TWUDelivering ExcellencePutting People FirstSetting New StandardsImprovingDailyBeing AccountableLOCAL 291
TWU LOCAL 291Delivering ExcellencePutting People FirstSetting New StandardsImproving PerformanceBeing AccountableDaily
What's New for County Employees: 01.04.2021
What's New for County Employees: 01.04.2021
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Florida Mobile Mammography:
SPCC, Jan. 6
AAA Auto Insurance:
Save 20 percent on membership
Eyeglasses.com: Save on eyeglasses w/ code MIAMIDADE15
Aflac: Income protection insurance
DCFCU: Apply for a HELOC equity loan
Frontline Heroes Scholarship:
Save 50 percent until March 31
Submissions Welcome! |
Want to share an event or news item with County employees? Every submission per issue requires a separate ticket. You can also read the What's New archives for past issues and find story corrections. |
Corona Virus Update
12-22-2020
Corona Virus Update 12-22-2020
Please note: This is a 2 page document.
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The TWU Fought Hard for Stimulus Bill, Encouraged by Results
The TWU Fought Hard for Stimulus Bill, Encouraged by Results
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Dear Jeffery,
The TWU has spent the past few months working diligently to ensure today’s stimulus bill was passed. The International has been lobbying the Congress ever since March on direct aid to our sectors to ensure that our members are kept on payrolls. This work culminated in five relief and aid bills totaling nearly $4 trillion in spending. Including tens of billions for our rail, train, airline, and services sectors. This money also included unprecedented labor protections never seen before.
Even though the stimulus does not include all the funding we requested to assist our members across all divisions who have been working the front lines of this raging pandemic, it will provide much needed relief.
The bipartisan legislation contains about $900 billion in relief for pandemic, including $15 billion for airlines through the payroll support program, $14 billion for transit funding, $1 billion for Amtrak, and $2 billion for school buses and other neglected modes of transportation. All this funding comes with unprecedented, strong, labor protections which ensures that workers are the primary beneficiaries of federal support.
“The TWU fought for and won jobs for our members. Nearly every TWU member will either stay at work or be recalled from furlough thanks to this legislation. We didn’t just win money, we won stability for our members at work with this deal,” said International President John Samuelsen.
“Our members have endured tragic losses, have sacrificed and suffered. Now there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. I am happy and thankful that our members will have the funding and protections needed to ensure they are able to continue to support their families and perform their essential duties," said International Administrative Vice President Curtis Tate.
“TWU has been leading this fight since June. Congress works slow and we’ll need to be back at it again next year, but this gives our members the money and protections we need to start delivering the covid-19 vaccine in the coming months,” said International Administrative Vice President Mike Mayes. |
TWU LOCAL 291 is Union Strong
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Please note: This is a 1 page document.
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TWU Endorses Danielle Cohen Higgins for Miami-Dade County Commission February 6, 2020

About Us
All TWU members belong to Locals formed on the basis of interest and geographic location. The members elect their own Local officers who handle most of their problems. The International Union coordinates the activities of the Divisions and the Locals and assists in negotiations, organizing drives and legislative campaigns. It provides professional legal, education, research and public relations services to the Locals and Divisions.
The supreme policy-making body of the union is the International Convention which is held every four years. International officers are elected at the Convention.
Notice of Variances and Waivers
Miami transit workers call facility ‘Little Wuhan,' ...
What Transit Maintenance Workers Need to Know About COVID-19
Miami transit workers call facility ‘Little Wuhan'...

"Bravo does not really care about the employees. We had to sue two months ago to get protective equipment like masks. Even now they’re not doing enough.”
Workers at Miami’s largest public transit facility have given the William Lehman Center a grim nickname: “Little Wuhan.”. The Florida city is now the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, with Miami-Dade County recording more than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 and at least 1,270 deaths. Many of the 4,000 workers at...
Read More
What Transit Maintenance Workers Need to Know About COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms often include a fever, cough or shortness of breath. Our understanding of how the virus spreads is evolving as we learn more about it, so check the CDC website for the latest information. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Recent studies indicate that the virus can be spread by people before they develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic) or who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic). It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19.
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Cloth face coverings may prevent people who don’t know they have the virus from transmitting it to others. These face coverings are not surgical masks or respirators and are not appropriate substitutes for them in workplaces where masks or respirators are recommended or required.
For transit maintenance workers, potential sources of exposure include close contact with a coworker with COVID-19, contacting surfaces touched or handled by a person with COVID-19, or by touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
- Limit close contact with others by maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet, when possible.
- Avoid touching surfaces often touched by transit passengers.
- Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces following the directions on the cleaning product’s label.
- Proper hand hygiene is an important infection control measure. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
- Key times to clean hands in general include:
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- After using the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
Read More
Miami transit workers call facility ‘Little Wuhan,' fear bosses did not take COVID warnings from NYC
"Bravo does not really care about the employees. We had to sue two months ago to get protective equipment like masks. Even now they’re not doing enough.”
Workers at Miami’s largest public transit facility have given the William Lehman Center a grim nickname: “Little Wuhan.”. The Florida city is now the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, with Miami-Dade County recording more than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 and at least 1,270 deaths. Many of the 4,000 workers at...
Read More
What Transit Maintenance Workers Need to Know About COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms often include a fever, cough or shortness of breath. Our understanding of how the virus spreads is evolving as we learn more about it, so check the CDC website for the latest information. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Recent studies indicate that the virus can be spread by people before they develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic) or who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic). It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19.
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Cloth face coverings may prevent people who don’t know they have the virus from transmitting it to others. These face coverings are not surgical masks or respirators and are not appropriate substitutes for them in workplaces where masks or respirators are recommended or required.
For transit maintenance workers, potential sources of exposure include close contact with a coworker with COVID-19, contacting surfaces touched or handled by a person with COVID-19, or by touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
- Limit close contact with others by maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet, when possible.
- Avoid touching surfaces often touched by transit passengers.
- Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces following the directions on the cleaning product’s label.
- Proper hand hygiene is an important infection control measure. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
- Key times to clean hands in general include:
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- After using the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
Read More
Get To Know The Real Commissioner Eileen Higgins
Get To Know The Real Commissioner Eileen Higgins
She Wants To Spend Billions On Chinese Backed Monorail
She thinks it’s okay to attack home-grown Miami families...
She Wants To Spend Billions On Chinese Backed Monorail
She thinks it’s okay to attack home-grown Miami families...
Monorail Project Faces New Hurdles After County Ethics Report
Monorail Project Faces New Hurdles After County Ethics Report
Tuesday, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners could take a second look at a massive transit plan crossing from the City of Miami to Miami Beach
It’s a controversy that’s dragged on for two years. Now, ethics investigators file their report on a meeting in Asia, much of it shielded from public view. NBC 6 Investigative Reporter Phil Prazan takes a look at how this could scrap a $700 million transit plan in the county.
The $770 million plan known as “Baylink” faces another hurdle - this one of transparency and public trust - after a county ethics report, stern words from the county’s inspector general, and a call to scrap the plan by the Commissioner representing Miami Beach.
In May, the Board approved Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s administration to review the plan and begin low-level negotiations with a business group based on a proposal by the Miami Beach Monorail Consortium, a group led by infrastructure developer Meridiam, an Asian casino-entertainment developer Genting Group, and Aqualand Development. Genting and Aqualand are minority partners.
Genting Group owns the former-Miami Herald location along Biscayne Bay in the hopes to develop the land and have it be the launching station for the Baylink transit project.
Tuesday, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners could take a second look at a massive transit plan crossing from the City of Miami to Miami Beach
It’s a controversy that’s dragged on for two years. Now, ethics investigators file their report on a meeting in Asia, much of it shielded from public view. NBC 6 Investigative Reporter Phil Prazan takes a look at how this could scrap a $700 million transit plan in the county.
The $770 million plan known as “Baylink” faces another hurdle - this one of transparency and public trust - after a county ethics report, stern words from the county’s inspector general, and a call to scrap the plan by the Commissioner representing Miami Beach.
In May, the Board approved Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s administration to review the plan and begin low-level negotiations with a business group based on a proposal by the Miami Beach Monorail Consortium, a group led by infrastructure developer Meridiam, an Asian casino-entertainment developer Genting Group, and Aqualand Development. Genting and Aqualand are minority partners.
Genting Group owns the former-Miami Herald location along Biscayne Bay in the hopes to develop the land and have it be the launching station for the Baylink transit project.
Say NO to Miami-Dade Mayor Gimenez’s #Tuskegee2020 Experiment
Say NO to Miami-Dade Mayor Gimenez’s #Tuskegee2020 Experiment
While positive COVID-19 cases are increasing in our community daily and disparately affecting minority communities nationwide, Mayor Carlos Gimenez is moving towards opening Head Start programs throughout Miami-Dade County and exposing our youngest—possibly most vulnerable—students and families to harm.
READ. SIGN. SHARE.
Tell Mayor Carlos Gimenez to put a stop to this madness while we can still protect the lives and safety of black and brown children and their families.
Responsible experts have called for a 14-day reduction in COVID-19 cases before reopening society, yet we are doing so in Miami-Dade County despite being the epicenter for the virus in Florida. Currently, we are seeing larger than ever increases in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19.
Moreover, children have now started to fall sick and die even though they were initially thought to be immune to COVID-19. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have dubbed this condition "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children."
While positive COVID-19 cases are increasing in our community daily and disparately affecting minority communities nationwide, Mayor Carlos Gimenez is moving towards opening Head Start programs throughout Miami-Dade County and exposing our youngest—possibly most vulnerable—students and families to harm.
READ. SIGN. SHARE.
Tell Mayor Carlos Gimenez to put a stop to this madness while we can still protect the lives and safety of black and brown children and their families.
Responsible experts have called for a 14-day reduction in COVID-19 cases before reopening society, yet we are doing so in Miami-Dade County despite being the epicenter for the virus in Florida. Currently, we are seeing larger than ever increases in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19.
Moreover, children have now started to fall sick and die even though they were initially thought to be immune to COVID-19. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have dubbed this condition "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children."
Miami-Dade Transit Union Launches 'Ride Not Die' Campaign Amid Corona Virus Pandemic
Miami-Dade Transit Union Launches 'Ride Not Die' Campaign Amid Corona Virus Pandemic
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TWU 291 Board Members


Transport Workers Union, Local 291
6355 N.W. 36th Street Suite 502
Virginia Gardens, FL. 33166.
Office:(305) 526-8077
Fax:305-526-8078
Cell: 786-586-7851
Website: www.twu291.org


Transport Workers Union, Local 291
6355 N.W. 36th Street Suite 502
Virginia Gardens, FL. 33166
Office:(305) 526-8077
Fax:305-526-8078
Website: www.twu291.org


TWU Local 291, AFL-CIO
6355 N.W. 36th Street Suite 502
Virginia Gardens, FL. 33166
(305) 624-1168 (Phone)
(305) 624-1254 (Fax)
Website:


TWU Local 291, AFL-
6355 N.W. 36th Street Suite 502
Virginia Gardens, FL. 33166
USA
Email: redmondlatonva@gmail.com
Mobile: (786)246-1348
TWU LOCAL 291ARTICLESNEWSVIEWSINTERVIEWSPODCASTINFORMATION CENTER
TWU LOCAL 291ARTICLESNEWSVIEWSINTERVIEWSPODCASTINFORMATION CENTER
TWU 291 Latest Blog Posts
Making the case for unions
“In our rapidly-shifting and uncertain political landscape, the ability of unions to fulfill their responsibilities and protect their right to organize is absolutely critical. No worker should be put in a position to be exploited by their employer, and unions are the strongest line of defense in protecting fair pay, benefits and treatment in the workplace..”
The right to work
The right to work is only one of a series of recent attacks on public-sector unions. There have also been ongoing efforts to curtail collective bargaining, which gives unions the right to negotiate with management over wage and other employee-related issues.”
Dear unions: We need you back
The President of a manufacturing plant or the CEO of Nordstrom is not fearful of a single laborer walking off the job in protest of unfair wages. However, if an entire shift walks off the assembly line or the cooking line or the sales line, the shareholders are forced to take heed of their employee’s complaints.
One last thing before you go
Why Unions Still Matter
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