Transport Union Chapters Endorse Bruce Blakeman for Governor, Criticizing Kathy Hochul
Two transport union chapters, TWU Local 106 and TWU Local 252, have endorsed Republican Bruce Blakeman for governor of New York, marking a significant political move against incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul. TWU Local 106, representing frontline supervisors in New York City Transit’s buses and subways, and TWU Local 252, representing transit operators and school bus drivers on Long Island, have expressed dissatisfaction with Hochul's handling of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The unions are particularly critical of the ongoing contract negotiations with the MTA, which have led to a three-day Long Island Rail Road strike. Phil Valenti, president of TWU Local 106, has accused the MTA and Hochul of bargaining in bad faith, stating that contracts have been withheld while management fails to negotiate honestly. 
