Roger Toussaint
Encyclopedia
Roger Toussaint was the President of Transport Workers Union
(TWU) Local 100, the union of New York City Transit Authority
employees in New York City
and is now Vice President of Strategic Planning for the parent union, an international organization.
from Trinidad and Tobago
at the age of 18 and settled in Brooklyn
. He enrolled at Brooklyn College, and held a succession of blue collar jobs including working as a welder. He was hired by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
as a cleaner in 1984, and became a track worker in 1985.
In November 1998, he was fired by the Transit Authority for having been in an unauthorized car during working hours, although he was on official union business. Toussaint had been in an accident three months earlier (he was hit at an intersection), and had suffered neck and back injuries. Management had apparently hired private investigators to follow him. When the extensive surveillance was exposed, including trips to his son's nursery school and union meetings, his firing became rallying cry for union members who demanded his reinstatement. In the 2000 union election, he was elected president of the TWU. Upon taking office, he cut his own salary by 25%.
After being re-elected in 2006, he came under heavy criticism from his membership as he began removing union officers who were elected on opposition slates and began working more closely with New York City Transit management.
In mid 2009, amid heavy criticism, Toussaint decided not run for re-election. Instead, Toussaint hand picked a presidential candidate named Curtis Tate to run. Former Toussaint ally John Samuelsen handily defeated Tate and became president of TWU Local 100 effective January 2010.
after a protracted contract dispute with the New York City Transit Authority, concerning worker salaries, retirement age, pensions, and working conditions. Both the MTA's attempts to negotiate pension benefits for public employees as well as the strike were illegal
, as they were in violation of New York State's Taylor Law
. State Justice Theodore Jones has fined the union 2.5 million dollars and suspension of automatic due deductions to all members for striking. He also sentenced Mr. Toussaint to 10 days in jail, which began on April 25, 2006. However, due to good behavior, he was set free on April 28.
On November 10, 2008, a State Supreme Court judge reinstated the Transport Workers Union's dues checkoff. The privilege was stripped from the union as a penalty for its illegal three-day strike in December 2005. The city's Law Department says it will not stand in the way of the ruling because the union has pledged not to conduct illegal transit strikes in the future.
Transport Workers Union
Transport Workers Union may refer to:* The Transport Workers Union of America* The Transport Workers Union of Australia* The Swedish Transport Workers' Union...
(TWU) Local 100, the union of New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
employees in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and is now Vice President of Strategic Planning for the parent union, an international organization.
Early life
Toussaint emigrated to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
at the age of 18 and settled in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He enrolled at Brooklyn College, and held a succession of blue collar jobs including working as a welder. He was hired by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
as a cleaner in 1984, and became a track worker in 1985.
Worker activism
Dissatisfied with working conditions at the Transit Authority, he and his fellow track workers started a newsletter called "On Track" which highlighted worker grievances. In 1994, he became a formal union member when he was elected leader of the 1800-member Track Division. As a TWU member, he was active in pursuing workers' grievances, much to the dislike of management.In November 1998, he was fired by the Transit Authority for having been in an unauthorized car during working hours, although he was on official union business. Toussaint had been in an accident three months earlier (he was hit at an intersection), and had suffered neck and back injuries. Management had apparently hired private investigators to follow him. When the extensive surveillance was exposed, including trips to his son's nursery school and union meetings, his firing became rallying cry for union members who demanded his reinstatement. In the 2000 union election, he was elected president of the TWU. Upon taking office, he cut his own salary by 25%.
After being re-elected in 2006, he came under heavy criticism from his membership as he began removing union officers who were elected on opposition slates and began working more closely with New York City Transit management.
In mid 2009, amid heavy criticism, Toussaint decided not run for re-election. Instead, Toussaint hand picked a presidential candidate named Curtis Tate to run. Former Toussaint ally John Samuelsen handily defeated Tate and became president of TWU Local 100 effective January 2010.
2005 strike
On December 20, 2005, Toussaint announced the start of the 2005 New York City transit strike2005 New York City transit strike
The 2005 New York City transit strike was a strike in New York City called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100 . Negotiations for a new contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority broke down over retirement, pension, and wage increases. The strike began at 3:00 a.m. EST on...
after a protracted contract dispute with the New York City Transit Authority, concerning worker salaries, retirement age, pensions, and working conditions. Both the MTA's attempts to negotiate pension benefits for public employees as well as the strike were illegal
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, as they were in violation of New York State's Taylor Law
Taylor Law
The Public Employees Fair Employment Act refers to Article 14 of the New York State Civil Service Law, which defines the rights and limitations of unions for public employees in New York....
. State Justice Theodore Jones has fined the union 2.5 million dollars and suspension of automatic due deductions to all members for striking. He also sentenced Mr. Toussaint to 10 days in jail, which began on April 25, 2006. However, due to good behavior, he was set free on April 28.
On November 10, 2008, a State Supreme Court judge reinstated the Transport Workers Union's dues checkoff. The privilege was stripped from the union as a penalty for its illegal three-day strike in December 2005. The city's Law Department says it will not stand in the way of the ruling because the union has pledged not to conduct illegal transit strikes in the future.
See also
- 1966 New York City transit strike1966 New York City transit strikeThe 1966 New York City transit strike was a strike in New York City called by the Transport Workers Union and Amalgamated Transit Union after the expiration of their contract with the New York City Transit Authority . It was the first strike against the TA; pre-TWU transit strikes in 1905, 1910,...
- 1980 New York City transit strike1980 New York City transit strikeThe 1980 New York City transit strike in New York City was the first work stoppage at the New York City Transit Authority since 1966. 34,000 members of Transport Workers Union Local 100 walked off their jobs on April 1, 1980, in a strike with the goal of increasing the wage for contracted workers...
- 2005 New York City transit strike2005 New York City transit strikeThe 2005 New York City transit strike was a strike in New York City called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100 . Negotiations for a new contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority broke down over retirement, pension, and wage increases. The strike began at 3:00 a.m. EST on...
- Trade unions
External links
- Transcript and audio of interview with Toussaint conducted by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
a day before Toussaint went to jail.