JANUARY & FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
Union Membership Meeting Notice
~Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 7:30PM in Union Hall,
~Friday, February 9, 2007, at 10:00AM in the Union Office,
~Tuesday, February 13, 2007, at 7:30PM
~Executive Board
3049 South 36TH ST (rear of Bldg) (Union Hall Map)
6923 Lakewood Dr W, B-1
Longshoreman’s Hall, 627 14th AVE (Longview) (Longshoreman's Hall Map)
Thrusday, February 1, 2007, at 3:00PM (Union Office)
Sonya Ogden, Rec.Sec./Newsletter Editor
Pattie Clark, Union Sec./Online Newsletter Editor
President’s Report
Isaac O. Tate, President/B.A.
president@atu758.org
Maintenance: Arthur Boyd one of our members in the Maintenance Department is currently off work dealing with a serious health condition. I gave him a call to see how he was doing and the first thing he stated was how he appreciated the support and contributions of sick leave and vacation hours by his co-workers. Art continues a slow but steady recovery and wishes he could be at work but, as I stated to Art; concentrate on recovering and regaining your health, we’ll still be here. Thanks again for caring!
Operator seats: I received the following from Reed Hooks VP Maintenance regarding “replacement” of foam cushions with gel seats. An additional 40 cushions arrived the week of January 15, 2007. After a discussion with Hooks, Ed McCue Member/Transit Operator and I, a decision was made to replace any seat cushion identified during the inspection process or from an Operator write-up. There may be instances when the seat appears fine to a Maintenance person, but when an Operator sits in it they say it needs to be replaced. Maintenance recognizes this and that is why we need to ensure Operators write them up or any other issue of concern. If they are written up the intent is to replace the cushion. In 2006 81 cushions were replaced. Remember if Maintenance does not know about them they may not be replaced.
4/10 committee meeting: Scheduled for February 8, 2007. The intent is to start working through and trying to address contractual issues such as – what happens with Holiday pay for someone on 4/10’s, – how do address OT, Sick Leave 8 hours or 10 hours, – Vacation 8 hours or 10 hours and basically all other types of leave relative to pay. Also the maximum length of day for someone on 4/10’s should also be considered. These are just a few of many issues that have to be ironed out, and in addition a mock shake-up must be posted as a comparable prior to implementation. Remember: Before this work is implemented the body meaning you as Transit Operators will have to approve it.
RTC update: The Regional Transportation Commission has submitted a regional governance plan to the Legislature regarding the merging of the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), Sound Transit (ST), and the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) into a new Puget Sound Regional Transportation Authority. At the present time no one knows what this means or the impact on how we do our jobs. More information to follow as this weaves its way through the legislative session. The finished report with corrections was to be released on January 23, 2007. (www.psrtc.wa.gov check out Chapter 9– recommendations).
Amalgamated Transit Union Legislative Council (ATULC): meeting and reception was held Thursday January 18, 2007. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss strategy for the 2007 session specifically pensions. At the present time early retirement, (which is a misnomer) anyone who works for 30 years is not retiring early, and the penalty for disability retirement which is as punitive if you have less than 20 years on the job (11% the first year and the 8% yearly penalty until age 65).
In addition for you PERS III pensioners the “gain sharing” in the plan is to be eliminated after the 2008 pay-out. The focus will be preserving the gain sharing, implementation of a rule of 85 (HB 1199) or 90, or some ability for current members to change plans (PERS III back to PERS II), or a reduction in the actuary penalty. As an example: instead of a 3% hit with 20 years service every year before age 65, to perhaps a 1% at age 60, or a reduction to 3% for someone who does not have 20 years of service when seeking a disability retirement. There is a fiscal note tied to this so we’ll just have to stay on top of this issue as it winds its way through the session. (HB 1199) www.leg.wa.gov or the hotline 1-800-562-6000. Other bills regarding State Retirement System are HB1262 (PERS 1) and HB1263.
One final bill that causes me heartburn, because the details have not been worked out is HB1097. While on the surface it’s a good bill, but how it will work in this industry because we transport individuals with special needs is yet open to interpretation. The bill states 1097 would make engaging in sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a vulnerable adult (including frail elders, developmentally disabled adults and persons living in a facility for those with a mental disorder or chemical dependency) while providing transportation to the victim, either 2nd degree rape (if sexual intercourse), or the part that bothers me “indecent liberties” (if sexual contact). Does this release the agency from a fair and competent investigation or does the agency cite “liability” and depends on a police report, and states it out of their hands? It could be hard to represent someone whether falsely accused or not.
One last issue on the Legislative front. The Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO (WSLC) announced the opening of positions on its standing committees. Of interest to us are the Economic Development and Transportation Committee. I took it upon myself to nominate Dennis Antonellis President BA of Local 1015 Spokane and President of our ATULC to one of the 6 vacant positions. I feel if Mr. Antonellis is appointed to said committee he will be a valuable asset to ATU members and a true representative of the transportation industry.
Retirees: After speaking to a retiree who had been involved in an accident who has a CDL endorsement, it came to light that the CDL endorsement could adversely affect your license. Things change with the endorsement such as “no” deferred prosecution if you suffer a moving violation, loss of license if it happens twice in a two (2) year period or two (2) accidents in two (2) years. This is just food for thought. I would hate to see someone lose their driving privilege because of an endorsement that you may not use anymore.
Special Voluntary Dental Option: Your Executive Board met with Candace Gunderson at our January 2007 E-Board meeting. The topic of discussion was a voluntary dental option available to Union members only which have significantly reduced rates. This is not a dental plan but could be beneficial to our newer hires without dental coverage and could produce significant cost reductions for our “retirees” as well. We will be providing information for our members via mail. The mailing will be done in our office with no release of information to outside entities. ATU Local 758 is not endorsing or recommending Bright Now Dental, however we felt it would be in our member’s best interest to notify you of this dental option.
Paratransit Negotiations: Tuesday January 23, 2007 our Paratransit group in the Longview/Kelso area ratified their contract proposal. Their wages will be retro from June 1, 2006. The contract will be in effect from June 1, 2006 thru May 31, 2009. Wages will be a minimum of 2% to maximum of 3.2% based on 80% of the Portland CPI, there were also some language changes and 12 hours of floating Holiday pay for part-timers. Thanks to IVP Don Hansen in these negotiations. It was an eye-opener when dealing with a private contractor who bid work at the lowest possible rate. The workers are the last thing they care about. We were dealing with Paratransit Services Bremerton.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don McKnight
Financial Secretary/TreasurerI attended the transit retiree holiday party along with Isaac and Sonya. It is really nice to see them all again and we always have good time. If you’re interested in going next year contact the union office and we’ll put you in touch with Tom Knust for more information.
It is the busiest time of year for me. Our major audit takes place and I have to file all of our tax paperwork and get the W-2’s out before February 1st. I also will be working on our budget for 2007 which I hope to present at the February cycle of meetings. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I wish you prosperity and good health in the New Year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Executive Board Reports If you are called in to see Management for anything that could lead to discipline please get Union representation. There is a progressive discipline policy at Pierce Transit. Members can have Union representation at every level of discipline. Take a rep with you if for no more than to have a witness as to what is said and done. Management always has more than one in the room with you, when discipline is going to be discussed or given out you should have someone with you also. You may also have representation in an investigatory meeting with Management. Know your rights which were established to protect you!! You can get the names of your Union Officers and Shop Stewards on the Union bulletin boards or you can call the Union office @ 474-3123.
Reminder-- there is a meeting of the ATU 758 Women's Caucus in February. All ATU 758 members are welcome. The meeting will be held in your Union office. We need your talents, gifts, enthusiasm, creativity and support.
When: February 5, 2007
Where: 6923 Lakewood Dr W suite B-1
Time: 6:00pm Hope to see you there!!Deborah E. Brown, Service Supervisor E-Board Officer, Shop Steward
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scholarship - Now is the time of the year to start thinking about scholarships for seniors in high school, if your know anyone who may be interested. ATU scholarship program deadline is January 31st. This information is in the, In Transit magazine Sept/Oct 2006. There are numerous others in this local area. The United Way of Pierce County would be a good place to start. They have a lot of internal programs that are associated with certain types of groups (i.e. minority, schools, individual names who have or had impacts on the community, labor/unions and etc).
Family Medical Leave Insurance – A bill to create a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program in Washington will be introduced the week of January 15th by Representative Mary Lou Dickerson. The Washington State legislature expects to have hearings on this bill early in February. The program would provide for up to five weeks of leave for the birth or placement of a new child, for a worker’s serious illness, or to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, domestic partner, or parent. Benefits would be $250 per week for full time workers, prorated for part time workers. The program would be funded through a 2 cent per hour payroll tax, paid by workers (about $3.50 per week, or $40 per year). I received this information from the Washington State legislature. This is something that the legislature has had in discussion for a while. If this is a matter of interest or you need to know ASAP, contact john@eoionline.org.Lamarr Bond, Executive Board Officer, Position I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to thank every one for attending the years annual Holiday Party. Also I would like to thank every one that helped with the set up and clean up for the party. Thanks!!!
Now from the Safety Committee I would like to report that all the water spots have been buffed out on every bus. The water spots from the driver's side windows, windows on the doors and the windshields have been done. The chemical in the bus wash has been changed and a new bus wash will be installed some time in 2007. Some red polycarbonate filters have been installed on some buses, the Safety Committee has had lots of positive feedback from the Operators and also from the passengers. The parts have been ordered and the lights will be installed on the entire fleet by the end of January.Tyrone Ross, Executive Board Officer, Operator Position II
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Members Barbara Strong-Nelson and Bill Melnick are calling all motorcycle riders to join a riding group they are in the process of organizing and setting up. If you are interested in joining and/or helping in the organizing please contact Barbara at email barbara0519@comcast.net or Bill Melnick at email wamelnik@comcast.net if email is not an option for you, please contact them and talk to them in person.