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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jamie Horwitz
202-549-4921
jhdcpr@starpower.net
October 5,
2007
TWU Surveys
London Transportation Security Systems
Tour by
Little, Toussaint, Brooks Will Focus on
Implications for New York’s MTA,
Philadelphia’s SEPTA
NEW YORK –
Leaders of the Transport Workers Union
next week get an up-close look at the
new security measures implemented by the
London transit system in the wake of the
2005 subway bombings that killed 52
people. TWU International President
James Little, will lead a delegation
that includes Roger Toussaint, president
of Local 100 in New York and Jeff
Brooks, president of Local 234 in
Philadelphia also International Ex VP,
Harry Lombardo and International Transit
Director Hubert Snead.
“New York
has done a lot of research and other
major U.S. cities are looking to
determine what measures should be taken
to protect rail and bus systems,” Little
said. “We will be looking at the
positive aspects, as well as the
pitfalls, associated with the new London
security systems, including the
underground."
The TWU
delegation will be meeting with their
counterparts with the British National
Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport
Workers (RMT) and with officials of the
International Transportation Federation,
visiting the London Underground
workplace and a bus garage, among other
stops.
The tour by
the TWU leaders follows by one week a
visit to London by New York Mayor Mike
Bloomberg, who on Wednesday called for
installation of multiple security
cameras on all MTA buses and subway
cars, similar to the system now in place
in London.
“The safety
and security of our passengers is
foremost in our minds,” Toussaint said,
“so we’re going to keep an open mind as
we look at what they’re doing in London.
We want to make sure we can prevent what
the British people experienced with the
subway bombing in 2005.”
Transport Workers Union of America (TWU)
represents 200,000 workers and retirees,
primarily in commercial aviation, public
transportation, passenger railroads, and
public utilities. Among TWU’s members
are employees of Amtrak, the MTA in New
York City, SEPTA in Philadelphia, ground
workers at American Airlines and ground
workers and flight attendants at
Southwest Airlines. The union is an
affiliate of the AFL-CIO. More
information is available at
www.twu.org.
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