Who, What, When, Where and How is what came to mind when I first seen the contract demand sheets distributed by TWU local 100. Also, “who put this BS together”? Lets analyze local 100 contract demands and explain why is it flawed and misleading.
TALKING DOWN TO MEMBERS
Check out the language on local 100’s contract demand sheet. “Please rank in importance from (1) to (5) with (1) being extremely important and (5) being not as important. (NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE 1, OK!)”.
How can you tell members “not everyone can be 1 ok”? What if everyone of those demands are important to the members? How can you them what is and what’s not important? Thats just like asking someone whats more important food, water or air, but you can’t choose one for all them.
The union seems to forget that they work for the members, not the opposite way around.
THE UNION MISLEADING TIER 6 MEMBERS
Why is “pension improvements” on a contract demand sheet? Pensions are NOT negotiated during contract demands. The only thing that is negotiated during contracts are work rules, wages and health benefits.
The union know they are out of touch with new employees under tier 6, and can easily fool them by adding “pension improvements” on a contract demand sheet. This is their way of trying to decieve part of the membership that is still sleep into thinking the union has their best interest, which this administration actions has always proved to be the opposite.
THE VAGUENESS OF THE DEMANDS
Why is this list so desolate and seems as if the person who authored it is out of touch with the membership?
That is because they is. The education department ran by Nick Bedell is responsible for putting out this contract demand sheet. Nick Bedell hired by John Samuelsen has never been an employee of MTA and don’t have no clue as to what’s really important to the membership. So how can he be allowed to author a sheet even if its for data purposes?
PARTICIPATION
Why is “participation” on a contract demand sheet? “Participation” should be replaced with “how often do you see union reps in the field?” If union reps were in the field more often they would know who is willing to participate and who is not.
Asking this question will also give the union leadership a good metric as to who is connecting with the members in the field, who is doing a good job and who is hiding out. At 2 Broadway shouldn’t be the only place a member should see a union rep.
CONCLUSION
Progressive Action authored their our own contract demand sheet and you can compare local 100’s to Progressive Action’s. We know you can’t possibly list every demand, but you can at least act like you are in touch with the membership needs. Thank you Progressive Action.
– Tramell Thompson
Join the Facebook group “Progressive Action”
Follow on Instagram: ProgressiveAction
Follow on Twitter: ProgressiveAct
PROGRESSIVE ACTION MAGAZINE 
It’s all on purpose if you feel you contributed you won’t challenge the loss of rights or that there is no progression at the bargaining table.
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