Yes Local 100 was very supportive of Chuck and I. They set up a Giant RAT at the Internationals offices and a local Labor Newspaper -"The Chief" carried the story. When Local 514 spent thousands of dollars to take out a full page ad attacking Roger and us they printed my entire response (and you know how long they can be)to the ad for free.
O'Brien already put out a letter saying that he does not support the strike, no doubt thats what Sonny told him to do. You see the TWU would rather see the 33,000 subway workers start to lose their benifits even though the MTA has a Billion $ surplus than to sully their reputation as a management friendly union. This time instead of hiding their sellout behind financial difficulties they hide behind the immoral Taylor Act.The International seems to take pleasure in watching its members take cuts and lose benifits while they sit back and let us finance their benifits and ever increasing wages. Mike O'Brien, head of a mid sized union makes over $200,000/yr!
One also has to wonder as the International tells Local 100 they are on their own, like they did in 2002, why do these people get a third of our dues? What do they do for it? We know what they do "with" it. Six figure salaries , expensive perks and unmatched benifits but what do they do "for" it?
In the meantime the International fails to support their Locals even though other unions come out in strong support. One such union was the PBA whose President marched with the strikers and informed them that although his members had to patrol on the other side of the picket lines that their hearts were with the Local 100 workers.
Another New York union leader who pledged support invoked Rosa Parks willful, but justified act of Civil disobedience, her violation of "the law" to counter Billionaire Mayor Bloombergs assertion that he will punish the strikers and Local 100 for violating "the law".
So the Police and other unions are walking with the strikers as the International once again throws their support with management.
What can we do to help?
Start petitions to remove, and file charges against, Mike O'Brien and the entire IEC for and violating Articles II (a), ( B ), ( c ), Article XIX SEct 5 (a)(d)(e)(g)and (n)
Article II(a)
Mike O'Brien and the International IEC have violated Article II (a) Which states in part "To unite in this industrial union" As the custodian of the Constitution they are bound to pursue the objectives as outlined in the Constitution and a public proclamation that they do not support the actions of Local 100, as ratified by a Strike vote of the Local 100 membership, is an attack upon the unity of the membership of Local 100 and the entire TWU.
With the release of OBriens letter the corporate controlled press had a field day reporting that there is division within the TWU, citing that top officials were stating they were against the strike. This explicit display of disunity at such a critical point, with a strike in progress, puts enormous addtional stress upon the striking membership and leadership of Local 100. Its sad that the International can not put their intraorganizataional rivalries aside and support the people who provide them a lavish lifestyle.Imagine what the members of Local 100 must feel like when they know that the top leaders of their union, who grant themselves huge salaries and generous perks and benifits off their dues does, not support them!!!!
Its obvious that Mike and the IEC are more concerned at protecting their six figure salaries and generous perks than the members of the TWU. To them the treasury comes first.
Article II ( B )
Mike O'Brien and the International IECs public betrayal of the members of Local 100 who are exercizing their right to strike as a tool to follow the objectives of article II(b)can only be seen as an effort by the International to assist the MTA in getting the members of Local 100 inadequate wages, and diminished retirement benifits.
Article II ( c )
The Taylor Act is an unjust law. The Internationals support of compliance with this unjust law is counter to article II ©. The Taylor Act threatens the economic security of workers and strips them of their civil liberties. It is the legal equivelent of forced labor.
Article XIX SEct 5 (a)
By acting against the objects as stated in Article II Mike OBrien and the IEC have violated the Constitution.
Article XIX Sect 5 (d)
By failing to support the leadership and membership of Local 100 Mike O'Brien and the IEC "could only" be trying to drive the members of Local 100 out of the TWU. Why would members stay with an organization that takes a third of their dues and does not support them?
Article XIX Sect 5 (e)
Mike O'Brien and the IEC have repeatedly published, circulated and distributed literature to the membership stressing the importance of unity. They asserted that they supported unity, however their actions with Local 100 have proven that to be a gross misrepresentaion of their true position.In the most critical of times they have betrayed the members of Local 100, The negative effects of this bettrayal could have far reaching consequences for workers because as we know in the labor movement "an injury to one is an injury to all".
Article XIX Sect 5 (g)
It goes without saying that Mike O'Brien and the IEC have willfully wronged the leadership and membership of Local 100 in an attempt punish Rojer Toussaint and the majority of the leadership of Local 100 with whom it has a long history of conflict with. Putting the members of Local 100 at risk with this blatent act of disunity in an effort to make politicaln advances within the union is an unforgivable disgrace.
Mike O'Brien and the entire IEC need to be removed from office.
