President’s Message

TWU Local 290

Mass Meeting – May 3, 2025

Thanks to the members who attended your mass meeting. It was good to see members from different sections come out and share their issues that affect not just their sections but others as well.

Prior to the mass meeting there was an Executive Board meeting and then a Joint Executive Board meeting. The J.E.B. meeting was to give assignments to the new Section Officers – each new Section Officer will be assigned to an Executive Board member to observe the procedures used for the grievance process.

Items for discussion:

Training by representatives of the International for new Section Officers held on April 24-25.
Local 290 meeting with SEPTA upper management about rate changes, grade and pay disparities, morale, work rules changes, and heavy-handed discipline. George Booker and Barry Kidd will be setting up a Town Hall meeting for the Revenue Department to discuss the grievances of those in work in that Department.
SEPTA’s budget crisis.
The Authority is trying to force managers to take CPR classes.
Management writing notices changing sick call out procedures.
Union communication – we must stick together as a union and help each other. We need to deflect negative opinions about the union from people who are trying to destroy labor. Unfortunately, there are former members who are trying to get people to leave the union. We feel that would be a huge mistake, especially if you get into trouble and need representation and/or an attorney. People who are divisive are just what the Authority wants. We need unity. When you hear these negative and divisive remarks, remind those making them that you are a proud union member who supports Local 290.
COPE Fund is the political action committee of the International. Information was sent by email and is on our website.
Visit our website at twu.org for what is going on in the Local, for contact information, and to check out the International’s page to get information about other locals, and news related to labor in general.
Reach out to new managers. We must help each other – everyone was new at one time.
Familiarize yourself with SEPTA’s policies, especially E-21, go to SEPTA’s page on policies, Labor Relations, and go through it.
Local 290 is currently trying to set up a meeting with the Policy Committee to discuss making updates and changes that will be fair to the managers.
The Local will be getting up to date seniority lists for all departments.
Please update the union if your address, personal mailing address, or phone number changes. We want to communicate with all our members.
There will be announcements for upcoming social events such as barbeques, bowling, amusement parks, etc. Any announcements will be emailed to our members, posted on our website, and posted on bulletin boards at various locations.
All managers pay extra attention to all safety issues and document and ask questions. Managers are being given excessive discipline for infractions.
Reach out to your co-workers to advise them that if they are called into the office they should call a union rep. (Contact information is on our website)
We are a working union. Let’s work together.

Fraternally yours,

Craig V. Holmes, President

& the Executive Board of TWU Local 290

On September 15^th Transport Workers Union of American, AFL-CIO will have a convention call for its 27^th Constitutional Convention. Each Local shall be entitled to the following number of delegates: one delegate for the first 300 members or less, and one additional delegate for each additional 300 members. Our Local will have one delegate as a representative

Greetings Brothers and Sisters,

In response to the letter sent to all SAM employees on Thursday, December 12th regarding SAM pay raises, I am personally frustrated that all first level managers who have worked hard all year will not receive raises across the board. Although we, as a union, do not negotiate our wages, we expect to at least be treated fairly. How is it possible that upper management received large, one-time increases, but when it is our turn, no raises are available.

Local 290 has been, and will be, in contact with the Authority. We are requesting that all grades 35-38 be afforded a fair merit increase. Currently, especially in some shops, the hourly workers are making more than the managers who supervise them.

Your union will continue to keep you posted on this issue by email and on our website local290.twu.org.

Fraternally yours,
Craig

Assistant General Manager Scott Sauer

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am proud to announce that I have been appointed to the Executive Board of The International Transport Workers Union AFL-CIO. On Tuesday, January 23, 2024 I was officially sworn in at the monthly meeting of the Board held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

It is an honor for me to serve on this Executive Board. I have been a member of TWU for 33 years and have served most recently as President of TWU Local 290, where I will continue to serve our members.

I feel this appointment will be very helpful to our Local because of the connections I will make with other presidents of locals around the country. I am currently in discussions with a president of another management union from New York. We plan to review each other’s MOUs to see what kinds of changes we can make for the betterment of our members.

I truly appreciate the confidence the International has in me and promise to bring what I learn to our members to strengthen our union. I want to thank Willie Brown, International Vice President, Curtis Tate, International Executive Vice President, and John Samuelson, International President.

Fraternally yours,
Craig V. Holmes

From left to right: International President John Samuelson, Executive Vice President Alex Garcia, Jose
Garcia (Recording Secretary Local 106), Craig Holmes (President, Local 290), Moisley Pawa (President, Local 504).

Communication is vital. We want to be able to keep in touch with our members. If you move, change your email address, or have not yet given us your personal email address, please provide us with that information by phone (215-543-9800) or email (transport.local290@verizion.net). We do not receive any information from SEPTA regarding your personal information.

If you get promoted or change positions within the company, please notify SEPTA payroll if you are no longer eligible for membership in Local 290 and request that they no longer deduct dues from your check, and let us know as well. We are not informed by SEPTA regarding promotions, etc. and we cannot request changes to anyone’s check. When you joined the union you signed a form which we in turn send to payroll. Requests for any changes must come from you.

Events Committee
We are looking for volunteers to serve on the Local’s Event Committee. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to transport.local290@verizon.net. Please bring your ideas and enthusiasm.