Steve Downs: It's Time To Do The Right Thing

If Steve Downs, The Great Socialist, has any integrity, dignity, decency and self respect, he'll walk away from Shameless John Samuelsen:


To Stay is to support corruption and deceit.


It's your call Steve,


The ball is in your court,


Show us what you're made of,


Show some spine Steve and walk away. The fact is, you're a Socialist, as a Socialist how can you support Shameless John and company?


Do the right thing Steve,


The membership is watching!!

Samuelsen Shuts Union Hall; What Next?

Did you know that 35,ooo Transit Workers were left unprotected for a day? Yes ,Unprotected for a whole day. On February 10, Irresponsible John Samuelsen, declared an additional paid holiday,Snow Day, for himself and Staffers and shut down the operations of TWU . While most of us had to report to work for snow duty, or lose a day's pay if we hadn't an AVA,Unit Day,OTO or Sick Days in our balances; Samuelsen had no qualms giving himself and cronies an extra paid holiday. Lets pause for a moment; Bloomberg is proud to boast that in 8 years he has declared only 3 Snow Days: Irresponsible John in only 6 weeks has declared 1 Snow Day,with pay...go John, I'm proud of the way you're spending our dues..perks! perks! perks!

What's next to expect John? Back to the Old Days of?

1)Unlimited Sick?

2)Unlimited Vacation?

3)Cadillac Health Insurance?

4)No Show Jobs?

5)Nepotism?

6)20% Pay Raises?

Is this what Take Back Our Union-TBOU- stands for? The Days of Yore?

Dues arrears

Samuelsen has surely spent a lot of time and energy trying to nail Toussaint and the previous Executive Board for mishandling the Union's funds. He made a report to the "AM New York" newspaper about Toussaint spending $2M on the 2009 Family Day event. Is $2M too much to spend for due paying members to have quality time with their families and co-workers? As a proud member of The Mike Quill Club I say NO!! Your opinion may differ. I respect that. Why not ask the members who attended the Family Day their opinions.



But Samuelsen,if he's serious,should go after the $9M the members in bad standing owe TWU.But is he willing to? He's extremely quiet on this and there's a reason or reasons for this . After TWU lost the automatic due check off,Samuelsen led the Charge encouraging members not to pay dues(burn the village). As Commander-in-Chief, Samuelsen did not only led the "Don't pay the Dues Campaign",aside from putting out flyers edging members on not to pay dues ,he also appeared before the Executive Board, on several occasions, defending non due paying members. In other words, he was the defender of excuses why members should not pay dues.

What Samuelsen should do, along with Tony Utano,VP MoW,is man up and take full responsibility for the $9M unpaid Union dues . He along with Utano,the second(2nd) in command, proudly led the Campaign,"Don't pay your dues Unless...."Do you remember that Campaign John? Tony do you remember the part you played in that campaign?



Now, I implore Samuelsen, to go after his friends-the" Dues Dodgers "to recoup the arrears($9M).This may create some problems for Shameless John Samuelsen since he has on Union's payroll an alarming number of "Due Dodgers"-To name a few, Marvin Holland(Director of Political Action Committee),David Francis(Chair of Elections Committee),Charles Jenkins(Director of Organizing) and Keith Cummings(TWU Safety)If Shameless John Samuelsen is serious about the Financial Health of TWU and have any respect for the majority of us who stood up to our responsibilities,and heed the call when our Union needed us most and paid our dues as real proud union brothers and sisters he would not have employed the likes of Holland, Francis, Cummings and Jenkins( Jenkins was overheard on the shop floor telling members not to pay dues). I urge every member in good standing to let your voices be heard and demand Shameless John return the "Dues Dodgers " to their tools.



I'll further suggest to Shameless John to form a team, spear- headed by his "dues dodging friends," Holland, Francis, Jenkins and Cummings to go into the field and vigorously collect from their "dues dodging friends" dues arrears. After all the "dues dodgers" were listening to Samuelsen, Utano and company battle cry"Don't pay your dues Unless..."Now that Shameless John has removed the "Unless"there should be no problems collecting the back dues($9M) Remember the old adage, "it takes a thief to catch a thief"-translates,"it takes a due dodger to collect from a due dodger". The monies collected can be used to pay the salaries of Holland, Francis, Cummings and Jenkins. Don't worry these guys are great at persuasion; they will be successful guys

Samuelsen slams the MTA,but it doesn't help the Membership

John Samuelsen, its time you stop the boasting and puffing of your chest and get to work. Your claim of slamming the MTA is just empty rhetoric. No one that makes a difference in the MTA is aware of any slamming. It seems more like Jay Walder, MTA Chair, has his feet way up your rear end. If not where are our raises the court awarded us over two months ago? Maybe your posturing and grand standing are swelling your ego, but not the pockets of Transit Workers. Where the ' dough' John? Stop the grand standing and bring us the money. Our patience is wearing thin.

Remember, we elected you to get us money and benefits not Politicians and Newspapers.

Where the 'Dough',John?

Samuelsen..Pay Hike in Union Hall

Information received from reliable source is: John Samuelsen is planning to give himself and staffers a big fat pay increase.The source also disclosed that Steve Downs,Samuelsen's top adviser,is working behind the scene trying to convince Executive Board Members to vote yes on the pay hike.

The increase disclosed,is a hefty 20% pay raise.

Transit Workers beware!!!

Samuelsen...Where's the Dough??

Samuelsen,show us the" dough".The judge ruled about eight(8) weeks ago that the TA must pay the MONEY awarded by the Arbitration panel. It has been about eight(8)weeks and counting..Where's the "Dough" Samuelsen??

You promised, if elected, you'll engage the TA in "Direct Action". Samuelsen, you're elected...Where's the "Dough"?? Joining a broad coalition of politicians and slamming the MTA are things Toussaint were doing and are the things you were against..John,"Where is your "Direct Action"that you promised will bring us our contract?

Toussaint won us a contract, but John you are unable to Deliver...Where's the "Dough"??How long must we wait??

We elected you to get us MONEY not Politicians..Where's the "DOUGH" John??

Steve Downs......4 Term E. Board Member,2 Term Chair

Its about time RTO members hold Steve Downs feet to the fire.Downs has been a 4 Term Executive Board Member and a 2 Term Chair.Its time for Downs to answer the hard questions.What have you done for the RTO Department?Write ups are about the same.T/Os and C/Rs are being taken out of service as frequently as before.For the years 2006-2009,as Chair of the Dept., what have you accomplished/achieved?The picks haven't got any better on your watch.In the 2005 contract Toussaint made it possible that T/Os and C/Rs can report to work up to two(2)hours late and still work(will not be taken out of service).Prior to 2005 T/Os or C/Rs reporting one(1) second late was taken out of service and sent to Labor Relations at 2 Broadway-translating into(lost of pay) no work for that day and possible the following day,depending on the time of the day and the day of the week.

Downs has been and is still your representative for the past sixteen(16)years,.one of the longest serving reps. in the history of Local 100.What has he done?RTO is still the most abused Department in The New York City Transit.T/Os and C/Rs are taken Out Of Service at the whims and fantasy of RTO Management.

What has change?Nothing.Downs ,its time for you to publish your record of excellence.