2011 may_june

The 1005 LineThe news and information

publication of

ATU Local 1005 Prepared and

distributed by the Education

Committee

For The People Who Know Where They Are Going

May /June 2011

" We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values...when machines and computers, pro� t motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered."

- Martin Luther King, Jr. April 4, 1967

What’s Inside...

Officer’s Corner

page 2

Union Meeting Highlights

page 3

Stay Healthy on the Job

General Cleaning of Buses

page 9

Hanley Elected to the Executive

Council of the AFL-CIO

Diabetes Part Two

page 10

Transit Safety and Security

page 11

Some Union History

page 13

Local 1005 – 78 Years Strong

page 14

Central Corridor Project Facts

page 19

ATU Supports CTU

page 22

Contract O� er

Passes

Continued on page 8

Metro Transit’s “Best and Final Offer” was read to the ATU Local

1005 membership on May 1st at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul.

Members were allowed to vote after an explanation of the proposed

contract changes and an opportunity to ask questions about specific

language and changes. Members not in attendance at the meeting were

allowed to vote at the union office on Monday until 5:00 p.m. The

membership passed the contract 78% for and 22% against.

The term of the contract runs two years from August 1, 2010 through

July 31, 2012. The new contract has a lot of ‘clean-up’ language in

regard to dates and work rules.

When asked about the most difficult part of the negotiations, President

Michelle Sommers said that it was the healthcare aspects of the contract.

Another challenging area was the maintenance seniority system. They

spent considerable time negotiating on that issue, only to reach no

agreement.

There are many changes that the company would not agree to, and the

union will continue to work on these issues in the future.

One example of this is the Bus Maintenance and Rail Maintenance

seniority system. Another is the company's request to eliminate the nine-

hour run.

The following are a few of the changes:

Top wage rates for all wage classes will be frozen for the life of this

contract.

A trial system for grievances will streamline the procedure from a

OFFICER’S

CORNER

Dorothy Maki Vice-President

LOCAL 1005

OFFICERS

President/Business Agent

Michelle Sommers

Vice-President

Dorothy Maki

Recording Secretary/

Ass’t. Business Agent

Dan Abramowicz

Financial Secretary/

Treasurer

Tommy Bellfield

ATU Local 1005

Union Office

8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

(Closed 12:00 - 1:00)

312 Central Ave.

Suite 438

Mpls., MN 55414

612-379-2914

email:

[email protected]

website:

www.atu1005.com

Calendar

Education Committee

Meetings- 11:30 a.m.

June 21st

July 19th

Membership Meetings

June 28th - Mpls.

July 26th - St. Paul

10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Wake up…Wake up…

Wake up…Wake up

Wake up! The provocative social activist Michael Moore was in Madison on

Saturday, March 5th when ATU 1005 was there. When I shared this

news with several members, they said “Who’s Michael Moore?” . . .

My first thought was “WHAT!? You don’t know who Michael

Moore is?” I decided to help you out AND give you some homework

for this next month.

Michael Moore is a filmmaker, author and activist. In 1989 he

did his first documentary film called Roger and Me, based on Roger

Smith, CEO of General Motors. It took him two years and a lot of

SACRIFICE to do his first film. He had bingo tournaments, garage

sales and eventually sold his house to raise money in order to finish

it. The film was on how Corporate America was moving a devastating

number of jobs out of America. In 2002 he did a film on the National

Rifle Association called Bowling for Columbine. In 2004 he did

Fahrenheit 9/11. In 2007 he did a film on healthcare called Sicko that

was nominated by the Academy for best documentary. His most

recent film was Capitalism: A Love Story. As a writer, his first book

was Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American

(1996). This book is about the inexcusable corporate greed and

mistreatment of workers.

Michael Moore’s speech in Madison was awesome! It was about

the lie being fed to us that America is broke. America is NOT broke

- we just suffered the biggest heist in history. Approximately 400

people have the wealth of 155 million of us. I am going to post his

full speech on our union website: www.atu1005.com.

Continued on page 20

Education

Committee

Advisor

Dorothy Maki

Chair

Melanie Benson

South

Liz Goldberg

Stacey Taylor

Heywood Office

Ilona LaDouceur

Rec. Secretary

Nicollet

Alec Johnson

Ryan Timlin

Twaya McIntosh

Debbi Sievers

Blayne Williams

Ruter

Anastasia Bloodsaw

Jackie Williams

East Metro

Philip Jarosz

Doug Barton

Heywood Garage

Faye Brown

Vice Chair

Walter T. Curry, Jr.

LRT

Stephen Babcock

Layout

Carl Rice

Lisa Callahan

725 Bldg.

Scott Lindquist

Editorial Board

Ken Dolney

Mark Lawson

Gary Bier

Union Meeting Highlights

March

Speaker

Dave Van Hattum from Transit for Liveable Communities came

and spoke before the membership. TLC’s vision for the future is to grow

and double the transit system by 2020. The House has proposed to cut

130 million in two years, Senate wants to cut 30 million in two years,

Governor Dayton wants to cut 0 in two years. We hope that Governor

Dayton will veto these bills. TLC has some of our same interests and

does a great job for us at the capitol.

Arbitration requests

A Heywood operator requested arbitration after being written up for a

customer complaint about refusing to board passengers. A vote was taken

and this will not be going to arbitration.

A South operator was scheduled to pick her work. As required, she

left five choices. None of her full choices were available. She was not

given as close to her current pick as possible. A vote was taken and this

will be going to arbitration.

Financial Secretary’s Report

Members stood for a moment of silence for the following member

who passed away:

Catherine Katocs, formerly of TIC

President’s Report

The Minnesota Legislature

“When I left to go to Washington (for the Annual ATU Legislative

Conference), there were five anti-union bills in the legislature. When I

came back, there were fifty.” There are meetings on MSRS, paycuts,

workforce reduction and cutting transit funding. The House wants to cut

$69 million from our budget this year and end union dues payroll

deductions. One of the bills would increase the employee’s contribution

to MSRS from 5% to 8% and reduce the state’s portion from 5% to 2%.

There is another bill for salary freeze and reduction. The Tea Party

members are throwing overlapping bills at the wall, trying to see what

sticks.

We need some serious help. We need people to get out and testify at

the committee meetings and support our positions. There are anti-union

acts all over the country, everywhere. If you volunteer, make sure you

wear your union apparel proudly or contact us if you are in need.

We need volunteers! All these bills will affect all of us in some way.

If you are not already involved, it is time to step up to the plate.

Continued on page 4

Light Rail

Facility

Stephen Babcock #3128

Carl Rice #6223

Lisa Callahan #6716

Light Rail Train Derails

A light rail train derailed

shortly before midnight

Wednesday, March 2, 2011, the

first derailment in seven years.

The derailment occurred between

Nicollet and Hennepin Avenues

about 11:30 p.m. No one was

injured. The service was resumed

at 4:00 a.m. The train was

crossing from one track to another

at a switch when the lead car came

off its track. The second car did

not derail. The customers got off

the train and on to a bus bridge

from Nicollet Mall station to the

Twins Target Field Station. As a

standard procedure, the train

operator was removed and tested

for drugs and alcohol. The test

came back all clear and the

operator went back to work. The

track, its systems and the car were

inspected and tested before being

put back into operation. All the

operators, supervisors, and staff

worked very well to get the system

back up and running.

Some content came from

StarTribune.com

The federal government has

agreed to fund half of the largest

public works project ever

undertaken in the state of

Minnesota – the LRT Central

Corridor - for approximately

$450 million. Twelve percent of

the line construction is already

completed.

Arbitrations

We have won another cell phone violation in part - removal of the

forever final record of warning. We lost the Northstar arbitration.

Managers are allowed to drive trains in the rail yard.

Marches, rallies and campaigns

On the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination (April

4th), there are marches and rallies planned.

There is a link to the ATU’s “We Are One” campaign on our website.

Contract

We are doing everything we can to bring an offer to vote on, in the

month of April. The Board will do whatever it takes to get it.

Met Council

Steve Jaeger and I met with Patrick Born, the new regional manager.

We talked about requesting changes in non-cost items in the contract.

Committee on Political Education (COPE)

The International ATU has come out with a new COPE campaign. It is

needed now more than ever. Please contribute what you can even though

it may be a dollar or two a paycheck. Please see the box in this issue.

Vice President’s Report

It’s time for sacrifice. SACRIFICE (sak-ruh-fis): noun - The

surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of

something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim; verb

- To surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the

sake of something else. This means sacrifice of our time right now. We

need you all at rallies, marches, phone banks, GOTV, and after hours

meetings…yes, that includes some cabin weekends. It’s time for the busy

middle class to hit the streets so that we keep our middle-class wages and

benefits. It’s time for sacrifice so we win this war being waged against

the middle class.

We need help and volunteers like we have never needed before. If you

can contribute to COPE, please do so. Every little bit adds up. We are

seeing the importance of funding legislators who see transit as we see

transit. We need federal and state funding, not cuts.

New Business

Public education has been under attack in many places, including here

in Minneapolis, with the attempts to close down North High School. The

Public Education Alliance of Minnesota (PEJAM) has invited a speaker

from the Chicago Teacher’s Union to Minneapolis on April 9 to address

these threats to public education.

A motion was made and passed to pay the rental cost of a room in the

United Labor Center for this event at a cost not to exceed $120.

East Metro

Philip Jarosz, Dr. #65015

Drivers, be aware of the

construction on University during

this pick (it will add to the fun).

Who will notice the 16 from the

50? How about those turnaround

times? (Lol) Customer service

through this time of transition can

be our gem shining in these

changing times. Patience will

prevail as we provide community

compassion for the greater good

down the road.

Has anyone noticed the new faces

on the ‘No Trespass’ board?

Something to consider as the

weather heats up peoples’ attitudes.

Another good year of driving at

East Metro was acknowledged with

good food and fellowship. The

simulator opened some eyes as to

driving conditions uncommon for

many.

The Tour for the Cure is coming

up soon and signups are still

accepted. Complete info from Team

Captain Mike Dalbec 651/245-

9134 [email protected]

Look forward to the new changes

in the kitchen this spring.

Anyone from East Metro may

submit an article for print to Driver

65015. All topics pertaining to

union/workers’ interests welcome.

Happy trails until we read again.

April

Bill Neuendorf from Transit for Livable Communities addressed the

membership on the progress of their campaign. So far they have 10,000

signatures to support transit funding. The governor is supportive of

transit. It is a need and a necessity. They already had one meeting with

Governor Dayton, which was picked up on by the media. They are

hoping to get 20,000 postcards signed. (Postcards are available at the

union office. Time is running out.)

Arbitration Requests

A Nicollet cleaner asked for arbitration after being discharged for

theft. A vote was taken. This will not be going to arbitration.

A Heywood operator asked for arbitration after being discharged for a

responsible pedestrian accident. A vote was taken and this will be going

to arbitration.

A South operator asked for arbitration after being discharged for a third

violation of the Operator Policy triggered by a customer service

complaint. The operator was unfamiliar with the route and failed to drop

off the customer at the requested stop. A vote was taken and this will not

be going to arbitration.

A Nicollet operator requested arbitration after being discharged for an

accident and overall record. A vote was taken and this will be going to

arbitration.

An MJR mechanic requested arbitration after being put on a Final

Record of Warning and a three-day suspension. The mechanic technician

pulled in a bus and was instructed to park the bus in a certain area. A

vote was taken and this will be going to arbitration.

The union requested arbitration for a commuter rail employee after she

was passed up for a job that she was qualified for. The job was awarded

to a person with less seniority. A vote was taken and this will be going to

arbitration.

An East Metro operator requested arbitration after being discharged

for violation of the Operator Policy on attendance. A vote was taken and

this will be going to arbitration.

An East Metro operator requested arbitration after being charged with

an accident. A vote was taken and this will be going to arbitration.

An East Metro operator requested arbitration after being discharged

for violation of a Last Chance Agreement. A vote was taken and this will

be going to arbitration.

Commuter Rail Big

Lake

Metro Transit and BNSF have

agreed to serve all Twins games

this season. This is a big

improvement from last year as it

will reduce confusion that fans

had as to whether or not a game

was being served by Northstar.

Last year, we carried almost

170,000 people to/from the Twins

games. Based on last year’s

average passenger counts, serving

all games should bring in an

additional 45,000 passenger trips

this year. Games will be served

with a six-car consist to eliminate

the need for double stops.

Although we operated with eight-

car consists last year, based on our

average ridership, a six-car consist

should only be operating at 75%

- 80% of maximum capacity. Our

first game was Friday, April 8th.

New Rider Alert boards have

been installed at all Northstar

Stations. WiFi Installations –

Complete. Remaining 3 & 4 car

spot signs awaiting installation in

the yard. Several FMIs will be

happening soon, material is on the

way for all 6 units: Controller

reverser handle block to replace

on all 6 units. The TM air duct

baffle repair on all 6 units –which

means cutting duct open in ar10

room. Moving the HEP

transformer from top to bottom of

hep gen cabinet.

Sand Fill caps and tubes for fleet;

including two new covers for the

502 with improved seal. Also the

material and skid to the HEP

engine modification for 12

Selected staff members took

forklift training on April 6th and

April 7th.

Financial Secretary’s Report

Members stood for a moment of silence for the following members

who passed away since our last meeting:

Martin J. Ruter, retired 66-year member

Kenneth Brooks, retired 50-year member

President’s Report

Cell Phone Policy

Had a meeting with management. After several arbitrations they have

agreed that the lifetime warning on the Cell Phone Policy will be reduced

to three years, and that suspensions will change from an automatic 20

days to a policy of ‘up to’ 20 days (degrees of severity). This policy

applies to student drivers also.

Contract Vote

The contract vote is scheduled for May 1st and 2nd. This offer is

better than the last offer. The board recommended it 19 to 1. Singles will

pay thirty dollars for health care, family coverage is down from what it

went up to in the beginning of the year. There will be a whole new

enrollment period (May 24-27). People will get a refund for any

overpayment.

Legislature

House bills, Senate bills and the governor’s bills will all come to a

head by May 23rd when the session officially ends. We are trying to give

the governor a reason to make sure he vetoes those transit-cutting bills.

We need to put the pressure on. Call your legislator, call your

representative. If he doesn’t use that veto pen, it is your job! The

governor had a transit round table which got very good news coverage.

We need members to show up for “Meet your Legislator” meetings set up

by Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Labor Federation and

Bobby Casper, president of the St. Paul Labor Federation.

Big "G"

At the union membership meeting

on March 22, Recording Secretary/

Ass’t. Business Agent Dan Abramo-

wicz fulfilled a lost wager. Being an

avid Vikings fan, he was forced to

wear a Packers hat for two days. He

had wagered against Dale Anderson,

Local 519 of La Crosse, Wisconsin,

that the Vikings would come out on

top of the Packers during the regular

season. The Vikings lost both games.

To make matters worse, during a

review of an arbitration video (with

the lights turned low) Dan's hat glowed like a beacon in the night from

the projector.

Heywood

Ilona La Douceur #66048

Faye Brown # 6331

Walter T. Curry, Jr. #3815

April 13, 2011 was Driver

Recognition Day. Certificates and

pins were given out to drivers who

had an outstanding year, along

with pastries, fruit and drinks.

We also celebrated drivers who

were recognized with lunch and

different awards. From Heywood:

25 years Elite - Richard Krafty

761; 25-year Safe Driving Award -

Howard Foxx 1664 and Duane

Lundgren; 15 years Superior

Richard Bledsoe 1609 ; 10 years

Prestige Jay Jensen 9157 and

Thomas Mohler 7662; 5 years

Master - Ron Lawson 2466 and

Daher Jacobs 3830. We congratu-

late you.

SAFETY

April is Safety Fair Month,

which means always be aware of

your surroundings and watch for

the unexpected. Use your Smith

Keys. Nicollet Mall has always

been a no-passing zone (buses or

bicycles). So remember: All you

can do is WAIT, unless you’re

behind a broken-down bus, an

emergency or farmer's market

vehicles. Otherwise you could

get a violation, because street

supervisors are writing them. If

you’re passing, you are creating a

blind spot and lessen the ability to

see the pedestrian who might be

crossing in front of the vehicle you

are passing.

Local 1005

Hosts ATU NW

Conference

June 8-11

The Northwest Conference of the Amalgamated Transit Union

encompasses 28 union locals in the western half of the United States

(excluding California) and includes Minnesota to the east. The Northwest

Conference also encompasses western Canada in the provinces of Alberta

and Saskatchewan and Greyhound operators throughout the western half

of Canada.

Represented members of the local unions include bus (local, intercity,

and over the road), rail, light rail and paratransit operators, as well as

dispatchers, mechanics, facilities maintenance, security, customer service

representatives and administrative positions.

The NWC has evolved from a legislative into an educational

conference. In the late 60’s it began as the Northwest Joint Conference

Board, a forum for local presidents and business agents to gather and

discuss legislative issues. The name of the organization was changed

from the Northwest Joint Conference Board to the Northwest Conference

approximately six or seven years ago. Over time, with the encouragement

of International Vice-President Mel Schoppert of Local 757, Portland,

Oregon (now deceased), the level of participation increased. ATU Local

memberships continued to grow, spurring an increase in attendance at

both the January Executive Board meeting and the June Conference. The

legislative agenda was phased out in the 70’s with the creation of the

Amalgamated Transit Union Legislative Council.

Some of the items discussed are negotiated contractual agreements;

trends or changes in working conditions common to the represented

properties; changes that have taken place at provincial, state and federal

levels pertinent to the transportation industry in the U.S. and Canada;

proposed by-law changes; training classes; seminars and presentations for

the June conference. Meeting locations vary. This year’s meeting will

take place at the Ramada Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.

(http://www.atunwc.org/history.htm)

There will be political speakers, representatives from the AFL-CIO,

ATU International VP's, and conference business with reports of locals,

etc. There will be additional forums on dealing with the media and

framing issues; communicating to the membership with technology and

web presence; and negotiating health care trends and wellness programs.

If you are interested in participating, please contact

your Garage Coordinator or the Union office. We need

van drivers, hosts for the hospitality room, errand

runners to stores, etc.

Nicollet

Melanie Benson #854

Twaya McIntosh #9002

Debbi Sievers #64222

Alec Johnson #66034

Ryan Timlin #66279

Blayne Williams #77

Please bring gently-used items

in for the Nicollet Garage Sale,

now set for July 30. This is a fun-

draiser for Cable TV in the drivers’

room and other activities, so

please donate generously.

Apparently we need a reminder

to park within the lines in the

parking lot, now that the snow is

gone and the lines can be seen

again. Anyone who has ever tried

to find a parking space when the

time to plug in is close knows how

frustrating it is to find one vehicle

straddling two spaces. Also, do not

park in no-parking zones, or your

vehicle could be ticketed and

towed.

The Nicollet Club now has an

old-fashioned popcorn machine in

the trainers’ room. Popcorn is 50

cents a bag. Sale of the popcorn is

another fundraiser for the Nicollet

Club.

Jim Swartout #69041 brought

Mardi Gras into Nicollet Garage

by distributing colorful bead neck-

laces, wearing a festive hat and

bringing in traditional “baby

cakes.”

Final Contract Offer continued

three-step to a two-step system.

The Payroll Department is finally back in the ATU.

Weekend- holiday part timers (not all part time) will be paid time and

a half for hours worked on the holiday. This is not holiday pay. (#20).

Maintenance: 4 day/10 hour shifts allowed (#23). The same thing is

allowed in LRT (#60).

The clock whistles in the Maintenance Department are gone (#26).

Union providers of optional benefits such as short term disability will

be allowed. These benefits are not mandatory but they will be able to be

paid through payroll deductions (#54).

LRT certification for Maintenance members similar to the bus side

(#63).

A Run Time Committee will be created for problem routes. The ATU

will select operators for every committee established. The committee will

start with the September 2011 pick (#85). If interested, contact the union

office with routes you know about.

Michelle Sommers, president of ATU Local 1005, said the approved

contract reflects a trade off: Members agreed to a two-year wage freeze

in exchange for seeing no changes to their health insurance plans.

“It’s not a great offer, but we needed to keep health care the same,”

Sommers said. “That’s a big issue to us.”

HealthPartners contract expires in December of 2012. This is the

reason that the company would only offer us a two year contract.

Dave Rogers, LRT Operators Board member, Tom Mevissen, North-

star Commuter Rail Board member, and Maria Hennes-Staples, MJR

Operators Board member, watch the ballot box at the Roy Wilkins

Auditorium.

MJR

Jackie Williams #66180

Anastasia Bloodsaw #2297

Retirements

Congratulations to the follow-

ing retirees:

Roxanne McClurg, Driver # 31,

who started on May 5, 1977 and

retired May 2, 2011.

Garold Campbell, Driver #1266,

who started May 7, 1984 and

retired May 13, 2011.

In other news:

There are now seven Maple

Grove coaches, and the new Maple

Grove terminal on Maple Grove

Parkway has been open for at

least two months. No more park-

ing in the Walmart parking lot!

Congratuations to Dereje Tafesse

on his OJE at East Metro. (From

MJR as a assitant manager trainee)

Congratulations to Marsha Smith

who won her arbitration. She is

now back to work at the Heywood

facility.

A warm welcome to new tran-

fers into Ruter.

Nebiyu Fula # 68229, Maintenance

fueler.

German Gonzales #68117,

Maintenance Cleaner

Radar McManus #64171,

Maintenance Cleaner

General Cleaning of Buses

While there may not be any OSHA regulations related specifi cally to

bus cleanliness, there are ways that we, as union members, can keep the

interiors of buses cleaner and more sanitary.

Drivers, in addition to lining their trash bags, may, if they choose, pick

up large litter (such as newspapers and bottles, etc.) left by passengers

on the seats or fl oors, in the interests of making the interior of the bus a

more welcoming environment. Drivers who pick up litter on the buses

may use the Purell wipes provided to clean their hands afterwards. Some

drivers worry that, by picking up large litter, they will be taking other

union members’ jobs away, but cleaners will always be needed. The need

exceeds employee capacity.

Sweepers clean bus interiors at the end of the day, about 75 buses per

shift. When a bus has been swept, the sweeper leaves the trash bag upside

down on the dash to signal its completion.

General cleaners, on the other hand, have a 22-item list of things that

need to be cleaned on a bus on a more infrequent basis. One cleaner can

clean two to three buses a day with vacuums, water and cleaning solutions.

Stay Healthy on the Jobby Melanie Benson, Driver #854

What’s about a foot long, six inches

wide and a foot deep, made out of blue

upholstery fabric sewn onto a metal frame,

that sits about two feet from a driver’s face and less than two inches from the mouth-

piece of the radio handset? Right – the trash bag.

The bad news is that these bags are, at the very least, extremely unat-

tractive. Because of their construction, they’re very hard to clean, and

their use and age show. Whether or not they could actually be unhealthy

for the drivers is a matter for discussion. Drivers have been known to rest

their thermoses in these trash bags. This is not a good idea.

The good news is that there are plastic liners for them. It’s just a mat-

ter of making them available at all garages and encouraging drivers to

use them. In the January/February issue of this newsletter, Pat Whelan,

a cleaner of 18 years (who recently retired) cautioned that “plastic liners

should always be used in these bags.”

The black plastic bags are available from the stockroom and should

be placed in a convenient location so the drivers remember to carry them

when they go out to the bus. With a little bit of practice, these liners can

be placed in the bags without ever having to touch the bag itself.

Even if there are some drivers who are not squeamish and don’t mind

looking at the bags, aesthetics should be a consideration for our passen-

gers, who can see into the bags when they pay their fares and sometimes

ask permission to deposit their own items in the bag. Clean black plastic

makes a much more tolerable sight than the stained receptacles we use

now.


725 Bldg

Scott Lindquist #6401

New and News at the

Instruction Center

Transit Ambassador classes

will again be offered soon. There

have not been Ambassador

classes for quite a while now.

Operators who are interested

should contact their Garage

Coordinators to see if you get on

the list. Also, if you are interest-

ed in Safety Keys, the same

applies: contact your Garage

Coordinator.

Just for fun—

Rules and Regulations of the

Twin City Lines:

TRAINMEN AND BUS

DRIVERS’ GUIDE, (revised

July 1, 1950)

Operating Rules For the

Government of Trainmen and

Bus Operators;

Minneapolis Street Railway

company

The Saint Paul City Railway

Company

The Minneapolis and St. Paul

Suburban Railroad Company

Twin City Motor Bus Company

#7. Trainmen and bus operators

shall provide themselves with

not less than $5.00 in change

before reporting for duty and

may be required to show this

change to an authorized person

before taking a vehicle from the

station or Garage. The Company

issue of a supply of tokens to

employees remains the property

of the Company. At the start of

each day’s work this supply shall

be carried as “tokens” and not as

“cash."

Hanley Elected to

the Executive Coun-

cil of the AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON, DC (April 13,

2011) – Larry Hanley, international

president of the Amalgamated

Transit Union (ATU), was elected

to the executive council of the AFL-CIO today. Hanley, a Staten Island na-

tive and thirty-year veteran of ATU, has served as the union’s International

President since last September.

“We are excited to have Larry Hanley join the Executive Council of the

AFL-CIO,” said Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO. “Larry is a

passionate organizer and a committed advocate for working families. Over

the decades, he has never shied away from confrontation or ducked a crisis

but used creative tactics, like carrying coffi ns into public hearings to protest

privatizing bus work and hiring a stagecoach to fi ght for more funding for

mass transit. Larry is a passionate communicator and organizer as well as a

committed advocate, and we are happy to welcome him to the Council.”

“I’m honored to join the AFL-CIO’s leadership team at such a crucial

moment for organized labor,” said President Hanley. “I look forward to

working alongside these fi ne men and women to not only defend and protect

the rights of American workers, but also to give a voice to the millions of

mass transit users being affected daily by devastating service cuts.”

Over his thirty-year career in the ATU, President Hanley has been a lead-

ing advocate for mass transit, vocally opposing service cuts and fi ghting for

increased regulation and better wages in the intercity bus industry. Hanley

testifi ed last week before the House Transportation Committee, discussing

legislative reform for the country’s surface transportation programs.

Diabetes Part TwoFrom the "Bad Girl" - Faye Brown #6331

Have you had your sugar level checked lately? You will be surprised

how easy it is to correct a problem. RECAP of previous article: If you

fi nd yourself with the misfortune of being diagnosed with diabetes, it's

not the end of the world, if you do something about it. Eat right, exercise,

and, if you have to take insulin, get the required waiver to drive.

Okay, let's move on: The symptoms can vary, so don't panic if you

have these:

TYPE 1: a) Frequent urination, b) Unusual thirst, c) Extreme hunger, d)

Unusual weight loss, e) Extreme fatigue and irritability

TYPE 2: a) Any of Type 1 symptoms, b) Frequent infections, c) Blurred

vision, d) Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, e) Tingling/numbness in the

hands/feet, f) Recurring skin, gum or bladder infections

Often, people with Type 2 have no symptoms. See your doctor to be

better safe than sorry. You don't want to wake up dead if you can help it.

“Not me!” That's what the last unchecked diabetes patient said before the

blindness and loss of limbs, and before they buried him/her.

TRANSIT SAFETY/SECURITY

COMMITTEE (TSSC)

MEETING MINUTES

Disclaimer:

Due to format changes, these columns are not exact

replicas of TSSC minutes. We cannot assure the accura-

cy of all data. The exact minutes are posted after each

meeting at the operating garages.

March 3, 2011

Members of the Committee Present:

Christina House - Committee Chair

Danielle Julkowski - Management Advisor

Dereje Tafesse - MJR

Lisa Benson - South

Darrell Hanson - Nicollet

Jerry Langer - MJR

Leatha Falls - FTH

Others in attendance:

Chuck Wurzinger - Maintenance

Brenda Himrich - Safety

Eric Isakson - TCC

Debra Downing - Street Operations

Jim Franklin - MTPD

CALL TO ORDER

Christina House called meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. in FTH Chambers.

REVIEW OF MINUTES

No February minutes.

VISITORS

Brad Carlson - Operator, Nicollet Garage

POLICE REPORT

Jim Franklin in attendance:

• Onboard goals (250 hours) were met for January, February

• Mid-April “Safe Zone” will start - 1500 hours

• 2010 - 17 felony assaults on Operators -15 arrests. Industry standards

are very high.

• Plain clothes still in force.

• Metro Transit PD –Value to the organization

TCC REPORT

Eric Isakson in attendance:

• February Call Volume

RTT: 10,015

South

Liz Goldberg #1630

Stacey Taylor #70055

South’s Shining Star

ANNA PENLAND

Just recently crowned Relief

Instructor, Anna is no stranger to

transit. With over 16 years as an

operator for Metro Transit, seven

years with the Metropolitan Atlanta

Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

and three more years back at Metro

Transit as a driver and Peer Support

Rep, she totals over 27 years in

transportation. Gregarious,

energetic, and personable, Anna

charms everyone with her passion

and drive. Congratulations on your

promotion, Anna! We love you!

PAUL KRECH - OJE

Participant

Paul has completed his recent

12-week On the Job Experience

internship at South. Previously he

was a part-time South operator

from 2001 to 2004 and then went to

Service Development as a

Scheduling Analyst.

Good humor, people and

numbers are what Paul enjoys most

- and his internship satisfied that

criteria nicely. Paul - Thank you!

You’re charming, funny, down to

earth and we’ll miss you!

Good Luck, RANDY FINCH

This relief instructor, operator

and ROADEO Star will be

competing in the upcoming

National Transportation Roadeo,

with all of our best wishes! We are

so proud of you!


PRTT: 2,894

Overt: 159

Covert: 325

Covert Events: 100 (78 Regional)

Dispatched as Covert: 5

• New Hire - Maria Rios was a TCC OJE

SAFETY REPORT

Brenda Himrich in attendance:

• Metro Transit, Bus National Transit Database (NTD)

Reported Collisions - Safety Total by Year

2008 / 2009 / 2010

Total NTD: 74 / 70 / 59

Fatalities: 0 / 2 / 1

Miles 30,268,310 / 29,786,217 / 29,778,884

RISK

No Report

LRT

No Report

STREET OPERATIONS

Deb Downing in attendance:

• Marq 2 Corridor - Metro Mobility allowed to pick up

persons in wheelchair during rush hour.

• 5th St Garage - The end platforms will be fixed for

wheelchair accessibility this spring.

• 5th St Garage - Vandalism in the men’s bathroom

located in the Driver’s Room - The sink has been

pulled off the wall two times. Please notify TCC,

Street Ops or a Manager with information.

• CCLRT detours have started.

Concerns:

• WB 7th St/Rankin, Rte 54 bus stop not plowed –Two

passengers with walkers.

• Request for Marq 2 to be moved up in priority for

plowing.

MAINTENANCE REPORT

Chuck Wurzinger in attendance:

• Convex mirrors for MCI coach buses have been

ordered. Installation will be a quick process.

• 25 Low-floor artics on order - 10 to South, 15 to

MJR

• 105 Low floors on order

Respectfully submitted,

Danielle Julkowski, TSSC Mgmt. Advisor

There was no April meeting.

TLC News Conference

Transit for Livable Communities, a transit-advocacy organization, called a news conference March 31 at the

State Capitol to respond to the legislature’s proposed drastic cuts in transit funding.

Speakers included elected and appointed officials, members of TLC, transit riders and President Michelle

Sommers of ATU Local 1005. Several local television stations sent crews, as did smaller news organizations.

This proved to be a good opportunity for transit supporters to meet one another and defend public

transportation.

Michelle Sommers discusses a point

with others attending the Transit for

Livable Communities news conference.

Left: TLC staffers Hilary Reeves, Barb Thoman, and Michelle Dibblee

“walk their talk” by returning to their office on Selby Avenue from the

State Capitol by both walking and taking the bus. Here, they pose with

a passenger.

Some Union Historyby Deborah Sievers #64222

A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common

goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on

behalf of union members (rank and file members) and negotiates labor contracts (collective bargaining) with

employers. This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring,

firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies. The agreements negotiated by the

union leaders are binding on the rank and file members and the employer.

INTERESTING FACTS ON WOMEN IN UNIONS

• In 1863, a committee in New York City, organized by the editor of the New York Sun, began to help women

collect wages due them that had not been paid. This organization continued for fifty years.

• Also in 1863, women in Troy, New York, organized the Collar Laundry Union. These women worked in laun-

dries making and laundering the detachable collars stylish on men’s shirts. They went on strike, and as a result

won an increase in wages. In 1866, their strike fund was used to aid the Iron Molders Union, building a lasting

relationship with that men’s union. The leader of the laundry workers’ union, Kate Mullaney, went on to

become assistant secretary of the National Labor Union. The Collar Laundry Union dissolved July 31, 1869, in

the middle of another strike, faced with the threat of paper collars and the likely loss of their jobs.

• The National Labor Union was organized in 1866. While not exclusively focusing on women’s issues, it did

take a stand for the rights of working women.

• The first two national unions to admit women were the Cigarmakers (1867) and the Printers (1869).

• Susan B. Anthony used her paper, The Revolution, to help working women organize in their own interests.

One such organization formed in 1868, and became known as the Working Women’s Association. Active in this

organization was Augusta Lewis, a typographer who kept the organization focused on representing the women

on pay and working conditions, and kept the organization out of political issues such as woman suffrage.

• Miss Lewis became the president of the Women’s Typographical Union No. 1 which grew out of the Working

Women’s Association. In 1869, this local union applied for membership in the national Typographer’s Union,

and Miss Lewis was made corresponding secretary of the union. She married Alexander Troup, the union’s sec-

retary-treasurer, in 1874, and retired from the union, though not from other reform work. Women’s Local 1 did

not long survive the loss of its organizing leader, and dissolved in 1878. After that time, the Typographers admit-

ted women on an equal basis to men, instead of organizing separate women’s locals.

• In 1869, a group of women shoestitchers in Lynn, Massachusetts, organized the Daughters of St. Crispin, a

national women’s labor organization modeled on and supported by the Knights of St. Crispin, the national shoe

workers union, which also went on record supporting equal pay for equal work. The Daughters of St. Crispin is

recognized as the first national union of women.

The first president of the Daughters of St. Crispin was Carrie Wilson. When the Daughters of St. Crispin

went on strike in Baltimore in 1871, the Knights of St. Crispin successfully demanded that the women strikers be

rehired. The depression in the 1870s led to the demise of the Daughters of St. Crispin in 1876.

• The Knights of Labor, organized in 1869, began admitting women in 1881. In 1885, the Knights of Labor

established the Women’s Work Department. Leonora Barry was hired as a full time organizer and investigator.

The Women’s Work Department was dissolved in 1890.

• Alzina Parsons Stevens, a typographer and, at one time, Hull House resident, organized the Working Woman’s

Union No. 1 in 1877. In 1890, she was elected district master workman, District Assembly 72, Knights of Labor,

in Toledo, Ohio.

• Mary Kimball Kehew joined the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union in 1886, becoming a director in

1890 and president in 1892. With Mary Kenney O’Sullivan, she organized the Union for Industrial Progress,

whose purpose was to help women organize craft unions. This was a forerunner of the Women’s Trade Union

League, founded in the early 20th century. Mary Kenney O’Sullivan was the first woman hired by the American

Federation of Labor (AFL) as an organizer. She had earlier organized women bookbinders in Chicago into the

AFL and had been elected a delegate to the Chicago Trades and Labor Assembly.

• In 1890, Josephine Shaw Lowell organized the Consumers’ League of New York. In 1899, the New York

organization helped found the National Consumers’ League to protect both workers and consumers. Florence

Kelley led this organization, which worked mainly through educational effort.

Source: Women in History on the AFSCME website

FIRSTS IN BLACK LABOR HISTORY

1850 The American League of Colored Laborers, the fi rst organization of black workers, was established in

New York City.

1869 The National Labor Union is the fi rst organization of white workers to advocate the creation of black

labor unions and to allow blacks to attend its annual meeting.

1869 The fi rst national black labor organization, the Colored National Labor Union, was formed.

1918 The Department of Labor's Division of Negro Economics, the fi rst federal bureau to attempt to ease labor-

related racial tensions caused by blacks leaving the South, was established.

1941 The Fair Employment Practice Commission, the fi rst federal agency to promote fair employment prac-

tices, was established.

1945 The Ives-Quinn Act, the fi rst state legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of

race, creed, or color, was passed.

1957 A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, was elected as the AFL-CIO's

fi rst black vice president.

1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the fi rst federal fair employment legislation, was passed.

Source: iea black history month timeline

LOCAL 1005 – 78 YEARS STRONG

The 2011 ATU Northwest Conference will be hosted on June 8th through the 11th, by Local 1005. This coin-

cides with the 78th anniversary year of our local. Below are excerpts from various sources that help illustrate our

union’s growth in the past 78 years.

In 1933 the streetcar company employed about 3,000 workers.

September 12, 1933 – More than 150 St. Paul Street Railway Co. employees met in the Labor Temple, voting to

form a branch of the Amalgamated Association of Street & Electric Railway Employees of America.

October 4, 1933 – The fi rst meeting of Local 1005 was held; Mr. Fay O. Rice elected president.

October 9, 1933 – Governor Olson gave his “wholehearted support” in a speech to more than 1,500 employees of

the St. Paul & Minneapolis Street Railway Companies.

November 19, 1933 – Contract proposals made at a board meeting included the following:

• Extra men to be allowed a $100 minimum wage per month.

• Hours to be reduced to 7 hours per day at 43 cents per hour.

• All runs to be completed in 11 hours.

• Overtime paid for all work in excess of 7½ hours.

• One hour allowed for each accident report.

• Mechanical wages: Apprentice – 40¢/hr., Laborer – 50¢/hr., Helper – 60¢/hr., Mechanic – 75¢/hr.

1934 – Twin City Rapid Transit Company laid-off employees without regard to seniority in some cases. The Re-

gional Board of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Street Railway Union in its fi rst arbitration; all affected employ-

ees reinstated.

October 6, 1934 – Motorman / Conductor Ole Johnson was shot and critically wounded while resisting a hold-up.

He died two days later. Two 17-year old boys confessed to the slaying, one youth was sentenced to fi ve to thirty

years.

February 14, 1938 – Valentine’s Day Strike lasts all of 36 hours.

1941 - Streetcar tokens were 7½¢ and cash fare was 10¢.

January 1953 - a strike vote was taken with the outcome: 1,850 YES, 38 NO. The strike was avoided when a

contract ratifi cation vote passed 1,103 YES and 65 NO.

August 11, 1953 – Monthly membership meeting attendance: 57

1959 - Strike of unknown length

1964 – Milwaukee and the Twin Cities are the last two areas in the country which have privately-owned transit

systems.

April 1965 – Editorial headline in Minneapolis Star reads, “Let’s Plan Now for Rail Transit”.

1969 - Strike of unknown length

1970 – Twin Cities Rapid Transit was purchased by the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC), established by

the Met Council to operate the bus system.

March 15, 1975 – Legislators’ report opposes rail for transit.

October 1995 – Local 1005 strikes against MCTO for 19 days. Tentative agreement reached at Governor’s man-

sion with ‘independent’ consultant to be hired to examine work rules and practices.

Operator Wage Rates

Year Rate Year Rate

1933 43¢ 1980 $8.27

1941 77¢ 1985 $13.57

1946 $1.02 1990 $15.09

1949 $1.52 1995 $17.28

1960 $2.55 2000 $20.04

1968 $3.44 2003 $21.80

1975 $6.19 2009 $24.19

Contract Notes:

1940 - Regular trainmen shall not be required to work more than 6 days per week. Regular runs shall be a mini-

mum of 46 hours for the week.

1949 - 7 days per year sick leave. Maximum bank = 35 days. Three weeks max vacation earned.

1949 – Sample pay rates:

Information Clerks - $197.68 per month.

Bookkeeper - $312.84 per month

Stock Keeper - $242.70 per month

Garage Clerk - $268.38 per month.

Electric Maintenance men - $1.53 per hour.

Motor Builders $1.77 per hour.

1978 - Wage rates began at $7.85/hr. Part-time operators hired.

1994 – Health insurance offered to part-time employees on a pro-rated basis.

1995 - Strike lasting three weeks

1999 - Part-time operators became eligible for 30-hour pay guarantee by letter of agreement; guarantee became

contract language August 2001, along with paid sick leave benefi t.

2003 – Local hosts North West Conference.

2004 - March - strike lasting six weeks after contract offer rejected. The opening of fi rst light rail line in June.

2008 - The passage of a quarter-cent sales tax increase by the fi ve counties to expand transit. August 5th - voted

to approve a two-year contract with Metro Transit.

2011 - May 1st: Voted on and accepted a two-year contract from July 31, 2010.

Other Notes: The Metropolitan Council was created by the state legislature in 1967 to plan for “the orderly and

economic development ... of the metropolitan area.” MTC, the Metropolitan Transit Commission, was created the

same year to “plan for a complete, integrated mass transit system for the metropolitan transit area.”

Since then, the evolution of transit decision-making in the metro area has included the TAB (Transportation

Advisory Board), the RTB (Regional Transit Board), the Light Rail Transit Joint powers

Board, and CTIB (the Counties Transitway Improvement Board). Confused yet? Check

out TLC’s 2010 report, Planning to Succeed? for more details. A brief history of transit

and land use governance is on pages 27-28 of their report. (www.tlc.com)

Historically, ATU-COPE (Committee on Political Education) has helped elect

local, state, and federal politicians who understand the importance of investing in qual-

ity public transportation. Those of us who are still fortunate enough to have a job know

that the tough economy is putting a tight squeeze on collective bargaining. Without

immediate action, unions and the middle class will be gone.

Any donation is appreciated. When combined with others, the funding can grow

into a powerful tool. Please donate a few dollars. It is set up with a payroll deduction.

Look for this form or see your union board member.

ATU COPE puts all our pennies together so that we can fight the billionaires. Greed

seems to have no satiability; and rules, morals and ethics go out the door. That's why

big business wants to do away with unions. We've got a lot of RULES, and we fight to

make sure discipline is fair and just. This summer, during our COPE drive, please give

what pennies you can.

Rally to

Support

Wisconsin

Workers

ATU 1005 members rode

the bus to Madison, Wis-

consin on March 20, 2011, a

rainy, cold day.

Following a stop at a Mc-

Donald's for a late breakfast,

we were ready to march. After

circling the capitol a few times,

we went inside and chanted. We

were back home by 7:30.

Labor Constituent Meeting

with Steve SmithSponsored by the

AFL-CIO

Minneapolis Regional

Federation of Labor

Representative Steve Smith met with labor constituents on April 20th. For the last decade, Minnesota’s state

budget has been balanced on the backs of middle-class families. We need you to tell your lawmakers that it’s time

for a fair budget, time for the richest Minnesotans to sacrifi ce too. Steve Smith has the message and has been

endorsed by the AFL-CIO. Thanks to Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Federation of Labor, for setting

up these meetings.

Stephen Babcock meets his

Representative Steve Smith (R) out

at the Mound Depot Center and

yes, that is a Teamster union jacket

on Steve Smith.

Tax Day - Make Them Pay Tax day is the day we do our civic duty and pay taxes. But while we

middle-class Minnesotans all pay our fair share, some billion-dollar corpora-

tions and the richest people do not.

Case in point: Exxon Mobil, with earnings of more than $45 billion, is the

world’s most profi table corporation. Be-

tween 1998 and 2008, it spent $5.7 million in

campaign contributions and $138 million in

lobbying expenditures, as reported by Think

Progress. Yet in 2009, it was not liable for

any taxes.

Even worse: Exxon Mobil, in 2009, re-

ceived a $156 million tax rebate.

Here in Minnesota, middle-class families actually pay a larger share of our

income in state and local taxes than than the richest do.

With little time remaining in the legislative session, it’s even more important to

make sure your legislators know you want them to protect middle-class families.

Most service garages have at least three cleaners. Depending on the number of buses at the facility, each bus is

thoroughly cleaned every 35-40 days or so.

Interrupting this schedule may be the need to clean buses referred to as “sick buses,” those which have been

contaminated by bodily fl uids and taken out of service. Special precautions (such as the wearing of masks, gowns

and gloves) must be taken when cleaning these buses due to the possibility of infection.

Cleaners and drivers would be grateful if other drivers would not make a mess in the driver compartment area,

especially with food items. No one likes to come to work and start with a dirty driver compartment for a shift up

to 10 1/2 hours long!

Take action to be considerate of your fellow employees. They will appreciate you.

Many thanks to Ralph Mason, Nicollet Cleaner, for his help with this article.

General Cleaning from p. 9

CENTRAL CORRIDOR PROJECT/FACTSby Ilona LaDouceur

The Central Corridor Light Rail project is underway. Here are some facts about the project:

Ø The 11-mile line will run on University and Washington Avenues between downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis, linking there with the Hiawatha LRT line and the new Northstar commuter rail line. The Central Corridor will share tracks with the Hiawatha Line when it meets downtown at the Metrodome Station.

Ø There will be 31 new light rail transit vehicles, each with 66 seats and comfortable standing room for about 70 people.

Ø Trains will operate every 7.5 minutes during peak hours, with travel time of 36 minutes between the two downtowns.

Ø There will be 18 new stations plus five stations shared with the Hiawatha line in downtown Minneapolis.

Ø Total cost $957 million

Ø The projected weekday ridership is 40,000 by 2030.

Ø The line is being built between 2010 – 2013 and is to open in 2014.

Ø The project is poised to create at least 3,400 jobs. These would be for engineering, construction, management and operating personnel.

Ø The corridor will continue to have Route 16 buses on University Avenue, running at 20 minute intervals, for riders traveling to and from locations not immediately served by rails stations, as well as express buses on I94 between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. The LRT line will be served by an expanded network of connecting bus routes to provide access to commuters traveling outside the corridor

Project Partners: Met Council (Lead local sponsor, Metro Transit, Minnesota Department of Transportation,

Ramsey County, Hennepin County, Counties Transit Improvement Board, City of St. Paul, City of Minneapolis

and University of Minnesota.

I will discuss some of the construction facts, timelines and other issues in upcoming issues. For more

information and updates on the project, check out the Met Council’s website: www.centralcorridor.org.

Dave Williams Retires

On March 14, 2011, Dave Williams, Stockkeeper at MJR (second shift) retired from

Metro Transit with over 16 years of service. Dave started as a bus operator on

November 21, 1994 and transferred to the Material Management Department on March

20, 1996.

Dave had planned to have a retirement

party, but an accident a few days before his

party prevented that. He is now recovering

successfully.

Dave plans to spend time at his lake home

and also take trips in the RV he purchased

last year. Beatrice, Dave's dog, has con-

vinced him it is time to go to the lake.

Knowing that ignorance of issues leaves us vulnerable to voices proclaiming half truths and outright

lies, we must do our homework NOW. We have to help our wonderful governor follow through with

getting the corporations and rich to pay their fair share of taxes. And no, we ARE NOT in that category.

The Oscar for best documentary this year went to Inside Job. I believe it was Director/Writer/Producer

Charles Ferguson who accepted the award. While accepting the award, he said none of the big players in

these corporate schemes have gone to jail. COME ON, PEOPLE! We have to do better than that. WE

have to keep the pressure on our government to plug the loopholes, add language to NAFTA that protects

us better/add incentives, and pursue white collar criminals. But we can’t do the right thing if we have no

knowledge of it, or if we are too busy enjoying the fruits of our forefathers, only to leave OUR CHILDREN

with barren trees.

I watched Inside Job, and here’s a quote from the ending:

“For decades the American financial system was stable and safe. But then

something changed. The financial industry turned its back on society and corrupted

our political system and plunged the world economy into crisis. At enormous cost,

we’ve avoided disaster and are recovering, but the men and institutions that caused this

crisis are still in power and that needs to change. They will tell us that we need them,

and that what they do is too complicated for us to understand. They will tell us it

won’t happen again. They will spend billions fighting reform. It won’t be easy, but

some things are worth fighting for.”

Inside Job is an awesome film!! Do some homework, watch a few documentary films and get

yourself educated. That does not mean sitting down and watching only entertainment channels. Yes, I

said entertainment channels!

Here are the documentaries that were up for Oscars this year:

Gasland

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Wasteland

Inside Job

Restrepo

It’s a year for middle class Americans to SACRIFICE OUR TIME in the fight to keep what our

forefathers have fought for and given us.

Sitting back and letting a handful of our ATU 1005 members pull the weight of 2,600 of us is

unacceptable. YOU! Yes, I am talking to you. Make calls to or email your representatives. Go to the

Local 1005 website (www.atu1005.com) and see if there is a meeting at the capitol you can make… a

rally you can attend… SOMETHING. If we all pitch in, we can be a force. It’s a time for sacrifice for

ALL of us middle-class people.

WAKE UP! Preventing the elimination of the middle class is worth fighting for.

Offi cer's Corner continued

Run Time Committee If you want to volunteer, contact the union offi ce to be put on the list. Please designate which problem routes

you have knowledge of. This committee starts in the September pick. (Please see contract article page 8 for

details.)

Mike’s family has three cabins and he imagines that he will

be spending plenty of time there fi shing and taking care of the

cabins and their lawns. He may do volunteer work and/or be a

ranger at the Hiawatha Golf Course. He loves golfi ng.

Bus 7200 has been dedicated to Mike Krakowski as a retiring

30-year employee, and a plaque with his name and picture will

be displayed at the Heywood Offi ce Building.

On Friday, March 25, the

Minneapolis Fire Department

paid a visit to LRT. Someone

had been using the grinder in

the Welding Shop and set off

the alarms. It has happened

a few times in the past six

months, and remedies are

being

considered.

RAINWATER CAFE CLOSES!‘Kracky’ Retires After 30 Years

The main cook for the Rainwater Cafe, Michael

Krakowski, closed the café’s doors on April fi rst (an

appropriate date).

‘Kracky,’ #5520 of the Material Management

Department, started at the MTC on March 30th, 1981

as a bus mechanic. He was laid off three years later

and given an opportunity to work in the Stores

Department (now Material Management). He survived

30 years of service.

Early Employment Shot

The Rainwater Cafe started when Kracky was in the main Overhaul

Base, and then moved to the Brake Shop when he became their

stockkeeper. One Friday, during a building fire inspection, the fire

marshal wrote Kracky up for having extension cords running all over the

place. Management thought they had finally gotten rid of the food

establishment. But by Monday, Kracky had the electrician over and had

the place rewired. The Cafe was still in business.

ATU Supports CTU

Transit Supports Teachers

Public Transportation Supports Public Education

by Melanie Benson #854

Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago Teachers Union, spoke in

Minneapolis at the United Labor Center on April 9th. In a show of solidarity,

ATU Local 1005 paid for the meeting room and endorsed the event.

According to Ms. Lewis, the ATU in Chicago has also been supportive “every

single step of the way” of the teachers’ struggle in Chicago itself, where

corporate interests are trying to dismantle public education.

The meeting, which attracted about 100 people, was chaired by Rob

Panning-Miller, a teacher from South High. He first introduced Pamela from

City View, a popular inner city school that was closed because, according to

the Minneapolis School Board, it had “no future” and was to be replaced by a

charter school;

Mel Reeves from the North High

Community Coalition (also in danger of

closure) who spoke against the

privatization of education and for

community control of the schools;

Brandon Madsen from the University of

Minnesota and a member of Socialist

Action, who outlined the threats to higher

education from cuts in funding that would

cause much higher tuition for the students and layoffs, furloughs and cuts in wages and benefits for the

workers. He recommended taxing the banks and corporations that are sitting on trillions and not paying

taxes.

Ty Moore of the Public Education Justice Alliance of Minnesota (PEJAM), who had spent three

weeks in Madison, Wisconsin during the mobilizations, gave a timeline on how the fightback developed

and involved so many people. In the face of devastating proposals to weaken unions and cut funding for

essential programs, the students and teachers in the public schools staged walkouts until 30 school

districts were shut down. Those who went to testify at the State Capitol became an occupying force, and

created human blockades of the House and Senate chambers.

Currently, the proposed legislation is held up in the courts and the movement has died down due to

the focus on a recall/electoral strategy, Ty reported, but he credits the movement in Madison as being

inspiring: “The whole country won’t be the same. We may lose the

battle, but the war is on! Ordinary people stood up, defied laws,

built coalitions and showed solidarity. They built networks and

drew lessons.”

Karen Lewis, member of the Caucus of Rank and file Educators

(CORE) and President of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)

Karen Lewis began her remarks by holding up the flier

advertising the event saying, “Do you think you could have found a

better picture of me than this?” After the laughter died down, she

proved to be down-to-earth, extremely knowledgeable and very

inspiring.

Chicago’s business community is going through a

Chicago Renaissance 2010, and well-funded public schools

are not part of its business plan. The attack on the public

schools is multi-faceted: Unfair standardized tests are

setting impossible goals, and then students and teachers are

punished for not making them. Then the argument is used

that the public schools aren’t working, schools are closed,

and charter schools (for profit) come in to take their place.

School closings lead to gentrification, where inner city areas

are developed for the wealthy. School closings also lead to

spikes in violence as students’ environments are changed and schools are scrambling for resources. The students

are the ones who get blamed. Some of these changes were spearheaded by Arne Duncan, former CEO of

Chicago Public Schools, now Secretary of Education in the Obama cabinet.

In response to these attacks, teachers, students and community folks found their voice and flooded the

hearings on school closings. The media were not responsive because they’re corporate-controlled, but Ms.

Lewis and others found it important to “speak truth to power, to be heard.” In conducting this struggle, some

teachers saw their (former) union president for the first time. Caucuses within the union helped elect Ms. Lewis.

Karen Lewis is an advocate of direct actions in the fight to protect public education, such as school

occupations, sit-ins, arrest if necessary, “changing the script.” She sees the necessity of working in coalitions,

and advises, “People have to agree to a platform and give it time and space to work. It’s all about relationships

based on trust and honesty. Have a mission statement. Values keep us together. Ask if people can testify, do

grievances and arbitrations, participate in direct actions. It’s all about direct action. Work with people who have

experience with it. Reach out and make coalitions happen. The rank-and-file is where it needs to be. The

voices of the people who do the work every single day are not being heard.”

Ms. Lewis cited the crucial elements of planning:

1) Does it unite us?

2) Does it make us stronger?

3) Does it build our power?

She continued: “Democracy is worth fighting for. Ask the people in Cairo. Public education is the last

bastion of real democracy. We can take our country back from the people who have stolen it. If you try to do it

by yourselves, they’ll roll right over you. Tax the rich. Instead of giving charity, make them pay.”

Karen Lewis made it clear that she prefers teaching in the classroom, but this is a fight that needs to be

fought. In response to a question about what the future holds, she left us with, “As long as there’s life, there’s

always hope.”

What is the Education Committee?from the ATU Local 1005 Education Committee By-Law 98

98. There shall be an Education Committee which shall consist of members interested in working in the

following areas:

1. Encouraging attendance at local union meetings by distributing information about the meetings and

soliciting suggestions about possible speakers and/or programs that would be of interest to the membership.

2. Developing good public relations with community groups and organizations.

TIC Humor

Actual True Stories

Well, today a lady said, “ I am going to Brooklyn Center Transit Center, and I need to get there at 10 a.m. I asked, “Where are you standing now?”

With all seriousness, she said, “I am standing in my bedroom.”

I had a senior lady who told me she was 83 and needed to catch a bus. It came up that she would

board at 6:28 p.m. She laughed and said, “Well, if I walk slow enough, when I walk on the bus I can scan my pass at 6:31.” She was a hoot.

I completed a three-bus trip. When it came time to end the call, I asked the caller, “Is there anything else I can do for you? She responded, “Not on the phone, hon.”

Another -

What time is the 19 on Penn?

Where are you going?

Downtown

Where on Penn are you?

38th.

Are you at Dowling and Penn?

Yes.

Standing on Penn at Dowling, the 19 Downtown will

be traveling south on Penn at 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

What?

At 2:15 and 2:30

Huh?

At 2:15 and 2:30

So it comes between 2:15 and 2:30?

No, at 2:15…

(She hung up.)

Okay, here is a call I just recently received -

(Synopsis: I’m giving route information to a customer for the 444 leaving MOA)

Customer: “Hold on just a moment, let me grab a pen…(pause)…Ok, go ahead.”

Me: (I start telling him the times the 444 is leaving the MOA)

Customer: “Wait! Hold on, this is a lighter. I need to get a pen.”

LOL…I got a chuckle out of it.

Okay, one more -

Customer: “Can you please tell me what time this

21A bus will get downtown St. Paul?”

Me: “Ok, where are you right now?”

Customer: “I’m on the 21.”

Me: “Ok, but where are you?”

Customer: “I’m sitting towards the back of the bus.”Me: “I realize you’re on the bus, but where is that bus right now so I can see what your arrival time in St. Paul is?”

Customer: “Oh! Well we’re just coming up to St. Paul.”

Me: (…just puzzled???)

Recently, my boyfriend’s 63- year- old mother’s car broke down. Unbeknownst to us, she had been walking a half mile daily to the Brooklyn Center

Transit Center, to catch a bus to work.

I came home in the evening and went to check on the ol’ lady and ask how her day went. “My day went just fine,” she said. “As a matter of fact, today I

received a little blessing from the heavens.”

“Really?” I replied, “What happened?” “Well you see, I was walking to the station and my legs were just tired - and do you know that out of nowhere, a bus pulled up just behind me and the lady driver motioned for me to hop on! It was like a blessing from the

lord."

I laughed so hard I began coughing. “Ms. Bev, I

don’t think that was a divine intervention, I think that

was the 724 on its regular route to the transit center!”

Caller: I need to know where to catch the 766 in downtown Minneapolis.

Me: Ok, well, where are you in downtown? I’ll find your closest stop.

Caller: I’m on 5th Street Avenue.

Me: Hmmm. . . are you on 5th Street or 5th Avenue?Caller: 5th Avenue

Me: Ok, well, walk about 3 blocks west over to 2nd Ave and the 766 will be traveling north on 2nd

Avenue. What is your cross street?

Caller: Nicollet

Me: Oh ok, well you must be on 5th Street then, just walk 2 blocks north to 3rd Street and stand on 3rd at Nicollet for your bus.

Caller: Ok, is that Hennepin?

Me: NO, that’s Nicollet.

In Memoriam

Martin J. Ruter, 88, from Hanover, passed away on March 23rd. He had been a

bus driver for the MTC for 48 1/2 years and an ATU member for 66 years. The MJR

Garage on Shinglecreek Drive was named after him. Martin continued farming

throughout his years. He would bring in huge gunny sacks of fresh corn for all to share.

He is survived by wife, Gladys; children, Kathy Septen-Johnson (Rick), Mark (Kandy),

Lynn Tiemann (Mark) and Paul (Dee).

Kenneth R. Brooks, retired 50 year member, age 87, of Apple Valley passed away March 20, 2011. He was pre-

ceded in death by his brother, Robert. Survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Kathryn; children: Linda (Roger)

Bristol, Scott Brooks, Russell (Debra) Brooks, Jane (Ron) Kompelien, Julie (John Albright, and Jackie Brooks;

grandchildren: Brandon, Katie, Kimberly, Amy, Ashley, and Jake; great grandchild: Josey; also by other loving

relatives and friends.

Do Not Support the Koch Brothers Industries!!

Brothers Charles and David Koch, with a combined worth around $35 billion dollars, are waging a war against

unions!

The Koch brothers are the majority owners in Koch Industries, America's second-largest private company with

revenues of $100 billion in 2009, and 80,000 employees in 60 countries. Koch Industries main source of revenue

is from the manufacturing, refi ning, and distribution of petroleum. They are major fi nancers of the Tea Party.

They also are providing money to run anti-democratic ads.

Do not allow your money to be used to sponsor the Tea Party. Don't buy these products!

Koch Industry/Georgia-Pacifi c Products:

1. Angel Soft toilet paper

2. Brawny paper towels

3. Dixie plates, bowls, napkins

and cups

4. Mardi Gras napkins and towels

5. Quilted Northern toilet paper

6. Soft 'n Gentle toilet paper

7. Sparkle napkins

8. Vanity Fair napkins

9. Zee napkins

CRYPTOEach letter stands for another. If you think A=F, for example, it would

equal F throughout the puzzle. Clue: B=E (Answer on page 31 )

Submitted by Pat Kelehan, Facilities Tech. #5470

A Z B B X B Y B C A Z W D V F B D Z V T

A V C A D G S T. G T T Z B Z V Y G C W

L G C G M D S M S B C A T?

"We Are One" Rally Spirits were high and chants resounded in the streets of St. Paul on April 4th, as 4000 people marched to the

State Capitol on behalf of workers’ rights.

This event, one of 1000 across the nation, was called by the AFL-CIO to respond to increasing threats to work-

ing families. April 4th was also the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Mem-

phis, where he was standing up on behalf of striking sanitation workers. King’s message of unity was echoed in

the theme of the actions: We Are One!

In St. Paul, thousands of teachers, government workers, transit workers and Teamsters, electricians and many

others were joined by the unemployed, peace activists, students and children in a powerful display of solidarity.

The chants were powerful: What does democracy look like? This is what democracy looks like! What

does democracy feel like? This is what democracy feels like! Negotiate, don’t legislate! What’s disgust-

ing? Union busting! No justice – no peace! Who does the work? WE DO!! WE ARE ONE!!!!

Veterans for Peace carried a banner asking, “How is the War Economy Working for You?” Children carried

signs saying, “I am not a test score.” Union banners and fl ags abounded. Union buttons were worn on union

jackets. A festive yet fi ghting spirit was felt throughout the crowd. Hooray for the AFL-CIO and everyone who

turned out and made it a memorable day!

Retired Members’ Clubs

Northside Breakfast ClubMeets 8:30 AM the 2nd Tuesday of each month

at Barnacle Bill’s, Shingle Creek Parkway and

Freeway Blvd, Brooklyn Center.

Southside Breakfast Club Meets 8:00 AM the 1st Wednesday and the 4th

Thursday of each month at the VFW Post, 67th

Street & Lyndale Ave in Richfi eld.

St. Paul Retiree Lunch ClubMeets 12:00 PM the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Mattie’s (formerly Wells Lanes ) So. Concord St., South St. Paul 55075

Metro Transit Mechanic TeammateMeets at 12:00 PM the 3rd Tuesday of the month

at Old County Buffet (by Petco), 2000 South Rob-

ert St., West St. Paul

RetirementsCongratulations to February Retirees

02/05/11 Glenn Goetz, EM Op. 2698

02/04/11 Steven Gilman, Nic. Op. 6462

02/06/11 Luther Manning, Nic. Mech. Tech. 5422

02/05/11 Howard Melco, OHB Body/Paint Mech.

Tech. 5137

02/05/11 Keary Olson, OHB Body/Paint Mech.

Tech. 1462

02/04/11 Kathleen Lindberg, MJR Op. 9848

02/01/11 Paul Manning, So. Op. 4486

02/18/11 Gerald Vernon, So. Op. 2476

02/28/11 Donald Lynch, Transit Store Cashier

Mpls. 3070

Congratulations to March Retirees

03/01/11 James Mathison, Nic. Op. 9347

03/05/11 Jerome Vietor, Hey. Op. 7028

03/09/11 Barry Palmquist, Nic. Op. 9056

03/18/11 Donna Standifer, Hey. Op. 5827

03/26/11 Diane Kelleher, Nic. Op. 844

Solidarity Meeting Members met April

6th to discuss legisla-

tive actions and strate-

gies to counter the "Tea

Party" and cuts to transit

funding by the Repub-

lican-led legislature. A

postcard campaign with

Transit for Liveable

Communities developed.

The 1005 Line

Remember, you can always access past and present issues

online at www.atu1005.com on the education page.

You can also see the results of arbitration votes and other

meeting results.

Patrick Whelan #3476, cleaner II at E.M. retired on

4/24/11. Photos and details will be in next issue...,

Retirement Clubs

Merle Seils #3061 (on left) drove for six

years on the streetcars and 34 years on the buses.

“There were coal boxes placed around to heat the

streetcars. A supervisor was hiding in the coal

box across from the State Fair grounds. He would

snoop by cracking the door a bit. A conductor

came along and got his coal and locked it like he

was supposed to. Snoop got locked in the coal

box!”

‘Gorgeous’ George Hruza #2879 (on right) is a

retiree who attends the St. Paul monthly luncheons

at Mattie’s on Concord Ave. He started driving at

the Snelling Garage, where he drove for four years

as a tour guide for Grey Line (until the line was

taken away) He spent three years dispatching and

fi nally was in management for another 14 years. “I

took pride in handling my garage problems at my

garage.”

Lawrence Beyer #3304 (on left) was the last

person to be hired for streetcar. He retired in 1985

with 34 years.

Jerry Johnson #2600 (on right) retired in 1992

with 35 years. (In case you are wondering - the

luncheon was on Ash Wednesday!) He retired in

1992. His dad was a conductor/motorman back in

the days where if you operated a one-man car you

got 10 cents, and a two-man car 5 cents.

Submissions for Letters to the Editor are subject to approval of the

Editorial Board and space considerations. Letters to the Editor are

solely the opinion of the author and do not represent endorsement by

ATU Local 1005 or the Education Committee. If you have an editori-

al to submit, please contact a committee member or our

advisor Dorothy Maki at: [email protected].

Letters

To The

Editor

Omission: Ryan Timlin, Nicollet Driver #66279, wrote the cover article last issue, "Egypt to Wisconsin."

Book ReportChoosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct

K.H. Rice #5975 East Metro

Dr. P.M. Forni, the author, teaches Italian literature and civility at Johns Hopkins University. His work has

been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, and the London Times. A

native of Italy, he lives with his wife in Baltimore, Maryland.

This short book, 194 pages, is easy to read and understand. I found myself thinking: That’s right, I haven’t

thought about that in a while, and that’s a good point. Short books are often easy to sum up in two or three

paragraphs, but not this one. The subtitle is The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct. So you can see that this one

RESPONSE TO LETTER TO THE EDITOR MARCH/APRIL ISSUE

What Have You Done to My Run?

Submitted by Kellie Miller

I would like to respond to a letter to the editor from the March/April ATU 1005 Line. I am an ATU Schedule

Maker in the Service Development Department. I have 33 years of service as an ATU member and served as a

Union Representative for 21 of those years.

My fi rst response after reading “What Have You done to My Run” was this letter should be sent to the Legis-

lature. Then I decided that I should explain things from my seat.

Yes we do work with numbers and statistics, but to say that we don’t go out and ride the buses and meet the

passengers is inaccurate. Some of the people in Service Development are required to go out and ride the buses

as part of their job. There are other parts of our jobs that require us to go out and work with the passengers at the

bus stops and/or street corners. We may not be out there every day and we may not see the same people every

Bus CleanlinessJackie Williams, Driver #66180, MJR Garage

Operators at Metro Transit are required by law to secure passengers riding buses in no less than three wheel-

chair securements. In order to maintain passenger safety, and be in accordance with the ADA, we comply. Who

is responsible for keeping these nasty straps clean?

As we touch people, surfaces, and objects throughout the day, we accumulate germs on our hands, and may

infect ourselves with germs by touching our mouths, noses, and eyes. Although it is impossible to keep our

hands germ-free, frequent hand washing can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes.

According to the Mayo Clinic, frequent hand washing is the best way to avoid getting sick and spreading ill-

nesses. Hands are to be washed in hot water and soap for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song

twice. Many of us don’t have enough time for that on our layovers. Some layovers don't even have facilities.

Winter seems to be over, but coughing, sneezing and colds never end. At one time I had to caution a passenger

not to let mucus drip from his nostrils onto my farebox. He boarded my bus talking on his cell phone with one

hand, fumbling to pay fare with the other hand, not realizing he did not have a third hand to wipe his nose. He

apologized and responded, "I didn't feel that coming." I hope sometime in the near future, we could wear surgi-

cal masks.

Many operators feel safe wearing driving gloves, but the problem is that the fingers are exposed. As an

operator, I feel this is definitely a health issue. Could a suggestion be made to management that every bus be

equipped with Purell cleaner that does not require water? This would be an investment, in that less time would

be taken off due to illness.

is meant to provoke thought and action. I liked it, but I am sure some will think it’s old school and out of date.

Dr. Forni believes it’s a timeless tool.

The good doctor sums it up this way: “Just about the most important thing we do in life is interacting with

other human beings. Shouldn’t improving the quality of this interaction be at the top of our agendas? Being

civil in our everyday lives is a time-tested way to bring about such improvement: A better quality of human

interaction makes for a better life. It is that simple. It really is that simple. All we have to do is stop, think

about it, and then act. The sooner, the better.”

P.S. Dandy Dan, our Recording Secretary, encourages us to try to be a good person and do the right thing. We

can do that by choosing civility. That, I know, is easier said than done. Still, it seems to be possible and

desirable.

The Unions Need to Fight the Budget Cuts!

However the budget battle in St. Paul ends, one thing is already agreed by both parties: Working people

should bear the heaviest burden for the economic crisis while corporations continue to enjoy profits.

The Republican plan for transit is to cut $130 million over two years. According to Transit for Livable

Communities: “The Metropolitan Council reports that House cuts would lead to either a $4.00 increase in fares

or (taking a system-wide approach) cutting 45% of regular bus route service and laying off approximately 550

drivers and related staff, plus other measures…”.

But it is not just Republicans cutting. Governor Dayton earlier this year proposed cutting transit by $10.8

million in cuts in the metro area and $2.6 million in greater Minnesota. His overall proposal for the state budget

will cut $2 billion, cutting almost a billion from Health and Human Services including MinnesotaCARE, $55

million from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, $36 million from the University of Minnesota, and $27

million from Minneapolis Public Schools. This is just the DFL’s starting point in the negotiations.

While we welcome the DFL’s proposal to raise $1.8 billion with a 3% income tax rise on the richest 5% of

Minnesotans it is totally inadequate, and would still leave tax rates on the rich and big business at historically

low levels. But still, in the end, the budget battle comes down to a competition between two corporate-controlled

parties over votes and the spoils of power. Our best hope to stop – or at least mitigate – the cuts is for the unions

and all social movements to remain fully independent of both parties, and instead unite around a mass action

strategy in opposition to all cuts.

There are some Unions standing up and we need to do the same! The International Association of Firefighters

announced it was suspending all contributions to Democrats in federal races. The San Francisco Labor Council

calls on “…the AFL-CIO and Change to Win to organize massive demonstrations in major cities across the

country to demand that the federal government bail out the cash-strapped states through one or more of the

following: a national mass public works program to put 27 million people back to work now; taxing Wall Street

and raising taxes on the rich and on corporations; a major and systematic reduction in the Pentagon budget, with

funds redirected to create jobs and meet human needs; and/or the repossession of improperly used federal bailout

funds that are sitting idly in the Wall Street coffers.”

day but not all the work is done in the offi ce with computers. Some of us even ride the bus to work every day so

we are the passengers.

I think most people know that our funding levels are set by the legislature. The service that is provided is from

a limited budget.

It is unfortunate that the routes change each pick. The changes that take place are to maintain the Service as

best we can by being as cost effective as possible while abiding by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. When

changes have to be made due to budget constraints we try to impact the least amount of people possible. This is

important to our passengers as well as all employees at Metro Transit. If we are not cost effective then that means

less service and less employees. We would need less Operators, less Maintenance Employees, less Offi ce people

etc. To imply that we do not care about the passengers is simply false. If we don’t have passengers we don’t have

jobs.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement dictates the percentage of straight runs and how many runs can be

“chopped up”. The contract trumps all and we see to it that it is adhered to.

If you have been paying attention to what is going on at the Capitol it sounds like it is going to get worse be-

fore it gets better.

So please try and understand that we are not intentionally trying to hurt the passengers or violate seniority or

take away your work. We do the best we can with what we have to work with.

The following was published on the Kare 9 website Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011 at 12:28 PM CST

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Metropolitan Council looking for ideas about what to name its developing system of

bus and rail transitways across the region. This system includes light rail, such as the existing Hiawatha Line

and the new Central Corridor line currently under construction. It also includes bus rapid transit service with

stations along Interstate 35W, Cedar Avenue and other high-demand corridors.

"We’re anxious to see what creative ideas the public has for this exciting new

element of our transit system,” said Arlene McCarthy, director of metropolitan

transportation services for the Met Council. “We’ll be looking for name ideas

that identify this service as a distinct part of our system, while incorporating

aspects of the character of the Twin Cities region.”

I can understand wanting a new marketing aspect and involving the public,

but if this requires new logos, paint schemes, etc., then that equates into money.

At a time when we are facing budgetary layoffs, I am against it. Our budgetary

resources can be better directed by serving the public with some more of our

outstanding service.

Stephen Babcock, 3128 Material Management, LRT

We need to build broad anti-cuts coalitions that involve the unions, all individuals and organizations ready to

join the struggle on a simple “no cuts” program. The unions need to take a lead role due to their power and the

numbers they can mobilize. Out of these anti-cuts coalitions, independent anti-cuts candidates should run in 2011

and 2012 challenging both corporate parties. We need to build a powerful political alternative to big business that

can defend our living standards and public services in the coming years.

• Organize mass protests, occupations, direct actions, and coordinated strike action to end business

as usual.

• Tax big corporations and the super-rich! Workers and youth shouldn’t have to pay for an

economic crisis that the banks created.

• End the Iraq and Afghanistan wars! Money for jobs and education, not war!

• Organize broad anti-cuts coalitions and run independent anti-cuts candidates to challenge the two

corporate parties.

by Ryan Timlin 66279, Nicollet Garage

Sources:

http://tlcminnesota.typepad.com/blog/2011/03/legislative-uphttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/

economy/25tax.html)

date-5.html).

http://www.truthout.org/urgent-new-reality-us-labor-unions/1305207931

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/us/politics/27firefighters.html

Answer

THE ELEVENTH GRADER HAS TANTRUMS. IS SHE HAVING JUNIOR

MOMENTS?

DRUG TESTING RIGHTSIf you do not use the specific wording when you request results from a positive drug test, the agency has no obligation to

comply. All they are required to do is give you a paper stating the results are positive. Every employee has the legal right

to request, in writing to the Medical Review Officers (MRO), copies of: the Litigation Package* of the initial test. (this will

tell you how your test turned up positive); the Confirmation (breaks results down into specific levels); the Threshold levels

(baseline of all tests)

The Litigation Package can be nearly 100 pages of technical data, which cannot be analzed or understood by a layperson,

including union officers. Professional interpetation is available at member’s expense, starting at about $50 minimum.

WEINGARTEN RIGHTS STATEMENTIf disciplinary action is suspected, read this statement to your foreman: I request to have a union representative present on

my behalf during this meeting because I believe it may lead to disciplinary action taken against me. If I am denied my right

to have a union representative present, I will refuse to answer accusational questions and any I believe may lead to

discipline.

A Night at the Bureau of Mediation Services

On April 15th the Executive Offi cers of ATU Local 1005 sat down to negotiate a contract with management

at 9:00 a.m. At 5:00 p.m. management wanted to adjourn for the day. The of-

fi cers pressed to keep going. They called out to some members to come and

show support. Members fi lled the building and were also outside. The night

went on, with an announcement of a tentative agreement about 11:30. It was

1:30 a.m. before it was recommended by the Executive Board. The member-

ship vote was postponed until May 1st because of the Good Friday and Easter

holidays the following week.

2011 may_june

Documents

contract o

proposed contract changes

new contract

union office

union historypage

whos michael moore

wake upwake upwake upwake

union meeting highlights