~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
President’s Report
Endorsements – Is the Union telling me who to vote for? Election time is near. When the Union endorses a
candidate or issue, the Union is not telling you how to vote, but giving a labor perspective that it hopes will
influence your vote, just as others try to influence your vote. It is your vote and your choice on how to balance
these factors. When you vote, you consider many factors, one of them may be how does this affect work, which is
why Labor endorses. They spend the time to check. Some candidates support Worker Protections and some support
Employer Protections. For example, many Republican legislators in the Federal government felt that employers
needed relief from paying overtime, and so supported President Bush’s effort to repeal some overtime provisions
in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Since the FLSA is why we receive overtime on travel pay that exceeds
40 hours per week, we opposed weakening FSLA. You get the idea - Labor Protections, Laws, and Politics are balled
together, which is why Labor researches and endorses. When you see these endorsements, consider it as a factor in
your decision. As an interesting close, Dick Gephardt was endorsed by many labor organizations, including ATU,
because of his consistent voting record for Labor. He did very poorly (3%) in the Iowa primaries and dropped out,
which left candidates wondering how much is a labor endorsement worth? How much should they push for Worker
Protections when the votes are not there to support them? That’s politics, short and simple.
4-10s for PT Operators – The 4-10 committee- Isaac Tate, Lane Chase, Mike Barker, Larry Dahlin, and Roylene Vincent,
met with Management to begin hammering out 4-10 shift parameters. Since 1991, surveys have found strong interest among
Operators. After the hammering stops, Operators will vote on whether they want to proceed. If lights stay green,
some shifts could appear by Fall.
Freeway speeding is PT Operator’s most common infraction involving discipline. It takes a tremendous amount of
self-discipline to be one of the slowest vehicles on the road (just ask a horse heading to the barn), but Sound Transit,
Pierce Transit, & Washington State Patrol all expect Transit to set the standard. Transit firmly wants to avoid the
liability of an accident involving speeding. Be consistent in showing the public that buses drive the speed limit while
setting a good example for fellow Operators. Take pride in your self-discipline.
Remember the Holiday Season Party that wasn’t? It might still be coming. Val Knight, Larry Dahlin, and Rick Drescher
are working on bringing us one on a smaller budget.
Snow & Ice - One more reason to look forward to Summer. Risk of slipping and accidents increase dramatically.
Maintenance works outside in the cold and Operators lose break time. Most everyone came to work and did an incredible job.
I’m sure each has your own snow story. Everyone is truly grateful for your contributions.
The Sheryl Culver arbitration over improper termination was awarded fully in our favor. Sheryl will receive back wages
and benefits for time lost, plus the Union will receive reimbursement for legal fees. We are pleased the check and
balance system appears to be working. The road has been rocky and we welcome Sheryl back to the fold.
Peter Altmann
ATU Local 758 President
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vice President’s Desk
Isaac O. Tate
Lately there seems to be an upswing in disciplinary action regarding “aggressive” operation of our coaches to include
tailgating, excessive lane changes and excessive speed to name a few. These incidents/ reports whether warranted or not,
are reported by Law enforcement, other motorist, PT employees, and co-workers. Not surprisingly the majority of these
incidents seem also to be related to freeway coach operation.
Personally, I don’t do Express runs. I like the “ex” in express and the “free” in freeway, so obviously I don’t like to
sit around on the freeway if I can’t accomplish my goal, moving down the “freeway” in an “express mode” I’m not too happy
there. As professional Coach Operators your mindset has to be different. Your job is to obey Washington State traffic
laws and abide by the “safe” practices of commercial vehicle operation, and you will be told that when you’re pulled into
the back office. It’s also really hard to “beat up” the phrase… “your willful violation of” … on a disciplinary notice,
if you did it.
When you are given your paddle with a certain amount of run time on it, you should be able to complete your run by
following posted speed limits and observing safety rules and traffic laws. You have very little control over traffic
conditions or another late or missed trip. Contact dispatch for direction, you don’t have to do anything “unlawful” to
catch-up. That would be Dispatch’s job to coordinate the movement of the coaches. If you need a restroom break, take it.
It’s your right, health, maybe your life and it should also be factored into your running time. You cannot be
disciplined for restroom usage, nor disciplined for driving to slowly if you’re obeying the law. Be Professional
PERS II
The Washington State Legislature is starting to wake up. This legislative session one of the most punitive retirement
systems in the nation is coming under quite a bit of scrutiny (PERS II) and quite a few bills have been sponsored to
address the issue.
*HB 1546: impacts the PERS II plan by providing up to 5 years of additional service credit for prior
Military service. The member must have at least 25 years of service in PERS 2 to be eligible for the
Military service benefit.
*HB 2535/ SB 6251: Service Credit Purchase: Members of Plans 2 or 3 of PERS or SERS who are
eligible for early retirement are allowed to purchase up to five years of additional service credit at the
time of retirement. Members having at least 30 years of service are only subject to a benefit reduction
of 3 percent per year of difference between their age at retirement and age 65.
*HB 2536/ SB 6252: Service Credit Buy-down: Members of Plans 2 or 3 of PERS or SERS who are
eligible for early retirement are allowed to buy down all or part of the early retirement benefit
reduction. Members having at least 30 years of service are only subject to a benefit reduction of 3
percent per year of difference between their age at retirement and age 65.
In addition to the aforementioned PERS II related Bills, there is movement afoot to create a new PERS II retirement
system... *SB 6246 would create a Public Safety Employees retirement system (PSERS II): Full-time employees within
the following job classes are corrections officers, state park rangers, enforcement officers of the Gambling Commission,
the Liquor Control Board, and Commercial vehicle officers.
As Union advocates on behalf of our members, we feel that we encounter and are exposed to many of the same individuals
and circumstances that some of the aforementioned classifications are, especially Transit Operators/ Drivers, and
testimony was given as such. A Thank-you to Service Supervisor Phil McVey for data crucial to our position. It’s a
long shot. Others stating their positions were Mental Health workers, EMT(s), and Community Service Officers just to
name a few. That pretty much wraps up PERS II Legislation, but one other bill remains *SB 5431 / HB 1679 re: positive
drug or alcohol test result.
The issue(s) we have as a Union are they interfere with our collective bargaining rights (ability to negotiate treatment
program, return to work agreements etc.) and this bill results in loss of CDL (MRO reports results directly to Department
of Licensing). If an individual wants to challenge a positive result you would be entitled to a hearing (when?) and once
CDL license disqualified have to complete certified D & A programs before reinstatement. Remember over the counter (OTC)
medications can get you busted.
There is no stipulation for an agency to hold your job indefinitely. No CDL… no job!
These bills can be accessed via our website www.atu758.org or go directly to www.leg.wa.gov and click on bill info.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Financial Secretary/Treasurer
Cathie Parker
Other Northwest Local News
Local 19 – Colorado Springs has 125 members, and is celebrating its 110 year anniversary.
Local 381 – Butte Montana recently won an arbitration concerning special education buses.
Local 569 – Edmonton Alberta has approximately 500 members. Wages are $22.95 for drivers and $26.23 for mechanics.
Local 583 – Calgary Alberta has 2770 members. Wages are $23.85 for drivers, $14.85 for Para transit drivers, and $28.00 for mechanics.
Local 587 – Seattle WA has approximately 4,000 members. They are currently trying to negotiate the monorail work.
Local 757 – Portland OR recently settle a contract in Walla Walla in which they had no take aways.
Local 843 – Bellingham WA has two wages scales for small and large buses.
Local 987 – Lethbridge Alberta is looking into self insuring disability. Currently, their driver guarantee is under attack.
Local 1001 – Denver CO is a right to work state, and as a result of this only 50% of the workers are union.
Local 1005 – Minneapolis MN has 2200 members and 800 retirees. They are facing layoffs in 2004, and by 2006 members will be paying $675.00 for medical.
Local 1015 – Spokane WA is facing a 51% reduction in service resulting in the loss of 154 jobs.
Local 1384 – Olympia WA recently organized Mason County.
Local 1433 _ Phoenix AZ recently won an arbitration concerning drug policy.
Local 1576 – Lynnwood WA is currently in negotiations and working on bringing subcontracting in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Attention Latino Caucus Members
The next meeting of the Latino Caucus will be held on Saturday February 28 at 7627 East “D” St., at 1:00 PM.
Come and help us plan the New Year, starting with the election of our officers. Yes, it is that time again.
Remember also that it is time to collect annual dues. Learn what has been accomplished over the last year and
what is planned for the next. Join us and make a difference.
Remember that we cannot do this without YOUR help.
For further information contact:
Jose Villahermosa Caucus Chairman at 253.472.0065
Or
Val Knight Recording Secretary/ Treasurer at 253.383.1880
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lamarr Bond, Executive Board Officer
One of my New Years resolutions was to update my current "Will". Whoever is entitled to receive the property owned by
the deceased person depends up on whether a Will was executed, the type of property that exists, and the form of
ownership of the property. Will - Every person has the right to execute a Will leaving his/her property to any
person or entity. Generally, Washington law requires that a Will be written and witnessed by two persons who do not
benefit from it. However, if someone moves to Washington from another state and has a Will which was valid in the
other state where it was executed, that Will is valid in Washington. Intestacy - If the deceased person did not have
a Will (or if the Will is declared invalid by court), the property will pass by law to his/her heirs. In Washington the
law provides that community property passes to the surviving spouse, and separate property of the deceased passes to the
surviving spouse, if any, and to descendants in varying shares. Joint Tenancy - If property is held in joint tenancy,
the property passes to the surviving joint tenant. Property commonly held in joint tenancy includes bank accounts,
stocks, bonds, and real property. Community Property Agreement - In the State of Washington, the laws provide a unique
method for transferring community property from one spouse, upon his/her death, to the surviving spouse without the need
for probate proceedings. This is accomplished through a community property agreement signed by both marriage partners
and acknowledged by a notary public. Such an agreement provides that the community property shall pass to the surviving
spouse in the event of death of the other spouse. Therefore, any just debts of the deceased must still be paid.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grievances
Sheryl Culver: Arbitration won. Member was reinstated and made whole.
Maintenance: Facility Custodian II, Mechanic’s wages for installing solar lights on bus poles. Step I denied.
Maintenance: Seniority assigning overtime to Journey Level Mechanics. Two hours of overtime was given to each of the 11 mechanics affected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Newsletter
If you would like to receive your Newsletter by email please click
here: and sign up.
Return to Home Page
