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President’s Report
Peter Altmann
4-10 runs for Operators: Because scheduling is short one person, due to Jerry Lindsey’s retirement, our meetings are delayed waiting to make 4-10 runs. The first attempt (and easiest way) was to take existing Overtime (OT) runs & convert them into 4-10s, hiring more operators to cover the 5th day. This method took away big OT runs and would have made us choose between 4-10s or OT. We want to leave OT alone. Instead, 4-10 runs will be made from 8 hour runs and 2 hour trippers, leaving OT alone and absorbing some trippers. Leaving OT alone should make it easier to see the issues. The survey may be out in May. The plan after 4-10s, is to convene a committee to improve working conditions for the relief board. In life, the hardest work is often done by the lowest paid, and relief work is no exception. There are ways to make it better and it should happen.
Daycare was mentioned in the last newsletter. Last year I approached PT about childcare on our property and found that PT had already looked into this issue. They found that the average age of PT employees is 45, and once children reach school age, they use childcare near school, instead of near employment. The Agency found an insufficient number of children to justify childcare on our property. Monica Adams has the lead on a Union Survey to determine how many of us would use childcare near work. We want to find a quality childcare provider and then entice them to locate near PT. We can remove much of the risk of opening, by showing them how many clients they could expect to have. Based on PT’s earlier survey, we expect that we may need to survey some other employers in the area to find enough children to justify their opening a Daycare facility.
This month, life drew down on three of our members. Hubert Foster, spent 13 years at PT, retiring 11 years ago. Gene VanDerripe and Bob Manzanares left recent, vivid impressions having spent much of their careers here. Bob departed 4/20 and Gene 4/23. Both were colorful characters whose presence could not be ignored. Both were well liked as evidenced by capacity filled services. They will be remembered in our hearts and our conversations for a long time. On the bright side, we were fortunate to have a Member make it over the wall alive. Walt Waisath, Jr. retired with 27 years of service to our Union. He follows a family of Waisaths who worked for Transit. Early on, Walt got B-board seniority started through a complaint to the Civil Service board. As president of our local, he organized Paratransit in Longview, and negotiated that the “new” Seattle Express be driven in-house (PT wanted to contract out as Community Transit was doing). 25% of our work at PT now comes from that agreement. Thank you for your foresight Walt. We wish you gentle years in the pasture. As a reminder, all are welcome at the retiree’s breakfast, on the 1st Monday of each month, 8 am, at Grandees, 17th & Mildred.
After six weeks of classes, Lamarr Bond and I graduated from the Union Counselor Activist Network. We learned much about Union history and “resources” in our community which are safety nets for those in need. Behind every “resource” are people dedicated and committed. United Way donations assist 128 of these “resources.”
When completed, the lobby remodel will provide dispatchers a view of the parking lot, which can help with security, but should not include a view of Operators picking up their paddle before parking. Transit takes a dim view of using paid time to park your car, which can hold up relief vehicles or shorten pre-trips. Please give yourself enough time to park. Start your day gently.
It’s about time! Having the correct time in our business makes things so much easier. What an annoyance it has been for an Operator with the correct time, to be told “We go by the lobby clock,” but the Radio dispatcher, not able to see the lobby clock, gives a still different time. With the lobby remodel, the same accurate time (via satellite signal) will be had by all. One more annoyance gone. It’s about time!
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Vice President’s Desk
Isaac O. Tate
v.president@atu758.org
“ASRB/Appeals”
I’ve been asked by several members at our last Union meeting to address the issue of the ASRB process and your right to be present, and if necessary, appeal at a later date.
Rulings from the ASRB could adversely affect your employment at Pierce Transit. Your safety record, yearly evaluations and promotions as well as your safety bonuses. Contrary to some individuals beliefs your presence at the ASRB review could very well make a difference. Sometimes when an individual (any individual) provides written documentation especially in the case of an incident/accident, what you attempt to state in writing, and you are not present, results in an interpretation often times differing between 6 voting members of the review board.
In the CSR and Maintenance departments preventable rulings usually result due to a lack of knowledge of process and procedures pertinent to those areas. In the Operations department lack of knowledge of Operational functions (coach and shuttle), locations of incidents and the reasonableness of actions pertinent to the incident, lead to preventable rulings.
If you have an interview with Safety & Training staff and the question is asked what could you have done to prevent this incident/accident and if you really feel that there was nothing you could have done...state it. By the same token you more than likely will know and admit a mistake.
Feel free to contact me at (253) 640-9111 if you have an incident/accident that you want to discuss prior to the ASRB review, or a preventable ruling that you wish to appeal. You have a right to appeal and as I was asked by a member, would this lead to retaliation or repercussions from Management, “no” it will not. It could very well lead to procedural or operational changes that could benefit everyone.
“Blindspots”
Operators or Mechanic Personnel operating the newer series Low Flyers (#145 and up) or any coach with the oversized mirrors (Drivers side). Please fill out an incident report if you have ever “lost” a pedestrian or an entire vehicle due to the pillar and large mirror combination. This is a safety concern for the Union and documentation from the membership helps us address this issue.
A Metro Operator was involved in a fatality accident and terminated. The Operator’s termination was grieved, and taken to the arbitration level. The Arbitrator did find the accident “preventable”, but the Operator was reinstated. The Arbitrator found there were extenuating circumstances. One being the blind spot caused by the oversize mirror and the left side pillar that had been reported as a concern by the Operators to Management.
So please take a few minutes to fill out an incident report, per the contract you will be compensated at your current rate of pay.
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For your information: 10 states with strongest unions (based on percentage of workforce with a union) New York, Hawaii, Alaska, Michigan, New Jersey, Washington, Illinois, Rhode Island, Ohio and Minnesota. Average hourly earnings ($15.61).
10 states with weakest unions (based on percentage of workforce with a union) North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Arizona, South Dakota, Arkansas, Florida and Utah. Average hourly earnings ($12.49)
Lamarr Bond, E-Board Officer
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Grievances
Maintenance: Steve Washburn, unexcused absence. Step II April 2, 2004. Step II denied, arbitration vote May cycle of meetings.
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