Steve St. Hill, whose politics are left of Marty Goodman and has been a thorn in Roger Toussaint’s side, sends the below e-mail. He calls the pay deduction for the health benefits, part of the TWU's controversial new contract, the “Toussaint Tax,” Not sure yet, whether this nickname will stick with the rank and file.
I SPOKE TO A LOT OF OUR FELLOW TRANSIT WORKERS AFTER "PAY DAY" AND THEY WERE QUITE UPSET WITH THE "TOUISSIANT TAX" THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THEIR PAY CHECK LAST WEEK. A TRACK WORKER FROM CAPITAL WAS HIT WITH A $56.00 "TOUISSIANT TAX" FOR WORKING OVERTIME, I WAS HIT WITH A $29.00 "TOUISSIANT TAX" WITH NO OVERTIME, A FRIEND OF MINE FROM THIRD RAIL TOOK A $44.00 "TOUISSIANT TAX" HIT AND A SIGNAL MAINTAINER WAS HIT WITH A $42.00 … FOR ALL OF YOU RTO MEMBERS THAT WERE COMPLAINING TO ME ABOUT NOT WANTING TO WORK OVERTIME ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE "TOUISSIANT TAX" ,ALL I CAN SAY IS YOU WERE THE PEOPLE THAT PUT HIM BACK IN OFFICE
The all caps style is his.
-- Chuck Bennett
