TWU Local 100 Announces Tentative Contract Agreement

MTA Local 100 President Richard Davis this week announced that the union has reached a tentative contract agreement with the MTA that includes substantial salary increases and other important wins for membership. The contract provides for annual raises of 9.8% compounded over three years and cash bonus payments, holds the line on healthcare costs, defeats efforts to cut subway staffing, and wins an unprecedented expansion of maternity and paternity leave for members having children. It also ensures that medical coverage will be provided to the families of our brothers and sisters who died after contracting COVID-19, and enhances medical coverage for retirees.

The victories were not easily obtained. The MTA took a hardline stance, not wanting to give an inch of ground on wages or benefits. In fact, the MTA wanted workers to pay for their own raises and contract improvements through significant concessions and givebacks, including doubling paycheck deductions for healthcare from 2% to 4%, and expanding OPTO with the removal of Conductors from trains. Those demands were defeated.

The MTA even enlisted deep-pocketed powerbrokers ­– Wall Street investors, real estate magnates, and corporate CEOs – to push its contract agenda in the media. That included an opinion piece in City and State magazine that said workers should “step up” and help the MTA save money by agreeing to the MTA’s demands.

In response, hundreds of members chanted and marched at rallies with signs with slogans like, “Respect and Recognition – $$$ – Put it in the Contract.” Members also received support from elected officials and leading labor organizations including the NYC CLC; ATU Locals 726, 1056, 1181 and 1189; the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, and the International Transport Workers Federation. Read more here, and click here for the contract highlights.