JULY NEWSLETTER

Union Membership Meeting Notice

~Thursday July 14, 2005, at 7:30PM in Union Hall,
3049 South 36th ST (rear of Bldg) (Union Hall Map)

~Friday, July 15, 2005, at 10:00AM in the Union Office,
10828 Gravelly Lake DR. SW, #202 (Union Office Map)

~Tuesday, July 19, 2005, at 7:30PM
Longshoreman’s Hall, 627 14th AVE (Longview) (Longshoreman's Hall Map)

~Executive Board
Wednesday, July 6, 2005, at 3:00PM (Union Office) (Union Office Map)

Sonya Ogden, Rec.Sec./Newsletter Editor

Pattie Clark, Union Sec./Online Newsletter Editor

Contract Negotiations - The Union team has had several negotiating sessions with Management in June. Since the current labor agreement expires on June 30, 2005, as President/ Business Agent of this local I formally requested an extension of the current contract through July 31, 2005. This will allow contract renewal discussions to continue with both sides respecting the terms and conditions of the existing contract. It has been the practice of this local to request monthly extensions until a tentative agreement has been reached by the parties. Your Union Negotiation Team continues to address the needs of the membership and talks have been progressing thus for in an amicable fashion. As stated above we continue to work under the present contract and will continue to do so until ratification of a new agreement.
     The Hybrid Agreement also remains in effect which in lay terms translates to the “Bus Plus” service and will run concurrent with extensions to our current agreement. Your negotiate team, V.P./A.B.A. Lane Chase, Financial Secretary Treasurer(FST) Don McKnight, Journey Level Mechanic Russ Lowe and myself, appreciate the support the membership has afforded us. Thank-you

MCI-update – per a communiqué addressed to Safety & Training Mgr. Fred Nelson dated June 16, 2005, the Union once again requested follow-up to the Safety concerns of the Right-Side rearview spot mirror. To wit, I received a memo from Mgr. Nelson stating that Maintenance had finally located replacement mirrors, (the manufacturer did not make a convex mirror for the right side) and twenty-five(25) were ordered and due to arrive on June 24, 2005. While by June 27, 2005 they still had not arrived, maintenance has made assurances that upon their arrival they will be a “top priority”. Perhaps a little less stress.

Shop Stewards – While attending the Advanced Arbitration Seminar June 21 – 26th, I made contact with the International Executive Vice-President Mike Siano, regarding the formation of training classes for members interested in being Shop Stewards. International V.P. Siano is a strong supporter of training for our memberships and committed I.V.P Don Hansen and in conjunction with myself the task of seeking members willing to participate in the training.
     While we are presently in contract negotiations with Don Hansen present, this is also a time I can discuss perhaps what our needs would be (1-Day 2-Days etc) weekend? I would strongly urge our Maintenance, Customer Service and Relief Operators to partake of this training when it becomes available. Also in addition please state the time of week you would be available. Please contact the Union Office (253-588-3651) and leave your name, job classification, shift or assignment time etc, and please leave a number where you can be reached. Thank-you.

Cell Phone Calls – please if you try to contact me and I don’t answer immediately and you choose to leave a voicemail (instead of hanging up). Chances are I may be in negotiations, in meetings with Pierce Transit Management Staff, composing memos and drafts on behalf of the membership, member representation meetings, meeting with someone in the office or away from the worksite, or perhaps on a teleconference call to name a few reasons for my inability to answer or return your call at that time. Leave your name, time you can be contacted, what shift or assignment you work, how you can be contacted if on the job, and if you request a meeting – when and where? I’m sure it is as frustrating to you, as it is to me, when I can’t make a contact. Sorry if I missed your call.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lane Chase, Vice President/A.B.A.
V.president@atu758.org

“What’s Been Happening at Local 758?”

     Unfortunately our newsletter is not being able to hold everything that has taken place. I can say that there are a number of serious issues that Isaac and I am trying to address. I can not stress enough to you the members not to wait to seek advice from the Union. To many of our members wait until the discipline level is so serious it makes it very difficult to come out with a satisfactory conclusion to the issue facing our member. Remember you can take a Shop Steward with you and I would advise it, if for nothing else, the steward can be a witness or note taker for you. Many times when facing a situation there are a lot of emotions involved. With a steward there you can take advantage of the Union rep’s experience and knowledge, and impartiality.

     In last month’s newsletter and the month before I tried to give you some information regarding member health issues. Last month I focused on noise and the effects it can have on you. Since that issue I have had the opportunity to talk with Reed Hooks, V.P. of Maintenance on several occasions. During one of those talks the topic of noise in the newsletter came up. He had cut out a newspaper article where an agency had refused a whole order of buses for noise problems. We discussed what the maximum acceptable level of noise in a coach was and how our coaches measured up. Mr. Hooks indicated that the last shipment of coaches had exceeded the maximum level for noise and were refused until the manufacturer corrected the problem. By refused, I mean Management refused payment until the problem was corrected. So if you see him let him know you appreciate what was done, he deserves a “that a boy”, for taking the right steps to protect the health of our members from noise pollution and Transit’s investment by getting what was paid for.

     Driving Drowsy? At some time or another, nearly every one of us has had the experience of almost falling asleep at the wheel. Yet it is difficult to combat this highly dangerous problem. There is not a quantifying test for sleepiness. There has been an effort between the National Highway Traffic Administration and the National Center on Sleep Disorders. Although no one is immune, several groups are at higher risk. These groups are younger people up to age 29, (especially males); shift workers or workers with long irregular hours whose sleep patterns are disrupted; and people with untreated sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy. Accidents that involve sleepiness usually have the following characteristics:

• Problem occurs late night/early morning or late afternoon
• Crash is likely to be serious
• Usually single vehicle involved leaving a high-speed road
• Driver makes no attempt to avoid the crash.

     Driving patterns help identify someone who may be included in the higher risk group. These may include driving before 6a.m., driving a substantial number of miles each year, or a substantial number of hours each day, and driving for long periods without a break even a short one. The key behavioral step is not to drive sleepy. A short nap can make a difference also a short walk can help and some coffee equivalent to two cups can help. As you can see the criteria for driving drowsy fits our members like a custom made driving glove. So get your rest and most importantly your sleep.

“How Many Does It Take to Make The Bus Go?”

     As we walk out to the rows of buses at the beginning of our shift and sit in the drivers seat, most of us take for granted the bus will start and run properly. Few of us even think about our co-workers who did their jobs. Our confidence comes from knowing our fellow members who work in the various areas of maintenance are skilled and thorough. What we don’t realize is the amount of effort that went into getting that coach ready for the next days pull. There are repairs to be made and inspections to be done. It can be hazardous dirty work, with exposure to many different chemicals, (solvents, paints, lead, fuels, etc). These chemicals can take a toll on one’s body for sure, but few outside of the mechanic ranks are aware of the injuries that can be caused from vibrating tools or compressed air, and many times these hazards are not even known in the medical field. There are approximately 130 of our members out there in maintenance doing their work ensuring we get a coach that is maintained and safe for our operators and passengers. Much of this work is done during the night, during all kinds of weather. Our members at the fueling station can be in and out of the same coach as many as eight to ten times before it is parked and ready for the night, (which means a service station attendant could climb in and out of the coaches as many as 400 times a shift). Then there are our members that support us from the office and in the field. All of these jobs have their own idiosyncrasies and difficulties to over come. I guess the point is that we are in the same local and all of us are affected to some degree by how others perform their job. The person most affected usually is our co-workers and fellow members. Let’s all give our fellow members our respect and support.

     Speeding? DON'T! This is the only sure, 100% guaranteed way, of staying out of trouble and off the radar screen. A number of our fellow members have received various levels of discipline this past month for doing just that, “speeding”. There are many ways to get caught and they all end with the same result, “discipline”. Remember you’re driving down the road, in something the size of a house with signs all over it saying look at me. So when you are looked at make sure it isn’t for speeding, or for something that will put you on the screen. It is only a matter of time before someone will see you or report the incident. The only sure result of speeding is to see how fast you can get in trouble.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don McKnight, Financial secretary/ Treasurer
finsec@atu758.org

     I attended a retirement seminar sponsored D.R.S. earlier this month on my day off. I highly recommend everyone to start planning early. The seminar was a very good presentation although not every topic applied to us. The Social Security Administration sent two representatives who addressed the new part D prescription coverage about to be unveiled in August. It’s not without cost though. The plan may help those of us with aging parents take some of the sting out of prescription costs. The costs as I understood it is $35 a month with an annual deductible of $250 with S.S. picking up 80% of the cost there after. However, a waiver of the monthly premium can be applied for based on income. I don’t remember the specifics on the income range but it seemed to be fairly liberal. This could make the only out of pocket costs the deductible and 20% of the prescription. Check it out and see if it will help your parents.

     I’m getting ready for a very busy month with the semi-annual audit and quarterly taxes coming next month. Just a reminder, the International mandated per capita/minimum dues increase goes into effect this July 1, 2005 raising your dues between $.30 and $2.30. The local union has no say in this increase. The officers and staff at the local wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sonya Ogden, Recording Secretary
recsec@atu758.org

     It was the first week of the new shake-up (June 2005) and I was at the Tacoma Mall Transit center and witnessed something that really irritated me, that I am compelled to share with you.

      I was the 51 route and had pulled out of the zone and drove around the island to set myself up to leave the transit center with the other buses. All of the other buses in the transit center had done the same per Supervisor’s Phil McVey etiquette of pulling out of zones. When I got around the island towards the light I noticed that the inbound 53 was at the light trying to get in. I held back so as not to block the 53. The 53 came into its zone and unloaded passengers. I pulled behind the 53, to be behind the bus at the light so that I could pull out of the transit center. I saw a passenger run from the late 53 in front of my bus and to the right of the bus in front of me (that bus route number, time of day and date is being withheld for privacy) to its door to be let on. The Operator of that bus denied him entrance. Which is fine with me, because I agree with the policy of Passenger Safety Zone, board your bus at marked zones in the transit centers. That passenger ran back the way he came, and got up on the island to wait for the next bus. What I saw next is what upset me. From in front of the same bus in front of me came running another passenger that also wanted to get on the bus that was at the light. That same Operator opened its doors and let that passenger on, but did not open the door for the first passenger. What was the difference in passengers you ask your self? The first passenger was a black male and the second was a white male and that my fellow Union Brothers and Sisters is bull…. and that is what pissed me off. What I saw, and what all my passengers on my 51 saw, was that the Operator denied entrance onto his bus to a black male but allowed a white male on just seconds later. What I perceived at that time and what my passengers will always perceive was race discrimination. When all the buses pulled out of the transit center and were down at the light at 47th and Oakes, I looked at that Operator and saw that he was not white, but he also was not black.

     Later on as I calmed down and started thinking of what I had seen? Or witnessed? I stopped to think maybe there was something else to that incident. I thought as an Operator, maybe that Operator who denied service to the black male had previous issues with that passenger or maybe he knew the second passenger and that he was a regular so he opened the doors for that passenger. Either way, if you as an Operator are going to violate the policy of the Passenger Safety Zone, board your bus at marked zones only at transit centers and risk the safety of passengers and your safety record, then I ask you to be consistent in your decisions and not practice favoritism. There is a reason why your Safety Committee fought so hard to get those signs posted at transit centers for the safety of you, and the passengers. Please remember, you as the Operator it is at your discretion if you choose to open those doors or not after you have pulled away from the zones at transit centers.

     On a lighter note, just a reminder that the lights at the Tacoma Mall Transit center and the left turn light on 47th at Oakes is sensored to stay green as long as our bus is there to hold it. So if you see a fellow Operator trailing behind you and you know they want to get thru that light please hold it till that bus can catch up with you. The Operator behind you will appreciate it. Thank you.

     Also the Union office has excess or old equipment that is no longer needed and is up for the first member to contact the Union office to acquire it. We have a computer monitor, key board, computer tower without the hard drive in it and two four door filing cabinets (cabinets are not perfect). If interested in any of these items, please call the Union office and/or come and get it. First come, first one gets it. The deadline to pick up is Friday, July 29, 2005. After that date the items will be donated to charity.

     We have received the new A.T.U. International contracts. If you would like one, please contact the Union office and an Officer will deliver it to you or you can stop into your Union office and pick one up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Executive Board Report

      PIERCE COUNTY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL (PCCLC) – I attended the monthly meeting on the 15th of June. The “Jerry Beckendorf” scholarships for high school seniors were presented by Emma Faidley, American Federal Legislator Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO) liaison, to the students who attended the meeting. This scholarship was sponsored by the United Way of Pierce County. There will also be a bowling tournament to raise funds for next year’s scholarship. The 2nd annual scholarship bowling tournament will be on Sunday, September 25, 2005. Registration begins at noon at Pacific Lanes 7015 South D Street Tacoma.

     Solidarity Day XXV is on Sunday, August 21st, the Fresno Grizzlies vs. the Tacoma Rainiers. I picked up our complimentary tickets from the meeting that I attended and they will be distributed at our picnic and will also be available afterwards at the Dispatch window and Maintenance lunchroom or by contacting the Union office. For those of you who are new or are unaware, ATU 758 donates annually to this event which is sponsored by the PCCLC.

Lamarr Bond, E-Board Officer/Shop Steward Operations Position I

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recreation Committee
Annual ATU Picnic
Sunday, July 17, 2005

The annual A.T.U. picnic is Sunday, July 17, 2005 at the Tacoma Sportsman Club 16409 Canyon Rd. E. 12 noon to 5 pm. The camp over is Saturday night, July 16, 2005. (BYOB) and folding chairs. There are raffle tickets being sold by your E-Board Officers for cash prizes of $300.00 $200.00 and $100.00 need not be present to win the cash prizes but must be present to win the door prizes. There will be the traditional kids games of bean bag throw, horseshoes, egg toss, money scramble and the kids jump tent will be there too. There are limited amount of picnic tables, so we ask that you bring your folding chairs. If you have any questions and/or want to volunteer please contact: Trina Skirko cell 253-226-1794 or Isaac Tate cell 253-640-9111 or talk to Larry Dahlin in Operator’s lobby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grievance Update

Sha-Ron Jones, Operator– termination unavailability for work. Grievance withdrawn. Decision final.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Memory

Robert Wilson, Mechanic (active member)- passed on June 27, 2005

Gordan Duncan, Retired Operator– passed on May 3, 2005

Carl Walker, Retired Operator– passed on June 12, 2005

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~