Can't you find any positive info on the TWU other than the TWU INTERNATIONAL WEB SITE????????????

 

[Checking it Out]

Vision 2025 Ring a bell? Or how about the full overhaul capabilities?

Nice sticker, It worked for the intended porpose at the time! Continue the half-truths!

 

[TonyB]

Do you have a problem with the source of CIO's picture Herr Nyquill? Perhaps you should take it up with these fellows.

=

 

[NyQuill]

Do you have a problem with the source of CIO's picture Herr Nyquill?

Who's picture? Thought you posted that one TonyB...ya give CIO way to much credit...he only posts the facts and spreads the love...HAHAHA

 

[Thrustfuljet]

deadbolt Posted: Feb 16 2004, 10:52 PM


Newbie


Group: Member
Posts: 13
Member No.: 3,399
Joined: 4-February 04



AMFA supporters are not the only ones that have called TWU: "Commies!"
RED was a familar term in the 30's and 40's for commie, and quill is the founder of TWU!

These two books are at the central library in Tulsa!

“Unaware of the Faustian nature of his remarks, he often said, “Sure I worked with the Communists. In 1933 I would have make a pact with the Devil himself if he could have given us the money, the mimeograph machines and the manpower to launch the Transport Workers Union.â€￾ Page 63; Mike Quill Himself, By Shirley Quill

“The leadership of the Communist Party also recognized that Mike was the key to the union’s organization drive. …They had found each other at exactly the right moment in history.â€￾ Page 68; Mike Quill Himself, By Shirley Quill

“I once asked two early members of TWU why they accepted Mike’s ties with the Communists. “It’s simple. We trusted Mike Quill,â€￾ they answered. Page 68; Mike Quill Himself, By Shirley Quill

“The story of the successful seizure of the Kent Avenue power plant, which launched the Transport Workers Union, is well known among union historians. What is not known is that before the emergency session with the powerhouse workers, Mike, Hogan, MacMahon and Santo had met with the top officials of the trade union department of the Communist Party. These men and women were appalled by the plan to stage a sit-in strike and attempted to forbid it. “ Page 89; Mike Quill Himself, By Shirley Quill

“The majority of TWU’s International Board were members of the Communist Party. They controlled the union’s finances and its legal, publicity, clerical and organizaing staff. The canard had persisted for years that Mike was just a figurehead. He was the clown, the political baboon; the Party was the brains of TWU.â€￾ Page 201; Mike Quill Himself, By Shirley Quill



“The six ruddy Irishmen had been told to change their names during the time they spent in the cafeteria and to use passwords when discussing the meeting in other public places. They turned to listen to the seventh man, a slim, dark-eyed, dark-complexioned Hungarian, a stranger to the tunnels, He coolly informed them that they were to be the founders and leaders of a new, powerful Transport Workers Union. He added, calmly, that they were going to control everything on wheels with the support and direction of the Communist Party, U.S.A., which , in turn, took its orders from Moscow.â€￾ Page 16; The man who ran the subways, By L.H. Whittemore









“The Transport Workers Union sought this objective as an “industrialâ€￾ union rather than as a “craftâ€￾ organization. It would carry the full weight of all the workers, not just those specializing in any one craft, or skill. In this way, TWU could authorize a strike of all the employees, no just of some of them, and would be not only a representative of the workers, but an effective power when dealing with management, The strength in unity and numbers sought by the Communist Party coincided perfectly with that sought by a good trade union.â€￾ Page 25; The man who ran the subways, By L.H. Whittemore

“The unionization of New York City’s transit workers in this fashion, under the banner of TWU, would be an achievement on major historic importance to organized labor. At the same time, it was John Santo’s method of going under cover in the transit drive-by using the Transport Workers Union as the sole vehicle for recruiting new Communist Party members.â€￾ Page 26; The man who ran the subways, By L.H. Whittemore

“The convention went smoothly except for one small disruption when an astute delegate rose from the floor and offered a resolution against communism. The board had just passed two such denunciations of fascism, and the delegate wanted to include communism “or any other ‘ism’ except Americanism.â€￾ The board’s faces changed color. The officers spoke for three hours against the resolution. MacMahon claimed it would start a witch hunt in the TWU. Finally, it was removed from the order of business and forgotten.â€￾ Page 61; The man who ran the subways, By L.H. Whittemore

“Pehaps the biggest conflict within Quill was his preachment of communism under the guise of Connolly socialism, which did not sit well with his antisocialistic Irishmen.â€￾ Page 94; The man who ran the subways, By L.H. Whittemore

“The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union officials to take an oath that they were not Communists, but the government was not going to wait for John Santo to speak up. To its original 1941 charge that Santo had entered the country illegally, the government now added the charge that he advocated the forcible overthrow of the United States government.â€￾ Page 129; The man who ran the subways, By L.H. Whittemore


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www.laborreport.com

deadbolt Posted: Feb 16 2004, 10:58 PM


Newbie


Group: Member
Posts: 13
Member No.: 3,399
Joined: 4-February 04



One of the books was written by Quill's widow!


“Mike provided the show, subbed “Quill’s biennial circusâ€￾; he had been threatening citywide transit strikes since 1934 but had never called one. “reasonable people,â€￾ he said, “reach reasonable settlements. We don’t strike for the sake of striking. We are a responsible union.â€￾ Page 310, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill


“There was one fly in the ointment-Tom O’Shea. The boys decided to dump him because of his contentious tongue and capricious behavior. At a hastily called Delegates Council meeting Mike Quill was elected president, and Austin Hogan general secretary. That meeting was not a showpiece of democratic procedure, but Mike did not object to the shortcut that gave him the presidency of the Transport Workers Union.â€￾ Page83, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“Mike soon realized the club was part of a well-organized bootlegging operation and served as one of its many warehouses. The Quill had a wonderful time; smuggling booze during Prohibition was almost as much fun as smuggling arms for the IRA.â€￾ Page 44, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“Mike frequently remarked that he must have been born hating landlords, owners of enormous tracts of good Irish earth, symbols of British oppression. In a heady act of defiance, Mike had helped in his IRA days to put the match to many stately mansions of the absentee alien aristocracy that owned too much and did too little for the poor Irish farmers.â€￾ Page 59, Mike Quill himself; by Shirley Quill

“The leadership of the Communist Party also recognized that Mike was the key to the union’s organization drive. A remarkable alchemy united Irish Catholic nationalist rebels and American Communist in the struggle against a common enemy-exploitation of working people by the corporate trusts in depressed America. They had found each other at exactly the right moment in history.â€￾ Page 68, Mike Quill himself; by Shirley Quill

“I once asked two early members of TWU why they accepted Mike’s ties with the Communists. “It’s simple. We trusted Mike Quill,â€￾ they answered.â€￾ Page 68, Mike Qull himself; by Shirley Quill

“One of the founding members of TWU recalled a conversation with Mike when the union was still a secret organization with a handful of members. The then youthful subway worker was tired and discouraged. “it’s no use, Mike. How can we organize thirty-five thousand workers? We’ve been trying for months, and we’ve got only a hundred and thirty members.â€￾ “look what Jesus Christ did with twelve,â€￾ Mike countered. “But Mike, we’re trying to build a union, not a new religion.â€￾ “’Tis the same thing,â€￾ Mike replied.â€￾ Page 85, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“The delegates were obviously uninhibited, their remarks peppered with Irish wit and whimsy. The gavel-wielding Mike pulled some gaffes that would shock the serious student of parliamentary procedure to the marrow. I later asked him how he had learned to chair a convention with such professionalism.. He grinned. “I didn’t know Mr. Robers of the sky over him,: he admitted. “I picked up a few pointers watching the president of the City Council and Jogn L. Lewis, who was a master of the gavel.â€￾ Mike freely acknowledged that he was governed by his own ideas of what was right and/or expedient. “If someone quoted Roberts’ Rules of Order and it make sense, I would rule on the motion based on what I had heard, but if I didn’t understand it or didn’t like it, I would pretend I didn’t hear the speaker and just keep going.â€￾ Anything and everything went at that convention.â€￾ Page 109, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“Mike, paraphrasing Lenin, called the taxi drivers “the limping proletariat.â€￾ Page 114, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“A year later, when TWU was battling the Fifth Avenue Coach Company in the first New York City bus strike since the union was organized, the Dies Committee released its apocalyptic findings: that the TWU, headed by Michael J. Quill, was on of the CIO-affiliated unions under Communist leadership. The findings were “documentedâ€￾ by excerpts from the testimony of four subway workers who alleged they had been members of the Communist Party with Quill et al. The committee also relied heavily on Daily Worker reports of meetings, demonstrations, rallies and picket lines in which Michael J. had participated.â€￾ Page 126, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“Within the union, tensions had been mounting between Mike and the Communists on many issues. When the twenty-four-cent wage increase was announced, the comrades went berserk. They had not been consulted. Everyone in the city who was involved in labor negotiations knew that a thirty-cent increase was impossible: Quill had pulled the rabbit out of the hat by winning twenty-four cent.â€￾ Page 187, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“After William Z. Foster seized control of the Communist Party following World War II, visits by its national officers to Transport Hall became more frequent and discussions more acrimonious as Mike found himself in daily disagreement with the Party stalwarts and the Party line. Mike told me he was convince Foster wasn’t quite right in the head.â€￾ Page 194, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“Ultimately a motormen’s division was established within the New York local, and it became one of the pillars of TWU. But this was a strike against TWU’s industrial union structure, the dissidents demanding a separate union solely for their craft. Mike took over.â€￾ Page 265, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“It was a bewildering time for Mike and his friends. The Communist Party was giving the fledgling union money, manpower, mimeograph machines, ideas; his church was on the side of the exploiters.â€￾ Page 302, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

“The placid inarticulate rank and filers could be easily convinced by Mike that they had a great victory when they had achieved only pennies-as in past no-strike years.â€￾ Page 312, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

I just thought that since we were talking about the twu we ought to bring some facts to the table...

 

[Checking it Out]

Great post, here is the history of Michael:

Michael J. Quill, Founding President, 1934-1966

Michael J. Quill, founder of the Transport Workers Union of America in 1934, was also its first International President. Born in the village of Gortloughera in Kilgarvan, County Kerry, in 1905, Mike Quill was nurtured by the Irish revolt against British occupation. Because of his involvement with the rebellion, he had to leave his country and travel to America where he found work building the IND (Independent) subway in New York City. He held various other jobs until becoming a changemaker on the IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit). Times were tough and the 12-hour, 7 day work week was all-too-common.


The new IRT employee prided himself on having worked almost all of the change booths in the system and while he did so, Mike Quill began to organize the workforce. He was assisted by a talented group of transportation workers, many of whom were Irish-born, Irish-Americans. Some were quite radical, but all committed to the union cause.


By 1935, Mike Quill began to agitate openly for the union. He set up his soapbox at lunch hour at the powerhouses or in the shops. It was the famous shopgate meetings which helped make him a popular figure on the transit property. He also appeared on radio in 1936 to bring the union's message across to the widest audience.


Reflecting on those years, Mike Quill once recalled, "we were no experts in the field of labor organization, but we had something in common with our fellow workers -- we were all poor -- we were all overworked -- we were all victims of the 84 hour week. In fact, we were all so low down on the economic and social ladder that we had nowhere to go but up."


1966 N.Y. Transit Strike
What Mike Quill is probably most remembered for, is his role in the 1966 transit strike in New York City. New York transit had always been a political football and in 1966 the issue of who was to pay for transit funding loomed large. An ailing Mike Quill, weakened by a series of heart attacks, would not be daunted by politicians' pronouncements and editorial page attacks. Called an "irresponsible demagogue" and "lawless hooligan" by the press, he only wanted what was fair for his members, even at the cost of a strike.


TWU had made its economic demands known in July 1965, but negotiations dragged on with no movement by the Transit Authority. At the top of TWU's list were wage increases to make up for the rise in the cost of living generated by the Vietnam War inflation.


In November 1965, John V. Lindsay was elected mayor. Unlike his predecessor, Robert Wagner, he did not take an active role in the negotiations. The TA pleaded poverty and without any leadership from the Mayor, they made no offers to the union. In fact, the Mayor-elect decided to take a vacation in Puerto Rico.


As the clock ran down, the union made strike preparations as it had so many times before. Procrastination was nothing new to the transit managers. Only this time, it appeared that the new mayor either did not believe Mike Quill would make good on the strike threat, or he thought he could beat the transit employees down into submission. Whatever the motive, he was wrong.

Drop Dead in His Black Robes
The new mayor showed up at the last minute on New Year's Eve and the Transit Authority finally put a package on the table. It was too little and it came too late. On the morning of January 1, 1966, TWU members finished their last runs and by 8:02 A M., the last train had rolled into the terminal. No buses or subways would run for 10 days.


On that first day, an injunction was issued to halt the strike. In one of his dozens of press appearances, Mike Quill tore up the injunction in front of the television cameras. During the strike, 64 camera crews from all over the world covered the event and its leader Mike Quill. The four major networks kept their television crews on call for 24 hours a day at the Americana Hotel in case of a late-breaking event.


On the second day of the strike, TWU reduced its economic demands. the TA made no response. In fact, the only response was an arrest order issued by a judge for violation of the injunction. Six TWU leaders and three Amalgamated Transit Union leaders were to be arrested at 11 A.M. on January 4. Mike Quill responded: "The courts may have their finest hours, but they'll not break us. We will not settle for one penny less than our objectives."


The next morning, Mike Quill walked into the Americana Hotel ballroom to meet the press, mediators, and TWU negotiators. Clearly, the strike was taking its toll on the TWU leader but brazenly he announced: "The judge can drop dead in his black robes. I don't care if I rot in jail. I will not call off the strike."


Taken to jail, Mike Quill's condition worsened and he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. Arrested along with him were International Secretary Treasurer Matthew Guinan, International Vice President Frank Sheehan, Local 100 President Daniel Gilmartin, Local 100 Secretary Treasurer Ellis Van Riper, Local 100 Recording Secretary Mark Kavanagh, and ATU officers John Rowland, William Mangus, and Frank Kleess.


TWU's second line of leaders, headed by Secretary-Treasurer Doug MacMahon, stepped in to head the strike efforts. Negotiations continued and on January 10, City Hall witnessed a massive labor demonstration of 15,000 pickets. Joining the TWU strikers were members from other TWU locals and other New York trade unions. The next day brought movement from both assisted by the mediators. At 1:37 A.M. on January 13, Doug MacMahon announced that the union was recommending settlement. Mike Quill listened to the announcement of the settlement from his room in the hospital.


The package was worth over $60 million and included raises which would increase wages from $3.18 to $4.14 an hour. Included was another paid holiday, increased pension benefits, and other gains. But the cost of the strike could not be measured in dollar amounts. Mike Quill had been transferred to Mt. Sinai Medical Hospital for further care and was finally released three weeks after his jailing. He addressed his last press conference in the Americana hotel ballroom that day. At night he celebrated victory in a speech to thousands of TWU stewards, the troops who helped pull off the successful strike.


Death took the founder and builder of the TWU on January 28, 1966. The TWU EXPRESS reported that month: Mike Quill "did not hesitate or equivocate. He died as he lived fighting the good fight for TWU and its members."

 

[TonyB]

Quill is long dead and probably rolling over in his grave knowing that the TWU is represented by the likes of CIO and the rest of the TeAAm TWU knuckle draggers :down:

 

[Thrustfuljet]

What do you think Michael J Quill would think about what transformed here at American Airlines last year in negotiations?

I for one believe he is rolling over in his grave. I believe he would have put up a better fight than what we witnessed last year. I believe he would have had the guts to fight it to the end. I don not share all his beliefs but I do not think he would have turned tail a run. I do not believe he would have forced people to accept a contract they voted down like the twu did with the Tech Services people here at AA.

This one reason with Tech Services was the last straw for me. An injustice to one is an injustice to all.

I say lets bring in AMFA!!! Give someone else a try who is willing to fight!!!
TWU has had many years on trying and all I have seen is concessions.
Time to pull together and fight...

 

[TonyB]

“The placid inarticulate rank and filers could be easily convinced by Mike that they had a great victory when they had achieved only pennies-as in past no-strike years.â€￾ Page 312, Mike Quill, himself; by Shirley Quill

I see the TWU has'nt changed it's modus operandi :down: :down:

 

[Checking it Out]

What do you think Michael J Quill would think about what transformed here at American Airlines last year in negotiations?

I for one believe he is rolling over in his grave. I believe he would have put up a better fight than what we witnessed last year. I believe he would have had the guts to fight it to the end. I don not share all his beliefs but I do not think he would have turned tail a run. I do not believe he would have forced people to accept a contract they voted down like the twu did with the Tech Services people here at AA.

This one reason with Tech Services was the last straw for me. An injustice to one is an injustice to all.

I say lets bring in AMFA!!! Give someone else a try who is willing to fight!!!
TWU has had many years on trying and all I have seen is concessions.
Time to pull together and fight...

At what point do you justify your message? before or after your seniority date?

What I have noticed is the 10,000 members on layoff under the watch of axxx would be singing a DIFFERENT TUNE had they seen the destruction that it has caused!