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
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016
A FIGHTING DEMOCRAT ON OUR SIDE
INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS LAWRENCE J. HANLEY International President JAVIER M. PEREZ, JR. International Executive Vice President OSCAR OWENS International Secretary-Treasurer
INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS LARRY R. KINNEAR
Ashburn, ON – lkinnear@atu.org
RICHARD M. MURPHY
Newburyport, MA – rmurphy@atu.org
BOB M. HYKAWAY
Calgary, AB – bhykaway@atu.org
JANIS M. BORCHARDT
Madison, WI – jborchardt@atu.org
PAUL BOWEN
NEWSBRIEFS In Transit to open on Broadway This isn’t the kind of thing we usually cover, but we just couldn’t help ourselves. A new Broadway musical titled In Transit begins previews on November 10, and opens at the Circle in the Square Theatre in New York on December 11. In Transit follows the intertwining lives of eleven New Yorkers, all hoping to catch the express train to success, love and happiness and the stops they make along the way. Best known among the cast is Justin Guarini who has had a successful Broadway career after achieving fame during the first season of American Idol. For more information: http://www.intransitbroadway.com/
Canton, MI – pbowen@atu.org
KENNETH R. KIRK
Lancaster, TX – kkirk@atu.org
GARY RAUEN
Clayton, NC – grauen@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 JIM LINDSAY Santa Clarita, CA – jlindsay@atu.org
INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
17,000 “likes” and growing The ATU Facebook page has reached the milestone of 17,000 “likes”! Thanks to all our members, riders and transit advocates for spreading the word about the ATU Facebook page. We now have 18,000 “likes” in our sights. Help us reach that goal and “like” our page, share our stories and invite your “friends” to like the ATU Facebook page. And be sure to follow our Twitter handle @ATUComm to stay up to date on what’s trending in public transit, politics and other issues. Like Us Today!
Saskatoon transit workers: No contract for four years It’s been a long road for the members of Local 615-Saskatoon, SK who have been working without a contract for nearly four years. The members remain strong, united and resolute as the City of Saskatoon refuses to bargain fairly and recognize the critical job these workers do to safely transport the people of Saskatoon each and every day. At the heart of their disagreement are wages and pensions. In September 2014 the City illegally locked out workers for four weeks. Be sure to check the ATU website for updates.
DENNIS ANTONELLIS
Spokane, WA – dantonellis@atu.org
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 New Carrollton, MD – srubain@atu.org EMANUELE (MANNY) SFORZA Toronto, ON – msforza@atu.org
ATU CANADA PAUL THORP
Brampton, ON – president@atucanada.ca
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
S E P T/O C T
2016 Vol. 125, No. 5
9 International President’s Message: GOP wants transit to end 10 International Executive Vice President’s Message: The huddle and beyond
WE’RE WITH HILLARY! ATU ENDORSES HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
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11 International Secretary-Treasurer’s Message: US members: The future of America is in your hands 12 Transit systems tackling rise in sexual assault 13 British Columbia to get new cameras, buses 15 Your JIC support team 16 Decline in union density costs nonunion workers $133 billion per year 17 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: Membership 18 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: Organizing and other Statistics 19 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: ATU and Ridership
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20 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: Too much new transit serving business interests, not riders 22 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: ATU fighting outsourcing 23 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: ATU and the ‘Uberization’ of public transit? 25 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: ATU fighting operator assault
JICS HELPING LOCAL ‘DAVIDS’ FIGHT MULTINATIONAL ‘GOLIATHS’ 2 International Officers & General Executive Board
News Briefs
3 Index Page
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26 ATU BY THE NUMBERS: ATU-COPE fighting for you in Congress, state, local legislatures 27 ATU Pennsylvania paves the way 28 ATU/community coalition convinces Lincoln to improve transit 29 Translations (Spanish) 31 In Memoriam 32 Stay connected with the ATU App
4 Hillary Clinton on Labor 5 Hillary Clinton on Public Transit 6 Legislative Agenda: A tale of two transit workers 7 Cleveland coalition calls on mayor to open Public Square to buses
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Hillary Clinton on Labor “I’ve always believed that when unions are strong, families are strong and America is strong. That is not a slogan for me. That is a statement of fact. You created the strongest middle class in the history of the world. You led the fight for affordable health care more than half a century ago. And today, you’re leading the fight to raise the minimum wage, which will lift 35 million working Americans out of poverty.” – Hillary Clinton, March 2, 2016
As president, Hillary Clinton will… • Invest in good-paying jobs. In her first 100 days as president, Hillary will work with both parties to make bold investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, research and technology, clean energy, and small businesses. This will create millions of good-paying jobs, including for labor and other hard-working Americans across the country. • Restore collective bargaining rights for unions and defend against partisan attacks on workers’ rights. Hillary was an original co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act. Hillary will fight to strengthen the labor movement and to protect worker bargaining power. She will continue to stand up against attacks on collective bargaining and work to strengthen workers’ voices. • Prevent countries like China from abusing global trade rules, and reject trade agreements, like the TPP, that don’t meet high standards. Hillary will strengthen American trade enforcement so we stand up to foreign countries that aren’t playing by the rules—like China is doing right now with steel, and fight for American workers. She will say no to trade deals, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that do not meet her high standard of raising wages, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing our national security.
• Raise the minimum wage and strengthen overtime rules. Hillary will work to raise the federal minimum wage to $12, and support state and local efforts to go even higher—including the “Fight for $15.” She also supports the Obama administration’s expansion of overtime rules to millions more workers. • Invest in high-quality training, apprenticeships, and skill building for workers. • Encourage companies to invest in workers. Hillary will reward companies that share profits and invest in their workers. She will crack down on companies that move profits overseas to avoid paying U.S. taxes and she will make companies that export jobs give back the tax breaks they’ve received in America. • Protect workers from exploitation, including employer misclassification, wage theft, and other forms of exploitation. • Ensure policies meet the challenges families face in the 21st century economy. Hillary will fight for equal pay for women and guarantee paid leave, two changes that are long overdue. And she will provide relief from the rising costs of necessities like childcare and housing. • Protect retirement security. After working hard for decades, Americans deserve a secure and comfortable retirement. Hillary will fight to protect retirement security, enhance—not privatize—Social Security, and push back against any efforts to undermine retirement benefits.
– from Clinton website: Labor and workers’ rights (https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/labor/)
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Hillary Clinton on Public Transit According to her campaign website: Even as transit ridership grows dramatically across the country in communities of all sizes, transit investments have not kept pace with demand. This underinvestment is particularly costly for many lowincome communities and communities of color, as a dearth of reliable and efficient public transportation options often creates a huge barrier to Americans attempting to build better lives.
Hillary Clinton with International President Larry Hanley talks with labor leaders at an AFL-CIO presidential candidate forum, July 29,2015, hosted by ATU at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center in Silver Spring, MD.
Hillary Clinton has made a commitment to expand public transit options to lower transportation costs and unlock economic opportunity for Americans in opportunity deserts. She recognizes Americans are increasingly living and working in and around urban communities, and they want a range of safe, affordable, convenient, and environmentally sustainable transportation options.
Increasing public transit investment Clinton will prioritize and increase investments in public transit to connect Americans to jobs, spur economic growth, and improve quality of life in our communities. And she will encourage local governments to work with low-income communities to ensure that these investments are creating transit options that connect the unemployed and underemployed to the jobs they need. She will also support bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure – reducing carbon emissions, improving public health and safety, and further providing Americans with affordable transportation options. v
Local 726-Staten Island, NY, supported Hillary Clinton in her campaigns for Senate in 2000, and 2006. Photo taken on her visit to Yukon Depot, Staten Island.
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LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
A tale of two transit workers Joe and Jane are both public transit workers in the United States. Jane drives a bus and Joe is a mechanic. Many years on the job has given Jane major back problems. She’s been assaulted more times than she can remember. The last time it was a spitting incident – just awful. She’s gone five years without a raise because her transit system is on the verge of shutting down. Earlier this year, they had to cut routes and raise fares. Joe is a mechanic. He works in an unsafe environment, breathing in fumes all day. One of his buddies was recently killed when a bus he was working on rolled over him. Joe likes to hunt, and he’s got a son in college who is trying to help out his dad with tuition costs by working at a fast food restaurant where they pay the minimum wage. Jane voted for Hillary Clinton for president. She thought that Clinton had a better plan for working families. Joe voted for Donald Trump because he says he will protect the rights of gun owners.
HOW DOES THIS STORY TURN OUT? VERSION #1: Hillary Clinton Wins Jane got a raise when President Clinton pushed Congress to allow federal transit systems to use their funds to pay wages and benefits. She doesn’t get assaulted anymore because Clinton’s Department of Transportation issued regulations requiring transit systems to redesign transit bus workstations. The new buses have shields and doors on the drivers’ side. Her back is better too because the buses are ergonomically friendly.
VERSION #2: Donald Trump Wins Joe doesn’t go hunting anymore because he can’t afford ammunition. His transit system folded after the Trump administration carried out the Republican Platform and disbanded the Federal Transit Administration. His union went bankrupt because Trump appointed a conservative jurist to the Supreme Court who ruled in a landmark case that states can no longer require non-union public employees covered by union contracts to pay agency fees. His son dropped out of college because he could no longer make ends meet when Congress rejected Democrats’ call to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Don’t be like Joe This November, there will only be one ending. You have the power to write this story. Please make it a happy ending. v
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
Cleveland coalition calls on mayor to open Public Square to buses the East Side to the West Side,” says Local President Ron Jackson. “The buses should be able to go straight through Public Square – we should make it easier on the people to get back and forth to work. Public Square was originally designed with buses in mind – it’s not fair to the riding public.”
‘Disappointing”
Local 268-Cleveland, OH teamed with Clevelanders for Public Transit, an organization of riders, labor, and community allies, to call on Mayor Frank Jackson to forgo considerations to keep the newly renovated Public Square closed to buses permanently. Members of the organization noted that closing the space, which was originally renovated with stakeholder input to include buses, would make the space less accessible for riders and add more than $1 million to RTA’s operating costs. “We are opposed to cutting the buses through Public Square because it will have a negative impact on the community. Superior Avenue is the only direct way by bus to get from
“I was looking forward to having a beautiful public space to catch the bus,” says Chris Stocking, a member of Clevelanders for Public Transit, “but I guess that is not the mayor’s plan. It’s disappointing because the Square has not even opened to RTA yet and the road was built to accommodate buses. “It may not seem complicated to have buses go around the Square, but this would add over $1.5 million operating cost per year to RTA, money that they don’t have because of their budget shortcomings. I have talked to other riders and the average time to get around the Square seems about 7 minutes each way, that’s over an hour extra time on the bus each week for commuters.” Clevelanders for Public Transit is encouraging the public to take action and call on the mayor to keep Public Square open to buses. v
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We’re with Hillary! AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION ENDORSES HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
ATU has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president of the United States. Along with her running mate, Tim Kaine, ATU believes she will be a progressive, forward-looking leader who will keep America safe while charting a steady course toward a more peaceful world. “Secretary Clinton’s rallying cry – Stronger Together – is an expression of the fundamental principle that has guided the labour movement’s historic work bringing about momentous improvements in Americans’ lives. Similarly, there is nothing President Hillary Clinton and all of us will not be able to accomplish together,” says International President Larry Hanley. “Our nation faces twin crises of a workforce that finds it increasingly difficult to earn a living wage, and a poorly financed public transit infrastructure that makes it all but impossible for the poor to find a way to work. Both of these injustices are the result of the outsized influence the wealthy exert in Congress, which has led to the decline of the middle class, and the overall impoverishment of our nation,” Hanley continued.
‘We have a champion in Hillary Clinton’ “Fortunately, we have a champion in Hillary Clinton who will fight to rebuild the middle class by restoring the rights of Labor, and bolster our economy through unprecedented investment in infrastructure and public transit,” said Hanley. “We have been heartened by Secretary Clinton’s embrace of the principles expressed by Senator Bernie Sanders, who we
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
Hillary Clinton and her running-mate Tim Kaine at this year’s Labor Day celebration in Cleveland, OH
formerly endorsed. Senator Sanders so well expressed the frustrated aspirations of millions of Americans including us who are demanding real change in our country. Hillary Clinton has heard their cries and will work every day to make America a truly just society that works for everyone,” says Hanley. “In Donald Trump, we have a candidate who has no core values, and who seems to lack even a basic understanding of what is going on in the world. And, as Secretary Clinton has warned, ‘A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons’,” Hanley continued. “Hillary Clinton is a candidate we can trust to fight for working families, and to use her unparalleled global experience to provide the strong, responsible leadership the world needs,” says Hanley. “And so we enthusiastically endorse Hillary Clinton. And join the millions of Americans who say: “I’m With Her!” v
LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
GOP wants transit to end
The political struggle going on in the U.S. now is laced with misinformation. One thing is clear, not from the media but directly from the Republican Party. They want transit to end. They made it clear in their platform. Here it is:
GOP platform on transit, related issues “We propose to phase out the federal transit program and reform provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act which can delay and drive up costs for transportation projects. “We renew our call for repeal of the DavisBacon law, which limits employment and drives up construction and maintenance costs for the benefit of unions. “Recognizing that, over time, additional revenue will be needed to expand the carrying capacity of roads and bridges, we will remove legal roadblocks to public-private partnership agreements that can save the taxpayers’ money and bring outside investment to meet a community’s needs. “With most of the states increasing their own funding for transportation, we oppose a further increase in the federal gas tax.”
sending our jobs overseas. This year ATU stood with the workers not the brokers. We sent a message loud and clear that we would stand for our issues in supporting Bernie Sanders.
We support Clinton without reservation We no longer have that choice. We have always liked and almost always supported Hillary Clinton. In this election, we support her without reservation, knowing that we as a people have a long way to go to reform the Democratic Party and restore the values of our nation. In the meantime, the Republicans, led by TV clown Donald Trump have spelled it out: If they win, transit and all workers lose. We urge you to vote for Hillary Clinton. v
NOT my mother’s Republican Party We have many points of view in the ATU and, yes we have members who vote Republican. My mother was a Republican. This is NOT her Party. The Republicans of today are the party of the rich only. Now, that’s not to praise the Democrats who have also become almost completely subservient to the elites who are IN TRANSIT
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JAVIER PEREZ, JR., INTERNATIONAL EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT
The huddle and beyond As we head into our 58th International Convention in Toronto I reflect on our successes, our failures and the people I’ve met and worked with. While serving as one of the trustees for Local 241-Chicago, IL, I met Michael Pfleger, a Catholic priest. Since May 1975, he has served as pastor of St. Sabina Parish located in a neighborhood where people think they should be careful – bars on windows, locked and heavy screen doors are common. Fr. Pfleger is not your everyday parish priest. First he is a Caucasian pastor in a predominately African American parish. He is controversial; an advocate of “liberation theology” who actively engages in Chicago politics. He has supported Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the past and is often consulted on programs for the poor. In order to be a member of the parish you must prove that you’re a registered voter or register on the spot. He adopted and raised two children while at St Sabina’s. At times Chicago’s bishops have sought to remove him for his criticisms. He’s not shy about speaking out against authority. At times he’s criticized some ATU positions, while being supportive of other ATU campaigns. One powerful lesson that he weaves through his sermons is the story of “playing it safe”: “Often time, when we go to amusement parks or public places we see signs displaying safety rules – walk don’t run, don’t touch, don’t enter, don’t cross, curve ahead, slippery when wet, high voltage. It goes on and on and on. We are inundated with rules to keep us safe.” Pfleger criticizes his church saying that Catholics have been conditioned to stay safe, and not speak out. He says this is not the religion he knows. He says that Christ and his followers didn’t play it safe. They stood up for the difference between right and wrong, turned over the moneychangers’ tables and ran them out with whips.
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Pfleger argues that this is what is needed today. People need to stop coming to church from behind locked doors, sitting through a service, and returning to the safety provided by those locked doors. That is not safety at all, he says. You have to move beyond your comfort zone. You need to stand up and speak out to change things. You have to live your faith. Early in my term of office I wrote an In Transit column about how the labor movement had lapsed into being an institution; a business rather than a campaign of people fighting for workplace and social change. Fortunately, ATU has become a Union of change. We are not the same Union we were three years ago and not the Union we will be in three more years. I am proud to have worked with a team of people who every day are working to change our Union into the vibrant movement it is becoming. Our Convention is a time when we “huddle up” in caucuses, one-on-one meetings, training classes, groups, and committees, and gather in general sessions to chart the changes that will guide what we do in the public square for the next three years. I look forward to seeing each of you again as we huddle up to plan our future. Yes! We will have a good time. Quoting Fr. Pfleger, it’s not what happens in the Church that changes the world its what we do when we exit the service. And like a football game, no one goes to see a huddle, they go to see what the team does when the huddle breaks. So let’s toast Toronto, break from our huddle, stand up, speak out, and engage the future. v
Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.
OSCAR OWENS, INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER
US members: The future of America is in your hands Have you ever said or done something when you were emotionally upset that you later regretted? Have you ever reacted in anger in a way you wish you hadn’t? Most of us would have to plead guilty to both of those charges. We know from our own personal experience that we make poor decisions when our passions are not balanced by reason. It’s understandable, of course, that people become emotional when forces beyond their control rob them of financial security, not to mention the dreams they had for their future; and that when someone comes along who says that a particular person or group is the cause of their troubles, they want to believe it. They react emotionally – wanting to believe that eradicating those people will solve their problems. Politicians have been taking advantage of this scapegoating tactic ever since Nero blamed the Christians for the fires that destroyed Rome in 64 AD.
The worst example We’ve seen this happen many times since. The worst example in recent history, of course, is the Nazi’s attempt to blame Jews for the economic devastation Germany suffered after World War I, which lead to the Holocaust. This is why Donald Trump’s attack on Mexicans and Muslims is so disturbing. Not because anyone thinks that the billionaire developer is another Hitler, but because the designation of particular groups as the “enemy” provides ugly elements in society all the permission they need to commit atrocities against innocent people.
It won’t work I’ve got to believe that we all know in our heart of hearts that this is fundamentally unfair, un-American, and just plain wrong. And, moreover – it just won’t work. Corporate greed will not be brought to heel by building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and terrorism won’t stop just because we make it harder for people to travel here from Muslim nations. It will take much more than that to safeguard the world from terrorism, and restore financial security to America’s middle class.
Don’t fall for it! Donald Trump is just the latest demagogue to exploit Americans’ fears for political gain. Unfortunately, too many voters have responded to him only emotionally, without rationally evaluating his positions on the issues. Don’t you fall for it! Contrary to his claims, Donald Trump is no friend of transit or working families. It’s up to each one of us now to personally make sure that Donald Trump does not become the next leader of the free world. v
Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.
IN TRANSIT
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Transit systems tackling rise in sexual assault A new app is expected to be released by the Toronto Transit Commission (TCC) by the end of the year, which will allow victims of sexual assault to quietly take photos and video of their attacker without making a flash or shutter sound.
report assaults, and to defer potential offenders. They hope also to identify potential sex offenders in order to reduce the number of assaults on transit.
They’re there to offend, not take a trip “These aren’t people making a trip from A to B, they’re there for the purpose of offending. They are low-level sexual assaults,” LePard says. “Because of the large number of people and in [close] spaces, it’s easy for them.” Good data on where and when crimes are happening, he says, helps the Transit Police tackle sexual assault through a variety of measures – publicly or covertly. One of those measures police have taken is to build confidence in the riders so they will text the police when they see an assault happening.
Transit Police have launched a public awareness campaign and are working with SkyTrain attendants to identify potential sex offenders in a bid to reduce the number of sexual assaults on public transit. RIC ERNST / PROVINCE
Development of the app comes in response to a rise in sexual assaults, and the importance of making female passengers feel safe on public transit. TTC received 60 reports of sexual assault on public transit in all of 2015. That number is rising with reports of 35 incidents from January to May this year.
Vancouver campaign Transit Police are tackling the same problem in Vancouver, BC, where the number of assaults has more than doubled since 2011, from 157 to 342 last year. Transit Police Chief Doug LePard says the increase is not necessarily a result of more incidents as more victims are coming forward, but he also noted that only 10 to 20 percent of victims report assaults. The force there is conducting a public awareness campaign in conjunction with TransLink, to urge more people to
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
About 70 percent of text conversations with Transit police in 2015 resulted in the creation of police files, according to the TransLink annual report. LePard says the police have a high success rate of catching offenders. “We take these incidents very seriously,” he adds. The TTC is essentially trying to achieve the same thing with its coming app. “I want my customers to feel safe and secure,” says TTC CEO Andy Byford ”If you felt that there was something odd about someone staring at you and you felt uneasy, you could very discreetly, without that person knowing, take a photo of them and ... then send it to a transit control centre and it would be acted upon.” v
British Columbia to get new cameras, buses People still talk about Caesar Rosales who was stabbed to death on a Kelowna bus two years ago. And when four bus drivers were assaulted in one 24-hour period just days before the conviction of his killer, people were reminded of how little things had changed in the years since his death. But that’s what it took to get British Columbia to take transit safety and security seriously, after years of Local 1722 drawing attention to the problem.
New investment And so Premiere Christy Clark announced a new transit investment of $160 million in federal and provincial funds that will put security cameras on every BC bus, buy 150 new technologically advanced buses for the province, and upgrade transit infrastructure.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark makes a funding announcement alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Burnaby, B.C., on June 16, 2016. (CTV)
“Is the barrier exactly what I hoped for? No,” he says. “This specific barrier is not my choice. I would like to have seen a half barrier so we can maintain conversation with community.”
Transit police would be even better “What would a camera have done for (Rosales)?” he asks. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful. It’s a useful tool if you used them effectively. But if we had transit police or a dedicated transit force within the RCMP, that board buses and do random checks, that would go even further in providing safety for drivers and the public.”
Lovell adds, “I believe BC Transit is going down a path of creating a training program for every driver in the province to deal with people who have unknown (mental health) issues. That will make all the difference. You can have all the technical tools in the world, but if you don’t know how to use them, what’s the point?” v
“It’s been a couple of years that we’ve been advocating for better safety for drivers,” says Local President Scott Lovell. IN TRANSIT
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JICs helping Local ‘Davids’ fight multinational ‘Goliaths’ MV Transportation, Transdev, First Transit, Keolis, and National Express are just a few of the private contactors that many ATU members now see on their paycheck stubs. These companies have taken over management of public transit in many communities with promises of cutting costs while improving service that are never achieved. Instead, these privateers slash workers’ wages and benefits, wipe out their pension plans, and cut service. During our last two Conventions, we had serious discussions about restructuring ATU to meet these challenges. In San Diego, we agreed to build and fund three new programs. One was the Joint Industry Councils, to focus the work of the Union more appropriately on these companies. That effort is now well along the way. It draws on the strengths of every department of the ATU. The first and main goal is changing the way we bargain our contracts. That begins in Research. Our Research Team has been working with Locals, gathering the underlying RFPs and service contracts with the cities and agencies that contract transit work. The international vice presidents and representatives who negotiate with Council Locals are also doing research and getting extensive training. The Legal Department is supplying legal assistance every day. Backing all this up is our Field Mobilization Team, our Organizing Staff, and all of this is coordinated through the International President.
Joint Industry Councils – by the numbers Currently 106 Locals have a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with a JIC company or at a system managed by a JIC company. There are 199 bargaining units with more than 22,500 members in JIC companies. And, as expected, there are common contract issues that these Local face. For instance, almost 50% of JIC collective bargaining contracts (CBAs) have language that allows for forced overtime and almost 80% of JIC CBAs have no provision for paid spread time. These are symbolic of poor management and worker exploitation that goes with it.
Training This year the International Union trained hundreds of members at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center to start preparing for a unified, industry wide coordination. The three-day training provided local JIC leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the RFP process, a breakdown of the revenue agreement, negotiations, strategies for building strength within our Locals, and planning for organizing campaigns. Moving forward, the International continues to build an industry-wide strategy to improve our ability to bargain with large multinational transit contractors, and is developing a database of best practices language, arbitrations, healthcare comparisons and more. These efforts will continue to improve Locals’ ability to bargain more effectively.
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In November, the next phase of training will begin, first, to prepare all Council Locals with contracts expiring from late 2016 through 2017, for more aggressive and focused bargaining. Goals will be set for all Locals, and agreements will be reached on joint strategies. In early 2017, a joint meeting will be held to write and approve bylaws for each Council, and elect officers to guide joint and coordinated bargaining. The International president has hired two coordinators and supplements their work with research and mobilization staff. v
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Every department in the ATU has been involved in building the Joint Industry Councils. Our bargaining has already changed as a result.
runert, LEGAL ith, John G ett, Dan Sm s cN M am d ra A ei i y, Krist vans, K ert Molofsk sic, Yvette E b o ru R et , P p h ar et K B , Heather Jessica Chu
JOINT INDUSTRY COUNCIL Paul Harrington and Joh
n Lyons
FIELD MOBILIZATIO
N AN
D RESEARCH Chris Townsend, Elana Kessler, Mich Todd Brogan, Andrew Gena, ael McCall-Delgad o and David Hell er
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
berg Regina Eberhart, Jeff Rosen
and Anna Simakova
COMMUNICATIONS
Paul Fitzgerald, Sh
awn Perry and D avid Roscow
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Decline in union density costs nonunion workers $133 billion per year In a new report, Union decline lowers wages of nonunion workers, Washington University sociologist Jake Rosenfeld and co-authors find that the dramatic decline in union density since 1979, has resulted in far lower wages for nonunion workers – an impact larger than the five percent effect of globalization on their wages. Specifically, nonunion men lacking a college degree would have earned eight percent, or $3,016 annually more in 2013, if unions had remained as strong as they were in 1979.
growth for low and middle-wage workers.” The authors find that the effects of union decline on the wages of nonunion women are not as substantial because women were not as heavily represented in unionized private sector jobs. The authors note, however, that any substantial growth in collective bargaining would be expected to have as much or more impact on women as men today. Specifically, the authors find that women’s wages would be two to three percent higher if unions had stayed at their 1979 levels. Their study also reveals that private sector nonunion men of all education levels would earn five percent ($52) higher weekly wages in 2013, if private-sector union density (the share of workers in similar industries and regions who are union members) remained at its 1979 level – an increase of $2,704 in annual paychecks for fulltime employees.
Single largest reason for wage inequality This decline in unions has eroded wages for nonunion workers at every level of education and experience – costing billions in lost wages. For the 32.9 million fulltime nonunion private sector women, and 40.2 million full-time private sector men there is a $133 billion loss in annual wages because of weakened unions.
Unions help create a ‘moral economy’ Between 1979 and 2013, the share of private sector workers in a union has fallen from about 34 to 11 percent among men, and from 16 to six percent among women. The authors note that unions keep wages high for nonunion workers for several reasons: union agreements set wage standards and a strong union presence prompts managers to keep wages high in order to prevent workers from organizing or their employees from leaving. Moreover, unions set industry-wide norms, influencing what is seen as a “moral economy,” “Working class men have felt the decline in unionization the hardest,” says Rosenfeld. “Rebuilding collective bargaining is one of the tools we have to reinvigorate wage
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
Union decline has exacerbated wage inequality in the United States by dampening the pay of nonunion workers as well as by eroding the share of workers directly benefiting from unionization: union erosion can explain a third of the growth of wage inequality among men and one-fifth of the rise of wage inequality among women. At least for middle-wage men, the impact of the erosion of unions on the wages of both union and nonunion workers is likely the largest single factor underlying wage stagnation and wage inequality. v
Membership ATU has been crunching the numbers in order to give members our first ever statistical overview of the Union. The numbers show that during a period of overall decline in union membership, ATU continues to enjoy steady growth:
Active US Membership 70% Male, 30% Female - Median age: 50 Over 65: 4.5% 51-65: 42.3% 31-50: 45.0% 30 and younger: 8.2%
Active Canadian Membership 80% Male, 20% Female - Median age: 48 Over 65: 2.5% 51-65: 39.9% 31-50: 49.2% 30 and younger: 8.4%
ATU
United States
MAL*
Canada
Total
2010
154,178
1,319
36,682
192,179
2011
150,867
1,267
37,446
189,580
2012
151,661
1,203
37,254
190,118
2013
153,853
1,163
37,421
192,437
2014
154,663
1,120
37,900
193,683
2015
153,585
1,096
37,920
192,601
2016
156,673
1,061
39,275
197,009
* Members-at-Large
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ATU BY THE NUMBERS
ORGANIZING AND OTHER STATISTICS Organizing New member organizing 7/1/13 – 6/30/16: 30 elections (2,753 workers)
Wage increases Average annual wage increase in contracts settled between 7/1/13-6/30/16: 2.51%
Fight for $15 Nearly 70% of U.S. Locals represent workers earning less than $15.00/hour. ATU will continue to fight for a $15.00 minimum wage at the bargaining table and in statehouses across the country.
Joint Industrial Councils (JICs) 106 Locals have a collective bargaining agreement with a JIC company or at a system managed by a JIC company. More than 22,500 members are employed at JIC companies. There are 199 bargaining units at JIC companies.
Contract issues Almost 50% of JIC CBAs have language that allows for forced overtime. Almost 80% of JIC CBAs have no provision for paid spread time.
Empowering Locals We will continue to expand our training, bargaining assistance, and information sharing programs to empower Locals at the bargaining table and improve working conditions at JIC employers.
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ATU BY THE NUMBERS
Ridership With the decline in gas prices, U.S. public transit ridership has declined to just below 2012 levels – but not as far as it did at the height of the Great Recession: U.S. paratransit ridership, however, has grown and held steady over the same period:
Meanwhile, after a dip in 2013, overall Canadian transit ridership has risen considerably:
And, Canadian urban public transit has grown steadily over that period:
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ATU BY THE NUMBERS
Too much new transit serving business interests, not riders Metropolitan transit systems across the U.S. and Canada are trying to recover from the deferred growth and maintenance backlog of the “Great Recession.” That economic downturn was used as an excuse to pass austerity budgets that frustrated the ability of agencies to adequately serve their burgeoning urban populations. More money is now being appropriated for public transit, but, unfortunately, it’s often going to serve business interests rather than those who depend on transit for work and daily activities.
Edmonton, AB A long-planned light rail transit (LRT) extension, for example, is about to be built in Edmonton, AB, through a public/private partnership (P3), in which taxpayer funds are handed over to private, anti-union contractors who provide the least service they can get away with, to generate the highest profits possible. The Edmonton experience is a cautionary tale for other cities trying to improve transit for their citizens: Extending Edmonton’s LRT network is part of the city’s Transportation Master Plan. The former Conservative government in Ottawa favored privately-operated and maintained projects for federal investment, essentially forcing municipalities to consider P3s if they wanted federal support. In a closed-door meeting in 2012, the Edmonton City Council voted to move forward with a P3 model for the Valley LRT Line in order to secure federal funds. $800 million from the City of Edmonton, $600 million from Alberta, and $400 million from Ottawa, including $250 million from the P3 Canada Fund, will fund the $1.8 billion project. A private consortium led by Bechtel, which includes EllisDon, Bombardier, and Transdev, was awarded a 30-year contract to finance, design, build, operate, and maintain the new LRT line in February – contrary to the wishes of Edmonton’s citizens.
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
In 2013, a poll conducted by Environics found that: • 64% of Edmontonians disagreed that turning over operations of the LRT line to a private corporation was the correct decision. • 61% of Edmontonians had a problem with the federal government forcing the city to privatize the LRT line to receive funding. • 71% of Edmontonians were concerned that the council made its decision to pursue the P3 behind closed doors. Despite public sentiment and a strong coalition of labour and public interest groups, the project moved forward, and this is where the matter stands today.
New Orleans, LA One fact alone tells you about all you need to know about public transit in New Orleans, LA: Public transit service today in the Big Easy is only about half of what it was before Hurricane Katrina hit the city in 2005 – over a decade ago! Like other cities in North America, New Orleans has made big investments in new streetcar service, but too many of its most disadvantaged citizens still can’t find a way to get to work. Ride New Orleans, a transit advocacy group, recently issued a report that echoes the findings from other cities.
ATU BY THE NUMBERS While Ride New Orleans commends the progress that has been made in the city’s transit system, it says that data analysis shows that while the average New Orleanian with a car can access 89 percent of the available jobs in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes in 30 minutes or less, a resident reliant on transit can access only 11 percent of those jobs in the same time period. “With a 28 percent poverty rate in New Orleans it’s critical that we provide more opportunities for jobs and education,” says Ride New Orleans Executive Director Alex Posorske. “But with tens of thousands of residents with no access to a car, improving transit must be a priority if we are serious about increasing access for our neighbors who need help the most.” This is where New Orleans’ has fallen down on the job. It has increased it’s investment in Streetcars which primarily serve tourist and business districts to a level higher than existed before Katrina, and decreased its investment in regular bus service that provides essential transportation for those without access to cars:
Bus service has not recovered since Katrina • 2015 Vehicle Revenue Hours (VRH) were down 45% compared to 2004. • 2015 ridership, in terms of Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT), was down 67% compared to 2004. • In 2015, Average Vehicles Operated in Maximum Service/Mo. were down 71% compared to 2004. • Spending on bus service has declined as a percentage of total operating expenses, from 78% in 2004 to 55% in 2014.
Streetcar service exceeds levels offered before Katrina • 2015 VRH were up 32% compared to 2004. • 2015 ridership, in terms of UPT, was down only 3% compared to 2004.
Per discussions at last week’s meeting, attached is a 1.5 page look at bus and streetcar ridership, service, and operating expenses in New Orleans. Streetcar ridership has recovered since Katerina and vehicle revenue hours have increased. Not surprisingly, both ridership and revenue hours remain low for the bus service. Streetcars have also increased as a proportion of total operating expenses. Ride New Orleans released a report that touched on this issue last summer (The State of Transit in New Orleans). Their numbers are a little different from mine (different sources, perhaps), but the same general trends are apparent. Recently, and anecdotally, it looks like RTA has made some attempts to improve bus service: • In April of this year, the agency implemented a $4.4 million service enhancement that affected about 20 bus routes and 1 streetcar line. Overnight service was added to 9 routes; early morning service was added to 5 routes; weekend service was implemented or increased on 6 routes; and a new express route was established to run from the airport to downtown. The president of Ride New Orleans said that the enhancements are a step in the right direction. According to board documents, RTA had hired 32 new operators as of April 26, and was planning to hire an additional 18 by mid-June, to handle the additional service. According to the general manager, RTA has invested $10 million to expand service over the past two years, although it’s unclear exactly how much has gone to the bus service. • On July 1, the RTA unveiled its plan for service changes along the new North Rampart streetcar line, largely preserving existing bus routes in the neighborhood. Additionally, the agency announced that it would restore service to two bus lines that were cut when the Loyola Avenue streetcar opened in 2013. This has been interpreted as a rethinking of the agency’s controversial strategy to prioritize streetcars over buses. Ride New Orleans had a generally positive response to the service announcement.
• Spending on streetcar service has increased as a percentage of total operating expenses, from 12% in 2004 to 27% in 2014. IN TRANSIT
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ATU BY THE NUMBERS
ATU fighting outsourcing Proportion of Public/Outsourced Services in 2014
ATU has been at the forefront of fighting the outsourcing (also known as privatization) of U.S. and Canadian public transit over the last six years. And where governments succeed in privatizing transit the Union fights to preserve Local Union collective bargaining rights, as well as for improvements in wages, benefits, and working conditions. The percentage of outsourced services stood at 13% in 2014, with $5.39 billion of public money spent on its operation, $88 million more than in 2010.
87%
Privatization is especially prevalent in paratransit service provided for persons with disabilities in the United States and Canada. ATU has successfully organized paratransit properties operated by private companies over the last six years, and negotiated significant improvements in those contracts.
The Union has also had success in convincing governments to pressure private companies to improve the compensation they provide their paratransit workers, and successfully sued private operators who refuse to meet their obligations to employees under their collective bargaining agreements. ATU has been vigilant in monitoring and opposing public/private partnership proposals in which governments seek to block union employment in new transit projects by making agreements with private concerns that help foot the bill for the project in exchange for the profits they will reap from operating it after it’s completed.
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
ATU BY THE NUMBERS
ATU and the ‘Uberization’ of public transit? Public transportation is changing. Where it will all end, no one knows, but one thing you can count on is that ATU will be actively involved in protecting members’ interests throughout the process. Most urban commuters are now aware of app-based auto transportation like Uber and Lyft. Fewer may be aware of similar bus services such as Bridj. And fewer still have heard about the “autonomous” (driverless) transit services on offer in small areas of cities like “Ollie” in Washington, DC. All of these hold the potential of fundamentally changing the nature of public transportation, but because they are private enterprises, any one of these services could also disappear in a flash if they became unprofitable – leaving riders stranded, and workers out of a job.
Disruptive The new mobile device transportation apps are what economists call “disruptive technology.” Indeed it is so disruptive that there isn’t any agreement, yet, as to what to call them. They are variably described as ride-hailing or sharing services, ondemand transportation, and transportation network companies (TNCs) – but they all are included in what is often called the “gig economy.”
The reason people drive for TNCs varies greatly from wanting some extra cash to earning a full-time paycheck. Most TNC drivers interact independently with an app on their smart phone – there are no gathering points, no garages, no drivers’ rooms – and that’s how TNCs resist organizing, claiming they are technology companies – not transit employers. TNCs achieved increasing popularity in cities around the world because of their ease of use through smartphones, their availability, and their low cost compared to taxis. The taxi industry remains the transportation mode most disrupted by the new technology. Efforts to create similar app-based networks for cabs have not been very successful. Critics object that TNC drivers are not subject to the same regulation and expense as taxi drivers, and that has been a bone of contention in city after city where these they have significantly eaten into taxicab profits. The drivers, who earned a lot in the beginning, now work longer hours to make the same money because there are so many more TNC drivers on the road today. That has led to dissatisfaction and talk of unionization in places like New York City, where a much larger cadre of drivers look upon the work as a full-time job. The TNC boom has begun to affect ATU members in different ways. An unknown number of ATU members, for instance, increase their weekly income as Uber and Lyft drivers.
Paratransit But, on the “down side,” transit agencies are viewing TNCs as another way to “cheap-out” on paratransit service. ATU has been adamant in fighting the use of untrained drivers and inadequate vehicles to transport some of our most vulnerable passengers. The Union published a report of its findings on the issue earlier this year titled Abandoning Paratransit Service to Save It? How Partnering with Lyft and Uber Undermines the Mission of Transit Agencies, which concluded: “Demand response (paratransit) service, a job that trained professionals dedicate their lives to, and a public good that IN TRANSIT
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ATU BY THE NUMBERS others rely on, is not just a relic of the old economy waiting to be disrupted. Demand response transit provides independence for people with disabilities. It should be operated to ensure transit access for all, not to earn private profits. “A transit agency’s mission is not to “improve their budgets” by outsourcing their responsibilities and segregating their services… but to provide high-quality service for their riders, the wages and working conditions necessary to train and retain professional, career-path employees, and, where resources for these priorities are lacking, to advocate alongside riders and workers for more funding.”
Public transit Some cities have contracted with TNCs to provide transportation to and from bus stops and transit stations, while others use them as replacements for bus or van service on low ridership routes. Only one TNC – Bridj – uses ATU drivers in the service it provides for the Kansas City Area Transit Authority (KCATA). These limited services, however, may be just the forerunners of a larger push to privatize and replace public transit here, and around the world. However, unless local governments subsidize these “crowd-sourced” buses, the transportation they provide will be out of the reach of the typical mass transit user. Already, Bridj and Lyft operate private, high-end, “pop-up” bus trips in several cities that cost less than a car or taxi, but definitely more than public transit, which raises the specter of tiered transportation – private and well-appointed for those who can afford it; public and plain for the rest of us. Obviously, TNCs represent the biggest threat to aggressive, multinational privatizers like First, Transdev, and MV Transportation. And that’s why they have begun working on their own ride-hailing apps.
Autonomous transit But even this may not be the end of the story. At least 33 corporations including Google, Tesla, and possibly Apple are working on developing autonomous vehicles. And it should come as no surprise that Uber is investing in autonomous vehicle development as well – which would seem to
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
portend a certain planned obsolescence for today’s TNC drivers. Autonomous buses and trains are already operating in limited areas around the world, and their numbers are expected to increase. But how would this work across entire metropolitan areas? It’s not hard to imagine the spread of driverless trains on fixed rail systems such as they have in Vancouver, BC. But what about buses, that would have to be programed to be as good at anticipating every possible accident as a human driver? Would every vehicle within the area of driverless transit operation also have to be linked to the same autonomous software, or system for it to work? And again, would the cost of all this put fares for autonomous transit beyond the reach of most drivers and passengers? Whatever happens, ATU will stay on top of it, and will be the most proactive force defending and extending the rights of transit workers in Canada and the United States. Below are several graphs that demonstrate the growing popularity of TNCs:
ATU BY THE NUMBERS
ATU fighting operator assault ATU has been diligent in assembling statistics that have convinced legislators to pass significant legislation in our countries protecting transit operators. Our work is far from done. The Union’s most recent survey revealed: • More than 75% percent of respondents agreed that many operators fear for their safety on a daily basis. • Almost 80% of those responding thought that their agencies were not doing enough to prevent assaults. • Only 12% thought that enough was being done to help the victims of these assaults transition back to work. The following are some of the more striking statistics gathered from the 610 members who responded to the survey: Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
My transit agency implements adequate measures to prevent passenger assaults on operators.
2.91%
8.01%
10.93%
36.79%
41.35%
Operators are provided with adequate resources to help them transition back to duty after an assault has occurred.
2.91%
10.20%
31.15%
30.42%
25.32%
My transit agency responds quickly and consistently to operators’ concerns about particular routes or passengers that present an increased security risk.
1.64%
8.74%
11.48%
40.80%
37.34%
Protocols and procedures for communicating emergency situations to passengers are easy to follow for operators, operations personnel, and police.
3.46%
20.77%
22.59%
30.97%
22.22%
In general, the amount of time it takes for police to respond to an emergency situation is adequate.
3.09%
11.80%
22.69%
30.13%
32.30%
During emergencies communication is normally good for all parties (i.e. Operators, Dispatch, Police, Fire, etc.) involved.
5.09%
19.27%
23.27%
29.82%
22.55%
Installing barrier systems to shield bus operators from the general public is an appropriate and necessary form of protection against passenger assaults.
41.03%
27.11%
15.02%
10.07%
6.78%
Security cameras help to make the operating environment safer and secure for operators and passengers.
18.91%
28.91%
20.18%
19.09%
12.91%
My transit agency considers being spat on an assault.
19.53%
31.75%
17.88%
16.42%
14.42%
Many operators fear for their safety and security on a daily basis.
40.07%
35.15%
13.30%
7.47%
4.01%
Many assaults on operators go unreported due to a fear of retribution by management.
16.73%
25.09%
31.09%
18.91%
8.18%
Many assaults on operators go unreported because operators are ashamed to let others know.
6.75%
22.45%
30.47%
28.65%
11.68%
Many assaults on operators go unreported because operators believe that nothing will be done about it.
37.09%
31.82%
15.27%
9.64%
6.18%
Operators are equipped with adequate knowledge and formal training on how to effectively respond to unruly or hostile passengers and situations.
2.72%
10.89%
18.15%
33.21%
35.03%
My transit agency doesn’t acknowledge verbal abuse and/or threats as assaults.
34.00%
34.55%
15.09%
11.64%
4.73%
Mgt. and supervisors are equipped with adequate knowledge and formal training in coaching operators on how to respond to unruly or hostile passengers and situations.
2.54%
11.07%
26.86%
29.95%
29.58%
My transit agency has established committees and working groups to address operator and passenger safety and security issues.
3.83%
16.97%
27.19%
26.64%
25.36%
Many female operators have been sexually harassed by passengers, or the public.
27.74%
27.74%
36.50%
5.29%
2.74%
Most female operators do not report these occurrences.
19.27%
19.27%
41.10%
8.81%
4.04%
Authority to remove an unruly or disruptive passenger from a bus or rail vehicle should rest with the operator.
40.33%
22.08%
8.03%
16.06%
13.50%
Authority to remove an unruly or disruptive passenger from a bus or rail vehicle should rest with the transit agency or local police.
30.16%
25.41%
12.43%
16.27%
15.72%
ATU Member Assault Survey 2016
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ATU BY THE NUMBERS
ATU-COPE fighting for you in Congress, state, local legislatures As the largest transit worker political action committee (PAC) in the United States, 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 then hold them accountable once they are elected.
2016 The 2016 election is the most important election in history for ATU members, working families and all unions. We are constantly under attack from elected officials who want to privatize our jobs and take away our collective bargaining rights and pensions. In this election we will be electing a new President, Congress, State Legislators, Governors and other many elected officials, so we can have a real impact on our future.
Let’s make 2016 the best year ever for ATU-COPE! ATU-COPE contributions have risen to over $1 million per year over the last six years, but the opponents of public transit and labor unions are increasing their political contributions too. Let’s make 2016 the best year ever for ATU-COPE!
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. If you contribute now, thank you. Please consider increasing your contribution. If you don’t participate, this is ideal time to begin. Every dollar helps!
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
JOINT SERVICE COUNCIL
ATU Pennsylvania paves the way In an effort to continue to better serve our Locals and members, the International has established an experimental joint service council in Pennsylvania to support Locals across the commonwealth. Like many Locals throughout our Union, the majority of the 19 Pennsylvania Locals have limited resources. This new council – ATU Pennsylvania – will provide assistance on contract bargaining, administration issues, grievances, other local and institutional functions, organizing and more.
New joint service council “Most of our Pennsylvania Local presidents and business agents don’t work as full time local officers; they drive buses, work as mechanics and other jobs,” says International President Larry Hanley. “ATU Pennsylvania will help all our Locals to negotiate strong contracts, handle grievances and other important functions to ensure our Locals are serving the best interests of their members. This will help all Locals.” In addition, ATU Pennsylvania will engage in joint activities and campaigns for Locals on legislative, political, social, charitable and other issues. “ATU Pennsylvania will ensure that no Local is alone in its fight for a better contract, act to stop privatization, launch a job action, or any other campaign,” Hanley continues. “There is power in numbers and we can achieve more when our Locals work together.”
The Jake Schwab Worker Safety Bill While ATU Pennsylvania is still in its early stages of development, a campaign has been launched with Locals across the state to push state legislators to pass the Jake
Schwab Worker Safety Bill to improve workplace safety for public employees. The yearlong effort is intended to deeply organize all ATU members in the state. A member of Local 568-Erie, PA, Jake Schwab, a mechanic with Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA), died in 2014, when a bus safety air bag he was working on exploded in his face. As a public transit authority, EMTA and other public agencies are exempt from Occupational Safety and Health Administration-equivalent regulations. Schwab was working with the wrong tools on an unfamiliar bus from another agency in a garage with a poor safety culture. In fact, there was not even an investigation into his death because he was a public employee. There had been no safety training in Jake’s garage for over nine years.
‘The least we can do’ In mid-September Locals from across the state descended on the state capitol in Harrisburg for a hearing on the Jake Schwab Worker Safety Bill. “The deafening silence coming from Pennsylvania about Jake’s death speaks volumes about the disregard and lack of concern they have for workers,” says Local President John Renwick. “This show of support from ATU across Pennsylvania sends a strong message to state legislators that it is time get this bill passed and prevent similar tragedies. It’s the least we can do to honor the memory of Jake Schwab.” “We are very encouraged by the work of ATU Pennsylvania to help Locals across the state and more will be done in the coming months,” Hanley says. “We believe ATU Pennsylvania will serve as a model for future joint service councils.” v
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ATU/community coalition convinces Lincoln to improve transit The following missive was sent to In Transit by Marilyn Kruger, 1293-Lincoln, NE, about the recent victory of Citizens for Improved Transit, a coalition of ATU members and community members who conducted a successful campaign to increase the funding and service of StarTran – Lincoln’s transit agency. Pardon me if I brag a little, but this is a really big deal! As a result of the efforts of Citizens for Improved Transit additional StarTran funding was approved by the mayor and City Council of Lincoln, NE.
Group responsible for funding The increases in the budget will allow StarTran to hire five more drivers. That’s five more well-paid union jobs! The group may also be indirectly responsible for two more drivers. The director of Public Works and Utilities of Lincoln acknowledged to me that Citizens for Improved Transit is directly responsible for the increase in funding. I believe that this is the first time that the City of Lincoln has ever increased funding for StarTran that was not the result of a contract with the University of Nebraska.
The stars aligned Citizens for Improved Transit is very lucky that the stars aligned to make this possible. Timing is everything! First, StarTran was in the beginning phases of a transit development plan (TDP).
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September/October 2016 | IN TRANSIT
Second, StarTran had recently hired Mike Davis as the new transit manager. Mr. Davis has a degree in urban planning and has experience at several other transit companies. Third, Richard Schmeling a retired attorney had recently started riding the bus, was dissatisfied, and decided to do something about the poor service (see In Transit, May/ June, 2016). Fourth, Marilyn Kruger, 1293, who had received extensive training from ATU International was eager to put that training to work.
Persistence In addition, Schmeling’s many contacts as a former attorney and community theater volunteer here in Lincoln, as well as a variety of other jobs, and his persistence proved invaluable to the campaign. Citizens for Improved Transit was also fortunate to recruit a strong, committed, and diverse membership. Our work is not done. This group is committed to promoting the new and improved public transportation system in Lincoln. v
El GOP desea el fin del transporte público
que nos alzaríamos por nuestros problemas al apoyar a Bernie Sanders.
La lucha política que está sucediendo en los EE.UU. ahora está rodeada de información errónea. Una cosa está clara, no por la prensa, sino directamente desde el Partido Republicano. Desean el fin del transporte público. Lo dejaron en claro en su plataforma.
Apoyamos a Clinton sin reservas
Aquí está:
Plataforma del GOP sobre transporte público, publicaciones relacionadas “Nos proponemos y reformar las disposiciones del programa federal de transporte público de la Ley Nacional de Política Ambiental que pueden retrasar y hacer subir los costes de los proyectos de transporte. “Renovamos nuestro llamado a la ley DavisBacon, la cual limita el empleo y aumenta los costes de construcción y mantenimiento para el beneficio de los sindicatos. “Reconociendo que, con el tiempo, serán necesarios más ingresos públicos adicionales para expandir la capacidad de carga de carreteras y puentes, que pueden ahorrar dinero de los contribuyentes y traer la inversión exterior para satisfacer las necesidades de una comunidad. “Con la mayoría de los estados aumentando su propia financiación para el transporte, .”
Este NO es el Partido Republicano de mi madre
Ya no tenemos esa opción. Siempre nos ha gustado y casi siempre hemos apoyado a Hillary Clinton. En esta elección, la apoyamos sin reservas, sabiendo que nosotros como pueblo tenemos un largo camino por recorrer para reformar el Partido Demócrata y restaurar los valores de nuestra nación. Mientras tanto, los republicanos, encabezados por el payaso televisivo Donald Trump lo han dejado claro: Si ganan, el transporte público y todos los trabajadores pierden. Le instamos a usted a votar por Hillary Clinton. v
ATU Pensilvania abre el camino En un esfuerzo por continuar sirviendo mejor a nuestros Locales y miembros, la Internacional ha establecido un consejo de servicio conjunto experimental en Pensilvania para apoyar a los Locales por todo el estado. Al igual que muchos Locales a lo largo de nuestro Sindicato, la mayoría de los 19 Locales de Pensilvania cuentan con recursos limitados. Este nuevo consejo (ATU Pensilvania) proporcionará asistencia en negociaciones de contratos, cuestiones de administración, quejas, otras funciones locales e institucionales, organización y más.
Nuevo consejo de servicio conjunto
Ahora, con esto no queremos alabar a los demócratas que también han llegado a ser casi completamente subordinados a las élites que están enviando nuestros trabajos al extranjero.
“La mayoría de nuestros presidentes locales y agentes comerciales de los Locales de Pensilvania no funcionan como oficiales locales a tiempo completo; conducen autobuses, trabajan como mecánicos y en otros puestos de trabajo “, dice el Presidente Internacional Larry Hanley. “ATU Pensilvania ayudará a todos nuestros Locales a negociar contratos fuertes, gestionar las quejas y otras funciones importantes para asegurar que nuestros Locales están sirviendo en los mejores intereses de sus miembros. Esto ayudará a todos los Locales “.
Este año ATU se puso del lado de los trabajadores, no de los brokers. Hemos enviado el mensaje fuerte y claro de
Además, ATU Pensilvania llevará a cabo actividades conjuntas y campañas para los Locales sobre cuestiones
Tenemos muchos puntos de vista en ATU y, sí tenemos miembros que votan por los republicanos. Mi madre era republicana. Este no es su partido. Los republicanos de hoy en día son el partido de sólo los ricos.
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legislativas, políticas, sociales, benéficas y otras. “ATU Pensilvania se asegurará de que ningún Local está solo en su lucha por un mejor contrato, al actuar para detener la privatización, poner en marcha una acción de trabajo, o cualquier otra campaña”, continúa Hanley. “Hay poder en los números y podemos lograr más cuando nuestros Locales trabajan juntos.”
La Propuesta de Ley de Seguridad Laboral Jake Schwab Mientras ATU Pensilvania está todavía en sus primeras etapas de desarrollo, una campaña se ha puesto en marcha con los Locales de todo el estado para presionar a los legisladores estatales para aprobar el Proyecto de Ley de Seguridad Laboral Jake Schwab para mejorar la seguridad en el trabajo para los empleados públicos. Este esfuerzo de un año de duración está destinado a organizar profundamente a todos los miembros de ATU en el estado. Miembro del Local 568-Erie, Pensilvania, Jake Schwab, un mecánico de la Autoridad Metropolitana de Transporte Público de Erie (EMTA), murió en 2014, cuando un airbag de seguridad del autobús en el que estaba trabajando le explotó en la cara. Como autoridad de transporte público, la EMTA y otras agencias públicas están exentas de regulaciones equivalentes a las de la Administración Ocupacional de Seguridad y Salud.
Schwab estaba trabajando con las herramientas equivocadas en un bus no familiar de otra agencia en un garaje con una cultura de seguridad pobre. De hecho, ni siquiera hubo una investigación sobre su muerte porque era un empleado público. No había habido ningún entrenamiento sobre seguridad en el garaje de Jake durante más de nueve años.
‘Es lo menos que podemos hacer’ A mediados de septiembre Locales de todo el estado acudieron al capitolio del estado en Harrisburg para una audiencia sobre el Proyecto de Ley de Seguridad Laboral Jake Schwab. “El silencio ensordecedor procedente de Pensilvania sobre la muerte de Jake dice mucho de la indiferencia y la falta de preocupación que muestran hacia los trabajadores”, dice el Presidente Local John Renwick. “Esta muestra de apoyo de ATU por toda Pensilvania envía un fuerte mensaje a los legisladores del estado de que es hora de hacer que esta ley sea aprobada y prevenir tragedias similares. Es lo menos que podemos hacer para honrar la memoria de Jake Schwab “. “Estamos muy animados por el trabajo de ATU Pensilvania para ayudar a los Locales en todo el estado y más se llevará a cabo en los próximos meses,” dice Hanley. “Creemos que ATU Pensilvania servirá como modelo para futuros consejos de servicio conjunto.” v
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In Memoriam
Death Benefits Awarded July 1, 2016 - August 31, 2016 1- MEMBERS AT LARGE HUBERT D KITCHENS HOWARD ROY SELDEN JR BOB H TAYLOR 22- WORCESTER, MA PETER J MC CABE SPYRIDON PANTOS 26- DETROIT, MI EARL HOWARD CHENAULT 85- PITTSBURGH, PA STEVE W BALLASH MICHAEL BEREZNAK DONALD P BOYD ARTHUR J BURGESS DONALD E DOWNEY PETER J GERGURICH JOHN M HANLEY ANTHONY J LEINDECKER BERT E MC WILLIAMS HOWARD POPE DAVID D SHEROSKY 113- TORONTO, ON FERNANDO G ABREU MARIA BRASSER JOSEPH CAROTHERS JAMES DOLAN ERIC N DUNN ROBERT B GRANT EDGAR ROY HILLYARD CEZAR KUCHARZEWSKI NOEL FRANCIS MURPHY ROBERT JAMES O’HEARN KENNETH E PARSONS LUIS PEREIRA GORDON W PROCTOR JOHN D SLADE WILLIAM H STETLER MERRICK WHITE 192- OAKLAND, CA DELORIES BROWN CLARENCE E DUNSTAN JR SOLOMON C GIRON KENNETH R LONG 241- CHICAGO, IL JOHN A ANDERSON EDWARD J BARRETT BOOKER BYERS JOSEPH J CECALA VICTOR E COLLINS ISAAC I CUSHINGBERRY BRIAN DOLLAR RECARDO R DOUGLAS MARCEL HILL DEREK IRVING SELMA L LUNDY STEPHEN NANCE CARLOS M RIVERA HECTOR G ROCOURT RAYMOND H TREZISE LENNIE WILLIAMS 256- SACRAMENTO, CA CANDACE G HALL GREGORY J VASSALLO
265- SAN JOSE, CA JOHN L AGUILAR CHERYL KUYKENDALL DENNIS MEISENHEIMER RAY A MESA ALF MODINE 268- CLEVELAND, OH BEVERLY BADE CORNELIUS FEDRICK 279- OTTAWA, ON JOHN HERBERT 281- NEW HAVEN, CT JAMES E DOUGLAS JAMES FRANCIS QUARZ 282- ROCHESTER, NY STEWARD BROADHURST 308- CHICAGO, IL JAMES W COLLES LESLIE C GRANT JERRY W PEPPERS 381- BUTTE, MT MARY SHEA 425- HARTFORD, CT HILKAIH E DOUGLAS JAMES FITZGERALD 508- HALIFAX, NS GORDON D ROBB 540- TRENTON, NJ KENNETH CZYZYK 569- EDMONTON, AB RAYMOND V HRABEC 580- SYRACUSE, NY PETER JOHN CAROCCI RODNEY STILWELL 583- CALGARY, AB WERNER J AUKTOR LORRAINE DAUBERT JACK W B MAC DONALD JAMES E ROSS 587- SEATTLE, WA CATHLEEN COLLYER GARY G DOBBS RICHARD L NORRIS 589- BOSTON, MA ANTONIO CAPPUCCIO JOHN M FLAHERTY FENIX JOURDAN WILLIAM J MACKEY FRANCIS D MC DONOUGH JOHN T MULRY TOMMASO PRESTIA NOEL SIMMONS DONALD J STACK VINCENT J ZARRELLA 616- WINDSOR, ON NORMAN G MORGAN FRANKO RITOSA
618- PROVIDENCE, RI ROBERT R ANDREWS PAUL A BUSHELL NEIL J ENRIGHT ANTHONY FONSECA 628- COVINGTON, KY WILLIAM BANNISTER 689- WASHINGTON, DC JOHN BASIL COMBS ROBERT L HEBRON JAMES R JOHNSON LIFUS L LEE REGINALD C NAPPIER TYSON C PAJOTTE CHARLES S PARKER JR FERDINAND A TIZIANI RICHARD R WINGFIELD THEODORE R WRIGHT JR 694- SAN ANTONIO, TX OSCAR J DE LEON CERIO L FLORES MANUEL L GUADIANO EARNEST C MC KEAN JOHNNY W MORENO JAIME T VEGA 713- MEMPHIS, TN EUGENE M WALKER 725- BIRMINGHAM, AL HAROLD N MITCHELL CECIL LEE WATKINS 726- STATEN ISLAND, NY RENE M AYCART JOHN CLEAVER ALBERT ROBERTS 732- ATLANTA, GA HOWARD BARTLEY JR SHIRLEY DAVIS JOHN H KENDRICK 757- PORTLAND, OR WILLIAM M ALBRECHT CHARLES H BEAVER ALBERT D ZULLO 770- MOBILE, AL THELMA JONES 788- ST. LOUIS, MO RICHARD E FAIRLEY CARTIER H FOSTER JR JOHN H HILLMAN JAMES JOHNSON CLYDE E MC GEE KENNETH T SMITH SANDY SMITH 819- NEWARK, NJ GEORGE T FULLER ESLER JOSEPH KYLE J KRESGE ARLENE C MORGAN 824- NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ ARTHUR CHERRY
880- CAMDEN, NJ CYRIL ATKINSON ELLA M MC KINSTRY NORMAN SNYDER 998- MILWAUKEE, WI JAMES E HOUSTON JOHNNIE L JACKSON WILLIAM E MARCHESE CARL F NELSON RICHARD W POCIAN 1005- MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, MN DONALD E LINQUIST 1015- SPOKANE, WA VICTOR C MERKEL JOHN G MUNDY 1145- BINGHAMTON, NY GORDON L STAHL 1168- WAUSAU, WI GORDON D GAUGER 1179- NEW YORK, NY ANTHONY F CANTELMO JOSEPH PAPAGNO 1181- NEW YORK, NY MORRIS W AMENDOLARE JILANNE BARBERIO MARIA BURGOS ROBERT DUFFY MARGIEREE ESKARGE ELIZABETH A FRIEDRICH VIRGIL GALICIA MARIE HEANEY WARREN R LINK TEDDY LLOYD WILLIAM LLOYD ROGER LORMIL THOMAS C MONTANINO VINCENZO MORALE MARLENE NICOLAS JOSEPH C PAOLUCCI ROBERT SCARANO PETER J SOLLECITO NICHOLAS D TERRONE JUDITH VELEZ MICHAEL WILCOX 1277- LOS ANGELES, CA CHARLES E DAVIS ALFREDO HUIZAR DARIESE J LOVE-FARROW
1338- DALLAS, TX CHARLES SCOTT 1342- BUFFALO, NY FRANK COLLURA CHARLES D FRANCLEMONT DORIS A GARRISON JERMIAH HOLMES JR JAMES KANALLEY JAMES J KENNEDY 1345- READING, PA FRANCIS YETTO 1433- PHOENIX, AZ SERGIO M ARREDONDO 1464- TAMPA, FL JOHN J KEARNEY JR JAMES A LEWIS 1496- WILLIAMSPORT, PA ANDREW NEIDIG 1499- MUNCIE, IN LARRY W WEBB 1505- WINNIPEG, MB RENE DUBEC GEORGE PAZIUK 1572- MISSISSAUGA, ON PATRICK DOYLE THOMAS WILKIE 1574- SAN MATEO, CA WILLIE H VAUGHN 1575- SAN RAFAEL, CA GABRIEL A CORREA 1587- TORONTO, ON GARNET E THOMPSON 1624- PETERBOROUGH, ON BERNARD SCOTT 1700- CHICAGO, IL WILLIAM H MC CLUNG JAMES B SANDERS 1741- LAFAYETTE, IN LARRY J PATTENGALE 1747- PORT ALBERNI, BC LAWRANCE A MAC DONALD
1287- KANSAS CITY, MO BEVERLY J JOHNSON 1317- CLIFTON, NJ JAMES M SPROULS 1320- PETERBOROUGH, ON DOUGLAS L CANNON 1321- ALBANY & TROY, NY RONALD F HAAS RONALD R HOFFMAN
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Amalgamated Transit Union
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