Roger Toussaint - Worker Activism

Worker Activism

Dissatisfied with working conditions at the Transit Authority, he and his fellow track workers started a newsletter called "On Track" which highlighted worker grievances. In 1994, he became a formal union member when he was elected leader of the 1800-member Track Division. As a TWU member, he was active in pursuing workers' grievances, much to the dislike of management.

In November 1998, he was fired by the Transit Authority for having been in an unauthorized car during working hours, although he was on official union business. Toussaint had been in an accident three months earlier (he was hit at an intersection), and had suffered neck and back injuries. Management had apparently hired private investigators to follow him. When the extensive surveillance was exposed, including trips to his son's nursery school and union meetings, his firing became rallying cry for union members who demanded his reinstatement. In the 2000 union election, he was elected president of the TWU. Upon taking office, he cut his own salary by 25%.

After being re-elected in 2006, he came under heavy criticism from his membership as he began removing union officers who were elected on opposition slates and began working more closely with New York City Transit management.

In mid 2009, amid heavy criticism, Toussaint decided not run for re-election. Instead, Toussaint hand picked a presidential candidate named Curtis Tate to run. Former Toussaint ally John Samuelsen handily defeated Tate and became president of TWU Local 100 effective January 2010.