In Transit - May/June by Amalgamated Transit Union

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

MAY / JUNE 2018

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

NEWSBRIEFS Spokane Local calls for resignation of HR Executive over racist Facebook rants After uncovering “explicitly and vilely racist” Facebook comments encouraged by Spokane Transit Authority’s HR director, Local 1015-Spokane, WA, is calling for her resignation. The Local found that STA’s HR Director Nancy Williams had shared video on her Facebook account of a disturbing incident in which several young black men kicked and punched a young white man. She posted “these kids’ are despicable animals.” Then Williams’ friend Beverly Nan Murphy replied to the video, calling Barack Obama a “creature,” further commenting “If you don’t teach primates at an early age, (no matter what skin they are in) they continue to be non-civilized.” Williams “liked” the comment, and wrote “Seems like many others agree with my aunt’s comments.” Local President Thomas Leighty called for her resignation, saying “You can’t allow someone who says and defends this type of racist garbage to be collecting a public salary and be making decisions about the fates of public workers.”

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

Seattle bus drivers win $8.3 million in back pay for safety checks, paperwork In a big victory, Seattle bus drivers will receive an additional $8.3 million in back pay to cover three years of routine safety checks and paperwork performed beyond their usual shift time. This agreement, reached between Local 587-Seattle, WA, and King County Metro Transit, is in addition to a $6.4 million fund created last fall for more than 2,400 operators to resolve a federal investigation on the same issues. Local President Michael Shea called the figure an equitable settlement. “ATU appreciates that our employees are being properly compensated for the work that they are doing.”

Toronto, ON – msforza@atu.org

JOHN CALLAHAN

Winnipeg, MB – jcallahan@atu.org

CURTIS HOWARD

Atlanta, GA – choward@atu.org

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES DENNIS ANTONELLIS Spokane, WA – dantonellis@atu.org STEPHAN MACDOUGALL Boston, MA – smacdougall@atu.org ANTHONY GARLAND Washington, DC – agarland@atu.org ANTONETTE BRYANT Oakland, CA – abryant@atu.org SESIL RUBAIN New Carrollton, MD – srubain@atu.org

ATU CANADA PAUL THORP

Brampton, ON – president@atucanada.ca

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS EMERITUS International President Jim La Sala, ret. International President Warren George, ret. International Executive Vice President Ellis Franklin, ret. International Executive Vice President Mike Siano, ret. 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 AY/J U N E

2018 Vol. 127, No. 3

17 Kankakee, IL school bus drivers say school not addressing disciplinary problems 18 NYC school bus workers, parents rally for safe student bus transportation

Local 1756-Arcadia, CA, organizes First Student workers

19 ATU mourns death of former IEVP Bob Baker

SUPREME COURT ADVANCES ATTACK ON LABOR. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ATU MEMBERS?

Longtime Sergeant-At-Arms and Local 113 Executive Board Member Harvey Ward dies

20 The Oscars Financial Secretary Awards 21 At DC circulator, the battle to end privatization enters a new chapter 22 ATU Black Caucus convenes at Tommy Douglas Conference Center

I WORK WITH MARK JANUS. HERE’S HOW HE BENEFITS FROM A STRONG UNION.

Low pay for Gainesville bus drivers leads to shortage, forced OT

23 ATU Connecticut campaign halts fare increases, service cuts

Curtis Howard appointed Int. Vice President

24 Bay area Local says delayed emergency response puts all in harm’s way

2 International Officers & General Executive Board

25 Fall River, MA, Local joins Labor, politicians to save jobs at Philips Lighting

News Briefs

3 Index Page 8 International President’s Message: Fighting a moral and physical struggle 10 Massive pay gap between CEOs and average workers 12 International Executive Vice President’s Message: Reclaiming the dream. It’s not over. 13 International Secretary-Treasurer’s Message: Mobilized, engaged and motivated 14 ATU to Lawmakers: “Open my eyes, shield me from harm.”

A book from the operator’s seat: Just Drive: Life In The Bus Lane

ATU hero in Milwaukee

26 Making a difference: Local 732-Atlanta, GA, retiree Paul McLennan 27 Amid automation trend, here’s why we still need bus drivers 28 Translations (Spanish) 31 In Memoriam 32 ATU COPE - The Voice of Transit Workers

16 2017 COPE Club Awards 17 Portland Public School bus drivers are speaking up

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SUPREME COURT ADVANCES ATTACK ON LABOR

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ATU MEMBERS? Janus v. AFSCME Council 31–or better yet, Evil vs AFSCME, was a challenge to a 40-year-old precedent that allows public sector labor unions in non-right-towork states to collect “agency” or “fair share” fees from individuals who are part of the bargaining unit but not members of the union. The Supreme Court overturned that precedent, and the agency fee is eliminated.

Another billionaire-backed attack on working families This case is another attack by greedy CEOs and anti-union groups to crush working people and their families. This has been the goal of the right wing and their billionaire backers, capture the courts and pervert the constitution. Like all workers, public employees must have a right to come together and negotiate for better wages, working conditions, benefits, retirement security, and safe workplaces. Mark Janus was an Illinois public employee and member of AFSCME Council 31 who wanted all the benefits of being a union member but didn’t want to pay dues. While his fellow nurses, EMS workers, 911 dispatchers, and security personnel contributed their fair share, he wanted to be a “free rider.”

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But the ones who are really invested in this case are the greedy bosses like the Koch Brothers and the antiworker groups they back like the National Right to Work Foundation, and Americans for Prosperity. And so is Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, a millionaire himself, who has been pushing an agenda that benefits corporations and the wealthy on the backs of working people. Rauner filed a lawsuit in his own name to bar the collection of fair share fees by public service unions, but the case was dismissed.

What does this mean for ATU members? What does this mean for you in the garage, on the bus, in the shop, at the station, in the office? Bottom line: free-riding is allowed. It is the law of the land for public employees, including almost 90,000 of our members. Those who work for public transit agencies can drop out of ATU and pay nothing. And here’s the kicker: they still get the benefits of being a member of your Local and the ATU. They will be free riders enjoying the pay, benefits and protections that your Locals have negotiated while not

contributing anything towards your Local’s activities to represent workers - contract bargaining, health and safety, grievance arbitration, contract administration, and various other activities. This SCOTUS ruling is a landmark decision of the high court’s anti-worker agenda.

Making lemonade out of lemons While it is wrong and bad for working people, the ATU believes it is an opportunity to show the value of being a member of their Local and the ATU. The old saying goes “make lemonade out of lemons” and that’s what the ATU has been doing.

WHAT THE ATU HAS DONE TO PREPARE Fortunately, the ATU is using this moment to rediscover its roots and strengthen its locals. To prepare for a post-Janus world, thousands of ATU Local leaders have been through training sponsored by the International. Leaders are learning how locals in places like Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Florida and Arizona have maintained strong memberships and good contracts despite so-called “Right to Work” laws. Public sector leaders are learning the habits of those locals. Many ATU leaders are learning that they are doing many of the actions and activities that promote a strong membership already.

No Substitute for Face to Face Communications There is no substitute for face to face communications inside local unions. Social media is great, but it does not substitute for union members sitting down with each other and learning about each other’s interests. Some of the meetings are one-to-one, but many are small group meetings conducted informally in the break rooms on the property. Not everyone can make monthly union meetings. Strong locals don’t depend entirely on those monthly meetings to discuss important issues.

Action is oxygen to locals ATU members are learning that action is like oxygen to a local union. When the union is active, and when it is working on issues both inside and outside the workplace that address key concerns of the members the union is stronger. Perhaps it is a campaign to increase funding for transit, like local in Washington, DC took part in and won, or it is expanding service, where local 732 in Atlanta along with coalition partners, won a couple of years ago. These kinds of actions make for a more powerful union, one that transit workers are proud to belong to. Leadership training is an important part of keeping the union strong. The ATU is taking the lead on training, especially with the creation of the Tommy Douglas Conference Center. Much of the training provided by the International in the last year has also taken place regionally and locally all over the USA. While many members may have come to recent trainings fearful of the changes the court decision represents, most ATU members left optimistic about the future of their local in this new environment. In addition, we will be conducting a series of Facebook Live sessions and developing additional training, tools, and strategies to build a plan and strengthen internal communications and engagement with our members.

The importance of a strong union Years ago, members of the ATU wore a different colored pin on their lapel each month to show they were members in good standing in the union. In those days dues were collected by hand and not through payroll deduction. Keeping up with everyone must have been difficult, but starting 125 years ago, transit workers understood the importance of a strong union and did what they had to do to organize and preserve one. Those workers faced stiff opposition. Today, workers face stiff opposition, too. Even though it involves a lot of work and relearning old lessons, what the Janus prep campaign taught us is that just like our union ancestors, people want a strong union and are willing to do what it takes to have one. Years from now, it would not be surprising to think the Janus decision ultimately helped make the ATU even stronger than before. v

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I Work with Mark Janus. Here’s How He Benefits from a Strong Union. By Donnie Killen Like everyone else in the labor movement, I’m nervously awaiting the Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, which would weaken public sector unions by letting workers receive the benefits of representation without contributing toward the cost. But I’ve got a unique vantage point: I work in the same building as the plaintiff, Mark Janus. We’re both child support specialists for the state of Illinois, where we do accounting on child support cases. I do this work because it’s fulfilling to help kids and single parents get the resources they need to support themselves. What convinced Mr. Janus to join this destructive lawsuit? Your guess is as good as mine. I do know it’s much bigger than him. He’s the public face, but this case is backed by a network of billionaires and corporate front groups like the National Right-to-Work Foundation. But the truth is, even Mark Janus himself benefits from union representation. Here are a few of the ways:

1. Without our union, Mr. Janus’s job would probably have been outsourced by now. A drastic provision in the state’s “last, best, and final offer” in 2016 would have given Governor Rauner the right

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to outsource and privatize state employees’ jobs without accountability. Our union is all that’s preventing critical public services from being privatized. Our agency would be at particular risk, because Illinois already has a longstanding contract with a scandal-ridden, for-profit corporation called Maximus to perform some of our agency’s functions. They modify child support orders and interact with employers about income withholding— pretty simple tasks, yet state employees regularly have to correct their work. If they were to take over more complex tasks, we can imagine how badly that would go! Their concern is for profit, not kids. If the governor could get away with it, it’s very likely he would expand the Maximus contract to privatize jobs like mine and Mr. Janus’s. He already did something similar to nurses in the prison system. But our union has to be consulted before the state can outsource anything. And when they do outsource, we monitor the contract and discuss how long it will continue. I go to those meetings for our union. Right now, instead of letting management expand its deal with Maximus, we’ve been pressing to cut that contract.

2. Mr. Janus has received $17,000 in union-negotiated raises. Over his years working for the state, Mr. Janus has earned

general wage increases and steps that would not have been guaranteed if not for the union.

3. The public—including the parents and kids Mr. Janus serves—has access to resources like childcare that our union has fought to defend. Our union allows us speak up together on matters far beyond money. When Governor Rauner tried to cut childcare benefits for low-income single parents, we teamed up with outraged community members and made him back off. And when the budget impasse was forcing domestic violence shelters to close their doors, we kept pushing for years until a veto-proof budget was passed.

4. Our union blocked the employer from doubling the cost of Mr. Janus’s health benefits. In negotiations the state has pushed to double our health insurance costs and drastically reduce coverage. The employer declared impasse and walked away from the bargaining table. AFSCME took the matter to the Labor Relations Board and the courts—securing a temporary restraining order that prevents the governor from imposing his extreme demands.

5. We make sure Mr. Janus’s office is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. As a union we deal with health safety issues large and small. In the department that rescues children from household abuse and neglect, we’re continually pushing for sufficient staffing. The stakes are high: one member was killed on the job after she went out on an urgent call alone. Other matters are less dramatic. In state office buildings we solve problems like flooding, mold, leaky windows, and toxic pigeon feces. One building had someone creeping up on employees in the parking lot, so we worked with management to get better lighting and security patrols.

Many of these are ongoing issues, where our union acts as a watchdog. We have a health and safety chair on the union executive board. Any time a problem comes up, he starts by approaching management to resolve it. If that doesn’t work, he can file an OSHA complaint plus a highlevel grievance.

6. Thanks to our union, Mr. Janus will retire with a pension. Our union has fought to save the defined-pension that Mr. Janus will receive upon retirement. A coalition of unions including AFSCME took the issue to court—and won. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that employees’ pension benefits cannot be cut.

7. Mr. Janus can get sick and still have a job when he comes back. Before this job I worked without a union, in the retail industry, where I experienced what it means to be an atwill employee. Three absences would cost an employee their job—even if they called in sick and provided a doctor’s note.

8. Our union ensured that Mr. Janus could be fairly hired, regardless of his politics. In public service our ultimate bosses are elected officials. There was a time in Illinois when to be hired or promoted, you were expected to make a contribution to the political party in power. But a 1990 Supreme Court case called Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois put an end to that. Today our union enforces a triple-blind system for fair treatment in hiring and promotions, making sure seniority is followed. It’s one more way that even Mr. Janus benefits from having a union on the job. Donnie Killen is a child support specialist for the state of Illinois and vice president/executive steward of AFSCME Local 2600. A version of this article appeared in Labor Notes #470.

In the building where Mr. Janus and I work, the heating and cooling system is extremely old. Twice a year they bring in a computer from 1982 to switch from heat to air conditioning for the summer, and vice versa for the winter. So when the weather fluctuates, we work to get portable heating or cooling units deployed where they’re needed. IN TRANSIT

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LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

Fighting a moral and physical struggle My inbox had an interesting email. It was from a 401k membership group who surveyed their members. Here’s their question: Thinking about your retirement, what keeps you up at night? Here are the answers: 1) Running out of money 2) Health issues 3) Health-care costs

continues, we are also reflecting on the future of our members. Think about the Union, among all else as the leader in fighting for your financial wellness. What we invest in our future is what will be protecting us later. Fight now for your fair share or suffer later. We are fighting now. In July we deployed a team of six ATU leaders to the field to continue changes in our bargaining for members who have been the most battered by our employers in recent memory, the privatized services.

4) Inability to meet monthly expenses 5) Inability to maintain standard of living Two relate to healthcare, and the other three pertain to financial wellness. All five are connected. “Preparing for healthcare costs in retirement isn’t a separate discussion with clients,” they say. “It’s an extension of a financial wellness conversation.” Who is losing sleep thinking about these issues for all ATU members? Well, we are.

ATU focused on issues that matter to members

Power-building campaigns The goals are improved wages, healthcare and retirement security. The team will be running power building campaigns all across the ATU. We will call on Local Union officers and members to prepare more for negotiations. We will invest every resource we have in this project. We need massive unity to force our industry to start funding real benefits for our members. So, please join hands with our members across Canada and the United States now. Lock arms in your Local and give some thought to this. We will not get what we deserve, a fair share of the value of our work, unless we demand it and fight for it. There will be some too timid to fight. Ignore them.

We have been highly focused on things that really matter to our members. In recent issues we have rolled out our continuing campaign to keep ATU members alive and healthy at work. While the campaign for better workstations

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continued on next page

Who said it? Let me give you a word of the philosophy of reform... If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they

are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.

The first 1,000 members to email to communications@atu.org the name of the author of this quote will be entered into a drawing for an ATU jacket.

Keep your Locals strong. We are fighting both a moral and physical struggle. Physical in that we need a fair share of the money spent on transit workers. Moral because it is immoral for our nations to have so much wealth and steal from workers to benefit the filthy rich. This union is your chance to lead the struggle for that woman and man next to you, working to make a better world for everyone. v

IN TRANSIT

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MASSIVE PAY GAP BETWEEN CEOS AND AVERAGE WORKERS THE RICH KEEP GETTING RICHER, AND WORKERS CONTINUE TO BE LEFT BEHIND, ACCORDING TO THE AFL-CIO’S ANNUAL EXECUTIVE PAYWATCH WEBSITE ON CEO PAY. CEO pay revealed that the average CEO pay increased more than 6%, leading to the continued rise in income inequality. The data from the searchable online database showed the average S&P 500 CEO made $13.94 million in 2017— a whopping 361 times more than the average worker.

Further proof of income inequality crisis “This year’s report provides further proof of America’s income inequality crisis,” said AFL-CIO SecretaryTreasurer Liz Shuler. “Too many working people are struggling to get by, to afford the basics, to save

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for college, to retire with dignity, while CEOs are paying themselves more and more.” While more people are employed, their earnings continue to be siphoned off by the bosses. The average production and nonsupervisory worker earned just $38,613 per year. When adjusted for inflation, the average wage has remained stagnant for more than 50 years. For the first time, companies must disclose the ratio of their own CEO’s pay to the pay of the company’s median employee. The Executive Paywatch website now includes company-specific pay ratio data and median worker pay, in addition to CEO pay levels. Pay ratio disclosure provides important information about companies’ compensation strategies and allows shareholders to determine whether CEO pay is out of balance in comparison to what a company pays its workers. Mondelēz International, which produces Nabisco household staples, is one of the most egregious. Their CEO makes a

shocking 989 times more than the company’s median employee pay.

Mattel CEO makes 4,987 more than average worker The biggest transgressor of any S&P 500 company was toymaker Mattel, with the highest pay ratio. Mattel’s median employee is a manufacturing worker in Malaysia who made $6,271, resulting in a staggering CEO-to-employee pay ratio of 4,987:1. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum was Warren Buffett’s company Berkshire Hathaway Inc. It had the lowest pay ratio of all S&P 500 companies, just 2:1.

2018 election narrative: out-of-control executive pay

out-of-control executive pay,” Shuler continued. “This will be part of our economic narrative in 2018. When executive pay is out of control and wages for workers aren’t going up, that makes for an angry and energized populace. We plan to use this narrative going into the election.” v

“Our economy works best when consumers have money to spend. That means raising wages for workers and reining in

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE ATU APP Want to stay connected, informed and involved with all things ATU? Then download the ATU App to your smartphone today to get the latest news about ATU, public transit, politics, events, actions, photos of members and videos, and other important content. The ATU Mobile App will regularly deliver news you can use and need to know to your mobile devices. The ATU App is free and simple to download to iPhones and Android devices. Visit http://www.atu.org/ action/atu-mobile-app to get started today with the ATU App. IN TRANSIT

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JAVIER PEREZ, JR., INTERNATIONAL EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT

Reclaiming the dream. It’s not over. When I learned of the theme for this year’s Black Caucus, “Reclaiming the Dream, it’s not over!” I decided to go online and watch Martin Luther King Jr’s speech given at the Mall in front of the Lincoln memorial.

“If we think of the struggle as a climb up a mountain, then we must visualize a mountain with no top. We see a top, but when we finally reach it, the overcast rises and we find ourselves merely on a bluff.”

What a day in history, Walter Reuther, the Powerful President of the UAW was there, many ministers, priests, nuns and rabbis were also there. Many people like you and I were there. All walked arm in arm in what was billed as “The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” About a quarter of a million people attended.

“The Mountain continues on up ahead of us, we strive and claw our way up only to find we’ve reached another bluff. The Mountain has no top, it is a perpetual quest from plateau to plateau, the question arises, Why the struggle, the conflict, the heartbreak, the danger, the sacrifice. Why the constant climb? Our answer is the same as that which a real mountain climber gives when he is asked why; he does what he does. Because it’s there.”

Dr. King often used picture words, referring to valleys and mountains. His portrait of his own life was that of a pilgrim on a journey

Here are two examples “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” “I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the Promised Land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land.”

Brothers and Sisters All we want is a place to call home, a place that’s safe and secure. We want schools that prepare our youth for work and we want work to sustain our lives thereafter. And we, the ATU, know all too often that, lack of access to sustainable jobs prevents gainful employment.

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“Our faith is built in the dark, in the valleys, and during the back-breaking battles of life. In life there are many hills and valleys to pass and we should not avoid them!” The Quest Continues the dream lives on. These are our times, we are writing our story, This is our pilgrimage. “We are pilgrims on a journey. We are brothers and sisters on the road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. I will hold the light for you in the nighttime of your fear. I will hold my hand out to you; Speak the peace you long to hear. I will weep when you are weeping. When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through.” We are one we are ATU! v Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.

OSCAR OWENS, INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER

Mobilized, engaged and motivated The past few months I’ve been reading and hearing political pundits and right wing talking heads predicting the demise of labor unions as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Janus case.

It was truly inspiring.

The high court reversed its 1977 decision that allows public sector labor unions in non-right-to-work states to collect “agency” or “fair share” fees from individuals who are part of the bargaining unit but not members of the union. Union membership will now be voluntary even in states where so called “Right-to-Work” laws do not exist.

Locals in the province have been engaged in a successful member-driven campaign to fight back against the plans of Metrolinx and the provincial government to push public-private partnership or P3s for billion dollar projects on current and new transit projects.

A new generation of ATU activists While this decision is wrong and bad for the labor movement, it has actually sparked a new generation of ATU activists. And I saw this firsthand at the ATU Legislative Conference. I joined more than 60 ATU leaders from Locals across the U.S on Capitol Hill to demand a redesign of bus operator workstations that would protect operators from assaults, increase public safety by eliminating dangerous and unnecessary blind spots, and push for other safety improvements.

ATU takes Capitol Hill We attended a packed Congressional briefing with Capitol Hill staffers, where Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-CA, introduced the Bus Operator and Pedestrian Protection Act as ATU members told their harrowing stories of being brutally attacked on the job. Our members then flooded the halls of Congress visiting their Representatives and Senators to push for passage of this bill and other critical legislation.

And our brothers and sisters in Canada are equally engaged with their Keep Transit Public campaign in Ontario.

Ontario Keep Transit Public campaign mobilizes During the recent Ontario provincial election, the Keep Transit Public campaign, with assistance from the International and ATU Canada, mobilized like never before to support the pro-transit, pro-worker Ontario New Democrats. Our members hit the streets to get members and riders to vote for the NDP over the Liberal incumbents and the Doug Ford-led Progressive Conservatives, who were both calling for more privatization. While the Progressive Conservatives won the election, there is a stronger and more unified voice for transit workers and riders in the province. With the municipal elections later this year, the Keep Transit Public campaign will be a force to elect candidates who support public transit and workers. So to those naysayers who say labor unions are on their last leg, they haven’t seen the ATU. We are more mobilized, engaged and motivated than ever. v Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news. IN TRANSIT

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ATU to Lawmakers: “open my eyes, shield me from harm.” ATU members from more than 20 states descended on Washington, D.C. during the last day of the union’s 2018 U.S. Legislative Conference, calling on Congress to pass the Bus Operator and Pedestrian Protection Act (H.R. 6016), introduced on June 6th. The bill, initiated by ATU and sponsored by Representatives Grace Napolitano (D-CA) and John Katko (R-NY), would require transit systems to make changes to the bus operator workstation in an effort to stop driver assaults and eliminate blind spots which are causing tragic pedestrian fatalities. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is the sponsor of the bill in the Senate.

was shocked to hear about what bus operators go through every day while trying to navigate busy city streets. “I’ve had a gun pulled on me,” said Yvonne Williams, PR/ BA of Local 192 in Oakland, CA. “Urine tossed in the face,” said Lisa Fair of Local 1309 in San Diego. “We had an operator shot with a shotgun,” said David McClure, the head of Local 1300 in Baltimore. “I was spat on by a young lady,” noted Ken Franklin of Local 308 in Chicago.

Congressional Briefing

The bill would require transit systems to develop a risk reduction program for bus operations to improve safety by reducing the number and rates of accidents, injuries, assaults on bus operators, and fatalities. Significantly, the bill requires these programs to be developed in cooperation with bus operators and their unions.

ATU invited Members of Congress, their staff, and the press to attend an hour-long briefing on transit bus safety matters in a Transportation Committee room. The public

The bill also addresses the definition of assault. Under current law, transit systems only report incidents to the federal government that require immediate medical

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attention or cause a fatality, so circumstances involving spitting, punching, pulling out a weapon, and verbal assaults likely get buried. Transit agencies don’t like to publicize these events because they give passengers the impression that buses are unsafe, hurting ridership. H.R. 6016 would require any incident involving interference with the operator to be reported.

their representatives in the U.S. House and Senate, and urging lawmakers to cosponsor and push for passage of the Bus Operator and Pedestrian Protection Act as well as other legislative priorities of the union. By the end of the day, the bipartisan bill already had nine cosponsors, and many other legislators informed our members that they would support the legislation.

Moreover, the bill requires plans to reduce vehicular and pedestrian accidents involving buses, including measures to reduce visibility impairments for bus operators that contribute to collisions with passengers. A recent study found that due to poorly designed mirrors and pillars, a bus operator can lose sight of a pedestrian for a full two seconds as they cross the street. Moreover, up to 17 feet of crosswalk cannot be seen by the operator when executing a left hand turn.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) addresses ATU members on Capitol Hill

Feeling the Bern

Local 1300-Baltimore, MD, member Karen Alexander tells her story of being brutally attacked.

Getting the Word Out Following the Congressional briefing, ATU members participated in a press conference with Rep. Napolitano to announce the introduction of the bill. “This is the day that God has made for me,” said Karen Alexander (Local 1300), who spoke emotionally at the event. “To get up, to talk to you. You all don’t know what I’ve been through,” she said while holding back tears. Alexander was brutally assaulted behind the wheel, yanked out of the seat by an irate passenger, and pummeled.

Storming the Hill Following the public events, ATU Legislative Conference participants spread out all across Capitol Hill, visiting with

Conference participants took a mid-day break from Hill visits to take part in an ATU-only meeting with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a 2016 Democratic candidate for U.S. President who is considering running again in 2020. Sanders engaged in a lively discussion with ATU members on infrastructure, health care, jobs, and the role that workers should play in the future of the Democratic Party.

Key Issues Covered The first two days of the Legislative Conference were held at the union’s state of the art conference center in Silver Spring, MD. Attendees heard from national experts on some of the most important issues facing transit workers and their families today, including single payer health care, autonomous vehicles, and transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft. They also discussed plans for dealing with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Janus case, which could cause a precipitous drop in public sector labor union membership, and heard from a panel of transit rider organizations regarding coalition building.

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Guest speakers included Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings (D) and Jamie Raskin (D). Rep. Cummings, the 20-year federal lawmaker who went out of his way to once again speak to ATU members despite recent serious health issues, inspired everyone in the room with a stirring speech focused on how recent policies adopted under the Trump Administration are hurting working families. Raskin, an upcoming freshman and one of the leading progressive voices in America, provided hope that brighter days are ahead for workers despite the current obstacles in Washington, D.C.

Jesus “Chuy” Garcia

Conference participants also heard from Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, the former candidate for mayor in Chicago who ran with strong support of ATU. Garcia, who recently won a Congressional primary, said that when he gets sworn into Congress in 2019, he will vigorously support a workers’ agenda. Finally, Ben Jealous (D), who is vying to become the first African American to serve as Governor of Maryland, addressed the conference as well. v

Congressman Elijah Cummings

Ben Jealous

Congressman Jamie Raskin

2 0 1 7 CO P E C LU B AWA R D S CHAIRMAN’S AWARD For local unions contributing the highest dollar amount to the ATU cope program. • • • •

Local 540-Trenton, NJ, in the 51-200 active membership category. Local 282-Rochester, NY, for local unions in the 201-800 active membership category. Local 618-Providence, RI, for local unions in the 801-1,500 active membership category. Local 726-Staten Island, NY, for local unions in the 1,501+ active membership category.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For local unions having the highest percentage of active members enrolled in ATU cope program. • • • •

Local 1395-Pensacola, FL, for local unions in the 51-200 active membership category Local 1575-San Rafael, CA, for local unions in the 201-800 active membership category. Local 618-Providence, RI, for local unions in the 801-1,500 active membership category. Local 726-Staten Island, NY, for local unions in the 1,501+ active membership category.

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

Portland Public School bus drivers are speaking up Portland, OR, school bus drivers who do the important job of safely transporting students with disabilities and special needs each day are calling for the same pay and treatment as truck drivers employed by the school district to transport food. The drivers and dispatchers, members of Local 757Portland, OR, have been working under a contract that expired a year ago. They have been flooding school board meetings and holding rallies.

Hot dogs more valuable than children? “Are you saying that meatloaf, hamburgers and hotdogs are more valuable than our children?” one school bus driver recently asked school board members at a meeting. “We’re not against our colleagues earning a livable wage. We just want the same. We want compensation that is commensurate with the responsibility that we shoulder every day transporting our students.” In addition to wage and benefits issues, the Local also expressed concerns over a district proposal which opens the door to the use of non-union drivers. Less-skilled, less-compensated union drivers will do similar work to that of regular union bus drivers. The proposal has to do with a

Local 757-Portland, OR, school bus drivers rally.

new program of using vans and cars to transport students who because of behavioral or discipline problems can’t travel with other students. The program was created to replace much more expensive trips currently provided by taxi companies. But instead it has started to cannibalize existing bus routes and grown to about 15 employees, who are often working more than part-time hours. While the employees are members of the Local, they are stuck at the starting wage and lack benefits, all of which is unacceptable, says the Local. v

Kankakee, IL school bus drivers say school not addressing disciplinary problems When students on school buses throw things at the drivers and other students, and yell profanities it can create dangerous situations that must be dealt with by the schools. In the Kankakee, IL, School District, the school bus company, First Student, sends disciplinary complaints to the schools, but gets no response. This is a serious concern for Local 1745-Kankakee, IL, which represents the school district’s 60 bus drivers and 21 monitors. “We want disciplinary action to make buses safer for everyone,” said Local President Todd Stickel. “When does the privilege of riding the bus stop? Is it a right or a privilege?”

Most of the disciplinary problems involve elementary school students, not high school and junior high students who keep to themselves and their smartphones. Students can have dozens of disciplinary incidents filed by school bus drivers, but the district fails to respond and the offending students continue to ride buses. “There should be some type of bus rules. We should have a continuation of school rules in the bus,” Stickel continued. “There are many great kids in the schools. They want to better themselves. They’re being bullied. There are posters against bullying on the wall, but they’re not doing anything about it on the buses.” v IN TRANSIT

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NYC school bus workers, parents rally for safe student bus transportation

Local 1756Arcadia, CA, organizes First Student workers

Standing up and demanding safe and secure bus transportation for NYC school children, school bus drivers, matrons, mechanics and parents rallied outside a hearing on the issue at the NY State Supreme Court.

“Experienced drivers! Safe Children!” Chanting, “Experienced drivers! Safe children!” the coalition was defending critical employment protection provisions (EPP) in NYC school busing contracts. These ensure students are transported by well-trained bus drivers and experienced matrons and mechanics, members of Local 1181-New York, NY, who have safely and securely transported hundreds of thousands of children to and from school for more than 30 years. The seventeen school bus companies have sued to try to remove the protective provisions from the contracts, challenging a NY Department of Education Request For Bid (RFB) for “Transportation Services for Disabilities and Their Non-Disabled Peers.” If EPP is removed, these companies can deviate from the labor contracts, reducing benefits and wages while ignoring citywide seniority. This can lead to low standards, exploitation and worker turnover, which is bad for students. Often these companies hire people who have no experience, while expert drivers and matrons stay unemployed. v

Organizing the many unorganized workers in the transit industry is one of our basic obligations, if for no other reason than to defend our hard-won gains against employer attempts to erode them. Taking this mission to the street, Local 1756 in Arcadia, California, recently partnered with the International to organize an unorganized First Student group in nearby Riverside. The Local already represents a larger First Student unit in Corona, and when Riverside workers reached out to the Local they went into action. As part of the campaign, 1756’s leaders and volunteers made many contacts among the Corona workforce. It became clear that they were fed up with lagging wages and working conditions. The Local contacted the International and an organizing campaign plan was developed. The organizing campaign unfolded over several weeks and led swiftly to an NLRB election victory. Workers chose ATU by a decisive margin in the unit of 85 drivers, trainers, and mechanics. Local 1756 is now preparing to bargain a first union contract. v

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

ATU mourns death of former IEVP Bob Baker ATU is sad to report the death of former International Executive Vice President Bob Baker. Our prayers and sympathies go out to his wife, family and the brothers and sisters of Local 627-Cincinnati, OH.

In 1975, Baker was elected to the local’s executive board and served in that capacity until his election as local vice president in 1977. He was elected president of Local 627 in 1980. While in that position, he also served as president of the Ohio Legislative Conference for 10 years, president of the ATU-Joint Conference for six years and president and executive board member of the more than 100,000 member Cincinnati AFL-CIO for 12 years.

The son of a United Mine Workers organizer whose 35-year career saw dedicated union involvement in the “Bloody Harlen” southeastern Kentucky coal strike, Baker joined Local 627 in 1973 as a bus operator with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority. He immediately became involved in the activities of the Local.

In 1989, he was elected an international vice-president and was re-elected to that position at the next seven Conventions. He was elected International Executive Vice President with International President Larry Hanley at the 56th International Convention in September 2010 in Orlando, FL. Baker retired in July 2013. v

Longtime Sergeant-At-Arms and Local 113 Executive Board Member Harvey Ward dies ATU is sad to report the death of Harvey C. Ward, retired Secretary-Treasurer of Local 113-Toronto, ON, on May 26, 2018 at the age of 98. Brother Ward was a longtime fixture at ATU Conventions serving as a sergeant-at-arms from 1986 until 2010. For many of those conventions he served as chair of the sergeant-at-arms.

Traffic Department. He drove Brills, Faegels, Macks and GM buses. He also operated the wooden streetcars, Peter Witts and PCCs during his career. Ward was elected to the Executive Board as SecretaryTreasurer in 1971, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1986. During the Second World War, Ward served in the Canadian Medical Corps in 1941. He enlisted as a Private and completed his service as a Corporal in 1946. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Ward family and our brothers and sisters at Local 113. v

He joined Local 113 in 1947 when he was hired by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) as a streetcar Operator at Davenport/St. Clair Divisions in the Motor IN TRANSIT

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THE OSCARS

F I N A N C I A L S E C R E TA R Y AWA R D S ATU International is recognizing local financial secretaries who have provided excellent and superior performance for their locals. Called the “Oscar Award” after beloved International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens who has served in that role for since January 2001. The award is for excellence in financial reporting based on a review of local officers’ reports to the International and government agencies, including audit and monthly per capita reports. Their reports were accurate, with few discrepancies, and were submitted on time.

SMALL LOCAL UNIONS (1-150 ACTIVE MEMBERS) FNSCs WITH 100% OF REPORTS ERROR FREE Lisa Hoover, Local 801-Altoona, PA Nathalie Couture, Local 1557-Hull, PQ Thomas J. Albers, Local 857-Green Bay, WI Christine M. Guerrero-Stickles, Local 1360-Topeka, KS Ramona Grippando, Local 847-St. Joseph, MO LuAnn Bruno-Turpin, Local 1595-Pittsburgh, PA Richard P. Swartz, Local 883-Everett, WA Orhan Brian Enata, Local 752-Bloomington, IL FNSCs WITH 99%-90% OF REPORTS ERROR FREE Mark A. Obert, Local 1603-Bethlehem, PA Linda Stevens, Local 1582-Niagara Falls, ON James Kurt Overberger, Local 103-Wheeling, WV Mark Fischer, Local 1598-Spokane, WA Florian S. Skwierczynski, Local 1310-Eau Claire, WI Michael J. Farland, Local 1037-New Bedford, MA Vincent J. Long, Local 1345-Reading, PA Sherrie Allen, Local 779-Sioux City, IA Kari L. Oliver, Local 1249-Springfield, IL Kelly Oxley, Local 717-Manchester, NH Belinda E. Block, Local 1356-Sioux Falls, SD Paul J. Jason, Local 164-Wilkes-Barre, PA Dale Gaudet, Local 1747-Port Alberni, BC Robert Pade, Local 1182-Saint John, NB Donald Campbell, Local 1592-Binghamton, NY Evelyn King Oates, Local 765-Montgomery, AL Mitchell D. Conant, Local 638-Cedar Rapids, IA Randy E. Chassells, Local 441-Des Moines, IA Sheila M. Roberson, Local 682-Fort Wayne, IN Mary Zaniewski, Local 1607-Derby, CT Salvador Morales, Local 398-Boise, ID Troy D. Covington, Local 1517-Idaho Falls, ID Tammy L. Alkire, Local 1064-Terre Haute, IN Ronald L. Dufford Jr., Local 1145-Binghamton, NY Paul P. Boie, Local 1363-Providence, RI Tassy Saylor, Local 1474-Richmond, IN

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MEDIUM LOCAL UNIONS (151-500 ACTIVE MEMBERS) FNSCs WITH 100% OF REPORTS ERROR FREE Wade D. Herauf, Local 588-Regina, SK FNSCs WITH 99%-90% OF REPORTS ERROR FREE Jackie Boily, Local 1760-Ottawa, ON Brian Chamberlain, Local 1624-Peterborough, ON Jay Cuttler, Local 846-St. Catharines, ON Kenneth Kephart Jr., Local 22-Worcester, MA Alisia Brown, Local 1336-Bridgeport, CT Joanne Penn, Local 1591-Broward County, FL Diane M. Massaroni, Local 1547-Brockton, MA Ralph Buccitti, Local 281-New Haven, CT Darcy Pederson, Local 615-Saskatoon, SK Dave Kollisch, Local 1512-Springfield, MA Chantel D. Daniels, Local 1197-Jacksonville, FL Rachel L. Hill, Local 1070-Indianapolis, IN Shane Curveon, Local 1722-Kelowna, BC

LARGE LOCAL UNIONS (501+ ACTIVE MEMBERS) FNSCs WITH 99%-90% OF REPORTS ERROR FREE Corey Gallman, Local 880-Camden, NJ Jeannie M. Garbett, Local 508-Halifax, NS Sabatino Di Nardo Jr., Local 85-Pittsburgh, PA Mike R. Gillingwater, Local 741-London, ON Douglas R. Behr, Local 1267-Ft. Lauderdale, FL Zul Vira, Local 583-Calgary, AB Michael D. Harvey, Local 1001-Denver, CO Paul Lowney, Local 820-Union wCity, NJ Kevin P. Marx, Local 842-Wilmington, DE Mary L. Parent, Local 279-Ottawa, ON Amalio L. Soto, Local 694-San Antonio, TX Lawrence C. Prosser, Local 1091-Austin, TX

At DC Circulator, the Battle to End Privatization Enters a New Chapter The new Director, Jeff Marootian, tried to head off the union’s challenge by announcing a project with the Eno Center for Transportation to study municipalization. The study will be completed in April 2019. While that may seem promising, DC’s revenue agreement with First Transit expires in June 2018, meaning the city needed to either extend the current agreement with First Transit, select a new private contractor, or make municipalization happen quickly.

“I want it to be known that I’m very interested in moving away from privatization,” DC Councilmember Mary Cheh said during a hearing in December 2017. “It’s a rather difficult case for some members of the council to convince others about this issue.” Difficult, indeed. After a successful campaign in 2016 to win safety protections for riders and wage parity with public sector bus operators in DC, members of ATU Local 1764 at the DC Circulator have turned their attention to benefits parity. While wages at the Circulator increased, turnover among operators remains high thanks to the subpar health and retirement benefits provided by First Transit, the company DC contracts to operate the service. While their collective bargaining agreement was not set to expire until March 2019, Circulator members pursued a bigger goal: ending privatization altogether. If bus operators worked directly for the District Department of Transportation, they would likely be able to negotiate health and welfare and retirement benefits on par with other city employees. It would also be a big boon for riders. With no middle man in the way, DDOT and the DC Mayor could no longer deflect to the contractors whenever riders complained about safety or service issues. Local 1764 members found an early ally in Councilmember Cheh, who, while not a labor advocate, despises bad contractors and the extra headaches they cause the city. Unfortunately, just as their campaign was taking off, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed a new DDOT Director. Instead of finally bringing the Circulator in-house, Councilmembers, including Cheh, began to waver during this “honeymoon” period.

Local 1764, with help from the International and the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), ratcheted up the pressure, exposing several misleading statements by Marootian and pushing the Council to add funding to the Fiscal Year 2019 budget that would help ensure funds were available to bargain better retirement and healthcare benefits with any new contractor. In June, the fight entered a new phase. DDOT selected RATP, a multi-national contractor infamous in the nation’s capital for attempting to bust the union at the DC Streetcar, to take over the Circulator contract for at least five years. RATP had underbid its nearest competitor by nearly $40 million. What felt like a short-term loss is becoming an opportunity. By selecting one of the most disreputable contractors in the region, DDOT is galvanizing the anti-privatization opposition and proving the The Who song correct: “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” “This is a race to the bottom,” WIN leader Rev. William H. Lamar IV told the Washington Post in response to the news. “Our public officials must stand up to defend these mostly black public servants from greed and exploitation at the hands of multinational corporations.” As this issue of In Transit went to print, ATU Local 1764 was demanding that all current employees keep their positions and seniority, the CBA be honored, and Councilmembers stand by their word and ensure retirement and healthcare benefits are enhanced in any new agreement. They’ll also be preparing to demand a plan for municipalization not if, but when, RATP fails to meet expectations. v

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ATU Black Caucus convenes at Tommy Douglas Conference Center More than 300 ATU activists gathered at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center for the ATU International Black Caucus 51st Annual Conference for a spirited, informative, and inspirational three days in May.

“Reclaiming The Dream – It’s Not Over” Building on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the world recognized the 50th anniversary of his assassination, the theme of this year’s conference was “Reclaiming The Dream – It’s Not Over”. Caucus members heard from a wide array of speakers, including ATU International President Larry Hanley, candidate for Maryland Governor and former NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous, Maryland House Delegate and Chairwoman of Congressional Black Caucus Cheryl Glenn, and others.

In preparation for the anti-union U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus, attendees took part in a “Janus – Rightto-Work” training to learn to better communicate and engage members to rediscover the roots of our union, and strengthen our locals. Other topics covered the campaign to fix the bus workstation, responsibilities of Local officers, and more. v

Low pay for Gainesville bus drivers leads to shortage, forced OT Local 1579-Gainesville, FL, bus driver Desmond Grimes can’t afford to live in his hometown of Gainesville on his salary even with forced overtime.

But the Local believes it has also jeopardized the safety of the system and led to reduced service.

“Me, working as a city employee, should not feel like it should be a challenge to live in the city,” said Grimes, who has also had to miss spending time with his daughter because he had to work overtime.

16-year-old pool worker makes more than bus drivers

Why the forced OT? Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) drivers are finding better pay in other Florida cities, leading to the shortage of bus drivers, service cuts, and even riders deserted at stops when management can’t find a driver for an extra shift. So, the city lowered the standards to be hired as an operator, which may have contributed to more applicants.

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

“To me, lowering a standard says ‘I’m not as concerned with my customers as I am with filling a quota,” says Local President Zefnia Durham, who believes bus drivers should be paid enough to meet their skill level. “A 16-year-old working part time at a pool during the summer is getting the same as someone with a state certificate.” The Local is holding contract talks with RTS to demand higher wages and less forced overtime to attract more bus drivers. And Grimes, who serves on the Local’s negotiations team, plans to tell the city that bus operators are tired of working double shifts and tired of low pay. v

ATU Connecticut campaign halts fare increases, service cuts From rallies to rider petitions, to lobbying and press conferences, ATU Connecticut Locals have been waging an aggressive campaign to push back against proposed cuts to public transit service and hikes in bus and rail fares. The Connecticut Department of Transportation had been facing a budget shortfall of $1 billion over the next five years. CDOT proposed a plan to increase rail fares by 10 percent and a 14 percent increase for bus riders. Thanks to the efforts of ATU with transit allies, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s canceled those proposals as state legislators adopted a new budget with added resources for the Special Transportation Fund. “I am relieved that we were able to avoid drastic fare increases and disruptive service reductions,” said Governor Malloy, but warned Connecticut still has not stabilized its transportation program over the long haul. “If we want to make the necessary investments to keep our transportation

infrastructure in a state of good repair in future years, the state will need to find new, long-term funding sources.” To Locals 281-New Haven, 425-Hartford, 443-Stamford, 1209-New London, 1336-Bridgeport, 1622-Danbury, and 1763-Rocky Hill, a job well done! v

Curtis Howard appointed Int. Vice President 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.

International Representative Curtis Howard was appointed by International President Larry Hanley and approved by the ATU General Executive Board as an International Vice President. Howard first joined Local 732-Atlanta, GA, as a MARTA electrical power technician in 1994. Wanting to get more involved with the Local, he became a shop steward for the

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 was named an International Representative in January 2017 by International President Larry Hanley. v

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Bay Area Local Says Delayed Emergency Response Puts All in Harm’s Way Like most transit systems, AC Transit in the Bay Area has seen a spike in attacks on bus drivers and Local 192Oakland, CA, says the emergency call system is flawed, putting drivers and riders at-risk. Currently, when facing a dangerous situation, the driver must call AC Transit’s Operations Control Center (OCC) then dispatch calls the police, wasting valuable time.

Drivers punched, bitten, kicked, choked NBC News Bay Area reviewed more than 200 videos showing drivers call for help after an alleged assault. After the initial call, the videos showed slow response times as drivers were getting punched, bitten, kicked, and choked in attacks that often forced other passengers to get involved. And in some cases, there was no response at all. “I hit the button, they don’t ever answer the freaking phone,” one driver complained after trying to report a passenger who was harassing her and other passengers. “There’s not a direct line that goes directly to the sheriff,” says the Local’s Danny Marshall. “When we call OCC,

which is our dispatcher, OCC has to take that information and then call the [Alameda County] Sheriff’s dispatch. Then once they call the Sheriff’s dispatch, that dispatch has to notify the officer.” To combat slow response times to distress calls, drivers have started riding each other’s buses on certain routes to help in case of an emergency. The Local is demanding the emergency system be changed and other protections put in place for the safety of passengers and drivers. v

A BOOK FROM THE OPERATOR’S SEAT:

Just Drive: Life In The Bus Lane As any ATU bus operator can tell you the job of driving of a bus can be stressful, funny, interesting and even heartbreaking. Local 757-Portland, OR, member Deke Blue, who drives for TriMet, decided to write a book from a collection of blogs he kept about his career from trainee to a seasoned bus operator. “Blue guides you onto a metaphorical woods of the driver’s life. The rain-slicked streets, the Herculean duties, the banal and the weird – experience all of it, the daily life of Deke,” writes one reviewer of Just Drive; Life In Bus Lane. v Just Drive: Life in the Bus Lane can be purchased on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2sawlsf

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

Fall River, MA, Local joins Labor, politicians to save jobs at Philips Lighting

ATU hero in Milwaukee

ATU Locals and members have always stood in solidarity with fellow workers and advocates in our communities in their fight for dignity, respect and jobs. Our brothers and sisters at Local 174-Fall River, MA, are continuing that proud legacy supporting IBEW members whose jobs at Philips Lighting will be lost after the company announced they are shuttering a Fall River factory and moving the 160 jobs to Monterrey, Mexico. The job of a bus operator is more than driving a bus around town. ATU members are the eyes and ears of the community, amateur psychologists, first responders, and more. Milwaukee bus driver Felicia Moore exemplified that when she recently stopped her bus to help a young boy who fell off his bike on his way to school.

The Local was joined at the “Save Our Jobs” rally by local, state and federal elected officials including Sens. Elizabeth Warren, and Ed Markey, and Reps. Joe Kennedy and William Keating. Protestors say Philips is another example of the corporate greed that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of good paying American manufacturing jobs being sent to other countries.

“Spit in the face of your workers” “You don’t get to walk away with millions in tax breaks and then turn around and spit in the face of your workers,” Sen. Warren told the protestors. Philips posted more than $340 million in profits last year, but claims the move was necessary to keep Philips competitive in a changing global market. Furthermore, Philips shareholders are “being showered” with $187.4 million in stock buybacks. “For Fall River’s Philips Lighting workers, the American promise that hard work pays off was broken,” Rep. Kennedy tweeted. “Those workers deserve better and we will fight by their side every step of the way.” v

“I saw a little boy who fell off his bike, and it looked like a car had clipped his back tire,” said the Local 998-Milwaukee, WI member, who has children herself. “I immediately saw my baby laying on that ground and was like, ‘Oh God. I got to help him’.” Moore helped the boy put his bike on her bicycle rack and then drove him to school. After he got off the bus Moore apologized to her passengers for any inconvenience by helping this boy. Not one passenger complained. We couldn’t agree more and salute Moore for her compassion and quick action. If you know any brothers or sisters who have gone above and beyond the call of duty of the job please send those stories to officeofthepresident@ atu.org. v

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

Local 732-Atlanta, GA, Retiree Paul McLennan For Local 732-Atlanta, GA retiree Paul McLennan community organizing and Labor unions have been in his blood for many years. McLennan began his work in the Labor movement in 1974 in Chicago, IL, as a member of the United Auto Workers (UAW) and later the United Steelworkers (USW). Then in 1977 he decided to move his activism in organized Labor to the South and help organize a cotton mill with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. Then in 1981 he moved to Atlanta and got a job at MARTA in bus maintenance in 1983 joining Local 732. Over his 18 years in bus maintenance McLennan has always had “one foot involved in the ATU and one foot in the community.” He served his Local as a Steward and Executive Board Member. He also recognized the importance of communicating with members and was the editor of Local 732’s newsletter for many years. His “one foot in the community” involved working with Jobs for Justice for 20 years. “That work led me to seeing the need and importance, as ATU International President Larry Hanley also saw, to organize transit riders,” says McLennan. Unfortunately McLennan was forced to retire from MARTA on disability in 2001 due to cancer. While many people would just collect their disability, McLennan looked at it

as an opportunity to get even more involved with his Local and the community. One way was to become a charter member of the Local 732 retiree chapter. McLennan also became very involved with the agency’s paratransit service, MARTA Mobility, which was under the threat of privatization. He realized MARTA Mobility riders and workers are natural allies because as he noted they are “the most organized group of riders, because they depend on the service and because they have their own movement for disability rights modeled after the civil rights movement.” He did this by partnering with disability rights organizers to create dialogues with a small group of Mobility operators and riders that grew larger with time. While they didn’t succeed in stopping privatization at Mobility, the alliance built between workers and riders will be critical for future fights and campaigns. Because of his work McLennan was asked to serve on the board of Disability Link, a center for independent living, and served two terms. He has since been replaced by Tracey Stokes, a Local 732 Mobility operator. According to McLennan “Local 732 is a home. A place to be grounded and start from to reach out, build solidarity, and build movements for change in the community .” ATU International couldn’t agree more and applauds McLennan for his tremendous work for his Local and setting an example for all retirees and members to get involved and stayed involved with ATU. v

WANT TO STAY UPDATED AND GET THE LATEST UPDATES ABOUT ATU? To Join ATU International Text Messaging, text “ATUINTL” to the number 33733 to subscribe 26

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

Amid Automation Trend, Here’s Why We Still Need Bus Drivers From San Ramon, CA, to Las Vegas, NV, to Tampa, FL, cities are testing self-driving buses and other autonomous vehicles to transport people. And the industry is salivating as they believe autonomous vehicles could save them billions. Because when bus operators are no longer needed to carry passengers, the supervisor positions, middle management, and extensive human resource departments that manage and support these frontline employees will become obsolete. What is not being considered are the long-term consequences this technology will have on our communities that rely on public transit and the safety of public transit. Take seniors, the fastest growing age group, and people with disabilities who increasingly rely on public transit to get around. Many require assistance from an operator on and off the vehicle. And even if a senior doesn’t need physical help, consider that 28% of people aged 65 and older live alone, and are isolated from family members and neighbors. For many seniors and people with disabilities their social interaction with a bus operator may be the only human connection they have each day.

How about students who ride the bus each day? Imagine a school bus without an adult. What if there was an increase in bullying, harassment, or violence among our children. These operators and bus monitors aren’t just authorities to our youth; they’re mentors and role models who provide safe transportation for students. And guess what, are we in any position to lose more mentors and positive role models for our children? Also, bus operators are often the eyes and ears of the community and can even sometimes play the role of first responder. Not a month goes by that we don’t hear a story about a bus driver saving a lost child, helping a distressed passenger, assisting a rider in danger, or stopping a criminal. There is no doubt that advances in technology are critical to the future of public transit. In fact, new technology has always improved public transit – hydraulic brakes, air conditioning and heating, electronic fares, and countless others. But the role of the human bus driver and other transit workers, ATU members, will always be critical to its ultimate success. v

IN TRANSIT

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Luchando una batalla moral y física

futuro es lo que nos protegerá más adelante. Luche ahora por su parte justa o sufra más tarde. Nosotros estamos luchando ahora.

Mi bandeja de entrada tenía un correo electrónico muy interesante. Era de un grupo de membresía de 401k que realizó una encuesta a sus miembros. Aquí está su pregunta:

En julio desplegamos un equipo de seis líderes de ATU en el campo para continuar los cambios en nuestra negociación para los miembros que han sido más maltratados por nuestros empleadores en la memoria reciente, los servicios privatizados.

Pensando en su jubilación, ¿qué lo mantiene despierto por las noches? Aquí están las respuestas: 1) Quedarse sin dinero 2) Problemas de salud 3) Costos de cuidado de salud 4) Incapacidad para cumplir con los gastos mensuales 5) Incapacidad para mantener el nivel de vida Dos se relacionan con el cuidado de la salud, y los otros tres pertenecen al bienestar financiero. Los cinco están conectados. “Prepararse para los costos del cuidado de salud en la jubilación no es una discusión separada con los clientes”, dicen. “Es una extensión de una conversación sobre el bienestar financiero”. ¿Quién está perdiendo horas de sueño pensando en estos temas para todos los miembros de ATU? Bueno, nosotros.

ATU se ha estado centrando en cuestiones que importan a los miembros Nos hemos centrado en gran medida en las cosas que realmente importan a nuestros miembros. En ediciones recientes, hemos lanzado nuestra campaña continua para mantener vivos y saludables en el trabajo a los miembros de ATU. Mientras que la campaña por mejores estaciones de trabajo continúa, también estamos reflexionando sobre el futuro de nuestros miembros. Piense en el sindicato, entre todo lo demás como su asesor de inversiones. Lo que invertimos en nuestro

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

Construyendo Campañas Poderosas Los objetivos son mejorar los salarios, el cuidado de salud y la seguridad de la jubilación. El equipo llevará a cabo campañas de desarrollo de poder en todo ATU. Haremos un llamado a los funcionarios y miembros del Sindicato Local para que se preparen más para las negociaciones. Invertiremos todos los recursos que tenemos en este proyecto. Necesitamos una unidad masiva para forzar a nuestra industria a comenzar a financiar beneficios reales para nuestros miembros. Así que, únase a nuestros miembros en Canadá y Estados Unidos ahora mismo. Reúnanse en su Local y reflexionen sobre esto. No obtendremos lo que merecemos, una parte justa del valor de nuestro trabajo, a menos que lo exijamos y luchemos por ello. Habrá algunos demasiado tímidos para luchar. Ignórelos. “Permítanme hablarles sobre la filosofía de la reforma ........ Si no hay lucha no hay progreso. Aquellos que profesan favorecer la libertad y, sin embargo, desprecian la agitación son hombres que quieren cosechas sin arar la tierra; quieren lluvia sin truenos y relámpagos. Quieren el océano sin el terrible rugir de sus muchas aguas”. “Esta lucha puede ser moral, o puede ser física, y puede ser tanto moral como física, pero debe ser una lucha. El poder no concede nada sin una demanda. Nunca lo hizo y nunca lo hará. Encuentre aquello a lo que cualquier pueblo se someterá silenciosamente y habrá descubierto la medida exacta de injusticia y mal que les será impuesto, y estos continuarán hasta que se les resista con palabras o golpes, o con ambos. Los límites de los tiranos se definen por la resistencia de aquellos a quienes oprimen”. Los primeros 1,000 miembros que envíen un correo

electrónico con el autor de esta cita a communications@ atu.org participarán en el sorteo de una chaqueta ATU. Mantenga a sus Locales fuertes. Estamos luchando tanto una lucha moral como física. Físico en que necesitamos que se gaste una parte justa del dinero en los trabajadores del transporte público. Moral porque es inmoral que nuestras naciones tengan tanta riqueza y roben a los trabajadores para beneficiar a los asquerosamente ricos. Este sindicato es su oportunidad de liderar la lucha por esa mujer y ese hombre a su lado, trabajando para hacer un mundo mejor para todos. v

¿Qué es Janus y qué significa para los miembros de ATU? Janus v. AFSCME Local 31 es un desafío a un precedente de 40 años que permite a los sindicatos del sector público en estados que no tienen “right to work” cobrar tasas de “agencia” o “participación justa” a individuos que forman parte de la unidad de negociación, pero no son miembros del sindicato. Se espera que la Corte Suprema revoque ese precedente y la tasa de la agencia será eliminada.

Otro ataque a las familias trabajadoras respaldado por multimillonarios Este caso es otro ataque de CEOs codiciosos y respaldados por multimillonarios para aplastar a los trabajadores y sus familias. Este ha sido el objetivo de la derecha y sus partidarios multimillonarios, para capturar los tribunales y pervertir la constitución. Al igual que todos los trabajadores, los trabajadores públicos deben tener derecho a reunirse y negociar mejores salarios, condiciones de trabajo, beneficios, seguridad para la jubilación y lugares de trabajo seguros.

trabajadores de EMS y los despachadores del 911 y el personal de seguridad contribuían con su parte justa, él quería “viajar gratis”. Pero los que están realmente interesados en este caso son grupos financiados por corporaciones como la National Right to Work Foundation y Americans for Prosperity de los hermanos Koch. Y también el gobernador de Illinois Bruce Rauner, un millonario él mismo, que ha estado impulsando una agenda que beneficia a las empresas y los ricos a costa de los trabajadores. Rauner presentó una demanda en su propio nombre para prohibir el cobro de tasas de participación justa por parte de los sindicatos de servicio público, pero el caso fue desestimado.

¿Qué significa esto para los miembros de ATU? Ok, ¿qué significa esto para ti en el garaje, en el autobús, en la tienda, en la estación, en la oficina? En resumidas cuentas, cuando la decisión se tome pronto, se permitirá el viajar gratis, será la ley de la tierra para los empleados públicos, incluidos casi 90,000 de nuestros miembros. Aquellos que trabajan para agencias de transporte público podrán abandonar ATU y no pagar nada. Y aquí está el truco, todavía obtendrán los beneficios de ser un miembro de su Local y de ATU. Serán usuarios gratuitos disfrutando de los pagos, beneficios y protecciones que sus Locales han negociado sin contribuir nada para las actividades de su Local para representar a los trabajadores: negociación de contratos, salud y seguridad, arbitraje de quejas, administración de contratos y otras actividades. Este fallo de SCOTUS será otro ejemplo más de la agenda anti-trabajadores del tribunal superior para aplastar a los trabajadores estadounidenses y sus familias.

Haciendo Limonada con Limones ¿Quién es Janus? Mark Janus era un empleado público de Illinois y miembro de AFSCME Council 31 que quería todos los beneficios de ser miembro de un sindicato, pero no quería pagar las cuotas. Mientras que sus compañeros enfermeros, los

Si bien es incorrecto y perjudicial para las personas trabajadoras, ATU cree que es una oportunidad para mostrar el valor de ser un miembro de su Local y de ATU. El viejo dicho dice “haz limonada con limones” y eso es lo que ha estado haciendo ATU. IN TRANSIT

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Lo que está haciendo ATU para prepararse para Janus

La capacitación de liderazgo es una parte importante para mantener al sindicato fuerte.

Afortunadamente, ATU está utilizando este momento para redescubrir sus raíces y fortalecer sus locales. Para prepararse para un mundo posterior a Janus, miles de líderes locales de ATU han recibido capacitación patrocinada por la Internacional. Los líderes están aprendiendo cómo los locales en lugares como Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Florida y Arizona han mantenido membresías sólidas y buenos contratos a pesar de las llamadas leyes de “right to work”. Están aprendiendo los hábitos de los líderes de esos locales. Muchos líderes de ATU están aprendiendo que ya están realizando muchas de las acciones y actividades que promueven una membresía sólida.

ATU está liderando la capacitación, especialmente con la creación del Centro de Conferencias Tommy Douglas. Gran parte de la capacitación brindada por la Internacional en el último año también se ha llevado a cabo regional y localmente en todo Estados Unidos. Mientras que muchos miembros pueden haber asistido a capacitaciones recientes temerosos de los cambios que representa la decisión del tribunal, la mayoría de los miembros de ATU abandonaron las capacitaciones recientes sintiéndose optimistas sobre el futuro de sus locales en este nuevo entorno.

Sin Sustituto para las Comunicaciones Cara a Cara No hay sustituto para las comunicaciones cara a cara dentro de los sindicatos locales. Los medios sociales son geniales, pero no sustituyen a los miembros del sindicato que se sientan juntos y aprenden sobre los intereses de los demás. Algunas de las reuniones son individuales, pero muchas son reuniones de grupos pequeños realizadas informalmente en las salas de descanso de la propiedad. No todos pueden asistir a reuniones sindicales mensuales. Los locales fuertes no dependen por completo de esas reuniones mensuales para discutir asuntos importantes.

La Acción es el Oxígeno de los Locales Los miembros de ATU están aprendiendo que la acción es como oxígeno para un sindicato local. Cuando el sindicato está activo y cuando está trabajando en asuntos tanto dentro como fuera del lugar de trabajo que abordan las preocupaciones clave de los miembros, el sindicato es más fuerte. Tal vez sea una campaña para aumentar los fondos para el transporte público, como el local 689 en Washington, DC participó y ganó, o expandiendo el servicio, como ganó el local 732 en Atlanta junto con socios de la coalición hace un par de años. Este tipo de acciones crean un sindicato más poderoso, un sindicato al que los trabajadores del transporte público se sienten orgullosos de pertenecer.

May/June 2018 | IN TRANSIT

Además, realizaremos una serie de sesiones en Facebook Live y desarrollaremos capacitación adicional, herramientas y estrategias para construir un plan y fortalecer las comunicaciones internas y el compromiso con nuestros miembros para tratar con Janus.

La importancia de un sindicato fuerte Hace años, los miembros de ATU usaban un alfiler de diferente color en su solapa cada mes para mostrar que eran miembros al corriente del sindicato. En aquellos días las cuotas se recolectaban a mano y no a través de la deducción de nómina. Mantenerse al día con todos debe haber sido difícil, pero desde hace 125 años, los trabajadores de transporte público entendieron la importancia de un sindicato fuerte e hicieron lo que tenían que hacer para organizarlo y preservarlo. Esos trabajadores enfrentaron una dura oposición. Hoy, en un momento diferente, los trabajadores enfrentan una fuerte oposición. Aunque implica mucho trabajo y volver a aprender viejas lecciones, lo que enseña la campaña de preparación de Janus es que, al igual que nuestros antepasados sindicales, la gente quiere un sindicato fuerte y están dispuestos a hacer lo que sea necesario para tenerlo. Dentro de unos años, no sería sorprendente pensar que la decisión de Janus ayudó a que ATU fuera aún más sólido que antes. v

In Memoriam

Death Benefits Awarded March 1, 2018 - April 30, 2018 1- MEMBERS AT LARGE JOSE C BAILON LEROY S BROWN EARL L GAY DARWIN R SWANSON MATILDA TOWNSEND 26- DETROIT, MI DENNIS D MALCOM 85- PITTSBURGH, PA DENNIS P BALDINGER PAUL THEODORE CODY FRANK DE PIETRO EDWARD W DUFFY NORMAN GEIGER THURMAN D KEIFER GEORGE KLAUSS GEORGE LUCAS RONALD W REISS ROBERT W STOKES DONALD G WEIMER 107- HAMILTON, ON DAVID ALLAN SHEPHARD 113- TORONTO, ON ROBERT JAMES BEST WOLFRAM BRANDSTETTER CARMEN JOHN BRASSEUR PETER G DONAGHEY DAVID F GARSIDE LEWIS HAWTHORNE DERRICK HERDSMAN JOHN EDWARD HILLS EDME JEAN-BAPTISTE WILLIAM G MC CAFFERY WILLIAM W METCALFE ALFRED ALBERT MILLER SAMUEL A SHILLINGTON TANYA E YANTHA 164- WILKES-BARRE, PA KENNETH CHAPMAN 192- OAKLAND, CA ARLENE L HANNING JEROME V HOLMES MICHAEL A SHILOH CLARENCE M WILLIAMS 241- CHICAGO, IL SULLIVAN J CROSSLEY DANIEL A DALEY YVONNE GOGGINS CLARENCE HARRIS WILLIE B HAYNES LEONARD N HEADY GLORIA JACKSON SAM F JOHNSON MICHAEL MATAS FRANCES MULARSKI REIMAR PIELSTROM JUDY A RENO LEVESTER SAGO JR ALECCIS SANTIAGO CLARENCE H TAYLOR LITTLETON THOMAS JR 256- SACRAMENTO, CA ISAAC STEWART

265- SAN JOSE, CA SERGIO E ABARCA MICHAEL BELLETTI CHARLES E GORDON THOMAS G LUGO ROY B MARCELO ALFRED MC GLONE CHARLES STEELE 279- OTTAWA, ON EDWARD HARROP EDWARD KEELEY JOHN RICHMOND 308- CHICAGO, IL CARY BAKER DARRELL BUFORD LOLA L DUCREE JOSEPH C JOHNSON MERLINE MANN PAMELA R MC KEEL ROBERT B NELSON CORINE A SPEARS 381- BUTTE, MT JOYCE VENTZ 425- HARTFORD, CT EGBERT R MALCOM 558- SHREVEPORT, LA JACQUELINE JOHNSON 568- ERIE, PA RICHARD L ACE 569- EDMONTON, AB FAIZAL BACCHUS SAMUEL G DAVIES GORDON E JARVIS PETER LUBBERS 580- SYRACUSE, NY MALVIN SPURLING 583- CALGARY, AB KENNETH J BARDELL GERALD A BARNETT EVALD GERLAT ARTHUR L JOHNSTON JOHN H KEATS MAN-WAH T LEE SUSAN A LEWIN ARTHUR MILES 587- SEATTLE, WA JOHN L BLANKENSHIP FRANK FALSENI 589- BOSTON, MA ARDIS BOSWELL JOHNNIE M BULLARD DONALD E EAMES RICHARD L FORTIER JOHN J GRIFFIN VICTOR G JACKSON JR JOHN N LINSO ROBERT J MAUGHN JOSEPH MC ADAM CORNELL MC WILLIAMS WALTER W PECEVICH ROBERT R PUGLIESE

591- HULL, QC GHISLAINE ROZON 616- WINDSOR, ON FREDERICK J GRAHAM THOMAS E MALING

AUSTIN J HODGES DOROTHY M OLIVER GLODEAN THOMAS JODIE C VERNER SR FRANCIS D WHELAN

618- PROVIDENCE, RI FRANK M ADAMO JOHN A ARAUJO ROBERT T BUTLER ROBERT DEMORANVILLE

819- NEWARK, NJ JEANETTE MORRIS JOHN ROBERTSON FRED B TONEY LARRY WILEY LUCIOUS D WILSON III

628- COVINGTON, KY BOBBY HALL

822- PATERSON, NJ TOMMIE R BENNING

638- CEDAR RAPIDS, IA STEVEN W LAUTERWASSER 689- WASHINGTON, DC EDWARD S EPES MARIO A FATIGATI ROMANO L JOHNSON MARY L KAY MICHAEL A MARTIN WILLIAM R THOMAS GLENN J TYNDELL ROSALIND M WRIGHT 694- SAN ANTONIO, TX LINO OZUNA 713- MEMPHIS, TN JAMES F OWEN REGALD A SWAUNCY ROBERT L WHITAKER 725- BIRMINGHAM, AL JAMES HAROLD RATLIFF 726- STATEN ISLAND, NY JOHN GOLDEN FRANCIS J PAUCIULO 732- ATLANTA, GA CARRIE B FULTON BOBBY G JOHNSON JAMES HOYT MORGAN HENRY MURRAY CHARLES REED ROBINSON LARRY STEWART 741- LONDON, ON ROBERT EDWARD DODD 757- PORTLAND, OR RALEIGH COURSON JOHN M GROVE WILLIE J KELLY STUART J LINFOOT MICHAEL T OLIVER JERROLD L PATTERSON ZELLA M SERNIOTTI STANLEY WHEELER JACK D YOUNG 758- TACOMA, WA IRWIN MITZE RICHARD O TENNEY 788- ST. LOUIS, MO CHARLES B BEASON

823- ELIZABETH, NJ ANNA M ROYAL 824- NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ SALIM BENMAHIDI RAYMOUND MC DANIEL

YONEL VERNA MICHAEL F VIKARA HATTIE M WILSON 1225- SAN FRANCISCO, CA ARVID G NEWTON FABIAN A SMITH 1235- NASHVILLE, TN CHARLES E BATTLE 1249- SPRINGFIELD, IL WILLIAM BURRIS 1277- LOS ANGELES, CA EMILIANO DIAZ JAMES G GARCIA JIMMIE HUBBARD JR GEORGE D NERIO RUDY K SILVA JR PHILIP E VESTAL

846- ST. CATHARINES, ON PETER AUSTIN MEDLAND

1309- SAN DIEGO, CA GARY E HOOD FRANK RE

966- THUNDER BAY, ON GUY RANGER

1320- PETERBOROUGH, ON RAY JOHNSON

993- OKLAHOMA CITY, OK CLARA S RADER

1321- ALBANY & TROY, NY MICHAEL T DONAHUE

998- MILWAUKEE, WI THOMAS A ROMANOWSKI

1328- RALEIGH, NC LEMUEL T WOODS

1005- MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, MN DOUGLAS E GOOSELAW GEORGE SAARI JOHN R WESTPHAL

1342- BUFFALO, NY RICHARD CANZONERI STEVE R Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ANNA CAROLE L GRUSCHOW RALPH QUANCE JEAN SANDS

1179- NEW YORK, NY JOSEPH A ROSENTHAL NICOLO ROTOLO RALPH SCHENA

1374- CALGARY, AB EDWARD R SEVERSON DONALD K SMITH

1181- NEW YORK, NY BENJAMIN AGATI CARLO ANTONUCCI SHERMAN BECKER ROBERT BERTUGLIA JUDITH BRAUNSTEIN WARREN CAUGHMAN CAROL E COHEN PATRICK J CONNOLLY CARMELA DI BENEDETTO KORI L DIAZ SAMUEL DIORIO JAMES HOLLOWAY CALLIOPE KASTANOS JAMES J LUTZ RACHEL MANGANIELLO MARY MONTAG JOAN PAGLIUCA ELVIRA PAPADIA ANTHONY T SCHIAVONE MARY SEIBERT PAUL D SIEDERMAN LEANA SPENCER CAROLINE STRYJEWSKI

IN TRANSIT

1385- DAYTON, OH WILLIAM J BOOHER MARTIN GARCIA 1415- TORONTO, ON DOUGLAS MC ALLISTER 1447- LOUISVILLE, KY JUSTIN N EVANS THOMAS W SKAGGS 1493- RALEIGH, NC THEODORE MYERS 1505- WINNIPEG, MB JAMES R CARPENTER JOSEPH A GALLANT CHARLES B LEFKO FRED J RUSSIN 1547- BROCKTON, MA WILLIAM MAZUR 1564- DETROIT, MI BELINDA J LONG

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THE VOICE OF TRANSIT WORKERS As the largest transit worker Political Action Committee (PAC) in the US, ATU-COPE is the voice of transit workers, school bus employees and over-the-road bus workers at all levels of government. Since by law, union dues cannot be used to fund political campaigns, voluntary member contributions to ATU-COPE are used to help elect pro-labor, pro-transit candidates for local, state and federal office and keep politicians accountable to the interests of our members. Like all aspects of our Union, ATU-COPE is nothing without our members. To provide a strong political voice for transit workers, we need your help! Contributing to ATU-COPE is easy: If your local has a checkoff provision in its contract, contact your Local for a Checkoff Authorization Card to voluntarily authorize your employer to deduct an amount you specify from your pay each month for ATU-COPE. Contributions can also be made directly by check, payable to ATU-COPE and sent to: ATU-COPE 10000 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20903