GRIEVANCE 8566 vs PART II dba EVELYN WARREN

Originally published 7/17/2013

EDUCATE YOURSELF



Grievance 8566 filed on April 3rd, 2013

UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE:

OPERATOR SAFETY ISSUES
DISPARAGING TREATMENT:

Not the first time they've accused me of something then refused to tell me what it was.

1.) Charged me with INSUBORDINATION -  3/10/2013

2.) Put me on Administrative Leave - 3/10/2013

When asked why, Mark Poulson, Center Ass't Manager, "I don't know." 

3.) Conducting an investigation. What did I do?

Poulson, "We can't discuss an on-going investigation."

4.) Polson cleared me back to work after 4 days of Administrative Leave BUT STILL NO ANSWERS, STILL INVESTIGATING. Why? I haven't had any sleep. I can't drive safely. 

Poulson, "We can't discuss an on-going investigation." -  3/13/2013

5.) I didn't even find out the Investigation was over until the June 17th Step II hearing with Evelyn Warren.  They must've felt it wasn't any of my business.  I didn't find out WHY I was charged until receiving Public Record Documents on November 6, 2013. 

IN THE MEANTIME...

...there's a report called 'ACID'  written by the Dispatcher and Road Supervisor from the night IT ALL happened. I wasn't able to receive a copy but read part of it in the pre-filing  hearing. What I read was in total conflict with statements given by me AND four customer witnesses to Poulson. ACID reports are not just something for personnel files but also copied on to Garage Managers, Trainers, Station Agents, Dispatchers, Human Resources, Operations and Transportation Executives, Union Executives, Legal and on and on and on...

The report is intended to put me or other Union members in a BAD LIGHT with co-workers from differing departments within the hierarchy. Filing a Grievance could possibly remove it from my record but NOT from the minds of those who already read and formed their opinions.  ... this and other written forms of harassment are often sent around the agency intended to damage the target's reputation.  Blatant Propaganda. Letters sent showing an enormous list of names it was copied on to. Old, new and regular practices meant to BULLY employees who may be different from themselves including those who SPEAK OUT, from minorities to sexual orientation.  

They've applied passive/aggressive and other tactics in the Workplace TRYING to SILENCE AND BULLY ME into submission. They refuse to communicate the problem. "Now Ellen, now you know better than that! Now Ellen now Ellen now Ellen!!!" They act like I have no rights, Constitutional, Civil or even Basic human rights in the workplace. It's about SHOWING their power. What they're capable of IF you don't settle down, shut up and know your place!  I fight back by using screen shots taken from their own  WORDS AND ACTIONS then exposing them here.

THE STEP II HEARING...

...took place exactly one month ago today (June 17, 2013) I've been waiting for the letter of results to no avail.  It's unfortunate Garage Manager Warren felt I wasn't worth the same effort she uses in response to other Step II hearings. 

Evelyn Warren

Center Street Manager

SANDRA G.

ATU Executive Board Officer

ME:  

(btw, none of us looks like this anymore except Sandra, well maybe the bike)

What I wanted to bring up in this posting is a part of the conversation I found particularly disturbing!  (still do)

I'm BLACK

Evelyn is RED

Sandra is GREEN

Written to the best of my recollection:

Me: "What did Myles charge me with?"

Warren: "Insubordination."

Me: "What for, what did he accuse me of?"

Warren: Insubordination."

Me: "I know that, but what was it for what did he say I did?"

Warren: "Insubordination."

Me, "What did he say specifically,  to deserve that charge?"

Warren: Insubordination."

Me, "No, I mean did he say I should be terminated because I didn't have witness cards or because he said I yelled at him? What did he say I specifically DID to deserve being on Administrative Leave and then more than possibly terminated?

Sandra: "Insubordination is instant termination. Why was she charged?"

Warren: "You can only be terminated with Gross Insubordination."

Me, "I want to know WHY he went to that extreme, WHY he charged me with Insubordination, please."

Warren, "It didn't go through so there was no charge."

Sandra, "She was brought back, cleared to Operate a bus while still under investigation. She's a safety risk as long as she's expected to Operate a Bus with this on her mind."

Warren to Me, "I don't know what you're complaining about. You got four days fully paid Administrative leave. You got a vacation.

Me, "I couldn't sleep."

Warren, "I'm denying the grievance. There was no harm done, no one was hurt."

Me, "I was hurt."

Evelyn was unable and unwilling to correlate how this type of psychological torture can affect a Bus Operator's focus. She instead suggested I become a member of the Safety Committee.

EDUCATE YOURSELF!

The thing about Trimet is they already have policies in place which protect employees from Workplace Bullying.  The problem is the policies are only as good as their enforcers.  They pick and choose what policies for which employees. They created policies against Al Margulies but refused to enforce those same ones to protect me.  They then used them to protect other employees where they saw fit. The Bully 'team' at Trimet are primarily Ass't Managers, Managers, Lawyers and on up. Randy Stedman (professional Union Buster) and his HR Business Partners Group more than exemplify the premise of the abusive system - as we know it - as a whole. 

Then there's Hayden Talbot. 

There's a saying in the world of Bullying that it will cease to exist in the Workplace when the head perpetrator has left the building, permanently.  Peggy Callahan was demoted to a different position, much lower salary nevertheless the Bullying at Trimet is still very much alive and well and continues from the Executive floors - with or without her. That's because she wasn't in charge just taking orders. Albeit someone without a conscience or value system nonetheless just another worker.  

Then there's Hayden Talbot, 

Director of Transportation

$111,781.00 

(salary from 2012 W2)