Since last fall, three NYCT workers – Joy Anthony, Kurien Baby and Janet Bennerson – have died from the TA’s unsafe practices. If Local 100 does not take decisive action against management’s murderous disregard for our safety, more brothers and sisters are sure to be killed or seriously injured. But the Toussaint leadership are dragging their heels out of their desire to be “cooperative” friends of management.
If we really want to make the bosses respect safety, we ll have to mobilize to shut work down. That means patiently, persistently and consistently campaigning to mobilize the members to stop any jobs the safety of which they question, till the bosses make it safe. But Samuelsen and his posse spend much of their time complaining about how backward and unsafe the members are.
We should let the bosses know that we will accept no more job-caused deaths or serious injuries for our members: the next time we learn of this happening to a member, the Local should immediately call a two-hour shut-down of the entire system: nothing must move! Then we ll see some serious management action, other than the search for fall-guys!
Any union leaders or would-be leaders who are serious about safety should repeatedly say and show the members that only by withholding our labor can we fight the bosses whose job is to endanger our lives for production.