O F F I C I A L J O U R N A L O F T H E A M A LG A M AT E D T R A N S I T U N I O N | A F L- C I O/C LC
MARCH / APRIL 2017
It’s time again to demand action for a healthy, safe and secure workstation.
INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS LAWRENCE J. HANLEY International President JAVIER M. PEREZ, JR. International Executive Vice President OSCAR OWENS International Secretary-Treasurer
INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS RICHARD M. MURPHY Newburyport, MA – rmurphy@atu.org JANIS M. BORCHARDT Madison, WI – jborchardt@atu.org PAUL BOWEN Canton, MI – pbowen@atu.org KENNETH R. KIRK Lancaster, TX – kkirk@atu.org MARCELLUS BARNES Flossmore, IL – mbarnes@atu.org RAY RIVERA Lilburn, GA – rrivera@atu.org YVETTE TRUJILLO Thornton, CO – ytrujillo@atu.org GARY JOHNSON, SR. Cleveland, OH – gjohnson@atu.org ROBIN WEST Halifax, NS – rwest@atu.org JOHN COSTA Kenilworth, NJ – jcosta@atu.org CHUCK WATSON Syracuse, NY – cwatson@atu.org CLAUDIA HUDSON Oakland, CA – chudson@atu.org BRUCE HAMILTON New York, NY – bhamilton@atu.org MICHELLE SOMMERS Brooklyn Park, MN – msommers@atu.org JAMES LINDSAY Santa Clarita, CA – jlindsay@atu.org EMANUELE (MANNY) SFORZA Toronto, ON – msforza@atu.org
INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES DENNIS ANTONELLIS
Spokane, WA – dantonellis@atu.org
NEWSBRIEFS DC Circulator and Streetcar are why Metro shouldn’t be privatized Reliability and safety problems with the DC Circulator and shortfalls of the city’s streetcar system are why the District of Columbia and Metro should be wary of privatizing transit service according to the ATU report Fool DC Twice. The report exposes the labor abuses, safety standard violations and failures to meet promised ridership and service goals by the for-profit companies operating the Circulator and beleaguered Streetcar. “Fix the service you have; take responsibility for the quality of service you have,” say the report’s author. “You should understand that we’ve attempted this before, and doubling down on failed initiatives is not the way to move forward.”
Calgary transit workers, agency tackling operator violence with new taskforce Calgary’s bus operators, like many ATU members across the US and Canada, are on the front line each day, and while some passengers greet them with smiles and thanks, others aren’t as kind. Last year there were more than 70 attacks on Calgary transit workers and more recently a female driver was punched hard by an angry rider. Now Local 583-Calgary, AB, is fighting back by joining with the transit agency to form a taskforce to find solutions to eliminate attacks on drivers.
CEO pay increases to 347 times average workers The rich keep getting richer and the workers keep getting left behind according to an AFL-CIO report on executive pay. CEO pay rose nearly 6 percent in 2016 to an average of $13.1 million per year in 2016 – 347 times more money than the average rank-andfile worker. This all comes as more good-paying American jobs have been outsourced leading to growing income inequality. Mondeléz International, which makes Nabisco products, represents one of the most egregious examples of CEO-to-worker pay inequality. Mondeléz CEO Irene Rosenfeld made more than $16.7 million in 2016 – about $8,000 per hour. The company recently closed its Oreo cookie line at a Chicago factory, sending 600 jobs to Mexico, where workers face poor labor and safety standards.
STEPHAN MACDOUGALL
INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS EMERITUS
ANTHONY GARLAND
International President Jim La Sala, ret. International President Warren George, ret.
Boston, MA – smacdougall@atu.org Washington, DC – agarland@atu.org
ANTONETTE BRYANT
Oakland, CA – abryant@atu.org
SESIL RUBAIN
International Executive Vice President Ellis Franklin, ret. International Executive Vice President Mike Siano, ret.
New Carrollton, MD – srubain@atu.org
CURTIS HOWARD
Atlanta, GA – choward@atu.org
ATU CANADA PAUL THORP
Brampton, ON – president@atucanada.ca
Subscription: USA and Canada, $5 a year. Single copy: 50 cents. All others: $10 a year. Published bimonthly by the Amalgamated Transit Union, Editor: Shawn Perry, Designer: Paul A. Fitzgerald. Editorial Office: 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20903. Tel: 1-301-431-7100 . Please send all requests for address changes to the ATU Registry Dept. ISSN: 0019-3291. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40033361.RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: APC Postal Logistics, LLC, PO Box 503, RPO, West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6.
CONTENT
M A R /A P R
2017 Vol. 126, No. 2
11 ATU local coalition building accelerates this Spring 13 Former Atlanta local president named international representative
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MORAL MONDAYS FOUNDER CALLS FOR NEW POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
Lackawanna, NY, neighbors march for better service
18 Local 689 proposes measures to increase ridership, save Metro 19 Students show appreciation and support for drivers 20 Women and ATU - Part 1 22 Outsourcing costs out of control at MBTA 23 NYC Local calls for better working conditions, union vote for Uber, Lyft drivers
THE MOTOR COACH WORKSTATION
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24 International Vice Presidents Kinnear, Hykaway, and Rauen retire 25 PA state senator reintroduces Jake Schwab Safety Bill
2 International Officers & General Executive Board
News Briefs
3 Index Page 5 International President’s Message: Let’s all take a stand on workstations this September
Local 1395, commissioner at odds over ECAT future
ATU heroes prevent suicides
26 Spokane Local sues authority over refusal of pro-union bus ad
Richmond, IN, members benefit from longevity pay given AFSCME members
27 Deadlines to apply for 9/11 Victim’s Fund, Health Programs 28 Translations (Spanish)
6 International Executive Vice President’s Message: A ‘tip of the hat’ after 50 years fighting for equality
30 AFL-CIO National Boycotts
7 International Secretary-Treasurer’s Message: Concern for nation transcends politics
32 Save the Date: ATU/MS Research Funds 32nd Annual Golf Tournament
31 In Memoriam
8 Legislative Agenda: Why do we care? 9 Will awareness lead to action? Winnipeg tragedy instigates chain of events forcing awareness of driver assault
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Moral Mondays founder calls for new poor people’s campaign In response to the ever-widening war on the least among us, the architect of the Moral Monday Movement, Rev. William J. Barber, has called for a new Poor People’s Campaign for a Moral Revival in America. Barber launched the new movement in a livestream event. Barber, who has stepped down from leadership of the North Carolina Chapter of the NAACP, invoked the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his call, saying:
“Fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King called for a ‘revolution of values’ in America, inviting people who had been divided to stand together against the ‘triplets of evil’ – militarism, racism, and economic injustice – to insist that people need not die from poverty in the richest nation to ever exist. Poor people in communities across America – Black, White, Brown and Native – responded by building a Poor People’s Campaign that would demand a Marshall Plan for America’s poor. This is the true legacy of religious freedom in America.”
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March/April 2017 | IN TRANSIT
ATU in common cause with fight for the poor International President Larry Hanley has endorsed the call for a new campaign on behalf of the poor, asserting, “ATU joins in common cause with all those who fight for a living wage, universal health care, against voter suppression, and all of the new ‘Jim Crow’ laws that have re-emerged in America. We will fight all attempts to marginalize and disenfranchise anyone who threatens the relentless process of shifting more and more of the nation’s wealth to the ultra-rich.” Barber adds, “To share this story about the America that can and shall be, I am joining my brother, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and others to produce “The Gathering: A Time for Reflection, Revival and Resistance,” (http:// www.breachrepairers.org) a monthly program, that will bring together movement music, interviews with impacted people in the Poor People’s Campaign, a timely sermon for the public square and an ‘altar call’ to action as we continue to build this movement. We hope you’ll join us and invite others to come along as we commit to go forward together, not one step back!” v
LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
Let’s all take a stand on workstations this September We, all of us, are about to exercise our collective muscle. The goal? Getting better working conditions for transit workers, saving lives, both pedestrians and ATU members, and improving our lives. Imagine the power of all our Locals acting together as one! From Vancouver to Pensacola, New York to Toronto, Boston to Dallas, Thunder Bay to Seattle... everywhere we work we have common problems. Let’s all do one thing together in September to register both our complaints and our demands to improve our lives at work.
your workstation, your bathroom breaks and your right to be protected from assault. We will deliver that message with you to your boss. We cannot fix these problems until all our agencies and politicians understand the problems and the solutions. The International will provide sample resolutions for your September Local Union meeting. Please talk to your officers about presenting and moving these motions. Let’s gear up all summer and take a stand in September! v
Here’s the plan Here’s the plan: between now and our September Local Union meetings we will carry on a union-wide discussion about assaults, bathroom decency, blind spots, bad backs and respect for transit workers. We are demanding, again, that attention be paid to the driver’s workstation. As we have shown in In Transit, all over the world bus manufacturers have improved the seats, workstations and safety barriers for the better. These improvements have not reached Canada or the U.S.
P.S. On page 27 there is an outline for our 20,000 members in New York, many of whom were affected at work by the attack on the city on 9/11, to encourage you to apply for benefits secured under the Zadroga Act. Please, if there is any chance you were affected go to the website listed and apply for benefits. Special thanks to 911 victim and Local 726-Staten Island, NY, member Frank O'Connor who reported this to us.
At your September Local Union meeting: We are asking you to debate and vote to support resolutions on these topics.
Health and safety We need clarity on what transit workers want to make our jobs safer and to preserve our health throughout our lifetimes. Those discussions take place at union meetings. We want you to video snippets of the meetings with real transit workers telling us how you feel about your seats, IN TRANSIT
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JAVIER PEREZ, JR., INTERNATIONAL EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT
A ‘tip of the hat’ after 50 years fighting for equality The year is 1967: • Israel defeats Arab forces in the Six-Days War. • U.S. troops number almost 500,000 in Vietnam. • Montreal’s “Expo’67,” is one of the most successful world’s fairs ever. • Three U.S. astronauts die when their Apollo command module erupts in flame during a prelaunch test. • Thurgood Marshall becomes the first black U.S. Supreme Court justice. • The “summer of love” ends with race riots in Detroit and Newark. And, the ATU Black Caucus is formed, changing our Union for the better.
equality at home. International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens was one of those honorees. So I want to extend my thanks and offer a tip of the hat to the Black Caucus upon its 50th conference. An old Japanese proverb states: “Vision without action is a daydream – Action without vision is a nightmare.” The January/February In Transit described ATU’s vision of a strong safety culture at every transit workplace and the actions needed to protect transit workers from injurious fumes, dust, chemicals and accidents due to lack of training and equipment. The magazine urged members to push, prod and cajole employers into providing ongoing training in vehicle maintenance and safety, and explained the bus design changes and interpersonal training needed to make those vehicles safer.
Half a century Now, 50 years later, a “tip of the hat” is in order. What’s a tip of the hat?
Bring it home
“A hat tip is an act of tipping or doffing one’s hat as a cultural expression of recognition, respect, gratitude, and acknowledgement.” And, I certainly offer my own tip of the hat to the Black Caucus which has been fighting for social and economic justice for half a century.
We have trained thousands of members ourselves at our new Tommy Douglas Conference Center. Now is the time to bring it home. I challenge each Local to train 20 members under 40 to pursue safety, health and legislative goals in their home towns. For further information on trainings Locals should contact the International President’s office.
Of course, it is time to celebrate, and Local 268 and the City of Cleveland did a great job hosting the 50th Anniversary Black Caucus Conference over the Memorial Day weekend.
Our vision and our actions need not be a daydream or a nightmare. Together, we can make them a reality. v
One of many highlights was the honoring of approximately 30 caucus members who served in the armed forces. They fought to protect us from external threats abroad, and, brought together by a common bond, fought for racial
Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.s
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OSCAR OWENS, INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER
Concern for nation transcends politics Regular readers of In Transit know that I usually support Democratic candidates in U.S. elections. That doesn’t mean that I never support Republicans. It simply means that, more often than not, Democrats, like the NDP in Canada, are more supportive of the causes I care about such as Labor, transit, and civil rights, than the GOP. That shouldn’t come as a surprise – union members have traditionally voted Democratic – that is until last year’s election. That was the election in which default political alignments were questioned – and voter allegiance shifted like tectonic plates under both parties. Half of all union voters cast their ballots for Donald Trump, having lost faith in the Democratic Party.
Forging alliances across party lines We have come to the point where many of us are far more worried about the safety of our country than we are about who wins the next election. But, I think this presents us with a hidden opportunity to forge alliances across party lines with all those who share our belief that the economic well-being of working families is truly a national security issue. The local coalitions that we are establishing all over the United States and Canada can only become stronger with the inclusion of persons of varying political persuasions in our common cause. v
Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.
Frustration with the status quo Frustration with the status quo forced many voters to look to outsiders they hoped would restore the middle class. Ultimately, President Trump won that contest, and Americans are patiently waiting to see what he will do to increase their wages and improve their standard-of-living. No one would be happier than I if that were to happen. But, so far, the GOP leadership in Congress seems hellbent on moving the nation in the opposite direction, and the president isn’t doing anything to stop them. As anyone following the news knows there are many more reasons to be concerned about the president’s performance in office, and these concerns are so profound that they transcend politics.
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Why do we care? LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Why do we care? Senator Bernie Sanders, D-VT, has introduced a bill in Congress to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour across the country. The “Fight for $15,” a movement orchestrated mainly by unions representing fast food workers, held a March on McDonald’s Restaurants in Chicago to put pressure on the fast food giant to pay workers a living wage. But other than a possible love of Big Mac’s, why should ATU members care? Republicans in the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act, the equivalent of a death sentence for thousands of Americans who will be thrown off of health insurance. Millions of others who will not visit a doctor when they must will get extremely sick, losing their jobs, their homes, and their way of life. But most ATU members are covered by employer-provided health insurance. So why should we care?
Limiting unions
Think again.
ATU has recently been quite active on Capitol Hill and in cities across North America in support of our labor and passenger coalition partners. We’ve talked extensively in this magazine about how we are stronger together, and First they came for the Socialists, that’s absolutely true. We can and I did not speak out— achieve much more when others are fighting along our side. Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. – Martin Niemöller, 1946
The GOP is also moving ahead on the Official Time Reform Act of 2017, legislation that would limit the ability of labor representatives to perform union work on government time, a collective bargaining right that has been guaranteed by federal law for nearly 40 years. But the workers affected by this are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, so why should ATU members be concerned about it? Transit fares are increasing from coast to coast. In some places, like suburban Washington, DC, it costs the average commuter around $15 per day to get to and from work via public transportation. But the wave of layoffs that we
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saw seven years ago seems to have slowed down, and wages for many transit workers have steadily increased in recent years. So if that money needs to come out of our customer’s pockets, so be it, right?
March/April 2017 | IN TRANSIT
We are on the menu But there’s also another reason to take on these other fights, even though it seems that we are not really impacted: we are on the menu. It’s only a matter of time until the right wing forces in Congress focus their attention on transit workers.
The Official Time bill is the first GOP attack on Labor since Donald Trump became president. If we can help stop this bill, hopefully the Republicans will think twice before coming after us. By speaking out in support of fast food and federal workers, Obamacare recipients, and our passengers, we hope that when transit workers are under fire, these people will stand along with us too. v
Will awareness lead to action? WINNIPEG TRAGEDY INSTIGATES CHAIN OF EVENTS FORCING AWARENESS OF DRIVER ASSAULT Members of Local 1505-Winnipeg, MB, wore patches, buttons and T-shirts bearing the name “Irvine Jubal Fraser” and “521” (his operator number) at a Workers National Day of Mourning service outside city hall on April 28. The event was the latest ATU members attended to honour a brother who was stabbed to death at the end of his run, in the middle of the night on February 14, by a passenger who resisted leaving the bus. Jubal Fraser is believed to be the first Canadian operator killed on the job. His death set in motion a series of events that made the public aware of the violence that bus drivers have long endured.
‘On edge’ News of the fatal assault spread quickly, putting drivers “on edge” in Calgary, AB. “Too many of our drivers are still getting punched, (some riders) are literally throwing their beverages at drivers, and, of course the assault of choice – the ever disgusting practice of spitting,” said Local President Rick Ratcliff, 583. A rally was held in Winnipeg, February 17, calling for greater protection for drivers and riders. “Let us not have Brother Fraser’s murder be in vain,” said ATU Canada President Paul Thorp. Jubal Fraser’s funeral took place February 21. At 1 PM drivers across the city pulled over and stopped for a moment of reflection in honour of Fraser, as did members of Locals 583-Calgary, AB, 615-Saskatoon, SK, and 966-Thunder Bay, ON. Winnipeg drivers added “Rest in Peace 521” and Saskatoon members inserted “Lest We Forget” into the scrolling route destination signs on their buses.
Local President John Callahan, 1505-Winnipeg, MB
Local President John Callahan, 1505-Winnipeg, MB, provided one reason why Fraser’s death had such an impact: “It’s the scenario we always dreaded and it actually happened.” The tragedy provoked intense discussion across Canada. Drivers’ families, in particular, were worried. “A couple of bus operators are telling me their wives are telling them to look for other work. It’s become too dangerous,” said Callahan. “Another operator told me about how his kids said goodbye to him and they never say that. Now they wonder, is their parent going to come home from work?”
Drivers at Locals 588-Regina, SK, and 987-Lethbridge, AB, hung black ribbons on their mirrors, as well.
‘Your actions are way too late’ ATU members who attended the funeral from cities across the nation said the tragedy had galvanized their efforts against driver assault. Fraser’s brother issued a call to action IN TRANSIT
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at the funeral, declaring, “You politicians out there, you’ve got a job to do… Your actions are way too late.” The following day, February 22, a motion was tabled, and later passed by the Winnipeg City Council, directing its transit staff to produce a report on bus driver safety in 90 days. Local President Callahan weighed in on February 28, urging the city’s public works committee to act immediately to take fare collection out of the hands of operators, saying there would be fewer conflicts if drivers didn’t collect fares. He urged the city to make schedules more predictable so that frustrated riders don’t take it out on drivers. The Local also would like to see a new police force dedicated to Winnipeg Transit.
Winnipeg bus drivers close down Portage and Main after gathering to support each other at a rally for Irvine Fraser, who was killed by a passenger, and to demand safety improvements on buses outside city hall in Winnipeg, Friday, February 17, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
‘I’m going to kill you’
said. But nothing except media coverage changed. “They’re just not interested in getting at it.”
The May due date for the report had the unfortunate effect of delaying any government action on the problem until then. Meanwhile, driver assaults continued to mount: • A passenger threatened to stab a driver. • A rider boarded carrying steak knives. • Riders disarmed a man with an axe and brass knuckles. • Three serious threats were made on one March evening: “Two were verbal threats (‘I’m going to kill you’),” said Callahan, and in the other, the rider ran his finger in a slashing motion across his throat. • An operator was slapped in the face and her shirt torn by a passenger. • Another driver received death threats from a rider. “There definitely is the sensation of having the target on my back,” said one driver. “Makes me apprehensive about getting behind the wheel every day.” The three month wait frustrated the Local’s members. Callahan warned that the city risked losing good drivers if new safety procedures weren’t instituted soon. The situation had become so desperate that the Local was considering hiring its own private security firm to protect its drivers in the interim.
‘There’s a lot we could do now’ “There’s a lot we could do now to ensure safety,” Callahan
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March/April 2017 | IN TRANSIT
In a survey commissioned by the Local, a broad range of Winnipeggers told polling firm, Probe Research, that they supported the Local’s call for increased law enforcement on public transit. “It seems to be that people using transit, as well as people who are not using it… understand the issue,” Callahan said. 64 percent of the 600 polled agreed that a dedicated police force is needed. Only 20 percent of respondents feel safe on the bus at night.
Good intentions in Report Finally, three and a half months after Fraser’s death, the City of Winnipeg issued recommendations to bolster bus safety. The proposals include hiring more inspectors, installing more cameras, zero tolerance on fare evasion and more. Callahan says the host of security measures being proposed demonstrate “good intentions,” but one idea stands out above the rest. A new transit advisory committee made up of key stakeholders including workers and riders to consider ways to improve public transit and make it safer and more reliable. ATU’s position is unequivocal. As International President Larry Hanley said: “ATU demands that transit agencies and government officials bring the same sense of regret that they will display in the public mourning of this tragic, unnecessary death of our brother to the ongoing discussion about preventing these attacks from occurring.” v
ATU local coalition building accelerates this Spring ATU’s strategy of building and participating in coalitions to advance the Union’s public agenda on the local level accelerated this Spring. ATU Locals’ work in this arena is featured below:
Transit advocates fight cuts in Twin Cities Holding signs declaring, “Fund transit now,” “No cuts no hikes,” “Stop targeting us,” and “Transit equals access,” transit advocates gathered at the Minnesota state capitol, to express strong opposition to legislative proposals that could drastically cut service and increase fares in the Twin Cities.
Local 1005-Mpls/St. Paul, MN, participated as one of the coalition partners of Transportation Forward, an organization that works to increase support for pubic transit in the state. Mel Reeves, a Transportation Forward partner, said he was “scratching his head” as to why the legislators are asking for service cuts and fare hikes to make up for an
anticipated $72 million transit deficit, while the state has a $1.6 billion surplus.
Bridgeport Local adds its voice to science march Local President Mustafa Salahuddin, 1336-Bridgeport, CT (second from right in front group), brought the ATU’s voice to a press conference on climate change held in New Haven. The group also used the event to publicize the state’s March for Science.
Salahuddin cited the nearly 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions that come from cars and trucks in his call for increased transit funding in Connecticut. Addressing poor air quality could also create more jobs in public transportation, he argued. “Let’s join in the fight to make our air cleaner,” he urged. “Get on the bus, and march in the streets.”
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Lincoln member honored for contributions to public transit Citizens for Improved Transit (CFIT) President Richard Schmeling presented an appreciation award to the organization’s secretary, Marilyn Kruger, 1293-Lincoln, NE, on behalf of the organization at its monthly membership meeting. Kruger, a founding member of
Cleveland Local joins coalition asking Cavaliers for community development dollars Local 268-Cleveland, OH, has joined a coalition of community groups calling on Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to put money into community development projects in exchange for getting public funding for arena upgrades. The groups said they will work to collect 6,000 signatures to “let Cleveland voters have their say about the deeplyflawed deal for the city of Cleveland to spend $88 million of taxpayer dollars on a new glass atrium for Quicken Loans Arena.” Members of the coalition are the Greater Cleveland Congregations, Service Employees International Union Local 1199, Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, and ATU.
CFIT and secretary ever since CFIT was organized, serves as the liaison between CFIT and the Local which have worked together to improve transit service in Lincoln. Schmeling praised Kruger, saying: “Marilyn’s contributions have been a key factor in the successful drive to improve StarTran bus service in Lincoln. She has put in countless unpaid hours to help foster CFIT’s growth and success.”
DC Local thanks riders, generates support with Maryland House member In an effort to thank Metro riders and generate support for Local 689-Washington, DC’s plan to save, stabilize, and improve the system, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-MD (center, in suit), joined ATU members to hand out free SmartTrip cards at the Silver Spring, MD, Metro station.
NJ Council joins the Trump ‘Resistance’ The ATU New Jersey State Council is one of the organizations that have formed the state’s Resistance Coalition, a group launched to create “legislative resistance” to Trump initiatives which would undermine “Garden State values and public safety.” The Resistance Coalition includes a range of state legislators and advocacy groups such as ATU, the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, Communication Workers, and the Sierra Club. The group plans to introduce state measures on voting rights, reinstating Obama-era environmental protections, minimizing “wage theft” they say Trump’s budget cuts would aggravate, and divesting pension investments from companies that sign up to build Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall.
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The “Fund It, Fix It, Make It Fair” campaign proposes a $2 flat fare, free transfers from bus to rail, fares based on riders’ ability to pay and dedicating car rental taxes from airports to Metro’s operating costs. “The union has advanced a series of very important ideas to stabilize Metro and bring it back to its glory,” said Raskin. v
Former Atlanta local president named international representative International President Larry Hanley has appointed former Local President Curtis Howard, 732Atlanta, GA, as an international representative. Howard accrued 23 years of experience serving the Atlanta area Local since his start as a MARTA electrical power technician in 1994. Wanting to get more involved with the Local, he became a shop steward for the MARTA electrical department fighting to improve working conditions and the rights of his fellow workers. In 1999, Howard was elected to the Local 732 executive board and in 2004 was elected vice president for Maintenance and non-MARTA properties.
After serving three terms as a vice president, Howard was elected president of the Local serving two terms. Under his leadership, Local 732 scored a major arbitration victory against the privatization of MARTA Mobility Services in 2017, which halted the privatization of other departments at MARTA. Howard formed the first Local 732 Retiree Chapter in the Local’s history. The Local also won the ATU Community Action Award at the 57th International Convention in 2013 in San Diego, CA. Howard is also a leader in the Georgia labor community being elected to the Georgia AFL-CIO executive board from 2007 until 2017. He also was appointed by Mayor Kasim Reed to the Atlanta Workforce Development Board of Directors in 2015. v
Lackawanna, NY, neighbors march for better service Residents of a Lackawanna, NY, neighborhood marched demanding better public transit from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). With limited service on Saturdays and none on Sundays, one marcher said, “If I need to go shopping or to the pharmacy, I can’t.” “We tell our young folks to get a job but they can’t get a job because they can’t get there,” says organizer John Ingram.
We have a right to transportation Gigi Tyson from Buffalo Transit Riders United, says, “what we’re trying to do is go district by district to present a united front to the NFTA and get representation on the NFTA. They seem to have funding for other projects in areas where commuters are but we’re the people who need this transportation and have a right to this transportation.” Buffalo city comptroller and mayoral candidate Mark Schroeder who marched with the group says, “NFTA
continues to cut bus routes. In the city of Buffalo it happens all the time and here in the city of Lackawanna as well.” Schroeder is pushing NFTA to include “real people” on their advisory board. State Senator Tim Kennedy and Assemblyman Michael Kearns also marched. Kennedy said, “The NFTA has to pay attention to the community, to make people walk a mile to get to a bus stop and transportation is absolutely unconscionable and unacceptable.” v IN TRANSIT
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THE MOTOR COACH WORKSTATION
DRIVER’S WORK AREA
Fight for better workstation began at ATU’s formation ATU has campaigned for a more comfortable, healthy and safe operator’s workstation since its formation in 1892. One of its first goals was to force companies to provide an enclosed area for the driver. Early General Executive Board Member Magnus Sinclair recollected what it was like on Toronto streetcars in the 1890s:
Early GEB Member Magnus Sinclair
“The driver stood out in front, exposed to all kinds of weather... Men stood on the open platforms 12 or 14 hours a day and often longer in rain, in sleet or subzero weather…
“One of the first battles engaged in by the Amalgamated Association against the street railway companies was to force them to put a shelter in front of the motorman. It was a long and bitter fight. We pleaded before municipal authorities and legislative bodies in provinces and states. The companies used every wile and financial influence they could summon, to beat the demands for vestibule… But the militant Amalgamated Association fought back…” Sound familiar?
“Men stood on the open platforms 12 or 14 hours a day and often longer in rain, in sleet or subzero weather,” in the open front street cars ATU fought to enclose in the 1890s.
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It wasn’t until later that ATU Locals began to win members the right to sit down. Sinclair, again, describes the situation: “Many a street car man in those times was put on the scrap heap because his feet and legs gave out from the strain of long hours standing rigid by the controller. The fight for seats was begun and won by the organized street car men…”
Better working conditions increased public confidence in transit Sinclair’s conclusions about that time are surprisingly relevant to our own: “It may be difficult today to evaluate properly the benefit to our pioneers that these reforms brought about, but we enjoy the fruits of their struggles. Not only that, our demands for safety equipment and improved vehicles and right of way bettered working conditions and at the same time increased the confidence of the public in this mode of transportation.” v
At left is one of the original stools street car men won the right to use while operating their vehicles (but they had to buy them themselves). Above is one of the latest bus operator seats manufactured today.
THE MOTOR COACH WORKSTATION
DRIVER’S WORK AREA
Bus workstations must change to protect driver health, safety, and security Cost-cutting in modern motor coach design has lead to widespread use of transit buses with workstations that threaten the health, safety, and security of drivers, passengers, and the public. Contemporary bus design has created the following problems:
A. Workstations o Problem: Drivers’ workstations which have been compressed to fit more passengers on buses, creating an uncomfortable work environment with crowded controls and displays. þ Solution: Ergonomically designed workstations that leave plenty of room for steering, with adjustable pedals, tilting steering wheels, fresh air, and well-placed controls that don’t force drivers to perform awkward repetitive movements that cause occupational injuries.
A
B. Blind Spots o Problem: Wide pillars connecting bus windshields to drivers’ side windows, and large, eye-level side mirrors form broad blind spots that obscure pedestrians in crosswalks with fatal consequences. þ Solution: Workstations with narrow pillars and mirrors placed outside driver’s line of sight.
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C. Assault o Problem: Wide open workstations leave operators vulnerable to attack. þ Solution: Driver shields offer protection from violent assault.
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THE MOTOR COACH WORKSTATION
DRIVER’S SEAT
Safe operator’s seat ‘holy grail’ in search for protection from back injuries “Workplace musculoskeletal disorders” (WMDs), and “low back pain” (LBP) caused by “whole body vibration” (WBV), have plagued transit operators ever since they began carrying passengers across bumpy urban streets in the 1800s. No matter what you call it, there are very few other occupations in which it is commonplace for employees’ bodies to be permanently damaged by their jobs. Unfortunately, understanding what causes the problem has not lead to a great deal of progress in developing seats that truly protect operators from these injuries. WMDs not only force drivers to live with a lot of pain, but they cost transit agencies a lot in terms of absenteeism and worker compensation. That’s why the search for seats that eliminate these health issues has become the “holy grail” of motor coach ergonomic design. The U.S. National Institutes of Health recently published the results of a 2015 study that compared the WBV exposures of air-ride seats that weaken vibration with compressed-air bladders, and electromagnetically active seats that use microprocessor-controlled actuators to dampen vibration. The study found that “active seats” transmitted significantly less floor-to-seat vibration than air-ride seat seats. The following diagram of the Maximo Evolution Active seat (above) maps out some of the ergonomic improvements available in “active” seats today:* 1. Document box 2. Adjustable & foldable armrests 3. Swivel Pneumatic with 12V compressor Electronic active controlled suspension 4. Height adjustment 5. Climate system 6. Fore/aft adjustment 7. Lumbar support, pneumatic 8. Adjustable backrest angle 9. Backrest extension 10. Lateral suspension 11. Adjustable seat collision depth Even with all of the bells and whistles built into this active bus drivers’ seat, the manufacturer says that it only reduces vibrations by an average of 40%, and peak acceleration levels by as much as 75%. Tests of some other active seats report vibration reduction up to 50%. So, while active seat technology promises to reduce the risk of bus driver musculoskeletal disorders, the search for a drivers seat that can eliminate most of the whole body vibration operators are exposed to every day will continue. * Example used as a description – not an endorsement of the product.
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THE MOTOR COACH WORKSTATION
THE WORKSTATION CAMPAIGN
ATU turns up the volume in campaign for healthy, safe, and secure workstations ATU is turning up the volume in its campaign to fix the dangerously inadequate workstations that leave bus drivers vulnerable to assault and health problems in Canada and the U.S. The campaign begins with education; providing the information necessary for members to pressure agencies, legislatures, and governments to provide transit operators with healthy, safe, and secure work environments.
Protection from back injuries
Chief among the safety concerns that have not been addressed is the operator’s workstation. So many of the difficulties that bus drivers experience start there.
Improving bus driver seats to the point where they protect drivers from back injuries has been a low priority for most properties. Agencies should be required to install active driver seats that use motors to eliminate more of the wholebody vibration that can permanently disable drivers.
The majority of if not most, drivers experience back problems over the course of their careers. The constant pounding of drivers’ spines virtually guarantees that they will experience musculoskeletal disorders. Many are forced out, disabled by long hours and poor design. This must stop – now!
Protection from assault Bus drivers are not soldiers, police, or firefighters, yet they live in fear of being injured on the job every day. Verbal abuse, spit, blindside punches by unruly, violent passengers, and other abuses have become common. Working conditions like these are simply unacceptable in most occupations, yet for bus drivers they are now regarded as “business as usual.” Among the better solutions employed to protect operators are retractable shields that block assaults without compromising the comfort and accessibility of drivers. It’s long past time for all of us to demand that governments and transit agencies do everything in their power to protect bus drivers and put a stop to this – now!
Protecting pedestrians from blind spots Bus drivers also live in fear of accidentally hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk hidden behind a windshield pillar and a mirror. The deaths that result from these blind spots have not spurred most governments and agencies to spend even the minimal amount of money it would take to fix the problem. It’s easier to blame the driver. The liability makes it more expensive to fail in delivering safe equipment.
Protection from lung disease Bus drivers typically work in environments with air quality that wouldn’t be tolerated in any other workplace. And too many drivers have progressive and terminal lung diseases as a result. This must stop – now! Transit systems must ensure that the air their employees breath meets the minimum standards expected in a healthy workplace. Passengers and employees deserve fresh and filtered air.
Protection from occupational injuries Finally, many drivers receive occupational injuries as a result of poorly designed dashboards and controls. Transit agencies should be required to purchase buses that meet current ergonomic standards for drivers. This should include intelligent steering wheels that protect drivers’ wrists, elbows and shoulders and adjustable throttle and brake pedals. These are not outrageous demands. They are the minimum actions employers should take to ensure the safety of their workers. It’s time that we stood up and demanded to be treated with the same consideration that most other workers take for granted. v IN TRANSIT
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Local 689 proposes measures to increase ridership, save Metro A mix of fare adjustments, dedicated taxes, labor partnerships, and service improvements will fix the Washington, DC, public transit system’s financial woes and attract new riders, according to a new report released by Local 689. Among the key recommendations of the plan titled, Fund It, Fix It, Make It Fair, are a flat fare system rather than distance-based fares, free transfers from local bus to rail, fares based on riders’ ability to pay, and dedicating car rental taxes from airports to Metro’s operating costs. The report was released on the heels of the Metro board’s approval a new budget that includes less rush hour train service, fare increases, and shorter service hours.
Search higher up the food chain The report directly addressed the oft-repeated claim that the problem is that Metro’s ATU employees make too much money: “This system, which weaves its way through some of the nation’s most wealthy communities, is not being brought down by the janitors or bus operators who work long and hard in grueling conditions to earn a living wage. Search
higher up the food chain at WMATA’s current or former non-union employees to determine the reasons for the agency’s fall from grace. “But don’t stop there. Look at current and previous elected officials at all levels of state, local, and federal government that have ignored every red flag and starved Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) of adequate funding for decades.” v
STAY CONNECTED
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March/April 2017 | IN TRANSIT
Students show appreciation and support for drivers Angry passengers, crazy traffic jams, icy snowy roads, screaming children, speeding vehicles, tight schedules and wandering pedestrians, are just a few of the issues bus drivers and transit workers face on a daily basis.
Kallstrom was amazed at the positive response from bus drivers and students, and plans to do it again next year.
With love and respect It’s been a difficult couple of months for Winnipeg bus drivers after the stabbing death of operator Irvine “Jubal” Fraser on Valentine’s Day, and other brutal attacks on bus drivers.
It’s not often transit riders and the public recognize the commitment, dedication, and professionalism it takes to be a transit worker. But two groups of students wanted to show their appreciation for the job transit workers do to get people safely to and from their destinations each day.
But students at an area school decided to cheer up the bus operators by writing letters to show their support and respect. The project started with a book of poems put together by two Grade 6 students after Fraser was killed. In all the students wrote 274 letters to the bus drivers, members of Local 1505. “We thank all bus drivers. I believe bus drivers should be treated with respect,” one letter said. “From our hearts, we want you to know we are thinking of you and stand beside you as a community member.”
Donuts & Coffee for Kelowna bus drivers Students from Okanagan College in Kelowna, BC, decided to hand out donuts and coffee to recognize the hard work of Kelowna bus drivers – members of Local 1722. Student Kelly Kallstrom came up with the idea after five years of riding the bus. “I just wanted to do it because of the strike, the assaults and all the negativity,” Kallstrom says. “It’s probably one of the hardest jobs. I wouldn’t even do it.” Last November Local 1722-Kelowna, BC, bus drivers went on a two-week strike after private contractor First Canada refused to bargain in good faith. The Local was able to win a fair contract and the respect of their riders including these college students. The drivers were a little taken aback by the act of kindness. “It’s a little overwhelming,” said one driver. “You don’t hear a ‘thank you’ very often on this job so when you do, it goes straight to the heart, for sure.”
The Local was so touched some of the drivers went to the school to thank students for the poems with a pizza lunch. “A lot of people don’t understand what it’s like losing a brother, and he was very close to me,” said veteran driver Crystal Coutts, a friend of Fraser, who received her letter after her morning shift. “I was very close to him, and this is awesome that the school’s teaching children to appreciate bus drivers, because not everybody teaches their children that.” v IN TRANSIT
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WOMEN AND ATU PART 1
Women first came to the fore in the Amalgamated Transit Union three years after its formation as members of an organization that supported Amalgamated men and their families. The 1895 International Convention marked the beginning of what would become the Amalgamated’s Women’s International Auxiliary. Wives, daughters and sisters of the streetcar workers in Saginaw had formed a local division auxiliary and told the Convention they desired to extend their influence and work throughout the United States and Canada. Their request was honored and a General Constitution and Laws for the Auxiliary was adopted. It was not until 1937, however, that the International Women’s Auxiliary was formally established. The Auxiliary would contribute substantially to the lives of members – particularly during strikes – until its dissolution in 1990.
Josephine Casey As the correspondent for Local 308-Chicago, IL, noted in the March 1904 issue of The Motorman and Conductor, “[T]he only active lady membership of our association is enrolled upon the roster of 308.” Indeed, the first women members came from Local 308, which was organized in 1902 to represent the employees of the Chicago Elevated Service. Station agents who were primarily women were part of its membership. One of these women was a labor organizer and women’s rights advocate, Josephine Casey. The youngest of four children of Irish immigrants, Casey was born in Memphis, TN, and raised in Chicago. As a cashier at the Ashland Avenue station of the Chicago & Oak Park Elevated Railroad, she joined the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees, becoming its recording secretary. Casey became the first woman elected to serve as a delegate to an ATU Convention (the Eighth International Convention in 1903) and a charter member of the Chicago Women’s Trade Union League (CWTUL), founded in 1904.
Josephine Casey was the first woman elected to serve as a local officer and delegate to the ATU International Convention.
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According to Wikipedia, “She later worked as an organizer for the Boston Women’s Trade Union League from 1906 to 1909. She then organized for the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and was a strike leader for
garment workers in Kalamazoo, Cleveland, and St. Louis from 1911 to 1914. “In March 1912, Casey focused on the concerns of female workers at the Kalamazoo Corset Company including low wages, long hours in unsanitary conditions and sexual harassment. Organizers and striking employees in that campaign gained national attention for the silent picketing and prayer meetings they conducted in response to a court order designed to stymie disorderly picket lines. An agreement that fell short of significant wage gains, but marked progress for female workers’ rights, was reached on June 12. “During World War I, Casey opposed women-only labor laws in the South. She was a suffrage activist and worked for the Women’s Political Union in New York. She championed the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1920s. In 1931, the National Woman’s Party (NWP) sent her to Atlanta to oppose the efforts by the Southern Council and the Cotton Textile Institute to establish sex-based legislation. Her reports were made into a regular column in NWP’s weekly bulletin, Equal Rights. “As a Christian Scientist, Casey refused to seek medical care for heart-related issues. She died at her home in New York City on January 27, 1950.”
Other early ATU women Another founding member of Local 308, Clara Murphy, was a steward in the Local Union. Her 1904 funeral benefit was probably the first paid to the family of a woman member. A third founding member of the Local, Lela Scott, a delegate to the Ninth International Convention in Chicago in 1905, was the first woman to be nominated to international office as one of three candidates for fourth international vice president. She, however, withdrew her candidacy.
Women’s place?
where she reigns supreme in undisputed power....,” and that women should not be taking men’s jobs. “Women, no matter how competent, cannot command the same salary as men, and if they engage themselves in our occupation to a large extent, we certainly would be compelled to consider them our enemies.” In the next issue, a response appeared from Josephine Casey, who asserted that the “law of self preservation” governed all Amalgamated members and that for men and women, married and single, working was a necessity.
Gender-neutral language proposed in 1905 The issue of gender-neutral language was first raised at the 1905 International Convention in Chicago. A delegate from Local 308 declared, “our Union now include[s] ladies in its membership,” and, so, he said, the distinctive pronouns “he and she” should be inserted in the Ritual. His suggestion was never made into a motion. It was not until the 48th Convention in 1986 that the Constitution and Ritual was revised with gender-inclusive language.
Amalgamated supports women’s suffrage in 1909 At our Eleventh International Convention in Toronto in 1909, a delegate from Lowell, MA, introduced a resolution that the Union go on record as favoring “women’s suffrage as a means of their emancipation.” This triggered a fiery debate with opponents arguing, “Women have been well cared for by men. To give them the ballot and its power will fill the courts... so full of divorce cases that they would have no time to try the criminals!” Supporters of the resolution argued that women who successfully direct their home should have “equal rights with men, who are brought into manhood under their guidance.” The resolution supporting suffrage was passed by the delegates. v Next issue: Women and ATU from 1912 – the present.
In 1904, a spirited debate took place in The Motorman and Conductor over the issue of women members. In an article entitled “Women’s Place,’’ a Pennsylvania correspondent insisted that “a woman’s place is at home, IN TRANSIT
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COMING TO YOUR LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2017
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NYC Local call for better working conditions, union vote for Uber, Lyft drivers political will to do so – not any legal holdup.
Hard evidence The Local also called on TLC to defend drivers against mistreatment. Drivers at the meeting showed the commissioner hard evidence of Uber underpaying drivers, and a host of other grievances against TNC companies. Local 1181-New York, NY, met with the New York City Taxi and Limousine (TLC) commissioner to demand that TLC conduct a union election for the more than 16,000 Uber, Lyft and other TNC drivers who have signed Local 1181 union cards. While the commissioner denied that TLC could legally do this, the Local said the problem was that there was no
“You have to start doing something to protect the drivers.” said Local President Michael Cordiello, as he pointed out that the wages and incomes of both taxi and TNC drivers have been dramatically reduced because of TLC inaction. The commissioner did assign a staff member to meet regularly with ATU to investigate and attempt to resolve instances of underpayment, unfair deactivation, illegal surveillance, and other abuses of drivers. v
Local 1395, commissioner at odds over ECAT future With Escambia County Commission Chair Doug Underhill threatening to end transit service, Local 1395-Pensacola, FL, members have stepped up their campaign urging riders to contact county commissioners to tell them to support the transit system. The future of Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) is in question after county commissioners began the process of taking over management of the system from private contractor First Transit. The Local supported the move because of mismanagement by First Transit. However, Underhill has proposed a voter referendum on whether the county should continue funding public transportation. The Local argues that ECAT serves the neediest in the community, and called for a public forum for riders to voice their opinions on this important issue. v IN TRANSIT
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International Vice Presidents Kinnear, Hykaway, and Rauen retire Three longtime international vice presidents - Larry Kinnear, Bob Hykaway, and Gary Rauen - have retired from the ATU General Executive Board. “We at ATU are indebted to Larry, Bob and Gary for their many years of commitment, dedication and service to fighting for the rights of our members across North America,” said International President Larry Hanley. “They each served with dignity and distinction and ATU is a better union thanks to their work. We congratulate Larry, Bob, and Gary on their well-deserved retirement and wish them all the best.”
Larry R. Kinnear Larry R. Kinnear was elected international vice president at the Fifty-First Convention in Las Vegas, NV, following his August 1, 1995, appointment to that position by International President Jim La Sala. Kinnear started his career in transit as an operator for the Toronto Transit Commission in 1972, becoming a member of Local 113-Toronto, ON. Kinnear moved up the ranks of the Local becoming an executive board member in 1982, and, executive vice president in 1988.
Bob Hykaway International President Jim La Sala appointed Bob Hykaway an international vice president in September 1997. Hykaway started as a mechanic for the City of Winnipeg Transit in 1974 when he joined Local 1505-Winnipeg, MB. After service as shop steward for the Local, he was elected local vice president in 1987. Hykaway became acting president in 1993, and was elected president in 1994. Hykaway served as a western executive board member of the Canadian Council, participated on the Joint Labour/ Management Task Force for Transit Competitiveness, and
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was a trustee of the City of Winnipeg Employee Benefits Board Pension Plan. Hykaway remembers well his first strike in 1976: “I was proud to be a member of Local 1505 because the membership was strong and held together. Solidarity was alive in the membership. You had to be involved to feel the power of the union.”
Gary Rauen International Vice President Gary Rauen was appointed IVP on October 1, 2006. Rauen started in transit at the age of 21, working for the school district of Milwaukee, WI. After moving to Colorado, he served as a coordinator of transportation service for the 1978 U.S. Olympics Summer Sports Festival. He then moved to Binghamton, NY, in 1980, and found a job with BC Transit, becoming a member of Local 1145-Binghamton, NY. As the son of a union truck driver and the grandson of a union carpenter, he took to the labor movement naturally. He was elected president of the Local in 1981. In 2003, International President Warren George appointed Rauen international representative, and he served in that role until being appointed international vice president. v
PA state senator reintroduces Jake Schwab Safety Bill Pennsylvania State Rep. Pat Harkins, has reintroduced the Jake Schwab Worker Safety Bill. Local 568 and ATU International have been promoting the legislation in the state legislature for two years. In 2014, bus mechanic Jake Schwab, 568-Erie, PA, died when a bus safety air bag he was working on exploded in his face. Pennsylvania public employees don’t have the safe workplace protections that are provided to private employees under OSHA.
Members rally to support bill Furthermore, there had been no safety training in Jake’s garage for over nine years. Members from PA Locals 568, 89-New Castle, 1241-Lancaster, 1279-Johnstown, 1738-Latrobe, 956-Allentown, and 168-Scranton assembled at the state capital to show their support for the
bill. They were joined by union leaders and members from across the state. Harkins pointed out that following the accident, Schwab’s family, and especially his widow, Tiffany, had to battle to receive any information about the accident, because under current law, “the insurance industry controls the investigation. Tiffany has been a real inspiration to me,” he said.
‘Let’s get to work’ “The death of mechanic Jake Schwab reminds us that it’s not only drivers who face deadly hazards in transit,” says International President Larry Hanley. “All Pennsylvania members are urged to ask their local officers how each of them can do a little bit to save our members and honor Jake.” v
ATU heroes prevent suicides Toronto, ON A Toronto Transit fare collector leapt into action, alerting TTC to stop oncoming trains and cut the power when he noticed a troubled man lowering himself onto the tracks at the Dundas subway station. John Paul Attard, 113-Toronto, ON, says his intuition kicked in when he did something that has now been viewed thousands of times online. He asked the suicidal man, “Are you having a bad day?” “He says, ‘Yes, I want to hurt myself.’,” Attard said. “That’s when I just kind of embraced him and hugged him.” Attard managed to talk the man who was young enough to be his son, back from the brink of death.
Dayton, OH Dayton police are crediting the quick action of a Greater Dayton RTA bus driver with saving the life of a woman. Damone “D” Hudson, 1385-Dayton, OH, was driving a bus full of passengers when he noticed a woman who looked like she was about to jump from the Main Street bridge in downtown Dayton.
“I just knew I needed to talk to her,” Hudson said. He immediately stopped his bus on the bridge and got out to talk to the distressed woman who he persuaded not to jump. “I wasn’t trying to be heroic, I just saw someone that looked like she was definitely in pain or trouble and I just wanted to make a connection,” he said.
Worcester, MA Worcester Regional Transit Authority bus driver Justin Lawson, 22-Worcester, MA, was glad to help stop downtown traffic, after a distraught young woman laid down in the street in front of his bus. The driver pulled his bus over and approached the woman, who was crying and saying she wanted to die. He got her onto the bus and arranged to meet police and an ambulance. “I felt obliged to help her, and felt like she needed help,” says Lawson. “There’s only one life, I could do what I can.”
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Spokane Local sues authority over refusal of pro-union bus ad ads that “promote the availability of union services or that contain public service announcements.”
Ad rejected ‘simply because it is a union’
The members of Local 1015-Spokane, WA have an ad with a simple message it wants to put on Spokane Transit Authority (STA) buses “Do you drive for Uber, Lyft, charter bus, school bus? You have a right to organize.” But STA has rejected the request. In response, the Local has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the authority seeking an order requiring STA to allow bus
The Local’s attorney says “They have a right to free speech” and that the STA has rejected the ad “simply because it is a union.” The authority claims the proposed ad violates STA’s advertising policy limiting ads to commercial or promotional purposes. Yet STA has previously allowed union advertising in 2010 and 2016 by the United Food and Commercial Workers. The Local argues that STA’s policy constitutes an unlawful viewpoint-based restriction on speech in a public forum by allowing the promotion of charitable, religious and educational public services while prohibiting the promotion of labor-related public services. v
Richmond, IN, members benefit from longevity pay given AFSCME workers Say what? Members of Local 1474 working for Rose View Transit just got an increase in their longevity pay that AFSCME workers negotiated with their employer – the City of Richmond, IN. How did that happen? Well, when the ATU Local negotiated a wage increase in their contract, after nearly 10 years without a raise, they included language that guaranteed that they would also
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receive any higher wages or bonuses negotiated by any other city workers. So, when the city agreed to pay its AFSCME workers $3.00 more per year in longevity pay than ATU members, Local 1474 workers got it too. The contract between Local 1474 and the city last year is a one-year deal lasting through 2017. v
Deadlines to apply for 9/11 Victim’s Fund, Health Program Victims of the 9/11 tragedy have until December 18, 2020, to apply for aid under the September 11th Victim’s Relief Fund (https://www.vcf.gov/index.html), and until September 11, 2020, to apply for coverage under the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program (https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/index.html). The September 11th Victim’s Compensation Fund (VCF) was created to provide compensation for any individual (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001 or the debris removal efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath of those crashes. For further information call the VCF Helpline at 1-855-885-1555. ATU members who were in the area of the collapsed Word Trade Center, or who were exposed to the dust and debris it generated during the 9/11 tragedy, who have been treated for specific airway and digestive disorders, mental health conditions, musculoskeletal disorders, or cancers (see below) may be eligible for coverage under the World Trade Center Health Program. For further information call 1-888-982-4748.
WORLD TRADE CENTER 9/11 HEALTH PROGRAM: COVERED CONDITIONS The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11 related health conditions. This is a separate program from the September 11 Victim’s Compensation Fund (above), This is the list of certified conditions covered by program. New conditions may be added that are found to be related to exposures from the September 11 attacks. The program may also provide health care for conditions not on this list if they resulted from the treatment or progression of an underlying certified WTC-health condition. Please call 1-888-982-4748 for more information. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Acute Traumatic Injury Aerodigestive Disorders Mental Health Conditions Musculoskeletal Disorders Blood and Lymphoid Tissue Childhood Cancers Female Breast Female Reproductive Organs Malignant Neoplasms of the Digestive System Malignant Neoplasm of Eye and Orbit Malignant Neoplasms of the Head and Neck Malignant Neoplasms of the Respiratory System Malignant Neoplasm of the Urinary System Malignant Neoplasm of Skin (non-Melanoma) Malignant Neoplasm of the Soft Tissue Mesothelium Melanoma Rare Cancers Thyroid IN TRANSIT
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Pronunciémonos todos juntos por las estaciones de trabajo este septiembre Nosotros, todos nosotros, estamos a punto de ejercitar nuestro músculo colectivo. ¿Con qué objetivo? Mejorar las condiciones de trabajo de los trabajadores del transporte público, salvar vidas, tanto de peatones como de miembros del ATU, y mejorar nuestras vidas. ¡Imagina el poder de todos nuestros Locales actuando juntos y unidos! Desde Vancouver a Pensacola, desde Nueva York a Toronto, Boston a Dallas, Thunder Bay a Seattle ... en todos los lugares en los que trabajamos tenemos problemas comunes. Actuemos juntos en septiembre para registrar tanto nuestras quejas como nuestras peticiones para mejorar nuestras vidas en el trabajo.
Este es el plan Este es el plan: entre ahora y nuestras reuniones del Sindicato Local de septiembre vamos a llevar a cabo una discusión en la que participará todo el sindicato sobre los asaltos, la decencia del uso del baño, los puntos ciegos, los problemas de espalda y el respeto por los trabajadores del transporte público. Estamos exigiendo, por primera vez en la historia, que se preste atención a la estación de trabajo de los conductores. Como hemos mostrado en In Transit, por todo el mundo los fabricantes de autobuses han mejorado los asientos, estaciones de trabajo y barreras de seguridad para mejor. Estas mejoras no han llegado a Canadá ni a los Estados Unidos. En su Reunión del Sindicato Local de septiembre: Le estamos pidiendo que discuta y vote para apoyar las resoluciones sobre estos temas.
Salud y seguridad Necesitamos claridad sobre lo que los trabajadores del transporte público quieren para hacer nuestro trabajo más seguro y para preservar nuestra salud a lo largo de nuestras vidas. Esas discusiones tienen lugar en las reuniones sindicales. Queremos que grabe fragmentos de video de las reuniones con los verdaderos trabajadores del transporte público
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diciéndonos cómo se siente usted acerca de sus asientos, su estación de trabajo, sus descansos para ir al baño y su derecho a estar protegido contra los asaltos. Entregaremos ese mensaje con usted a su jefe. No podemos arreglar estos problemas hasta que todos nuestros organismos y políticos entiendan los problemas y las soluciones. La Internacional proporcionará muestras de resoluciones en su reunión del Sindicato Local de septiembre. Por favor hable con sus funcionarios acerca de presentar y mover estas mociones. ¡Vamos a prepararnos durante todo el verano y pronunciarnos en septiembre!
ATU aumenta el volumen de su campaña por estaciones de trabajo saludables y seguras ATU está aumentando el volumen de su campaña para arreglar las peligrosamente inadecuadas estaciones de trabajo que dejan a los conductores de autobuses vulnerables a agresiones y problemas de salud en Canadá y los EE.UU. La campaña comienza con la educación; proporcionando la información necesaria para que los miembros presionen a las agencias, legislaturas y gobiernos para que proporcionen a los operadores del transporte público entornos de trabajo saludables y seguros. La estación de trabajo es la más importante de entre los problemas de seguridad que no se han solucionado. Por lo que muchas de las dificultades sufridas por los conductores de autobús comienzan ahí.
Protección contra los asaltos Los conductores de autobús no son soldados, policías o bomberos, y aun así viven con el miedo de ser heridos en el trabajo todos los días. El abuso verbal, escupitajos, golpes por sorpresa por parte de pasajeros indisciplinados y violentos, y otros abusos se han vuelto comunes. Condiciones de trabajo como estas son simplemente inaceptables en la mayoría de las profesiones, sin embargo, para los conductores de autobuses ahora se consideran “normales”.
Entre las mejores soluciones empleadas para proteger a los operadores están los escudos retráctiles que bloquean los asaltos sin comprometer el confort y la accesibilidad de los conductores. Ya es hora de que todos nosotros exijamos que los gobiernos y las agencias de transporte público hagan todo lo que esté a su alcance para proteger a los conductores de autobuses y poner fin a esto ¡ahora!
Proteger a los peatones de puntos ciegos Los conductores de autobús también viven con el miedo de accidentalmente golpear a un peatón en un cruce oculto detrás de un pilar del parabrisas y un espejo. Las muertes que resultan de estos puntos ciegos todavía no han animado a la mayoría de los gobiernos y agencias a gastar ni siquiera la cantidad mínima de dinero que se necesitaría para solucionar el problema. Es más fácil culpar al conductor. La responsabilidad hace que sea más caro no entregar un equipo seguro.
Protección contra lesiones en la espalda
ningún otro lugar de trabajo. Y demasiados conductores tienen enfermedades pulmonares progresivas y terminales como resultado. Esto debe parar, ¡ahora! Los sistemas de transporte público deben asegurar que el aire que respiran sus empleados cumpla con los estándares mínimos que se esperan en un lugar de trabajo saludable. Los pasajeros y empleados se merecen un aire fresco y filtrado.
Protección contra lesiones profesionales Por último, muchos conductores sufren lesiones profesionales como resultado de los tableros de mandos y controles mal diseñados. Las agencias de transporte público deberían estar obligadas a comprar autobuses que cumplan con las normas ergonómicas actuales para los conductores. Esto debe incluir los volantes inteligentes que protegen las muñecas, los codos y los hombros de los conductores y los pedales de acelerador y freno regulables. Estas no son peticiones escandalosas. Son las medidas mínimas que deben tomar los empleadores para garantizar la seguridad de sus trabajadores. Es hora de que nos pongamos en pie y exijamos ser tratados con la misma consideración que la mayoría de los demás trabajadores dan por sentado. v
La mayoría, sino casi todos, de los conductores experimentan problemas de espalda en el transcurso de sus carreras. El constante golpeteo a las espinas dorsales de los conductores prácticamente garantiza que experimentarán trastornos musculoesqueléticos. Muchos son forzados a dejarlo, discapacitados por largas horas y mal diseño. Esto debe parar, ¡ahora! Mejorar los asientos del conductor de autobús hasta el punto donde protegen a los conductores de lesiones en la espalda ha sido una prioridad baja para la mayoría de las propiedades. Se debe exigir a las agencias que instalen asientos de conductor activos que utilicen motores para eliminar una mayor parte de la vibración de cuerpo que puede deshabilitar de forma permanente a los conductores.
Protección contra enfermedades pulmonares Los conductores del autobús trabajan típicamente en ambientes con una calidad de aire que no sería tolerada en IN TRANSIT
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In Memoriam
Death Benefits Awarded January 1, 2017 - February 28, 2017 1- MEMBERS AT LARGE RICHARD V WINKLER 26- DETROIT, MI WILLIAM E MUNTZ 85- PITTSBURGH, PA ROBERT G BRECHT VICTOR D COLLAVO JR TERRENCE J FEENEY RONALD GEORGE HIGGINS WILLIAM J MANKEY RONALD S MAVILLA EDWARD MIHOCES JR HARVEY O MILLION RONALD MUNDY THOMAS C PHILLIPS CHARLES R POLIZZANO DAVID R RYAN 113- TORONTO, ON SHAWN G BURT ALAN M COBAIN FRANK CONTE SALVATORE DICIANNA JOHN DURIE HENRY EPP GAYLE D JOSEVSKI RONALD A JOYCE SAMUEL R KIDD ROY A LADEROUTE FAY MC ALONEY GRANT M MC LENNAN ANGELO MOLINARO NORMAN ROBERT PIERSON RICHARD C SCOTT ROBERT HAROLD STEVENS THOMAS TONNA ERROL YARDE 164- WILKES-BARRE, PA CHARLES FETKO 174- FALL RIVER, MA DAVID R VITAL 192- OAKLAND, CA LEON CARLYLE PATTEN THOMAS J SMITH 241- CHICAGO, IL CHESTER ANDERSON WILLIE M BEENE CLARENCE L BROWN MAXIMO J FERNANDEZ WARREN GREEN BOBBY F GRIFFIN RODGERS HARMON JOSEPHINE L HARRIS WILLIE HOLMES BERT V HUKILL CANDIDO JIMENEZ JR WALTER LEMONS JR
GERALD W MOCK MARCELINO MORALES PATRICK J MULCAHEY THOMAS J NEWELL REYNOLD RANDLE JOHN RICHARDSON WOODROW ROBINSON JOSEPH SOLAN JR JOSEPH WASHINGTON
697- TOLEDO, OH HAROLD D SMITH
569- EDMONTON, AB CORINNA ANTHONY ROBERT M CRUICKSHANK VICTOR MOLOFY ALBERT STRETCH
752- BLOOMINGTON, IL JAMES R TURNER
583- CALGARY, AB THOMAS BARKER CARL JAMES DEERE ABDULLAH GAFFAR ROBERT A JOYCE WILLIAM A KOTANEN MIKE LANDERS THOMAS S RIDDALL AUGUST M SCHNELLBACK 587- SEATTLE, WA CARL P INMAN KENNETH MC CORMICK JAY R SYBERT SAMUEL R WILLIAMS 589- BOSTON, MA THOMAS F GALVIN 615- SASKATOON, SK PORTER JOSEPH BEESON
726- STATEN ISLAND, NY ROBERT QUILLA 741- LONDON, ON RICHARD FITZPATRICK BRANDEE L STEWARDSON
757- PORTLAND, OR CLYDE E BRITTLE TOM J HALL VERNON W HARTWELL MERLE G MEYER NATHAN L RUFF MATTHEW M SHANNON 788- ST. LOUIS, MO HENRIETTA BROWN STANTON M CHATMAN LARRY G MAMON THURMAN L MILBURN 812- CLARKSBURG, WV BENJAMIN B QUINONES 819- NEWARK, NJ REGINA DE PAUL PATRICIA FERRARA MAX W HORNIG LOUIS J IACOVELLI
618- PROVIDENCE, RI GREGORY MURGO
824- NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ RICHARD W BOWEN WILLIAM J LEMON HARRY LORDDAY POWERS
627- CINCINNATI, OH ROSEMARIE ADAMS ROBERT A BAKER
880- CAMDEN, NJ DOROTHY BALSAVAGE JOSEPH A CAPRIOTTI JR
689- WASHINGTON, DC SONNIE A ALSTON TRAVIS L BENNETT ARTIMO E CICCOLINI MELVIN A CROSS LAMAR DAVID CULBRETH DEVORN FAISON ROBERT L HUGHES BAXTER KELLEY JR HERMAN S LAWRENCE CHARLES LEE MARTIN LINDA SAVOY-SMITH REGINALD W SOMERS ALFONSO WOOTEN
998- MILWAUKEE, WI JEROME F FUCHS DONALD J GILBERT THOMAS KIEFERT CHARLES W MAPES HENRY MAYFIELD MILES SIROVINA BARBARA J SPIELVOGEL LORRAINE G VALERO HERBERT H WOLFF
694- SAN ANTONIO, TX JOSE A VILLARREAL
1005- MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, MN DOUGLAS P HERRALA
1001- DENVER, CO DOUGLAS L DUPONT ROBERT PEACE
1056- FLUSHING, NY LANDER H BROWN HOWARD HENDERSON JR JAMES R O’TOOLE JASON J PHILLIP 1145- BINGHAMTON, NY MILLARD GERHARDT 1179- NEW YORK, NY EDWARD HUNTER RUSSELL F SMITH 1181- NEW YORK, NY RITA L ADLER CLARE BIFULCO LEONARD BUCELL DOLORES CANIZIO JOSEPH M DI BENEDETTO LORETTA GIARUSSO ROBERT LA BELLA LE ROY MC NEIL ANN PAESE MARY PELLIGRINI SALVATORE PORZIO CATHERINE RAFFINELLO LEONORA RUSSO FRANCISCO SCHIPANO JOHN P TORCH LAZARO VAZQUEZ 1197- JACKSONVILLE, FL GREGORY O JAMES 1235- NASHVILLE, TN BENSON B JONES SR JAMES R OVERSTREET WILLIAM R WATTS 1287- KANSAS CITY, MO CHARLES L ROBERTS JR 1300- BALTIMORE, MD CHARLES HUDSON JR ORLANDO J SISLER
LARRY M KULCHYSKI AUDREY A WHITE 1385- DAYTON, OH CECIL MULLINS LENTON I SPEARS 1447- LOUISVILLE, KY EDWARD A GATTON 1505- WINNIPEG, MB THOMAS J COPELAND HANS R ENTZ LOTHAR I K SCHWARZ 1573- BRAMPTON, ON ARNOLD E STEVENSON 1576- LYNNWOOD, WA CARL W ANDERSON RONALD H HOLLY 1596- ORLANDO, FL HUMBERTO MALDONADO 1700- NORCROSS, GA DARRYL DAUGHRITY J W HATTON 1724- VANCOUVER, BC RICHARD A MORRISON ROLAND B RUSSELL CHI CHIANG TSAN 1733- VERNON HILLS, IL JOHN MARTIN 1738- LATROBE, PA RAYMOND MALONE SR 1764- WASHINGTON, DC MICHAEL A JACKSON 1769- CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS LARRY D BRIGGS
1321- ALBANY & TROY, NY FREDRICK J ERIOLE 1338- DALLAS, TX MARCUS JOHNSON PATRICA RENA SMITH 1342- BUFFALO, NY EDWARD BELTON JOSEPH BRZYKCY HENRY J HOCH EDWIN LOATMAN JR ARTHUR J SMITH LARRY E WATKINS 1374- CALGARY, AB WALTER H DOBERNIGG
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