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To most New Yorkers, TWU Local 100 is the union that illegally shut down the transit system back in 2005. But since then, the union --weakened by strike penalties -- has taken a less militant, more cooperative stance toward management under Roger Toussaint and now acting president Curtis Tate. But all that could change if the union elects candidate John Samuelsen in an election now underway.

"Toussaint and Tate favor a soft approach against management, and we favor achieving gains through the organized strength of our membership, not through collaboration," said Samuelsen.

Toussaint is now out of the picture, promoted to a job with the parent union, TWU of America. Tate has been the union's acting president since November. But critics say it's Toussaint still pulling the strings.

"Roger Toussaint is heavily involved in this election. Roger Toussaint is controlling their campaign. And Curtis Tate is a puppet for Roger Toussaint," said Samuelsen.

"You're standing here in front of me. You don't see any strings. You don't see any levers. You don't see any remote controls," said Tate. "Curtis Tate is his own man. He stands on his own two feet...2010, it is a fact Roger Toussaint will not be the president. He will not dictate what goes on in Local 100."

Tate says he does want to carry on much of Toussaint's work, and says he and his slate of candidates have the necessary experience to go up against the MTA.

"In these troubled times, it is not the time for on-the-job-training," said Tate.

Ballots went out to transit workers Tuesday and are due back June 22nd. But in an unusual move, they will then be kept under lock and key until December. It's not till then that the results will be tallied and the winners announced.

Tate says the election was timed to coincide with a separate election for union delegates to the parent union's convention. But it's not the only thing unusual about this election. About 44 percent of transit workers won't be able to vote because they're behind on dues -- a lingering result of the strike, which led a judge to strip the union of its ability to automatically collect dues from members' paychecks.