Operator 4/10’s
It has taken sometime but they are finally here. (Another 14 years struggle) Effective
the February shake-up and continuing thru the June Shake-up we will embark on a pilot program of 4/10 work.
The initial pilot will consist of “15” straight runs spread throughout all service hours,
and at the completion of the pilot, or sooner, if mutually agreed upon a decision will be made to accept, increase the
number, or abandon the effort.
The contract negotiations will have started per the second pilot shake-up and could very
well be the discussion of contract negotiations. In researching the issue I find that every Local or Agency that has
Operator 4/10 work has contractual language pertinent to such. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to call
either Lane (253) 209-0915 or myself at (253)640-9111 cell or (253)474-3123 the Union Office.
Your fellow members Sonya Ogden, Robert Taylor, Anna Carr and Andy Westby were a part of
the 4/10 implementation committee, and while the parameters are pretty well spelled out, if you have questions ask them,
and I’m sure if they are unsure of the answer they will contact me.
Thanks to these members for their time and efforts and for being involved in their Union
and their willingness to work on behalf of the membership.
Relief Transit Operators: Relief Transit Operators assigned to work for an Operator with a 4/10 schedule
will continue to receive overtime pay per Article XXII, Section B, paragraph 3, page 36 of the Master Agreement
(overtime will be paid for hours worked over 8 in a day).
Length of Work Day: The shake-up to be used for the pilot program will be reviewed jointly by the union
and management prior to posting.
Sick and Vacation Leave: Both will continue to be paid as time used up to a maximum of 10 hours a day.
Jury Duty: Will continue to be paid as outlined in Article XX, page 32 of the Master Agreement up to a
maximum of 10 hours a day.
Administrative Leave: Will be paid as time used up to a maximum of 10 hours a day.
Military Leave: Will continue to be paid in compliance with all state and federal regulations. Operators
working 4/10’s will be entitled to 15 work days paid up to a maximum of 10 hours per day of military leave every 12
months as defined by statute.
Light Duty: Light duty will be paid as hours worked. Operators may be assigned to a shift that varies
from their regular schedule while performing light duty.
Holiday Pay: Will continue to be paid up to a maximum of 8 hours for each of the 10 holidays observed by
Pierce Transit plus one Personal Holiday. At the end of a work week containing a holiday, Operators signing a 4/10
schedule will receive the amount of guarantee pay needed to bring the weekly total of compensated hours up to 40.
Length of Pilot Program: Two shake-ups will be required in order to obtain the information necessary to
properly analyze the program.
It is understood by the task force that nothing in the pilot program is to be considered precedent setting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following communiqué has been forwarded to Sam Desue on behalf of the membership October 31, 2007.
Sam Desue
VP Transportation Services
Pierce Transit
PO Box 99070
Lakewood, WA. 98496-0070
Operator Safety: Bus-Plus Vehicles
Sam,
A matter of Operator safety has been brought to the attention of the Union by its members who operate the Bus Plus vehicles.
This safety concern is expressed by Operators who provide fixed route service to the general public on what is basically a
specialized transportation vehicle.
However, unlike the Shuttle Operator who’s ridership is limited to the elderly and disabled, and who’s riders have
prescheduled documented trips, the riders who utilize the Bus Plus service are members of the general public, and with that
comes the same security and safety issues and concerns, that one would encounter on a 30 or 40 ft. coach on fixed route
service.
The basis for the Operators concern is the seating position which when operating a 30 or 40 ft. coach puts the Operator in
an almost eye to eye position when interacting with the public, versus the Operator in a ‘very’ vulnerable subordinate
position when encountered by a disgruntled or hostile individual.
The reason for the vulnerability is the low placement of the Operator seat. It is not conducive to warding off any type of
physical attack, to include being spit ‘down’ on, liquids thrown upon, struck ‘down’ at, and unable to get up or out of the
way. Indeed the Operator’s head is within easy ‘kicking distance’ of the riding public whether the assailant is male or
female.
Pierce Transit as an agency has always taken the position that an Operator is to take a ‘beating’ while seated, and if
he/she leaves their seat becomes the aggressor.
The Union will hereby advocate to the membership and this document will serve as notice to Pierce Transit, that when
operating a vehicle of this nature, that anytime you feel threatened you vacate the Operator’s seat to protect yourself.
Disciplinary action in this instance shall not be warranted when Operators are trying to protect themselves the best and
only way they know how.
The failure of the agency to address this safety issue ‘prior’ to introducing these types of vehicles to fixed route
service is inexcusable.
Does Pierce Transit adhere to the notion that the escalating violence against Operators nationwide will or cannot happen at
this agency?
The Union request resolution of this matter in an expedited manner, and hopefully no member or employee be affected by this
patently inherent oversight.
Thank you.
Isaac O. Tate
President/Business Agent
ATU Local 758
Cc: Larry Cline- Sr. Trans. Mgr.
Rod Baker-Chief of Public Safety
Albert Lara – VP Human Resources
Fred Nelson- Safety & Training Mgr.
The Union has been contacted by Rod Baker regarding a vulnerability assessment to be completed by Dan Hacker, Bill Cassio
and himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lane Chase, Vice President/A.B.A.
V.president@atu758.org
TRAINING PAY AND PENALITY PAY? Recently I have received numerous questions about these types of
pay. The two main questions are: 1. How long have they been around, and 2. Have they ever been increased?
Starting with Training Pay---This Pay appears in the first Master Bargaining Agreement between Pierce Transit and the Union
starting on January 1, 1981 and has never had an increase for past 27 years.
Penalty Pay/Spread Pay---This pay also appears in the first Master Bargaining Agreement January 1, 1981, and was
established at the rate of $1.50 per hour or fraction thereof. January 1, 1983 it went to $1.75 per hour or fraction
thereof. Seven years later on January 1, 1990 the Penalty/Spread Pay was raised to $2.00 per hour or fraction thereof.
The Union has addressed the raising of this pay several times since 1990; however it still remains unchanged for the last
18 years. When the contract questionnaire comes out at a later date make sure you put these two down for consideration if
that is your desire to have them addressed.
How much does a single vote really count? Read on, if you really want to know.
- In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England.
- In 1649, one vote caused Charles I of England to be executed.
- In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German.
- In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
- In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic.
- In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler the leadership of the Nazi Party.
- In 1941, one vote saved the Selective Service- before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- In 1960, one-half vote per precinct gave John Kennedy the presidency.
- In 1984, Ronald Reagan lost in Minnesota by less than one vote per precinct, but still managed to win the Presidency.
The primary election is over and the run off is fast approaching. Is it almost time for our membership to choose.
So get out and vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
362 years, are listed above with multiple examples of how, “one vote” can really make the difference.
That vote could mean the world to you--or-- the entire world to everyone you know. The choice is yours on Election Day.
400 votes, First a, “Thank-You” to all the members that took the time to cast their ballots. 400, this is the
approximate number of members that did not vote on November 14, 2007.
61 or 21? These are the numbers that would have produced a simple majority, at the last vote. The two
finalists for president only needed these numbers to win the election.
2 is the number? Of the examples above one or only a few votes made the difference, only two of the statements
above are actually correct. The importance of voting can never be underestimated. Imagine if some of the examples above
were reversed. The effect on all of our lives could not even be measured. By the way if you want to know which are true
and which are false, check the Union Bulletin Board in the Operators Lobby. The numbers of the correct answers will be
located on the Union Bulletin Board somewhere.
. . . . . . . . . . . Copy and paste on Note Pad to print out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you have managed to read this far, and found out which of the above statements are correct, congratulations! Put your
name, badge and numbers of the correct statements on this slip and drop it in the Union Mail Box next to the Union Bulletin
Board. There will be a drawing for a new ATU 758 shirt or hat for a lucky member.
Must be in Union Mail Box by closing of the polls on the day of run - off election.
Name, _________________________ Badge,________Numbers of Correct Statements, _______ ________
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Turning it up a Notch? Every group people has their own, “Culture” And “Socialization”. Culture refers
to the values, ideals etc. which are associated with the group. Socialization is the process used by the members of
the group to learn about the culture. You can see the socialization process occurring everyday, no matter where you
go in transit. Many factors come into play to develop this culture: age, sex, race, education, religion, friendship/
associations and more. As long as you have those differences, there are going to be differences of opinion. Our job
as a local is not to have an opinion that is a single monolithic whole, but to instead reach a dominant consensus.
Organized groups such as a Union have a membership, who has officers who speak for the organization. These officers
are expected to use a, “higher cognitive process” and not to react out of emotion in order to assist in securing the
benefits the group desires.
It should be noted that the group opinion formed at our local, many times is formed only by word of mouth. It
becomes critically important that this word of mouth communication be reported accurately and completely. On the flip
side is the noesis, (the result of preconceived perceptions, and learning). One cannot expect our membership to respond
like a, “tabula rasa”, (a clean slate). Each of our members will respond differently to different events. So, it
becomes the duty of the Officers of the local to educate, protect, and inform the members of the local. The
disagreements that can occur in a group can become quite strident, but are really more matters of degree of disagreement
than substantive dissimilarity. I have been listening to many of our members the past couple of weeks. Many of the
concerns and opinions expressed are very similar and really only differ by the degree of passion associated with it.
Our differences are not a weakness, “they are our greatest strength”. If we are all of a single mind, then we only
have one thought or approach to any situation. I encourage all of you use a process called, “Mentation”, (process of
thinking especially carefully) when casting your vote in the run off.
ASRB, The Accident Safety Review Board meets the third Wednesday of every month. I encourage you to
attend if at all possible. You could make the difference in the outcome of the ruling on your, “Event Report” as it
is called now.
Also, for the last two months we have had some of our members fill in for missing committee members on the ASRB. I
met with each of our members who filled in after the meeting. Each one of them stated that it was a lot different than
what they had expected and they had learned a lot about how to fill out an “Event Report”..
If you would be interested in sitting on the ASRB as a, “visiting” voting member please let me know. Just write a
note and drop it in the Union Mail box in the operators lobby. If you would still like to see what goes on and not have
the responsibility of voting we can make arrangements for you to sit in as an observer. Both of these spots are
limited as to the number we can have present. So it is a first come first serve situation.
Remember, “Thy Will Be Done”, Thanks for the turnout at the last election. Let’s get out and vote in the
run off. Take your one of your most precious rights for a little exercise!!! I would like to thank the membership for
all the well wishes and support that have been offered.
HOLIDAYS, it is almost year end and the Holidays are upon us. Please take the time to reflect on what is
really important to each of you. Be it family, friends, coworkers, or maybe even presents. I wish you all a wonderful
and happy new year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don McKnight
Financial Secretary/Treasurer
I just want to say “Thank You” for allowing me to continue to represent you as your
Financial Secretary/Treasurer. I ran last election on a campaign of financial accountability and fiscal responsibility.
I have kept my promise by providing documentation of all finances and an annual budget with monthly balance updates at
every local meeting.
One of my proudest accomplishments is our new office. Our former office was extremely
small and we talked about expanding into the vacant office next to the one we leased. Before that happened I found the
building that we purchased and now occupy. We have set ourselves up for an even stronger financial future by purchasing
our building instead of continuing to lease a dilapidated and dirty building. We now have an office we can all be proud
of that will be a part of our local’s financial future. Over the past year our financial stability has allowed us to
make several principal only payments, which will result in an early payoff. I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to pay it
off in five years or less.
At this year International Convention I offered a constitutional amendment that would have
eliminated retiree dues after 40 years of membership. The proposal was shot down by unforeseen arguments. I learned a
lot from the process and have already crafted an alternative for the next convention in 2010.
The job certainly has been challenging. I had to learn several new software programs and
trying to calculate our convoluted dues structure will give anyone a headache. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried to
get your payroll taxes to jive at the end of the year. Unfortunately there is not enough time to teach new Financial
Secretaries everything they need to know when they take office. The job is a work in process and some things you only
do once, twice or four times a year. Negotiations can be very trying emotionally. At times it’s hard to remember it’s
just a process and don’t take it personally. You do the best you can and leave it up to the membership to decide if it
was good enough.
All in all it has been a rewarding experience or I would not have run for another term.
If I hadn’t been reelected I would have given my successor all the help I could. To do any less hurts the local and we
have to realize that it’s just business, not personal.
Once again thanks for having me back for another term. I hope everyone has a happy and
safe holiday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sonya Ogden
Recording Secretary, Election Committee Chair
On November 13th and 14th, 2007 elections were held for Union Officers. The results were
as follows: President Business Agent Mike Delano 200 39%, Joe Digiulio 73 14% and Isaac O. Tate 238 47%. Per our
by-laws if there are more than two candidates for one position and one candidate does not receive 50% plus one vote then
there needs to be a runoff election for that position. The President Business Agent runoff election will be Tuesday,
December 18, 2007 in Longview and Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at Pierce Transit.
The results for the election of all three Transit Operator Positions are as follows:
Position I Lamarr Bond 285 and Kevin Greinke 60. Position II Tyrone Ross 246 and Jose Villahermosa 101. Position III
Barry Aiton 158 and Juanita Hoheusle 188.
All other positions were run unopposed and all Officers will take office January 1,
2008.
I would like to thank the retirees Tom Knust, Walt Waisath, Lynne Proctor and Gloria
Spears for coming out to help with the election. I also am very appreciative of Pierce Transit for them allowing us to
use a Pierce Transit Bus for the voting. VP of Human Resources Alberto Lara approved the bus and Events Coordinator
Dixie Sciacqua followed up and scheduled the bus for the vote.
On the day of the vote at Pierce Transit November 14th I was questioned by some
members why and how did a candidate get their home address to mail their campaign letter. I explained to them that
absolutely no candidate has access to their addresses. I as the Election Committee Chair hand deliver those addresses
to the printer of the candidate’s choice. The candidate then pays out of their own pocket (about $500.00) for the
printer to print up and mail out the campaign letter to the members. This has been past practice for many years/terms
during elections.
All members who are in good standing are encouraged to vote in the upcoming runoff
election. All Union members are allowed to vote including Retirees. We have an estimated 900 members and in this last
election 513 members voted.
Please remember when voting not to put any marks on the ballot besides a check mark,
or an X or to fill in the circle for the candidate of your choice. This last vote I had to disqualify two (2) ballots
that were cast due to a write in on one and some rude remarks on another. Although those two ballots would not have
affected the outcome of this vote, what if they did and your ballot was the reason why your candidate of choice did not
get elected.
For those members who wanted one of those teal colored ATU 758 Union pens that you
used to sign your name to vote please come to the December cycle of meetings. Yes, that is a bribe, but if that does
not work then come to the December cycle of Union meetings as they will be my last meetings as your Recording Secretary.
This will be my last newsletter article due to my term coming to a close. I have enjoyed the last six years.
I feel Deborah Brown will do an excellent job. Please remember those who show up to the union meetings run the Union.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Executive Board Reports
I want to thank each of you who exercised your right to vote in the Union election last month.
Congratulations to all those who won their seats to represent our ATU 758.
Thanks to Sonya Ogden who has been a wonderful Recording Secretary for the past six
years. I hope I can be as good Recording Secretary as she has been. That job holds a lot of responsibility. Please
come out to vote in the runoff election for President B.A. of your local.
The ATU 758 Women’s Caucus is now one year old as of October 2007 and we need your
support. We meet only 6 times a year on the 1st Monday of every other month. The next meeting will be February 4,
2008 at 6 PM in your Union office.
Also let us make 2008 a record year of support and involvement in our Union. Let
your voice be heard. You can spare 2 hours per month to attend the regular meetings of your Union. Do not just be a
“round table” complainer come and get involved.
Deborah E. Brown, E-Board Officer Service Supervisor Representative
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to thank every body for coming out to vote. Thank you for your support!
Thanks for supporting all of the candidates at this election.
SPACING? From the first day behind the wheel, you've learned and practiced how to make a smooth start and
stop. On the training course, in route training or on a lonely road with your first Safety & Training instructor, there
was plenty of time and distance provided for you to master this technique. Now flash forward to today and you are in
congested stop and go traffic in Puyallup on Meridian in the afternoon, on I-5 leaving Seattle, in rush hour traffic,
or any were in our local system in heavy traffic. How do you maintain that smooth start and stop? S P A C I N G
is the key.
Spacing is not a time robber. Spacing is your insurance that you will have the time and distance to properly
react and in some cases, predict the activity up ahead. Spacing will help reduce the stress that increases as your
heart races after a near-hit with the car ahead.
When preparing to leave a bus stop, read the road ahead, look to see where the traffic is and what color is the
light at the next intersection? Will the light be changing soon or has it just turned to green? Adjusting your pullout
speed to work within the space ahead and by keeping your spacing during this maneuver, you'll be able to make a smooth
start and ultimately a smooth stop as conditions change.
When moving through traffic use Spacing to help your self to both pace traffic and the traffic lights ahead.
Don't crowd traffic with little short starts and stops as they only make the ride less enjoyable for the customer,
but add to your stress.
Don't battle time for seconds; always be conscious of standing customers. Don't accelerate the coach until the
customer is seated or has a firm grip. Avoid sudden stops and keep your spacing for safety. Always use your mirrors,
look ahead and look out for pedestrians. The weather conditions and time of day or night affect your smooth start and
stopping and spacing. We are professional drivers so be alert and be safe.
From the Safety Committee: Be smart use marked crosswalks and remember not to walk between buses while in the bus
yard!!! Keep your speed down to 10mph, and be aware of traffic moving around the yard, maintenance and operators.
Happy Holidays!
Tyrone Ross, E-Board Officer Operator Position II
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a driver, are you calling for connections at transit centers? If you're late, you're
late, don't punish everyone else in the transit centers because you are late. By helping your handful of passengers,
you make everyone else whose runs are probably tighter than yours and their thirty passengers late for their
connections. By calling for connections you are creating a bigger problem that just keeps compounding itself.
It's also a safety issue. It's frightening to see people running in between buses and through the transit centers
at pull-out time. Don't do it! If your run doesn't have enough time, go see Joann Boring and her staff in scheduling.
The real issue is printing a schedule that can't realistically be met. It is a disservice to our paying passengers and
the reputation of Pierce Transit. Think twice before you call for connections. Help your fellow drivers and their
passengers meet their connections too!
Barry Aiton, E-Board Officer, Operator Position III
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATU 758 RUNOFF ELECTION NOTICE
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
2:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Longview, Washington (lunchroom)
and
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
5:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Pierce Transit Property
(on the bus thru the walkway on the bus lot)
Runoff election for the position of
President Business Agent
Candidates are
Mike Delano and Isaac O. Tate
Deadline to file an election challenge is Saturday, December 29, 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATU 758 General Officers and Executive Board
Would like to extend warm greetings and wishes for your Holidays.
Health and prosperity to you and yours for 2008.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Printer-friendly version
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Newsletter
If you would like to receive your Newsletter by email please click
here: and sign up.
Return to Home Page
