Roger Toussaint

Roger Toussaint (born 1956 in Trinidad and Tobago) was the President of Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100, the union of New York City Transit Authority employees in New York City and former Vice President of Strategic Planning for the parent union, an international organization.

Early life

Toussaint emigrated to New York from Trinidad and Tobago at the age of 18 and settled in Brooklyn. He enrolled at Brooklyn College, and held a succession of blue collar jobs including working as a welder. He was hired by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as a cleaner in 1984, and became a track worker in 1985.

Worker activism

Dissatisfied with working conditions at the Transit Authority, he and his fellow track workers started a newsletter called "On Track" which highlighted worker grievances. In 1994, he became a formal union member when he was elected leader of the 1800-member Track Division. As a TWU member, he was active in pursuing workers' grievances, much to the dislike of management.