People are talking about the Social Security vote taking place in September. PT has agreed to have an agency-wide mock vote and make it as close as possible to the real thing. The vote will include both rep and non-rep employees. Education sessions will continue to happen before the vote. If the vote goes down, it will go no further. If it passes, PT will begin planning for the actual referendum vote, which will include shaping the budget and including it in contract negotiations. The subject is broad and confusing. Although one ought to go to an educational session or visit SS on line at www.socialsecurity.gov, my intention is to provide a pro-con sheet tailored for different ages to make it easier to decide what’s best for you. I encourage anyone who wishes to write something on this subject to get it into a Union drop box by the 3rd week of August. All opinions are valid. We will check for factual accuracy and include it in the pro-con sheets. Members have asked about SS for a long time. This vote is the next step in bringing SS to the Agency.
Violence in the Workplace Policy: Security tends to crowd Individual Freedom. Finding the balance is sometimes difficult. PT must provide a safe work environment. For this reason, PT has come out with an enhanced Violence Policy that makes clear that threatening behavior and weapons are not allowed on PT property. The policy is not zero tolerance, which means discipline, if given, will be commensurate with actions (Union representation is available). Our biggest concern was searches. Defense weapons that are legal outside of work, are a violation of policy when brought onto worksite property. This was discussed in our July Labor Management Meeting. The minutes will be posted mid August (after approval). A search will not be conducted without reasonable suspicion. Specifically, a report that John Doe has a weapon in his trunk will not alone trigger a search, however, if John Doe ALSO threatens someone, then a search could be taken. This was the balance arrived at between individual freedoms and the need for a safe worksite. Searches under these circumstances are legal.
The Child Day Care surveys have been compiled. It wasn’t too difficult for chairperson, Monica Adams, because only 5 were turned in. If you are interested in Day Care near work, contact Monica. Based on need, we will continue with the current program of referrals to Day Care available through Human Resources. We thank Monica for the time she expended to help determine our needs.
Operator 4-10s. We are waiting to have one more Committee hearing before the survey and information is put out.
Cup holders in buses: We’ve waited decades and are getting closer. The cup holders are here. Acting VP Jay Rosapepe has the campaign on the white board of his office. He may not be able to fit the campaign in this year. We will remain persistent and patient. We’ve never been closer.
Is the glass ½ full or ½ empty? A year ago, Operator Jack Oakes, did all he could to get a water cooler on Commerce. With the help of Ken Bailey and Larry Cline, it has almost happened (3 weeks ago they unpacked the cooler and discovered it was broken. A replacement should be in soon). Should we be displeased we missed half the summer, or pleased that we’re getting one after 15 years? What’s that? Ice machine you say? Ruth Moore will take it up with our vendors when our contract comes up. Maintenance is prepared with the water fittings.
Heart Disease is the #1 killer. American Heart Walk in October is an event to focus attention and people on this disease. We’d love it if you’d join in the walk, or pledge support for the walkers. Please contact the Union or one of the volunteers.
A word to the wise (again): Don’t speed on the freeway (Operators continue to get busted).
The ATU Picnic Volunteers were awesome (would someone suggest to Tom Stonecypher that he install air conditioning on his barbeque for the cook?) The good barbeque, sun and shade, trees and open fields, and camping the night before was enjoyed by many, including raffle winners, Carl Lejon, Tyrone Ross, and Ginny Stevens, who won $600 between them (before taxes). Thank you Larry Dahlin and crew. The ATU sponsored Golf tournament, coordinated by Don Taylor was enjoyed by 20 teams, with more wishing they could play. This was Don’s 10th Anniversary tournament. It grows each year. Winners are posted on the BB. We are glad so many golfers enjoyed the day.
We hope that your summer is going well. Next year, for PT Operators, there will be more vacation slots with a skew of extra slots in the summer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vice President’s Desk
“More Questions/ More Answers”
Question: Does a preventable ON-JOB-Injury (OJI) affect my safety award?
Answer: NO. Not if you’re a Service Supervisor assigned to the field 75% of the time,
an Extra Board Service Supervisor, or a Transit Operator with “no”
preventable vehicle or passenger accidents.
YES. If your classification is listed in Appendix B: Facilities Custodian I or
II, Laborer, Warehouse Technician I or II, Warehouse Courier or Warehouse
Assistant (pg. 32 Labor Agreement)
Question: What does a preventable OJI affect in any classification?
Answer: When injured, an Employee/ Member is eligible for up to 80% of their normal
wage. If an injury is found to be “preventable” the Employee/ Member will
suffer a 20% reduction to 60% of their normal wage.
(pg. 28-30 Labor Agreement)
Question: Can Pierce Transit charge a fee to replace a lost security badge or timecard?
Answer: Arbitrators are reluctant to find that an employer’ withholding of monetary
benefits is an appropriate form of discipline. An example charging
employees a $25 fee to replace a plastic time card has been found to be a
disciplinary fine which cannot be imposed without regard to the disciplinary
procedure and without considering whether the employee exercised
reasonable care (Flexible Corp., 95 LA 1049 – Duda 1990)
Question: Is there anything being done to lower the frequency of accidents on the old
“Sumner Bridge”, (Oversize vehicles vs. P.T. coaches?)
Answer: In discussions with Risk Management and addressing this issue through the
Accident Safety Review Board (ASRB) and the Appeals process, Safety and
Training, Planning and Risk Management are all trying to address a resolution
to this situation.
Question: How many committees are Union members involved in and are compensated
for? (this question arose from the sign-up sheet for “volunteers” in the Spanish
as a second language Committee).
Answer: Union members are involved and are compensated monetarily in numerous
committees. A listing from the year 2000 illustrated “19” out of “26”
committees with member participation. Not included were the Uniform
committee, ADA committee, Human Relations/ Human Effectiveness
Committees and I’m sure there’s more.
Question: Why aren’t we doing the new mid-county Bus Plus Service?
Answer: Per our negotiated “Hybrid Agreement”, there are “3” levels of service
Zone: customer request (call-in), no prescribed route, specific locations
served by customer request, no request-no service.
Route Deviation: follow a general route, deviation with limitations,
a dedicated vehicle, service is provided to a few location on a
scheduled basis, a schedule may provide a “time range” rather than a
specific time.
Point Deviation: transit vehicle follows fixed route with established stops,
established schedule, but deviate into neighborhoods upon request
always returning to a regular route and schedule, and require the
dedication of a vehicle.
Pierce Transit Operators will operate any Route/ Point Deviation service with our member Operators consistent with assignment/ seniority practice/bids.
To quote recently departed V.P. Kevin Desmond ‘in our minds Pierce Transit and our way of thinking, it’s all Bus Plus Service’
These are just a few of the questions I’ve tried to address. I’m sure there may be more.
‘A Couple of Thoughts’
An individual violates the attendance standards which results in a two (2) day suspension. (Bad things happen to good people). The individual is suspended, two (2) days lost productivity by the employer. Wasn’t the reason for the disciplinary action, the individual not being on the job? Some arbitrations emphasize that suspensions should be corrective or rehabilitative, not punitive. Perhaps a working (paid) suspension would be the better choice with notice to the employee that further violations will advance to the next step of discipline.
‘Win-Win’ (hard time with that phrase)
When two (2) parties as an example, try to get to a win-win solution they start compromising the issues that they feel or felt would be a “win”.
The two (2) entities differ on interpretations and or meanings of a win so they “compromise”.
So how many times do you have to win-win before you attain the issue(s) you compromised?
In Solidarity
Isaac O. Tate V.P. /A.B.A.
V.pres@atu758.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a reminder to all of us. One of our essential functions as an operator is to inspect assigned vehicles before and after operation, and to make notes of any discovered defects. Also, we should inspect our coach at the end of the line. This also makes a smooth transition when you are relieved on your shift by the next operator. Reference Union Job Code: 2930 and 2935 Reference Operators Manual Section F.
Lamarr Bond
Executive Board Officer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the very hot weekend of July 23rd thru July 25th, 2004 there was a very successful garage sale to benefit fellow union sister Phyllis Baker, who is out on extended sick leave absence. Jerry Palinsky and Kathy Ross opened up their home to have this garage sale. The donations of articles to sale from members was outstanding. I personally would like to thank the members who donated articles and money to benefit Phyllis. We had many operators who stopped by to shop and would not take their change back and some even donated even more money. I would also like to thank all the volunteers who gave up their own time to spend at the garage sale. Carol Johnston was there all three days and then had her own garage sale the following week to raise even more money for Phyllis. Family friend Bobbie Smith gave her own time to setup, price items and work the garage sale. Tammy Wittman, Deborah Brown and Morgan Sigette all spent their own time to volunteer and help out. Maureen Debolt also spent time to help out and even brought us pizza and ice cream. What was really nice, was when Phyllis Baker felt good enough to come over and “supervise” us. She is looking very good and is planning on returning soon for some light duty. The son of Jerry and Kathy, Jason Palinsky had a lemonade stand that raised money. On that very hot weekend that lemonade and bottled water was very appreciated. Between both garage sales, donations and the lemonade stand we raised $2,950.00 to help Phyllis.
Sonya Ogden
Recording Secretary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grievances filed: Seanna Wolff (Paratransit) – Schedule accommodation due to medical disability.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, August 15 is Solidarity Day. Come join ATU members at Cheney Stadium for a Tacoma Rainiers Game.
General Admission Tickets are free at the Union Office. Come pick yours up!
Pre-Game Activities and Gates Open at Noon
~Raffle Prizes
~Fun for the whole family
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Newsletter
If you would like to receive your Newsletter by email please click
here: and sign up.
Return to Home Page
