The Remarks Of Speaker Sheldon Silver

TWU-Local 100 Legislative Lobby Day

Empire State Plaza, The Hart Theatre, Albany, NY
Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Earlier this morning, I sat down with Roger, Ed Watt, and the TWU-Local 100 leadership team and we discussed the issues that are important to you.

My staff inadvertently did not add this rally to my schedule, but because I have such tremendous regard for this union and for the amazing work that you do in keeping the world's greatest city moving and growing, I felt compelled to stop by and pay my respects to each and every one of you - the TWU - one of the best unions in the City of New York.

You should know (and if you don't Roger Touissaint will tell you), that I have been and always will be in your corner.

The New York City Assembly Delegation - with the leadership of Assembly Member Peter Abbate, the Chairman of our Committee on Governmental Employees, Assembly Member Susan John, the Chair of our Committee on Labor, and all of the Assembly Members you have seen today - is and always will be in your corner.

Year after year, we fight to bring you the justice that you deserve: the Lung Bill, the Heart Bill, track safety, employee safety, paid family leave (which is a bill that I am sponsoring), these are just a few of the many issues that I and my Assembly Majority colleagues champion here in Albany every day.

Let me be clear about one more thing.

I believe and the Assembly Majority believes that there must be dedicated funding for mass transit in New York City. That is why I wanted the millionaires and the billionaires who made and are making their fortunes in the City to pay a little more, so that we could sufficiently fund mass transit during this period of recession.

That is why I applaud Governor David Paterson for establishing a commission, under the leadership of Richard Ravitch , to come up with a plan for the long-term funding of the MTA.

We will get this done, and do you know why? Because mass transit is just that critical to the future of Metro New York.

Let me say one more thing before I go.

I meet hundreds of leaders every year and none are more courageous, none are more committed, none work harder to get justice for working people than your president, Roger Toussaint.

Roger knows the recipe for success. If you want justice, you need power. If you want power, you need unity. That is what the letters "T.W.U." must always stand for: "Triumph With Unity."

As your partners in state government, I and my Assembly Majority colleagues are proud to stand wit you.

Thank you for being here today. Thank you for the great work that you do each and every day.

Make sure that the TWU message is heard loud and clear in the halls of this government and by all means, make this your most successful TWU Legislative Lobby Day ever.