To all members of Pioneer and members of 1181 Drivers, Attendants and Mechanics

[Ernie]

        We are getting close to our election and as usual there are many uneducated people running against our current board. 
It is most important for everyone to know in spite of some of the past judgment calls of the union that may not have been acceptable to all our members  you must all understand what we are up against. Our current president and executive board has battled to right the wrong that was imposed on us from the last mayor. We took a hard  hit.
        There will be many people who are going to try and fill the shoes of Michael Cordiello at our next election. It is imperative that we all understand the ramifications of what the results of removing our president and current executive board would be. In my opinion it will become our demise and things as we know it now will be gone. I have been a dedicated member of 1181 since 1979 and I have seen our administration change from good to bad and back to good. But we all must understand that the Cordiello slate right now is the *best* one in town. So make no mistake, we must stay strong and stand united to become the union we were before. Vote Cordiello Slate all the way.
        Do not listen to the empty promises of the opposing slates. There are rumors of wage increase, pension increases and reductions of the salaries of the executive board. ALL nonsense and empty promises .We know what we got. We DON'T know what we'll get. We do KNOW we will become a storefront union if we lost the current administration and that's being hopeful if our union is still in existence
        And just my opinion that some of the people on the opposing slates are not as smart as the rocks in my garden .So it is safe for me to say that I don't want them leading me into the future which would become not a future but our demise. Make no mistake in spite of all the rumors  that are being spread throughout Pioneer and the rest of the industry I am 100 Percent behind the Cordiello Slate. And so should all my co-workers and friends from other companies. CORDIELLO SLATE all the way.

Respectfully 
Ernie

[snypster]

 Very true and well said, Ernie!

[Buzz]

Ern, every election since we were in trusteeship "candidates" come out of the woodwork like roaches when the exterminator starts spraying. Ironically (or maybe not so much) it is the very people who tried their best to tear this union down under the guise of "cleaning it up" that say they are going to rescue it. They have all the magic bullets, all the pie-in-the-sky promises for which they can offer no sound plans for exactly how they are going to be accomplished. That's because they can't possibly do what they say they will do. It's all rhetoric. Unfortunately, there is a percentage of equally simple-minded, disgruntled members who are naive enough to listen to them. They haven't the slightest idea how to run this union and their main agenda is to be the ones who are making the very executive board salaries they complain about others making. Wouldn't we all.

I don't think everybody would be 100% in favor of everything any president/executive board does. You could argue the merits of the strike from now until doomsday and never come to a consensus. One thing for sure, it brought the issue of the EPP to the forefront of the minds of virtually everybody who has any say in the matter. That in itself made it an overall success and NOTHING could have brought more attention to the matter.

This is a ONE ISSUE election, and that issue is the EPP. Without that, pension raises, pay raises and all the other good stuff the know-nothings promise us mean NOTHING. And there is absolutely nobody who is more capable and poised to get the EPP back than Michael Cordiello. For years Michael and this executive board have labored and lobbied on local and state levels for the EPP. NONE of these wannabees could possibly claim to have the contacts, connections, the working relationships or experience that Michael has to make this a reality. Any "change" now would mean newbies would have to start from the beginning and it would take at least as many years for them to make the inroads to getting it done as it did our current union officials ... and we simply don't have the luxury of time.

I don't know if it will happen before the election, but there is only one person who is in a position to make it happen ... that's Michael ... and I have every confidence that he will. He got us our money back, and he'll get our job protection back. Without that, nothing else matters at this point in time and the "promises" of these other candidates amount to less than bullshit. That they would try to distract people from the most important issue we are facing and jeopardize it's realization with all their other "feel good" claims should, in itself, prove their ineptitude and insincerity.

THIS IS A ONE ISSUE ELECTION.

THE ISSUE IS THE EPP.

ABSOLUTELY NOBODY HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF

 GETTING IT BACK THAN MICHAEL CORDIELLO.

[PROUD MEMBER]

We'll said Buzz. It couldn't be put any more PLAIN & SIMPLE. I understand and believe in elections and each and everyone's opinion but AT THIS TIME I would have to say the Cordiello Slate is our ONLY realistic chance of an EPP & keeping this Local intact. I understand and I'm sadden about the members who have lost their jobs and those of us who are still working but have taken cuts but the only person who can be blamed for that is Bloomberg. In my opinion Michael & the present Executive Board did and ARE DOING everything & anything possible to restore the EPP and regain the strength this Local once had. Even in hindsight if they knew what Bloomberg was going to do (which they might have) I think they did and again I say ARE DOING the best ANYONE could. A VOTE FOR ANYONE OTHER THAN THE CORDIELLO SLATE WOULD BE LIKE VOTING FOR BLOOMBERG!!!

[PROUD MEMBER]

To all my Brothers & Sisters at Pioneer and throughout our Local. One more thing I forgot to mention with regards to the Cordiello Slate. At least with them will still have HOPE. I am positive if not for Michael & our present Executive Board there would not have been a postponement of the bidding process from May to August. That means in eleven days on May 12th any chance (Yes chance nothing definite) of an EPP would have been gone. I'm sure if Mayor deBlasio wasn't truly considering reinstating the EPP he would not have postponed anything.

[Buzz]

Getting the EPP back is the only thing that will prevent more members from losing their jobs. It would be very difficult (if not impossible) to renegotiate or cancel contracts that were already awarded last year, but in time they too will expire and non-1181 workers would have to be replaced with 1181 members, as future contracts would contain the EPP once it's reinstated.

[Buzz]

I am positive if not for Michael & our present Executive Board there would not have been a postponement of the bidding process from May to August.

That is EXACTLY right. The rumor that some are touting that Ed DeKay and his new puppet of choice, Tom Salerno, got it postponed is so ridiculous it's laughable.

[Just_Right]

Members for change and Thomas Salerno are the people destroying this Union. They are best Friends of Michael Bloomberg. They say the union gave the members the company contract!

What they should say is : THIS is the best contract the union can get! The union did get all Local 1181 members their salaries, their pension, their medical benefits and continue fighting for members that were moved to other companies with other unions because of the EPP to get the same and keep members working. Tom Salerno is a member of the "socialist party" and every other party against this union. Do NOT be fooled.

Members please REMEMBER during the strike when all the members were on the strike line Tom Salerno and his brother were sitting in their car.... When the strike captain asked both of them to go on the strike line Tom Salerno answered *me and my brother do whatever we want..... We don't go on strike lines*. Also Tom Salerno was outside at the 1st master drivers pick and just before master pick started and was heard saying local 1181 is done....!!!!
He came in picked his company and stood outside and was saying he was running for President!

When it was the master pick for the escorts he NEVER came there and showed his face.
Is this who you want as President a person who knows NOTHING.!

Note: at all master picks all Local 1181 Executive Board
Members including the President  were there assisting 1181 members any
way possible. Only Local 1181 Executive Board were there.... no other Union.

Eddie Kay, who was NEVER a school bus driver, escort, or mechanic or a member of local 1181 Union.. just lives to create trouble. He's just looking for a big paying job but knows nothing about this union!!!

Proud Members of Local 1181
"Shut Them Down"

Take their flyers of Lies and Throw Them in The Garbage!!!!!!!!
Do Not Believe Anything They Say-They are All Liars and Continue Lying.

Proud Member of 1181

[Bluebird]

Unfortunately it is that time again - Remember every 3 years the same disgruntled members Tom Salerno and the Salerno Slate Eddie Kay and members for change pop-up their ugly heads.......
All members - don't forget Tom Salerno - ran for Vice President / LOST, ran for President /LOST, and now ran for Shop Steward in Hoyt (Hoyt has 200 members) Tom Salerno got 29 Votes...... He LOST that too   and now he is running for President Again........
Eddie Kay - who was never a Bus driver/and never a member of  1181 and his minions who are part of the reason this union has all these problems with the help of Mayor Bloomberg......
BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN..THEY ARE AT IT ONCE AGAIN.
               
  Remember Michael Cordiello and the present Executive Board are Fighting for everything this Union has- Top Salaries,Pension, Medical Benefits, and Possibly Getting Everything Back with the EPP.......
Michael Cordiello and this Executive Board fought and Won to  get the 1181 Members and NLRB back pay which Pioneer,Tufaro, Boro, Lonero Etc; have started receiving..... Hoyt, and Atlantic Express Members also have a good chance to receive their NLRB......
Also Members of Local 1181 DO NOT Believe anything that Tom
Salerno/Salerno Slate, Eddie Kay, Members for Change say
they have no clue how to run this Union.......
So please don't listen to Nothing Tom Salerno/Salerno Slate, Eddie Kay, Members for Change say
      ALL THEY DO IS "LIE" and Continue to "LIE"............

Respectfully A Proud Member of Local 1181

[Andrewcappa]

I also would like to comment on the upcoming 1181 election.
I along with Ernie support the Cordiello Slate. And this is why:
This is a very delicate time in our unions history, the city is trying to break the union ,and the owners are trying to take back as many benefits from their employees as they can. During the past year the Cordiello slate has done everything possible to keep our union afloat .
They testified for weeks at the NLRB,and won. They spoke at city council hearings and got full support of city council members. They met with Latisha James, the public advocate, and got her support. They have had meetings with Mayor DeBlasio. Before he was mayor, and have met with him since he became mayor. And has been told by Mayor DeBlasio that he understands our situation and he wants to help us. The Cordiello slate also has a lobbyist in Albany working on a bill to pass the EPP into law which Mayor Deblasio and Governor Coumo support. The Cordiello slate has won the support of politicians from the public advocate's office the mayor's office and all the way to the governor's office.
This is why I think a change and putting new people in place at the union is a very bad idea. Changing the slate now would be like starting from scratch. No contacts in city council, no rapport with the public advocate the mayor and the governor. Yes you may not like what happened in the past year but I think by changing our union representation at this time would be an enormous mistake.

Respectfully Andrew

[worker341]

Well well well it is nice to see some people on this site standing up for our union and I do believe most of them speak from their heart however some speak out of their ass. I really don't think a change will make much of a diffence at this time. Thats why i will be voting for the same slate we now have.however One change should be made I think for the better for all of us and if this change is made before our election by our present union officals then I think it shows the balls our leaders have. it is only one change, now will it be done and exactly what is this change that must be made now. Here goes get rid of those high price lawyers we have  who don' t know shit about protecting our rights. Show us some balls, and get all the votes. its a win win for all of us. Do it now, show us all.

[gigi11744]

man has a point

[sbdriver1]

The 2014 Bids should be postponed as well.

[Buzz]

The 2014 Bids should be postponed as well.

Weren't those contracts already awarded?

[sbdriver1]

I think they were awarded without the EPP.