The Gypsy Switch

The new union leadership are a bunch of con artists. They prey upon people who want something for nothing or people who are naive. King John and his motley band of men are conning the members of the local. Last year they acted like they were taking our union back from an evil reign of tyranny. If you didn't know any better you would have thought John was the last knight of the round table and the previous leadership was the vile Modred. John and his merry band of miscreants have pulled the old gypsy switch on us. They had us focus on Roger Toussant while they have stolen the union right from under us.

John said that the mass meeting would be held on February 27, 2010. Instead the Black History Celebration was held on that date. Lobby Day usually held in April will be a trip to D.C. instead of Albany. Someone needs to tell John that the international has an office in D.C. that lobbys on behalf of all its locals. Our focus should be up in Albany forcing a showdown with the MTA. So we won't have a mass meeting and we are going to D.C. That my friend is the old gypsy switch. Recently John had the Labor Department going over paper work from Roger's administration. John was hoping to find some dirt on the previous elected officals. That diverted our attention from the gypsy switch that was taking place.

John and company are not the knights from the round table. They are not going to rescue the union from the master con artist known as the MTA. They will use smoke and mirrors to bull shit the members. Don't feed into their flimflam rhetoric. Protect yourself and your work place, that will force John to do something. Hold him and his band of elephant fart eaters to the fire. Remember this: WE ARE THE UNION. Not John and his lint lickers.

Where's the leadership?

On 03-04-10 at FIT there was a rally and MTA boro meeting. The next day the Daily News had a very small article on the rally. The article said that students rally for free rides. In the next to last paragraph of the article it quotes Benita Johnson(Recording Sect'y): "We're the lifeblood of the city. When nothing else is moving , we're moving". There was no quote from John Samuelsen. Why didn't the paper quote him? Last year John was quoted in all the yellow rag sheets across the city. The Chief was his main platform for his hate Roger tirades.

T/A managers have started an all out assault on the members of local 100. They have sent out letters of possible lay offs to Station Agents and Bus Operators. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Remember they want OPTO and regional bus in the worst way. That means they will be threatening to lay off Conductors next. Then they will go after trackworkers and other MOW members. No one is safe are we John? When are we going to see some leadership John? Or will you take the weasel way out and blame Roger for for your gross incompetence? While you try and figure out how to run a union we the members will get it up the butt crack in spades. No John we will not stand by idly and get slaughtered while you play "Big John". Either lead this union or resign!

OATMEAL MAN

Someone once call President Gerald Ford Oatmeal man, because he sat in congress for twenty odd years unnotice. Then one day we woke up and he was America's commander in chief. Ford inherited a failing economy due to deficit spending, much like what President Obama got from the Bush - Cheney combine. Local 100 has a new president name John Samuelsen and he didn't come out of nowhere. He is the guy who said that we should accept the offer of selling out the "unborn" during the 2005 negotiations. " We need to look out for the members who are here, not the ones who aren't here" he said. We need to keep a close watch on him and his administration.

On March 04 2010 at 5pm there is a rally to protest the latest cuts that the MTA wants to implement. When rallys were called back in 2009 John and his cohorts were quick to criticize and ridicule such action. He said that he would have direct action against the MTA. Well John it looks like a rally is a direct action after all, as long as your the one calling for the rally. What is the local's rally cry? Is it : " Let the MTA know they're not going to get away with it" Good luck with that catch phrase John boy. What's the matter John your intellectual combine ( Charlie Jenkins, Tony Utano, Steve Downs ) couldn't come up with anything better. To say that you and your administration are dumb and dumber is a step up from the inept leading the incorrigibly nihilistic. Way to go Oatmeal man.

Portrait of King John The First

It has come to my attention that John Samuelsen wants to have his picture in every crew quarter through out the system. His thought process seems to be a little addle. He thinks that he is the president of the USA. He has told Charlie Jenkins to commission a painter for his portrait. He has also instructed Charlie to find a cosmetologist to grow hair to hide his balding. John is said to be so vain that all the pictures on the web site will be of him and not any other elected officer. He has told photographers to only take pictures of his face and not his portly body. They say that he sings "I'm to sexy for my self" while walking through the union hall. In his office you can hear "Play that funky music white boy"and he has banned all R&B from the hall. His logic is Roger liked R&B and we hate Roger therefore we hate R&B.



At the last staff meeting it is rumored that John told everyone to take dancing lessions so that they can side step questions the members may ask. He also told the staff to read 1984 by George Orwell and learn how to double speak. I've been told that there are now vasoline dispensers at 2 B'way and at 130 Livingston St. Not to worry the dispensers will be coming to your work location in the near future. News Flash: At the next MTA board meeting, they will give John an accomondation for his non action in fighting for the third year of our contract. Recently while John was away from the office, Tony Utano was heard in the hallway saying "I'm in charge". Not to be out done Charlie Jenkins declared himself in charge. While all this was going on Earl Philips was cowering in a corner with his thumb up his rear end, saying "What a good boy am I".

Bed Bugs At First Transit Up date

On Tuesday Feb.09, 2010 Safety Director Earl Philips showed up at First Transit and quickly passed the buck. He claimed that their issue was political. No Mr. Philips the issue is a health and safety matter. Stop being so damn insipid and lethargic. By the time you showed up the members had already alerted the press to their plight and were being interviewed. When you were asked for a comment you declined. Then you had the nerve to call back and ask the members what they said to the press. All in the name of protecting them.  The members told the press that all management did was put a bandage on a gun shot wound. That the bug problem was not addressed properly and they  were still being bitten. 

     On Thursday (02-11-10) the Daily News ran the story about the bed bugs at First Transit. Three brave women ( Shanille Mosely, Latesha Darrien and Yvette Cruz ) told Joe Kemp how they had been bitten and T/A did the bare minimum to address the problem. Mr. Philips you can be the Duke of Earl and get T/A to take care of the bugs or be the Earl of sandwich and get eaten up by the T/A. Which Earl will you be Mr. Philips?

     

Bed Bugs At First Transit

The members of local 100 who work at First Transit are feeling pain, anguish, and frustration. Pain because their work place is infested with bed bugs and other insects. Anguish because management is not doing anything to correct the problem. Frustration because the new union leadership has given them nothing but lip service. The new director of the safety department is yet to visist them. The new Veep (Private Lines) came to the work site on 02-04-10 to meet with management, but didn't meet the members. The members want to know what was the gist of the meeting and why no immediate is happening.

Phone calls to the President's office have gotten no action or response.
John Samuelsen nor his staff have not lifted a finger to alleviate the appalling work conditions that our loyal members at First Transit face.
The solution is simple . 1.9 the work site as per the contract. Shut it down!!! Shut it down!!! John growup and be a got damn leader. Stop the BS and get that work location cleaned up. Tell Earl Philips( Safety Director) to read the damn contract (1.9) and get up off his ass and take action. That goes for you also Doc. Goldsmith. John you and all the other MARYLAND FARMERS at 80 WestEnd need to MAN UP and show some leadership.