Mike Quill, President and founder of the TWU, stood
on top of a soapbox as he held a shop gate meeting
outside of the IRT Powerhouse on 59th St. in New
York City in 1937.

The TWU was formed in 1934 during the depths of the Great Depression when New York City’s transit companies were abusing the nation’s dire situation. Taking advantage of the country’s 25 percent unemployment rate and subsequent surplus of job applicants companies hired and fired at will, and underpaid, overworked and mistreated their employees. Transit companies were all powerful, managers were brutal and working conditions were dangerous and abusive. For the first two decades of the 20th Century company hired goons crushed workers’ attempts at unionization, including four major strikes held between 1905 and 1919.

The largely Republican, Irish-born transit workforce reached its threshold just as an ideal leader emerged, Michael J. Quill. Quill’s audacious approach at unionization led to the formation of the desperately needed Transport Workers Union. TWU’s pioneers coined the motto, “United-Invincible,” and strongly believed that an organized, united front was the only way to win fair working conditions for themselves and for their members. They also fought for equality in the workplace, and spoke out against discrimination based on race, job title and ethnicity.

Mike Quill and Douglas McMahon pass leaflets to TWU
members who had locked themselves inside the
Brooklyn powerhouse during the 1937 sit-down strike.

TWU’s founders spent the mid-1930s organizing strikes and sit-ins to fight the powerful transit companies until the robber barons realized the union had gained its own power and was there to stay. Read about TWU’s defining moments here.

In the early 1940s transit workers from New York, Ohio, Nebraska, New Jersey and Pennsylvania joined the TWU. By the end of the decade, San Francisco and Houston’s transit employees were members, and airline and railroad workers began to join the union by the thousands.

Over the last 75 years we have gained members from states spanning the country and have grown to represent the four divisions we consist of today. For each division’s history please click on the links below.

In 1951, 5,000 TWU members filled Hudson St. in NYC,
outside of the Board of Transportation building, to
demand a 40 hour work-week. Up until this point the
men had been forced to work long hours in deplorable
conditions.

TWU’s current President, James Little, and chief officers continue to fight for Quill’s ideals. Our top priority is to ensure our members are being treated the way hard workers should. We want the best health benefits for our members, the best pay for their positions, the best treatment on the job and the kind of respect that all hard working people should be able to expect from bosses, co-workers and employers.

TWU President Mike Quill and civil rights leader Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr. shake hands at the 1961 TWU
national Convention. King was the honored guest
and keynote speaker at the convention.

     
      Read the full text of Dr. King's moving address to the 1961 TWU Convention here

Dr. King recognized our tireless dedication to equality almost fifty years ago. We were honored and proud to work with Dr. King then and we are proud today of our continued efforts towards achieving equality and ensuring rights for working people of every race, color, creed, nationality and political perspective. Michael Quill founded our union with this goal and every leader since Quill has upheld his values.

In the middle of the 20th century, during times when a society seeped in racism and ignorance helped to bolster Goliath companies who practiced regular discrimination based on prejudice and racism, we defied powerful authorities and fought those giant companies in the name of equality. Quill started his fight for minorities in 1937 when he worked with Local 100 to negotiate a contract with the New York IRT to raise the minimum weekly wage. He successfully won significant pay increases for minority workers who were relegated to the lowest positions by the IRT's discriminatory hiring practices. The following year, TWU worked with the NAACP and the Urban League to get six black porters at the IRT promoted to higher paying station agent and platform men job titles, despite great opposition from the company and other workers.

Continuing the effort to fight for hard workers who deserved better jobs, TWU successfully pressured the IRT to appoint two black porters to conductors in 1939. That same year in New Orleans the union defied local authorities who were against integration and held the first ever desegregated trade union meeting in the crescent city.

In 1941 TWU led a Harlem bus boycott so successful that it forced the Fifth Avenue Coach Company to start hiring black mechanics and bus drivers. This started the integration of the workforce to reflect the city minority population. Around the same time, tense race relations in Philadelphia were used as a weapon by the then malevolent Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) and rival union organizers. TWU won representation for Local 234, which prompted the PTC to ally with rejected company union leaders to use racism in an attempt to overthrow the TWU. The rival group created a race crisis by staging a wildcat strike to protest the promotion of minority workers. Federal troops called in by President Roosevelt quelled the fake strike which helped TWU win the fight and start the integration of Philadelphia's transit system. Ten years later TWU forced the Pennsylvania Railroad to delete the word “colored' from its company travel passes issued to black workers and their families.

TWU's Matty Guinen (center wearing TWU hat) and other members held a
meeting before the start of the 1965 Selma, AL. march.

TWU started a fight for equality in the northeast but was sure to continue the fight in cities across the country as locals formed in places like Miami, where we opened a school to train black mechanics who were barred from other vocational schools in the city, and Tulsa, where we rid the American Airlines base there of its separate white and black facilities.

In 1962 Texas Local 260 uncovered a pattern of racial discrimination in the Pioneer Bus Company. The employer and independent union had two separate units, one for white drivers and shop workers and the other for blacks, with separate seniority lists for each group. TWU demanded and won by a 3-to-1 margin a new representation election of the entire group. The “Jim Crow” hiring pattern died with the first TWU contract.

One of our most memorable and proudest moments came in 1961 when the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a moving keynote address to our convention. King praised the TWU for its dedication to the cause of equal rights and liberties for all people and we take great pride in having been a part of Dr. Kings dream. Thousands of TWU members participated in the March on Washington D.C. to hear King's “I have a dream” speech, and we eagerly joined other civil rights demonstrators in the famous 50-mile Selma to Montgomery, Alabama march in 1965. Three years later over 2,500 of our members joined the Poor People's March in Washington D.C.

During the 1960s, TWU’s National Headquarters at 50th St.
and Broadway in NYC was an active center in the
fight for civil rights. Large signs displayed on the
building proclaimed, “TWU Says END SEGREGATION”.

Although our country still struggles with racism and prejudice, TWU has always tried to play a big role in the progression towards equality for all. In the 2008 election we were the first union to endorse Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the presidency, and are proud to have helped President Obama become the nation's first African-American president.

TWU Fights for Women

As the women's movement took hold of the country in the 1960s, TWU recognized the need for more protection of women's rights, in addition to the protection of other minority's rights. The union, and individual members, confident with TWU's support, fought against sexual harassment and for maternity and childcare rights for families.

Southwest Airline flight attendants joined TWU in 1975, which promptly ended the company's corporate marketing campaign that had often resulted in the sexual harassment of female flight attendants.

In 1986, Philadelphia Local 234 stroke and won breakthrough contract language against harassment and discipline. Local 100 won a similar fight two years later by getting a provision made to their contract which spelled out the right of employees to be treated with dignity and to be free from harassment.

TWU first won rights for mothers and for children in 1977 when a Local 101 member won a major court case upholding the New York Human Rights Law which requires private sector employers to furnish disability benefits for pregnancy. Several years later Local 556, representing Southwest flight attendants, won a four month maternity leave. Local 250-A negotiated $110,000 to fund a study of child care and implement recommendations of task force in 1989. Also that year, we established an Equal Rights and Liberties Committee.

Our 2001 Convention established a Civil and Human Rights Department, which is headed by Local 260 President Sandra Burleson. For the past seven years the department has supported diversity and equality in the work place, by urging members to support legislation like the Employment Non-Discrimination ACT (ENDA).

In 2001 TWU's a women's committee was formed as a constituency of the Civil and Human Rights Department, “to ensure equal pay for equal work. To educate women to seek the confidence to run for leadership positions in their unions. And to elevate the awareness of all working women’s needs in the workplace and outside the workplace. For TWU women to understand the true meaning of 'Each One Teach One.'”

Today, our ATD and Transit Division Working Women's Committees, formed in 2005, continue the original Women's Committee's mission.

Pan American employees like the ones pictured here were among the first airline
employees to be organized. TWU was responsible for major victories
for airline employees including the 40-hour work-week.

TWU’s air transport division saw the rapid growth of the airline industry between the 1920s and the late 1940s as an opportunity to charter new locals and sign thousands of workers in a new industry into membership. Many workers in the field saw themselves as pioneers and air companies took advantage of this, acting as if working for their companies was a privilege. People spent a lot of time and money training for “Airman” certificates and on job training, but could only secure jobs that paid little and required long hours. Airline employees strongly needed a well-meaning and established union to support them, but until the TWU organized workers in 1945, a number of air industry unions formed and reformed. None were able to achieve much progress.

The Pilots Association was formed in 1931, but airline labor did not become officially recognized until airlines were included into the Railway Labor Act in 1936. In the late 1930s the Air Line Mechanics Association became recognized as representation for a large number of airline mechanics under the RLA, but management dominated the Association and it soon lost support of its rank and file members. The Machinists Association formed in the 30s gained a number of company associations of airline employees, but weak organization before World War II, later wartime wage controls and lack of active leadership caused the Association to fail. By the end of WWII, most airline employees were working long hours under poor conditions for terribly low wages.

In the spring of 1945 a handful of workers from the Pan American overhaul base in Miami, Florida approached TWU to request organization. They asked for help ensuring that every airline worker be given the opportunity to bargain effectively for better wages, hours of work and working conditions. Eventually an election was held that resulted in TWU becoming the certified bargaining agent for the ground and flight service personnel of Pan American World Airways, the premier air carrier of the day.

TWU’s first victory for airline workers was the 40-hour work week. Employees were working a normal week of 48 hours with time and a half paid for overtime. TWU quickly secured the 40 hour work week with no loss of pay for Pan Am workers.

In the mid-1940s, TWU organized new locals in Miami, Florida; San Francisco, California; and New York to represent ground service employees. In September 1945 TWU signed a historic contract with Pan Am.

During the 2008 Presidential election campaign, Barack Obama stopped in
Kansas City, Missouri where he met with TWU Local 530 members at
American Airlines.

The following year TWU organized employees at American Airlines, which at the time was overshadowed by the size and wealth of Pan Am. In the 50 years since, TWU’s ATD has scored many victories, as well as several bitter losses, most notably the shutdowns of Eastern Airlines and Pan Am less than a year apart in 1991.

Today, TWU represents 50,000 workers in the airline industry in almost all class and crafts. We maintain contracts for our members at American, TWA Northwest, Continental, Simmons, United, Southwest, Flagship, Executive Air, Wings West, UFS Inc., AMR Services, Dynair, Ogden Allied, Johnson Controls, Aloha, Hawaiian, Horizon and Alaska Air.

Local 721 members, who are Las Vegas dealers, pose for a group
shot at their picnic- an event that has been held annually since the
creation of the Gaming Division.

In late 2007 hundreds of dealers from the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada stood in line along the famous Vegas strip. They were all there to vote “Union Yes,” prompting a revival of the previously fledging TWU Local 721. Quickly, the Vegas Local flourished into an active base of over 1200 members, representing employees from Caesars Palace, the Wynn, Rio, Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Harrah's, Paris, Flamingo, and Bally's. Local 721 sent a clear, resonating message: “We are here to stay.”

The Gaming Division was officially created on January
30, 2007. On hand to mark this historic event was (from
left to right) International Organizer Steve Roberts, Director
of Gaming Joseph Carbon, International President James C.
Little, International Secretary Treasurer Joseph C. Gordon,
and International Vice President Harry Lombardo.

Vegas cash hoarders had gone unchecked for too long and hard working dealers who were tired of being taken advantage of unionized to let their oppressive employers know it was going to end. Management aggressively fought the feared collective voice of their workers as the unions gathered strength in numbers. Local law firms held a union-busting meeting and a legal battle ensued over Wynn dealers' lost tips. Wynn Las Vegas was disgracefully found to be in violation of Federal Law and a media circus ensued over the scandal. Wynn faced charges on numerous counts under the National Labor Relations Act.

In 2008 TWU International President Jim Little announced the formation of the TWU Gaming Division. Rising from his position as an organizer, Joe Carbon was placed at the head of the new division to guide and direct dealers in pursuit of their best interests.

Vegas employers continue to drag their feet in negotiations while 721 dealers continue to contribute actively to their union through direct action and demonstrations that serve as day-to-day reminders that they are there to continue the fight against their overzealous employers.

During the rail industry’s heyday, TWU represented over
40,000 railroad workers. Shown here: a motorman and
conductor shake hands during a railroad celebration.

TWU’s railroad division started out as an organization committee set up by the CIO. The committee built a beachhead for industrial unionism among the non-operating personnel of the Pennsylvania Railroad and soon spread out to include workers from 18 other railroads. From New York to Los Angeles and from Grand Rapids to Nashville, it connected more than 10,000 miles of rail operation and was spread out in 72 locals.

The committee lacked the power they needed to make real changes for railroad workers across America and realized that would have to join an established leadership to make a difference to members. In September 1954 the committee voted overwhelmingly to merge with TWU. Nearly 40,000 rail workers joined our union, coming from 28 different employers around the nation.

At the time of the merger, the Pennsylvania Railroad management had been laying off maintenance personnel and ignoring proper repair and upkeep of equipment in order to show high profit margins. The unfair furloughs were TWU’s first and biggest problem to tackle.

On January 22, 1955 TWU called a conference in Pittsburgh where they worked out a long-range program to secure full employment for Pittsburgh railroad workers. TWU mobilized public opinion behind its campaign to restore jobs and attain decent livelihoods for their members, advertising how their agenda would help ensure passenger safety. TWU declared for the company to step up its maintenance program, to stop subtracting jobs and to provide furloughed workers with reasonable and compensatory severance pay.

A TWU member displayed picket signs protesting cuts at the Pennsylvania Railroad on his truck.

The TWU also proposed a System Board of Adjustment for dealing directly with companies involved with worker grievances, instead of the inadequate National Railroad Adjustment Board, which was always delayed and worked on a national level.

A dispute over an unfair scope rule and a job classification clause in a Pennsylvania Railroad contract had been simmering for more than three years when TWU decided it was time to take action. At 12:01 a.m., on September 1, 1960 picket-lines surrounded the company, creating the first strike against the Pennsylvania Railroad in its 114 year history, causing the mighty railroad to ground to a halt.

After 12 days of the strike the union had achieved complete victory, forcing the Pennsylvania company to work out a genuine solution to the workers problems.

Today, TWU represents railroad workers on many lines throughout
the United States including Amtrak’s high speed Acela Express.

Since 1954 the TWU has worked tirelessly to preserve railroad jobs and the crucial Railroad Retirement and Unemployment System. We’ve also fought against attacks on the Federal Employers Liability Act, which provides rail workers the ability to sue their employers for injuries suffered on the job.

The popularity of railroads declined with the advent of truck delivery and frequent passenger air travel but has recently see a renewal as the country recognizes its value as a cheaper and cleaner way to travel. We will continue to work hard for our railroad members as the industry grows.

Today, we represent railroad workers at Conrail, Amtrak and on a number of short line carriers.

The Transport Workers Union was born in the early 20th century through many clandestine meetings consisting of New York City's Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) workers. The IRT shops were prone to yellow dog contracts and company controlled representatives who prevented workers from forming their own representation and aggressively fought any outside unionization attempts. As IRT employees themselves, organizers Mike Quill and Tom O'Shea felt the collective plight of their peers and gained their trust and confidence using smart and determined organizing techniques, and by refusing to discriminate. The early TWU organizers knew they had to move quickly and decisively and needed to create powerful moments of success in order to win the fight against the oppressive IRT.

A major strong point for the early TWU was their dedication to equality. The first organizers never discriminated based on race, creed, sex, sexual orientation or nationality, when many other unions did. In the early 1930s the IRT reserved dead-end porter jobs for minority workers who were discriminated against by most every union except TWU. The union fought hard to open up all job titles to everyone.

Between January and October of 1937 -in just nine months- TWU organized the entire New York City transit system, a success that had never been achieved before. They signed six major contracts which included the unionization of two subways and 35,000 workers.

As company spies were outed publicly, company unions were charged under federal law and ordered to disband. As the scope of pension benefits were cut, wages continued to drop. As the red scare encouraged skepticism, unwarranted firings showed workers in one case after the other that it was in fact the company bosses who could not be trusted.

The road to New York City's transit unionization was not smooth. There were many defining moments that helped TWU successfully organize one of the country's most elaborate transportation systems. Read about the defining moments here.

TWU organized transit workers around the country after their big win in New York City and continues to fight for all workers rights today.