Vol. XL, No. 2 February 2017

news reviewATU Local 587

Kenny McCormickJuly 24, 1953 – January 20, 2017

Rest in Peace

In Memory of

2 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

Weingarten rights statementI 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 repre-sentative present, I will refuse to answer accusational questions and any I

believe may lead to discipline.

Business of the Membership Membership MeetingsAt the December cycle of meet-ings, the following business was addressed:

PROPOSAL to change Bylaw Article IV, Section 5; proposal passed and is being sent to the International for final approval.

PROPERTY YES NOKCM 44 2KTA 4 0JTA 2 0CTS 4 0

MOTION by Esther Hanker-son to spend up to $500 for food at the Charter meeting to celebrate Black History Month. Motion carried.

PROPERTY YES NOKCM 36 0KTA 3 0JTA 2 0CTS 4 0

TeNTATIve AgeNdAPlease note Saturday & Kitsap meetings

have been moved to 2/11/2017

CHARTeR MeeTINgThursday, February 2, 20178:00 p.m.The Labor Temple, Hall #12800 1st Ave., Seattle, WA

SATuRdAy MeeTINgSaturday, February 11, 2017NoonThe Labor Temple, Hall #12800 1st Ave., Seattle, WA

KITSAP TRANSITSaturday, February 11, 20176:00 p.m.TBD

JeFFeRSON TRANSITMonday, February 6, 20177:00 p.m.Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler Street Port Townsend, WA

CLALLAM TRANSITTuesday, February 7, 20176:30 p.m.Vern Burton Memorial Bldg 308 East 4th St.Port Angeles, WA

AFTeRNOON MeeTINgWednesday, Feb. 8, 2017 3:30 p.m.Renton Carpenters Hall231 Burnett Ave N, Renton, WA

Among Topics to be discussed: Tentative Agreement

unfinished Business:

MOTION: by Ludwig Becker that JTA 587 members be approved to spend up to $500 for a Union Solidarity Celebration (JTA does not receive funds for a holiday party). Motion carries through the February cycle of meetings

The following business was conducted at the January executive Board Meeting:

MOTION: by Mike Whitehead to reject any articles, bylaw proposals or letters to the editor submitted by any member not in good standing. Carried 17-0

MOTION: by Mike Whitehead to recommend sending the Tentative Agreement to the membership. Carried 16-0

MOTION: by Loren Cook to take a vote of confidence in President Michael Shea

MOTION: by Patrick Brady to approve the dues increase for 2017, per stated wages oh January 1, 2017. Carried 20-0

MOTION: by Patrick Brady to approve a dues increase for 2017, per stated wages on January 1, 2017. Carried 15-0

MOTION: by Patrick Brady to purchase a $100 gift card for each retiree working a polling spot during the Tentative Agreement Ratification vote. Carried 20-0

As per Bylaw Article III, Section 2.i, a member from the Executive Bard was selected to fill the unexpired term of Vice President/Business Representative. Nominations were made for Loren Cook and Mike Rochon. Ballots were cast, with Loren Cook receiving 6 votes, Mike Rochon receiving 12 votes.

MOTION by Ludwig Becker that JTA 587 members be ap-proved to spend up to $500 for a Union Solidarity Celebration (JTA does not receive funds for a holiday party). Motion carries through the February cycle of meetings

PROPERTY YES NOKCM 12 0KTA JTA 3 0CTS 5 0

Major Religious and Secular Holidays

February 20171 Vasant Panchami – Hindu

Spunky Old Broads Day

2 Candlemas – Christian

Imbolc – Wicca

Groundhog Day

4 Memorial Service for Kenny McCormick

Rosa Parks Day

5 Four Chaplains Sunday – Interfaith

Super Bowl Sunday

6 Pay-A-Compliment Day

8 National Fly a Kite Day

9 Chocolate Day!

11 Tu BiShvat – Jewish

12 Lincoln’s Birthday

NAACP Day

National Freedom to Marry Day

13 Lincoln’s Birthday Observed

14 Valentine’s Day

National Organ Donor Day

15 Nirvana Day

Susan B. Anthony Day

20 President’s Day

Curling is Cool Day

24 Maha Shivaratri – Hindu

28 Shrove Tuesday – Christian

Mardi Gras

*This list was compiled from information found online. Any errors are unintentional. If there are dates you would like included in upcoming months, please send an email to: crowe.recsec@atu587.org

3February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

Published monthly in Seattle.

Official publication of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, AFL-CIO, repre-senting employees of Metro/King County, Clallam Transit, Jefferson Transit, Kitsap Transit and Seattle Personal Transit.

2815 Second Avenue, Suite 230Seattle, Washington 98121Telephone: 206-448-8588.

Affiliations: Washington State Labor Council, King County Labor Council, Northwest Joint Conference

Board, ATU Legislative Council, Olympic Labor Council, Kitsap County Labor Council.

Articles/Letters to the editor

Letters/contributions must include printed names, signatures, work ID numbers, ad-dresses and phone numbers that can be veri-fied during working hours. Members must be in good standing to make submissions. Letters that cannot be validated will not be published. All articles/letters are subject to editing and should be limited to 1000 words or less. Not all letters can be published due to space limitations. Cut off is 5:00 p.m. on the 15th of each month, if the 15th falls on the weekend/holiday, cut off is close of business on the following business day. Any submis-sion from a member of Local 587 to the News Review deemed unprintable by the Recording Secretary shall be forwarded to the Executive Board for final decision to publish.

Send letters and articles as original Word documents to Cheryl Rowe at: crowe.recsec@atu587.org

MiChAeL SheA Pres/Business Agent email – mshea.president@atu587.org

1st Vice President/ Assistant Business Agentemail –

Mike WhiteheAd 2nd Vice President/ Assistant Business Agent, Maintenanceemail – mwhitehead.vp2@atu587.org

PAtRiCk BRAdy Financial Secretary/Treasureremail – pbrady.finsec@atu587.org

CheRyL RoWe Recording Secretary/ Editor News Review/Correspondent to ln Transitemail – crowe.recsec@atu587.org

oFFiCeRS oF the AMALGAMAted tRANSit UNioN, LoCAL 587:

Web site: http://www.atu587.org

Minority Affairs Officer ESTHER HANKERSONVehicle Maintenance Position #1 CORY RIgTRUP Vehicle Maintenance Position #2 MIKE ROCHON Vehicle Maintenance Position #3 JEFF STAMBAUgHFacilities Maintenance LISA CARTERSupervisors KEVIN BANKSSpecial Classifications ERIC BUTLERKing County Units Outside KCM NINUS HOPKINSTransit Operator Position #1 MIKE BURR Transit Operator Position #2 TzUR WILFANDTransit Operator Position #3 DAVID WINKENWEDERTransit Operator Position #4 LOREN COOKTransit Operator Position #5 KEN PRICETransit Operator Position #6 RANDY LEWIS Transit Operator Position #7 MARY J. NEWTONTransit Operator Position #8 LORRI KURTHClallam / Jefferson / Kitsap County ED STANARDRail Representative STEWART NEVLINg

news reviewATU Local 587

Executive Board ReportJanuary 24, 2017

The Executive Board had a special meeting on January 19, 2017 to review the TA. All members were present except Mike Rochon and Jeff Stam-baugh.

MOTION: by Mike Whitehead to reject any articles, bylaw proposals or letters to the edi-tor submitted by any member not in good standing. Motion carried unanimously 17 YES, 0 NO, 4 ABSENT

The Executive Board continued the special meeting on January 20, 2017 to finish review of the TA. All members were pres-ent except Lisa Carter and Jeff Stambaugh.

MOTION: by Mike Whitehead to recommend sending the Tentative Agreement to the membership. Motion carried 16 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSTAIN, 3 ABSENT

The Executive Board had its regular monthly meeting on January 24, 2017. All members were present.

MOTION: by Loren Cook to take a vote of confidence in President Michael Shea. Mo-tion carried unanimously 20 YES

MOTION: by Patrick Brady to approve the dues increase for 2017, per stated wages oh January 1, 2017. Motion carried 15 YES, 0 NO, 0 ABSTAIN, 5 ABSENT

MOTION: by Patrick Brady to purchase a $100 gift card for each retiree working a poll-ing spot during the Tentative Agreement Ratification vote. Motion carried unanimously 20 YES, 0 NO

As per Bylaw Article III, Sec-tion 2.i, a member from the Executive Board was selected to fill the unexpired term of Vice President/Business Rep-resentative. Nominations were made for Loren Cook and Mike Rochon. Ballots were cast, with Loren Cook receiving 6 votes, Mike Rochon receiving 12 votes.

Arbitration Update

1. Mark Kelly: grieved union work being performed by a subcontractor (bus wraps). ULP has been withdrawn by KC by Metro; Arbitration is being held in Abeyance pend-ing the 1 year outcome of MOA #410E2016 addressing the practice of Bus Wraps.

2. Kimberly O’Neal: grieved 5 day suspension for a serious

infraction; currently the Union and KCM are continuing to discuss the issue, if no agree-ment, a date will be set the first of 2017.

3. Tara Mullally: grieved termi-nation for unexcused absences; schedule pending.

4. Lia Fetui: grieved termina-tion for gross Misconduct; schedule pending.

Your Right to Retire Early

One of the benefits we receive as members of the Washington State

Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is the option to retire early, e.g., at age 62 with 30 years of service credit without a reduction in monthly benefit. Our current Labor Agreement with King County Metro allows those who retire early the option to purchase King County Benefits at the group rate from the date of retirement until age 65. At age 65, everyone becomes Medicare eligible. In the January, 2017, edition of the News Review, Executive Board Officer Tzur Wilfand revealed President McCormick intends to give

this benefit away. President McCormick, why are you giving away such a valuable contract benefit and why are we learning of your plan from an Executive Board Officer? President Mc-Cormick, just because you’ll turn 65 next year and giving away this benefit doesn’t affect you is no reason to not care. It doesn’t affect me, but I care about my fellow Union Brothers and Sisters. What else aren’t you telling us?

Editor’s note: this benefit is still in place for all Local 587 members who retire early. The complete language can be found in the Tentative Agreement, Article 12.3 on page 68

By Bruce Tiebout, #6477

4 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

Operators how many times have you called the control center for

a coach change or a road call because your fare box didn’t work? How many times have you boarded your coach only to find that the previous operator didn’t write up the jammed coin mechanism or bill transport? Maybe you are one of those many operators who will simply choose to ignore the problem and enjoy the smiles on your patron’s faces while allowing them to ride free? I’m sure these operators are very well liked by their regular patrons. In a drivers world where the breaks are getting shorter (if there is a break at all) I would believe that a coach change or a road call at the next park & ride location due to a fare box issue may be a very welcomed event. It may provide for a very much needed break. Whatever the case may be, it seems ironic that a device which was designed to collect money from our cash paying riders actually costs so much money to maintain.

As lead mechanics one of our tasks is to open work orders for our coaches. We rely solely on our memory to jog us when we have repeat problems. When we have a suspect repeater we can look up the repair history to see if our memory has served us correctly. I must have too much time on my hands here at Bellevue Base because I look up these repeat offenders quite often. We at the bases have only one logical solution for repeti-tive fare box issues…simply re-place the fare box assembly. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. So continuing to repair a fare box which has repetitive

power loss issues is insane, in my opinion. We need to remove that fare box assembly and send it to our Electronic Technicians at our Component Supply Center and allow them to do their magic. By the way, we have many other repetitive issues on our coaches but I’m picking on fare boxes here.

The info-view portion of our M-5 work order system is a great tool for shedding light on repetitive issues. But it isn’t automatic. We need to manu-ally run a report to dig up the information we’re looking for. For example, when running a report for repetitive fare box issues at each of the bases it’s easy to find them. It floors me that upper management allows these repeat offenders to go seemingly unchecked. I know “If there was a problem manage-ment would do something.” My intent here is not to make any waves for my fellow Electronic Technicians. I have recently conversed with one of them and there was a little defense on their side. “We don’t have any control over what foreign items go through these fare boxes” was one comment. My simple question to that state-ment would be this: Why do some coaches have virtually no fare box issues at all in an

entire year, while others are coming back on a weekly if not daily basis? Some coaches are written up multiple times in the same day for the fare box. The numbers don’t lie. Recently some action was taken to cover the fare boxes when the ESW’s were blowing out the inside of the coaches, but this didn’t last. The thought was that foreign matter was getting down inside the fare boxes causing some of these issues. You see the same dust on your dashes when you board your coaches. Again, why would this affect some coaches but not all of them? By the way, our fare boxes don’t appear to be going away any time soon.

I recently visited the ET shop at our Component Supply Cen-ter. I was very humbled while seeing their work load versus their work force. It just doesn’t make any sense. When I was hired at Metro almost twenty years ago we had Electronic Technicians at every base. We had excellent support for the electronic aspect of our coaches, which included fare boxes, signs and a multitude of other electronic components. A program of regular fare box preventative maintenance inspections was in place, just like we have always had on the

coaches. For some unknown reason over the years the ET work force has been reduced dramatica l ly. ET’s are no longer working at the bases, even though we have more electronic components on our coaches than ever before. Now when we need an ET at one of the bases we have to call our Component Supply Center. Although when called upon the ET shop is always willing to help, the lag time can be devastating. Our need at the bases to make enough coaches for sign-out has forced many of us to attempt repairs in areas where quite frankly we simply don’t belong. I believe this is a huge factor in many of our repetitive issues. Regular fare box preventative maintenance inspections are now a thing of the past. Simply stated, these repetitive fare box issues, sign issues, and OBS issues are a waste of our resources. Some of you in 587 may say “don’t mess with our bread and butter” but many of us actually do care.

I will close with this. When we make a repair on an engine for example, we always take the coach for a road test to make sure it performs like it should. This may sound trivial but hear me out. Why don’t we road test the repetitive fare box issues, sign issues, or OBS issues? I would say that the cause of a ma-jority of our power-loss issues is due to road vibration. How can we possibly duplicate any road vibration when the coach is sitting static in the yard? So leads if a mechanic or an ET comes up to you and says “I’m going out to road test the fare box” just let them go!

For some unknown reason

over the years

the ET work force has been

reduced dramatically.

“Mo Money”By Jeff Gravel #45261

5February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

The Shield — Optional Protection

A Letter to International

By Chuck Lare #12497, Atlantic Base Shop Steward

Have you ever been threatened, spit on, sucker punched or

worse? The f loor-to-ceiling Dutch-door style shield could be your ticket for greater pro-tection.

Protection is what we need from the threat of violence, a common and major stressor for transit operators, who are vulnerable to violent attacks at any moment. The social problems of urban society are often manifested in hostile acts directed at operators. Frustrated passengers may vent their rage about bad conditions in the vehicle the driver is well aware of but which s/he cannot control. Recently passengers became hostile over my keeping the heat off as it causes the new Electric Trolley Buses (ETBs) to shut down during early morn-ing operation.

Operating alone requires us to be pseudo psychologists to anticipate and handle all kinds of people and their troubles. You never know at any minute, anyone of them might attack. Each operator develops coping strategies to minimize disrup-tion and sometimes violence from passengers.

As a passenger on Lon-don’s double-decker buses, I observed the operator is com-pletely sealed off with plexi-glass. They also have a second transit employee in the back of the coach.

Obtaining a second transit employee would be vehemently opposed by Metro given the expense. And construction of a complete plexiglass compart-ment that seals-off the operator from the public would be very expensive and require a very long-time to retrofit buses. And being totally sealed-off

A couple years ago I like many other operators voted against the demonstrated shields, feeling they were not a perfect shield and you could be entrapped. Since then I have changed my mind as our jobs have become increasingly more dangerous and assaults occur regularly.

Who will be next? We can’t hold-out any longer for the perfect protection. The San Francisco style shields would require the assailant to really have to work to assault. While

the assailant is trying to “get at you,” the shield could give you the time to take evasive action. Or you could exit out the left hand driver’s safety window by pulling the red handle and flip-ping up the window enabling you to flee.

Enabling the installation of this style of shield could be installed in hours and I estimate for less than $5,000 a vehicle. That is a fast, inexpensive way to give you the option to button-up when you feel the need/fear.

would likely receive opposition from many operators whose interaction with the public is a source of their satisfaction and gratification.

This gratification can be preserved through use of the Dutch-door f loor-to-ceiling protection I observed installed on all the San Francisco Elec-tric Trolley Buses (ETB). This included their new 60 footers, same as our 4500s. The Dutch-door’s top half is plexiglass. This top half gives the operator the option to use or not the shield.

The shield option would be yours to choose. That choice would be well appreciated when driving routes late at night, knowing it could be quite awhile before anyone would respond to a call for help. Now before an assault occurs, you would have the option to “button-up.” Swing the top plexiglass portion closed and you now have put a protective barrier between you and the threat(s).

Threats are far too common for operators driving the urban core — another assault on an ETB operator is not a question of “if ” but “when.” Buttoning-up for protection is a protection option long overdue.

Dear President Hanley and International Representative Antonellis,

As you are aware ATU Local 587 has suffered a great loss in the passing of our Leader and Brother, Kenny McCormick. My commitment and concern have always been with our Union’s integrity and com-mitment to fairness. With that

said, I’m withdrawing my chal-lenge to the International and President Hanley involving the 2016 special election. I believe it’s a time to appeal to the side of our better angels and allow the membership to heal from our great unforeseen sorrow.

In solidarity,Judy J. Young

6 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

Premium Sharing

Premium Sharing—From your Financial Secretary

By Paul J. Bachtel, #6976, Retired President, ATU Local 587

By Patrick Brady, Financial Secretary Treasurer

It’s usually best that past Local Union Presidents fade into the background and

allow new Union leadership the opportunity to innovate and interact with employers and the membership. That was my intention when I left office and began my coast toward retirement. Unfortunately, the recently announced Tenta-tive Agreement between King County/Metro and Local 587 contains one proposal that, if approved by our membership, will most certainly lead to our membership paying part of the Premium for their benefits. I want to ensure our membership fully understands this proposal for Premium Sharing before casting a vote on the Tentative

Agreement.For at least the last 32 years,

full-time Local 587 members employed by Metro have re-ceived fully paid family ben-efits. Although deductibles, co pays, and maximum out of pocket expense levels have increased over the years, full-time Employees, as well as a large percentage of Part-time Employees, have not had to contribute to the cost of insur-ance premiums.

The recently announced Tentative Agreement, endorsed by all five of our Full-Time Union Officers, provides fully paid benefits premiums in cal-endar year 2017, but no increase in employer paid benefits pre-miums in 2018 and only a 2%

increase in 2019. If our insur-ance benefits costs increase at the national average, predicted to be 16% in 2017, you will be on the hook for all the benefit cost increases in 2018 and all benefit cost increases in excess of 2% in 2019. That amount could easily be $300 to $500 per month. Raising deductibles, co pays, and maximum out of pocket expense levels, will not be sufficient to cover these costs. The only realistic choice will be Premium Sharing because the Full-Time Officers of Local 587 and the negotiators for King County/Metro agreed to limit any increases in King County’s costs for Employee benefits with no limit in future costs increases which will be paid by

members of Local 587. I recommend our member-

ship Vote “No” on this Tenta-tive Agreement and tell our Full-Time Officers that we will not agree to Premium Sharing.

I’ll be fully retired before this all plays out, but I’d like to enjoy my retirement knowing you are still receiving employer provided benefits without pre-mium sharing.

Editor’s note: The ratifica-tion vote on the Tentative Agree-ment will have no impact on the 2018-2019 benefits package. Local 587 does not participate in total compensation bargaining; our benefits are not tied to our Contract.

For me, I always enjoy reading articles from previous Eboard and Full

Time Officers. With the date for the ratification vote being set for February 23, 2016 and the Tentative Agreement now fully available for examination, all 587 Members will have a chance to vote YES or NO with all the facts.

Former President Bachtel isn’t the first or the only former Officer to be making a NO rec-ommendation prior to exam-ining all the facts. Should the Membership follow his advice then…well… we don’t know, do we? In Paul’s April, 2013 News Review article he writes,

“I would much prefer ne-gotiated settlements with KC, ratified by our members and our KC Council. A win or loss in arbitration leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the loser. Un-

fortunately, the economic times seem to be demanding a political rather than a logical resolution in bargaining.”

In solidarity, Paul J. Bachtel

given Paul ’s, and most Members’ preference for a negotiated contract, I don’t understand why he presents his prediction of premium sharing as the fatal flaw and a reason to scuttle the five months of time and effort put forth by more than 50 Union Brothers and Sisters. During the (very costly) arbitration of the 2013 contract, Patti Cole-Tindall, then King County’s Director of the Office of Labor Relations testified, “The County does not believe that premium sharing would fos-ter a labor-management part-nership regarding healthcare costs or improve healthcare.” Were there scenarios presented

by the County during our recent negotiations which had many potential design changes? Of course, that is part of the ne-gotiation process.

My “expert” opinion, and that of the independent health-care consultant from Parker, Smith & Feek, Inc., is that we are on solid ground. Paul himself wrote in the News Re-view in September, 2013—the prime weeks of that contracts’ negotiation,

“The truth is that our benefit costs have decreased each year for the past 4 years.”

“(These negotiations are) one of the most expensive endeavors in our history…”

Former President Bachtel can sit from the perch of history, look down on the 376 page Ten-tative Agreement (which at the time he submitted his article he hadn’t read) and hope to trash the whole thing with this Op/

Ed. What I find most curious (and disturbing) about Paul’s Premium Sharing article is that the whole realm of benefits lies outside of this Tentative Agree-ment. Of course Brother Bachtel is entitled to his opinion, but it’s not based in fact. Our Pro-tected Fund Reserve is smaller, more isolated, and yes, more vulnerable than the 5 times larger fund which protects all the other JLMIC affiliated KC Unions. All the evidence I can find shows that Paul, without a vote of the Executive Board or the Membership, decided by his signature to walk away from the larger Union coalition (which now has lower co-pays and out of pocket maximums than we do) to have 587 go on its own. From my perch, this is the single-most short sided de-cision with the worst outcomes any 587 Officer has made in the last 10 years.

7February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

It has been my honor to have served the past year and a half with Kenny on the Union Board; but he was more than just a leader I admired, he was my mentor and my friend. His patience is a loss to all the members of ATU 587. 

My deepest most heartfelt condolences go out to his family in their time of grief. Kenny, may you find peace in your eternal rest. And know that the torch you bore with in-tegrity and pride has not fallen with you; but shall be picked up by others and carried forth.

Loren Cook #21530 

Kenny McCormick has been a fixture around Metro and the Union since I have been a member. I have been active to a greater or lesser degree for over 20 years. When I was chosen by my peers to be their Executive Board Representative (again), Kenny was a familiar face. Many of the members of the Board were brand new, and still learning how these types of meetings were run. At times, Kenny would get frustrated at how meetings were going, but I pulled him to one side and explained that some of my fel-low Board members were too ignorant (not stupid, just not taught yet) to even know what questions to ask to get help. Kenny took it to heart, and his patience and ability to explain the process, and to nurture these officers created the strong Board we have today. Thank you, Kenny, for all your help and passion.

Lisa Carter #55079Facilities E Board Rep

My first memory of Kenny McCormick was coming in to East base with snow causing everyone problems and apolo-

In Memory of Kennyone of the nation’s largest, most effective transit agencies. I have ordered flags at all King County facilities lowered until sunset on Wednesday, Jan. 25, in honor of Kenny’s life and legacy. My deepest sympathies are with Francene McCormick, her fam-ily, and all who were touched by Kenny’s work and life.

Dow Constantine, King County Executive

With a heavy heart, I write to let you know that Kenny McCormick, long serving King County Metro employee and President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, passed away late on Friday evening. With his sudden passing, gone is a valued colleague, tireless leader and committed friend.

As both dedicated employee and union leader alike, Kenny cared about the safety, security, and well-being of his members and col leagues more than anything else. At every turn, he emphasized respect as the foundation of all relationships. He worked to demonstrate that in his advocacy, whether for individual employees or for big issues like the expansion of public transit. All can read-ily agree: he truly cared about Metro, and he believed his role as a union leader was to make the agency as good as it could be.

Please join me in offering our deepest sympathies and prayers of support to Francine McCormick and her family. For whatever our loss may be, it does not compare to theirs. I know all of our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.

Take care of each other and be safe.

Rob Gannon, General Manager

I wanted to express my deep-est sympathy for the passing of Kenny this weekend.

Denise Cobden,PTE Local 17

We are all shocked and sad-dened by the news about Mr. McCormick. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Vici McDonald, ESMS Co-ordinator Kitsap Transit

I know I’m one of very many who are passing along their condolences for your loss. And really, it’s “our” loss even though you feel it most deeply. I didn’t have much of an opportunity to get to know Kenny, but his passion and caring about Metro operators were readily apparent. I left our meeting last week feeling especially optimistic about our future working together and making a positive difference for operators. There’s no doubt all of you will continue Kenny’s vision and his legacy.

Kathy Crego, Transit Employee & Labor Relations

Supervisor

In a recent conversation, Kenny said that he was the hap-piest he had ever been.

Brian Sherlock

I want to express my grief and sympathy to each of you at the loss of Kenny McCormick. Kenny’s passion, commitment, and vision in support of work-ing people was unquestionable. Even in his final moments, he was working to improve the lives of our members. May the source of peace send peace to all who are in need of healing. May Kenny’s life be a blessing to us all.

Beth Bloom, Frank Freed Subit & Thomas

gizing to this window person I didn't know for being 3 minutes late my car had slid. His answer was, are you uninjured? To my reply of yes he said you are on time — with snow just showing puts you to work. Through the years this supervisor and I may have had differences of opinion on Contract interpretation but he always wanted to ensure that you the person was alright. He was committed to his Family, his Union, and his Beliefs; you could always count on him to follow through with anything he started.

Kenny McCormick will be missed. My condolences go out to his family, friends and our Union as we have lost a good man.

Mary Newton, East base operator and E Board Rep

To Local 587 ATU constitu-ents: I send my sincere condo-lences to family and friends of Kenny McCormick. I am sorry I did not use the opportunity to speak to Kenny when I had one on different terms. I cursed this world for being unfair. Thank you Kenny for your service and watchful eye all around. Bless you,

Gloria Davidson (Acosta #2990)

This past weekend we lost

Kenny McCormick, a long-time Metro employee and President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587.

Kenny was a relentless advo-cate for the people he worked alongside and the thousands of ATU 587 members who safely get the people of King County where they need to go every day. His mantra was to “make Metro number one” and his work and partnership have helped us build King County Metro into

8 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

9February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

10 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

The 1st Vice President’s Report

By Michael Shea

Kenny Was the True Embodiment of a Unionist

This is a very sad article for me to write. My longtime friend and co-worker

President Kenny McCormick passed away on Friday January 20, 2017 due to a sudden illness. I wish his family well during these trying times and my deep-est sympathies go out to them; they were his first love. He truly loved each one of them and they were his world.

His family came first but his second love and passion was this Union. I have known Brother McCormick for over 30 years and I can say that he was one of my friends. I observed his tri-als and tribulations during his early years at Metro. He had a tough time, and this lead to him

The Recording Secretary’s Report

Giving Our Best to the MembershipBy Cheryl Rowe

Before I ran for Record-ing Secretary, I did not know Kenny beyond

recognizing his name. After I made it through the primary, Kenny asked to meet with me. We sat down and talked for a couple of hours, discussing our views on 587 and the positive changes we wanted to make to improve members’ working conditions. We were surpris-

becoming involved in union activities. He just wanted to help and assist other members so they would not have to suffer through the indignities that he had to go through. His commitment to the Union began then.

Kenny was the true embodi-ment of a unionist. He started his career of activism as a shop steward like so many of us have and did it for many years. He then became a Chief Shop Stew-ard. Through all of these times his goal was to help the members of this Union. He then ran for and was elected to the position of Recording Secretary. Still seeing the need to serve his fellow mem-bers, he decided to run for the office of Vice-President, which he successfully accomplished.

During his time as Vice President of the Union there

was only one vice president, so he handled all of the grievances, of which there were quite a few, and all the other functions and duties associated with the vice-president’s job. He revived the shop steward training program and from those roots we are where we are now with our shop stewards and their training.

He then decided that he still needed to work for our members and ran for the office President of Local ATU587. Since his elec-tion as President, he has worked long hours to keep abreast of the issues that concern the members. He was always a fighter looking out for the little guy. If there was an issue that he was passionate about, he gathered all his forces to combat it. He was one of the most concerned Presidents I ever saw about member issues.

He was not in this position for power or glory. He was in it to help our members as much as possible. The members were al-ways his first concern. He would not let a wrong or injustices go by without first trying to correct them for the betterment of all our members.

Those of us on the staff of Local ATU587 are going to miss him equally as well. Kenny my friend for over 30 years, we had a lot of great times together as friends, coming up through the ranks together and representing the members.

Kenny, godspeed my Brother may you rest in peace and never forget us, for surely there will be a lot of us who will never forget you.

ingly in step. Kenny, however, had a long range plan, which ignited my imagination and inspired me to fight harder for the opportunity to serve.

I am honored to say I worked closely with Kenny for 18 months and 20 days. We spent long hours in one another’s company, waiting for a meeting to start, riding a ferry back and forth, sitting in each other’s office discussing the current

issue, or just talking about our personal lives (favorite topic: following K2 around the country watching him play baseball). Did we always agree? Of course not. But we could talk things out. And he was always willing to listen to my point of view. I had never participated in negotiations before, but as I learned the ropes, I was given the freedom to be a co-leader with Kenny and the other of-

ficers. One thing we always agreed on — we had to give our best to the membership every day.

I am so grateful for the time we spent together. I will never forget the things I learned from Kenny, and hope to make him proud as I continue to serve our Local.

11February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

Kenny McCormick

Twenty years ago, a deci-sion was made for me that I should run for e-

board. Mike Rochon my fellow coworker and shop steward of a handful of years approached me at CSC and said “we need to run for e-board” and my reply “what the hell is e-board?” We realized we needed a third to complete a ticket so went on to enlist John Bellinger, a me-chanic who shared our Union values. Damn it was a fun ride. Back then, there was a bylaw that required any member that wished to run for a Union

position was required to attend 6 membership meetings a year.

It was on a warm summer evening while leaving our third Thursday membership meet-ing that we were approached by then Recording Secretary Kenny McCormick outside the old Union Hall. He went on to say he noticed we were showing up at meetings and he figured we were from VM. He went on to ask if were considering running for the VM E- Board position, after a short pause we replied yes. He then stuck out his hand and said I’m Kenny

The 2nd Vice President’s Report

By Mike Whitehead

McCormick and how can I help you.

Twenty plus years and he has continued to help and he never stopped helping. He was an advocate for the Union and VM. Kenny lived and breathed Unionism, it was his passion. He was a natural leader, advisor, mentor and a true friend to me.

Kenny never angered, he just became agitated but it never lasted. He always had an answer and always saw the Big Picture, and his decisions were always thought out. He was the kind

of friend that even if we did not talk for six months, when we did connect it was like yesterday, and our conversations would naturally pick back up. I am honored to have worked with him for the last year and a half.

Last Friday I lost a part of me and the Local lost a True Unionist. While his passing will cause pain, it will heal. Out of this life experience I have become a better person and we have become a better Union.

Your spirit lives on My Brother………………

SHOUT OUTFrom Morgan Michaels, #3717

I told you there was always February - just in case I forgot someone(s). I did.

greg — Darn you! You know I could never get to the game, let alone get up close enough to get a picture of my #1 BF. I have begged you for 2 years now—and I get no love back. Oh well, I get to live vicariously thru you. Can’t get any better images than the ones you share. Thanks for letting me “tag along on your FB page.” I do think, it is time you change your picture of your and Tyler — I know you are just knowingly annoying me !

Bon: My Best Bud for the

past 45 years. You have been there every step of the way — the good, the bad, and yep — the ugly. You never allowed me to completely fall on my face. Not enough “Thank Yous” to thank you for your friendship and love over the many years. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend.

And can’t help but mention — the one gentleman co-worker, for the past 20 + years, we’ve know each other in passing in the halls and on the road, always sharing a friendly “HI”! I’ve said it on day #1 and I will say it on my last day: You are always just as nice on the inside as the outside.

I am curious: do you know any other route than the one from Kent to Tunnel?

King County Metro: There have been good times, and challenging times over my ca-reer on this property. But, you have allowed me to live the life I have always wanted, without going “without.” You have given me an opportunity to enjoy a retirement I have dreamed of. You have graced me with an ability to be kind to others in my life. I want to thank you for a “paid-off” life in my new home and life in Costa Rica. So, I send

you a very heartfelt and sincere “THANK YOU” for taking me in 21.5 years ago, and putting up with me all this time. It has cer-tainly been a Ride-of-a-Lifetime. I just have to stay it: YOU gOT ME THERE

Left the best for last: Love you lots Mr. Timmy Flanagan.

ADIOS AMIgOS ms. mo

P.S. Please co-workers, use this venue to say something nice to one another. It’s a start to a kinder and easy way to boost morale.

12 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

Income and Expenses for December and

Year End:Our December income was

$454,077 — up from the previ-ous year’s December income of $341,956. The December’s high-er income reflected monthly dues collection plus the Arbi-tration/ L&I Assessment. Once mandatory per capita fees to the International ATU and various Labor Councils were taken out, what remained was $374,368 to pay our expenses. December’s expenses were $250,526. These higher expenses reflect the legal and additional payroll costs for contract negotiation and a large class who enrolled for Shop Steward training. The previ-ous year’s December expenses were $198,692. At the close of December we ended with a surplus of $63,632. We ended 2016 with a final “income over expenses” of $659,714.

As a point of comparison, there are the year-end “income over/under expenses” going back 10 years. 2007 $438,189 2008 $336,746 2009 $301,172 2010 $380,378 2011 $302,505 2012 ($64,388) 2013 $28,922 2014 $136,311 2015 $1,995 2016 $659,714

New Member Applications submitted to the ATU International in December:

The Financial Secretary/Treasurer’s Report

By Patrick Brady

Report for Executive BoardJanuary 24, 2017

1 STEPHANIE D. BINSCHUS KITSAP TRANSIT ROUTED SERVICE OPERATORS2 CALVIN L. BLACKMORE KITSAP TRANSIT ROUTED SERVICE OPERATORS3 WILLIAM H. FISH KITSAP TRANSIT ROUTED SERVICE OPERATORS4 IBRAHIM BESIREVIC METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator5 WILLIAM A. CLARK METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator6 MATTHEW J. CUMMINGS METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator7 DAN J. EHRENHEIM METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator8 OLGA P. GRIGORENKO METRO/KING COUNTY Pass Sales Representative9 KRISTINA M. GUEVARA METRO/KING COUNTY Pass Sales Representative10 HANAD M. HERSI METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator11 HUSSEIN A. ISMAEL METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator12 RUOAL A. LOPEZ METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator13 DONESHA S. MAGEE METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator14 TAUATI P. MALIETUFA METRO/KING COUNTY Equipment Svc 3rd Wrkr15 LORIE ANN M. MENDOZA METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Veh Maint TIP Spc16 BUSHIRA A. OUMER METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator17 BELTETSOM G. PAULOS METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator18 VINOD RAM METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator19 BRIAN T. RUPERT METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator20 SHANE A. VANHARDENBERG METRO/KING COUNTY Mechanic Apprentice21 DANIEL R. WINNIE METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator22 CHRISTOPHER J. WINNINGHOFF METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator23 MICHAEL T. WOLDEMICHAEL METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator24 LATRINA M. YOUNG METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator

Reinstates, Retired to Active, Return from Military, Dual Property, Dual Local, Temporary, Admit by Card1 ROBERT E. NEILSEN METRO/KING COUNTY Transit Operator (Admit by Card)2 BORIS L. LEVIN SEATTLE PERSONAL TRANSIT Operator (Admit by Card)

RETIREMENTSName Enrollment RetiredKenneth R. Eline 04/01/2004 09/01/2016John M. Ranlett 06/01/1986 09/01/2016Pamela S. Thompson 10/01/1997 09/01/2016

DEATHSSteven Rowley 05/01/2002 09/14/2016

New Copy

Coming

Membership Census:In the month of December we received 45 new members. We had 21 members deducted due to

voluntary withdrawal, suspension, or retirement. Our total membership is now 4364. Last year at this time our membership was 3945. Our dues paying Retiree Membership is 558, up 2 from the month before.

By the numBers

13February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

14 February 2017news review

ATU Local 587

Today, just as any other day, it’s business as usual in Martin Luther King

County for a Bus Operator. It’s a dark rainy night. I am

between a hard, stinky, dirty seat and a windshield that is an accident waiting to happen. Mirrors that only see the bright lights of the past. I am Rockin’ & Rollin.’ Oh! That’s not because I have music on. It’s because the “New Technology” windshield has a film, which makes it hard to see. New LED lights inside the bus produce a glare that I can’t escape. It’s like looking into the abyss, so I Rock & Roll, from one shadow to another, for safety. Wow! That was lucky. Almost got that jaywalker. He didn’t even notice my 60' bus. He was going to get his drugs or sell some stolen merchandise. He had it under control the whole time. He’s got rights. He expressed them to me with his “I don’t give a %&$#” look.

Maybe I am on some psy-chedelic drug? All these dots on the windshield and mirrors seem to be faraway stars. The glare of the lights inside the bus, street lights that cause shadows from the trees, buildings, or the uneven road… if you like Beethoven, you had better also like to Rock & Roll in the seat.

The design problems with Orion and New Flyer coaches are documented across the nation. Even here in Martin Luther King County they have been associated with deaths, injuries, and discipline that led to firings. Holy crap almost caught Mary Poppins right next to me on a bike in my blind spot. Where the @%&$ did she come from? I almost made the news: “Mary was a free loving spirt, run over by a Bus Driver who obviously was not paying

attention.” This was reviewed by Safety Officer “The driver should have seen bicyclist, his focus should have been right there. We trained him on the equipment.”

Make no mistake; safety is up to the driver, as it should be. 18 years ago, a 25 year driver told me “watch your a@@.” This is what he was talking about and I thank him. I have a 15 Year Safe Driver Award (now it’s 17, because it’s been 18 months since acknowledgement of this achievement). I have yet to receive my voucher for my safety jacket, but I did get a verbal “good job.” Dang! Why did that car swing out and just speed by me on 3rd Avenue? Thought I was in a race for a second. Oh, he thought I cut him off. It was a good ½ block of space. Metro did not tell him policy that “buses ‘WEAVE’ on 3rd Avenue.”

I get why this policy is in place. You create the working conditions, Metro. I was fol-lowing policy. He just thought I made a “stupid” lane change. Metro solved the skip stop issue. I don’t want to be in the race of my life. Make no mistake: I am in a race. There is not a road that our buses travel that is not a race course.

Then here’s the lady on Madison Avenue. Nice SUV, two kids, Starbucks in hand.

She decides she wants to play the game “beat the bus.” Whew! She made it this time. I give thumbs up “good job you did it!” She has no clue on how to handle this road race. It worked in her favor this time. Drivers, please don’t take chances! Rock & Roll to see that blind spot. Metro always gives me the biggest, slowest vehicle in the race. I am not racing; I am just on the Job!

Some 12 or so months ago our President Kenny McCor-mick wrote an article about dirty buses. He also wrote Bus Operators Lives Matter. This Union has authorized spend-ing $10,000 to study the risks of dirty buses to employees when doing the work of this agency. I did not notice just how dirty the buses were, let alone just how bad the seats were until I read that article. I thought, these articles would make a difference. Well, they did not. Take a look or a smell. We have Supervisors ride, Base Chiefs get on the bus, right? Upper management commutes. Try riding 8 to 13 hours a day. Throw in that homeless person that smells like an adult with a dirty diaper, only worse. Even the brand new buses and seats are dirty and stinky. Why is this? Think about it: the bus is out on the road some 20 hours a day. Martin Luther King

County knows this. Why can’t they find the money to replace seats or clean the buses more often? Buses are scheduled for cleaning every 60 to 75 days. Look in the corners; you’ll see caked piles of dirt and clumps of bacteria. Understanding what might be found on an inner city bus is not rocket science. These are working conditions that I take home to my family. Who is responsible for work-ing conditions? Martin Luther King County. We are the con-sequences. Kind of like, don’t piss on my leg, and tell me it’s raining.

The new budget includes $30 million to relieve overcrowd-ing on 27 routes, improve reliability on 60 routes, and add additional service on 18 routes bringing them in line with intended service levels. Under the County Executive’s proposal, some 300,000 new service hours would be phased in over the next two years for those purposes.

In addition, King County will be spending over $3 million for more police and security of-ficers, and $8 million to equip all Metro buses with video cameras by the end of 2018, representing a major commit-ment to improved transit safety.

Finally, over the next six years, King County will in-vest over $7 million building and rehabilitating bathrooms at route terminals for Metro bus drivers and allocate more than $200 million to increase capacity for a growing bus fleet. A new bus base is likely to be sited somewhere in South King County to house many of the new buses.

Rock & Roll!

The design problems with Orion and New Flyer coaches

are documented across the nation.

Business as UsualBy Ken Price #20265

15February 2017 news review

ATU Local 587

ATU Local 587

16 February 2017news review

They say never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry; otherwise you’ll

buy the whole store. The last couple labor agreements have left us hungry and our appetites have grown insatiable. Conse-quently, I wouldn’t be surprised if what is being offered this go around doesn’t fill everyone’s bellies.

It’s been a privilege repre-senting you and I thank you for giving me a second term. I recall last summer going through all of your surveys with the other E-board reps on what you wanted to see in this offer. We broke them down by job classes and priority of needs. This was done in such a fashion that gave your Union clear direction on what to go for in negotiation. What you read in this offer is what we were able to get Metro to agree on. What is lacking needs to be re-strategized and fought for another day.

While I admit your Union vigorously fought for more monetary infusion then what is offered, I believe with all the added gains in VM’s specific language, this offer is crusted in fairness. Last term, I was

taught an expensive lesson that nobody wins big in arbitration (been there, done that, per-manent memories made). As such, and for those reasons, I support this offer. With respect towards this offer, I feel there is some truth in the saying “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

I’ll break down my thoughts on this offer’s big changes:

1) COLA. I am a big sup-porter of the COLA, just not the formula we’ve been using. For six years we’ve used it and not once did we receive a raise of 2%. It’s fair to say that for-mula hasn't done us any favors; as for now, I’m in favor of a few moderate set wage increases. Looking into the future, we need to find a more realistic formula that will allow us to live in the County where we work.

2) Shift Work. Two thirds of VM work swing or graveyard shift, this offer invests strongly into those shifts, particularly graveyard. For the folks work-ing when I sleep, you will be getting a paid lunch. This translates into five hours a paycheck that you don’t have to be at work. Time is the most

fleeting commodity we have in our lives and in my book this is a big win!

3) Alternative/Flexible Shifts. There are a few changes here, some new language changes and some pilot pro-gram changes. The new lan-guage changes will allow folks at all bases the option to flex their picked shift hours. (Of course with Management’s approval.) As for the pilot program, what you’ll see this summer will be the most in-triguing pick sheets ever. At the bases there will be other shift options for you to choose from then just the standard eight hours a day, particularly at CSC where there will be a really cool option. Stay tuned; more details on this will come.

4) discipline/Incentives. For most of you a change in discipline won’t matter. But if you are one who challenges the traditional line of think-ing, this new language is wild! Yes, incentives! Something my mom would say applies here, “Whispered words of love are heard louder than shouts of an-ger.” I think with all these new language changes, someone

came to terms with the fact we are actually good people!

5) Subcontracting, Move-ups, etc. WOW! HOLY COW! All these language changes are stellar! Read it, ask questions, contact your reps for more details.

6) High voltage. This work has been recognized in the offer to a degree. The future of how this work gets done and for how much is fluid and unwritten. I’m excited to do my part and create a path that protects and rewards members. Count on it, more to come!

Some low seniority folks have asked, what’s in this offer for them? My answer: “Yes, our labor agreement is built to benefit seniority, but what if high seniority folks pick the big dollar shifts and alternative 4/10’s, would it be all that bad if you’re left with just dayshift spots to choose?”

This is your Labor Agree-ment, vote as you wish!

Thank you Kenny, for the support and leadership you showed to all the Members in our Local. You will be forever missed and remembered.

A Bird In The Hand Submitted by VM Board Officer Cory Rigtrup #75034