The halls of New York’s state capitol filled with TWU Local 100’s red and blue colors as hundreds of members lobbied Albany for the Local’s annual Lobby Day. An estimated 1,500 members and about 100 retirees participated, many eager to discuss several key issues important to themselves and their families.

By 10 a.m., 32 buses brought the majority of participants to the capital, where they happily greeted each other, gathered for breakfast and then poured into the capital’s impressive Egg building for an hour of speeches from some of New York state’s top politicians and legislators, and TWU officials. Speakers included Gov. David Paterson, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, Sen. Bill Perkins, Speaker Sheldon Silver, TWU International President James C. Little, Local 100 Acting President Curtis Tate and Local 100 President and Int’l Vice President Roger Toussaint, among others.

With the current turmoil in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, many members cheered Gov. Paterson when he expressed disappointment in the MTA’s distressing solution to their claimed financial woes. In small group meetings members asked legislators what they were doing to help create an acceptable solution to the MTA fiasco, only to hear “we are trying the best we can.” Issues such as pension and retiree benefits, safety for riders and MTA employees and Taylor Law reform, among others, were also among this year’s top legislative goals for Local 100.

Many speakers addressed the recent negative press about unions and MTA employees in particular and declared that union workers do not deserve to be the subject of public adversity. They focused on how the hard, and oftentimes risky, work of Local 100 members helps keep New York City safe and running smoothly. As Speaker Silver said, we “don’t have an economy without a safe, efficient transit system.”

In his speech, President Little emphasized the importance of the Employee Free Choice Act, and also showed a satirical video that focused on the ridiculous amount of money that companies have spent opposing the bill. “We need to help our President and our legislators to turn America around. When you talk to your legislator, ask him or her, √¢‚ǨÀúwhere do you stand on the Employee Free Choice Act?’ ” said Little.

The hundreds of lobbyers split into small groups of 10 to 20 in the afternoon to visit legislators personally and discuss the issues. As they sat around long conference tables or packed into offices, members spoke out about their concerns and listened to the answers. “This is a unique situation to be in,” said Alexander Lewis, a bus operator from the Michael J. Quill depot. “It’s great to see how the decision making goes, decisions that affect my life and all of our lives.”