THERE EXISTS EVIDENCE NEIL MCFARLANE'S ADMINISTRATION IS SENDING ABOUT CONDUCT THEY FEEL IS PERMISSIBLE IN THE WORKPLACE. CONDUCT THAT IS EVIL IN THAT IT'S ABUSIVE AND DEMEANING TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT. CONDUCT THAT IS PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY INAPPROPRIATE. AS A VICTIM OF CYBER STALKING, MOBBING AND WORKPLACE BULLYING THIS BLOG IS MY VOICE AGAINST THAT CONDUCT.
"Spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt said TriMet is working closely with the Portland Police Bureau, transit police and other agencies to put more officers on trains and more security personnel on platforms."
"Trimet is increasing our security presence and remains fully committed our employees and riders."
The more this rattles around my brain the more pissed I become. Transit police can be called for incidents on MAX and the Bus's, BUT, their first responsibility is to the City. They only respond to Trimet when they're free. They don't inadvertently ride the system. There was a time, a couple 'a years ago when our Union said they'd be riding at night. I drove some of the late night problem lines, never had a cop - in or out of uniform on my Bus. It was a promise they didn't fulfill.
Throughout the years, they saw the assault incident reports pile up, Trimet Management and the Board of Directors heard the stories from Operators and ATU but instead of responding to our pleas for assistance they instead chose to play games with our safety by putting security guards on for a while, then taking security off.
Trimet has two security guards sitting at the receptionist desk at Center Street. They also walk around the property. None that I know of on the Buses or the Trains. These young men died trying to help Trimet customers who were the victims of Militant Terrorist Extremism. In these times of Trump and Terrorism, Trimet should've been prepared. They knew from the riots and mass shootings taking place all over the world and the country that these are not normal times... why should they, why would they assume Portland's exempt?!!
They knew from our calls for help that SECURITY needed to be watching our backs and our customers backs instead of sitting in the receptionist area of Center Street.
"Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, one of the two Good Samaritans brutally slain Friday on a MAX train, is a former Ashland resident who graduated from Reed College."
Rick Best, 53
Killed
"Rick Best, one of two men killed in a brutal attack Friday aboard a MAX train, was a city of Portland employee, Army veteran and onetime candidate for Clackamas County commissioner.
Best, 53, worked as a technician for the city Bureau of Development Services, said David Austin, a spokesman for Portland Commissioner" OregonLive
Micah David - Cole Fletcher 21
"Fletcher, an aspiring poet, is slowly improving in an area hospital, said his girlfriend, Miranda Helm.
“He’s getting a little bit stronger,” she said Sunday. “He’s getting good rest. He’s finally able to eat now.”
Helm said Fletcher wants to meet the man he credits with helping to save him.
The unidentified man rushed to Fletcher’s side and used a cloth to apply pressure to his wound. He also found Fletcher’s cell phone and looked through the contacts to find someone to call. He saw a contact for “mom,” said Helm." OregonLive
It's unfortunate Trimet can't be more forthcoming with their public statements. "Trimet is increasing our security presence and remains fully committed to our employees and riders."
"Altstadt did not say whether the increased security would be permanent."
These are 'talking points'. Once an event simmers down they remove Security and life goes on until the next incident. Not a comforting fact for riders.
This image is from a Channel 8 news clip regarding the stabbings on MAX. Neil McFarlane's under the red arrow. What occurs to me, during all those times throughout the years he's been General Manager, is that we, the workers and ATU have repeatedly brought safety and security concerns to him, his Managers and the Board of Directors. Our concerns were never addressed or resolved. As my Mother used to say, "it's like talking to a wall."
Assaults are system wide. Differences being, Bus Operators are a physical presence and they have the option of pushing a silent alarm or flagging down a cop. Three Bus Operators have been stabbed in the last 4 years. Operators get spit on and assaulted on a regular basis. Max Operators are secure in a cab but it's the customers who're at risk. When an altercation breaks out on MAX, you gotta go to a conspicuous emergency button which is something you might not wanna do since you're locked in the car at the mercy of the perpetrator/s. MAX riders are additionally victimized by a system which isn't providing consistent security, particularly in these times of Trump, where he's inciting violence from hate groups.
Mass Transit's always been susceptible to terrorist attacks. Years ago Homeland Security provided training on how to recognize it and respond. These days security is simply not there and the few times it was it's not been something you could count on. Trimet tends to respond, but briefly at best and only until the incident's cooled down. Trimet needs to provide armed guards on all trains, all cars, all the time!! We can't be messing around with 'costs' or 'budgets' when life is at at stake.
It'd be interesting to find out how many Incident Reports on assaults were generated in the last 4 or 5 years. The number of MAX customer assaults may be questionable if the Agency isn't forthcoming. MAX is their pride and joy. I personally don't know but have been on trains were fights broke out causing Police and ambulance intervention. When something hits the news they appear to appease the public through talking points (same as the one above) "Trimet is increasing our security presence and remains fully committed to our employees and riders."
There've been times when Wackenhut rode MAX for a short spurts - in-between incidents. Years ago Rider Advocates were on the Buses protecting Operators and customers. It ended because Trimet apparently didn't wanna pay Union wages and benefits to the Unionized group. At TM, it appears money's more important then integrity or values particularly when it comes to protecting their workers and customers on a regular ongoing basis. Not unusual for Corporate America but I question this type of thinking from a Public Agency.
The young men who were murdered and injured should never have been put in a position of having to step in. And our customers witnessing it shouldn't have had to go through what they're going through. We can't control who uses the system but we can control their behavior while they're on it.
So where's Harry is all this? Physically, he's standing next to McFarlane in the picture above but appears to have not made a public statement...
What this means, in my opinion is that Neil McFarlane needs to get involved by being aware of our environment and by doing the right thing by his workers and customers. We're all part of that equation. He needs to step up and provide whatever means necessary to prevent it, so they can at least say we care enough to try.
"The team works together for the delivery of safe and reliable transit service for residents of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. The executive directors are responsible for the performance of their employees, their budgets and, ultimately, their division’s role in the overall performance of the agency."
Former Director Operations Command Center & Field Ops
(2015) Last known salary $109.698.00
Not sure if he left on his own or with assistance.
His salary wasn't that much compared with other Managers of similar merit. His title indicates a whole hell of a lot of responsibility in terms of Supervising front line support staff, but some folks need the 'title' more than the money.
I first met Jay when he was a Mini Runner. We used to talk on our way to road reliefs. Never had words or anything negative. When the signup came to an end he told me he was gonna miss our conversations. He later went to rail. Few years after he went on to an Executive position. We ran into each other at Park Rose TC. He was all excited about his promotion. He was telling me that if I ever had a problem or needed anything to let him know - any time of day. "I'll meet up with you or you meet up with me, any time." I felt it was just talk coming from his excitement but nevertheless, something did come up about 6 or 8 months later so I contacted him.
Thinkin' it was around 2010 when Rider Advocatesrode the Buses and Max. They were mostly from the problem areas in town. Their "mission was to provide a viable, recognizable and physical presence on the Buses and Max."
The program, run by the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods since 1994, is financed through a contract with TriMet. Effective Sept. 30, TriMet will end the contract, part of operation cuts because of a budget deficit."
They not only handed out information about the system but worked with youth and gang members on the Buses, offering resources even for our homeless populations. Wonderful folks. They truly represented Trimet/Portland in virtually every context. I drove nights so they were especially welcome on my Bus. They were experts at de-escalating situations. They made it safer for everyone. They connected our riders with the Agency which is unheard of today with Trimet's current Administration. At one point they became Unionized which was unfortunately the beginning of the end. Trimet wasn't having it. As a result, I was told, Trimet eliminated the Rider Advocate program then blamed it on 'budget deficits'. Had they listened to the community and their Operators, they would've realized all of the basics happening on Public Transit such as fare disputes, gangs, safety, schedules, customer information, what's playing at the Schnitz, etc was happening through Rider Advocates. Paying these folks a Union wage and benefits was always more economically feasible then paying outrageous salaries to Executives.
Below are the top 6 Executive salaries. The number to the right of their title doesn't include bonuses, pensions, health care, vacations, travel, credit card use... motels, meals and on and on......... (from 2015)
Martha Brookshire, Director Finance and Administration, $195.319.00
Daniel Blocher, Executive Director Capital Projects, $190.308.00
Shelly Lomax, Executive Director Transportation, $186.508.00 (gone)
Lest we forget, the infamous:
Randy Stedman
Executive Director Labor Relations & Human Resources
Professional Union Buster
$219,883.00
Jobs With Justice Scrooge of the Year, 2017 (video)
Muchof this money could go, should go for advocacy groups riding the Buses which promote public awareness and safety. Why can't a more humanistic approach be re-created (from 2009) in dealing with our customers instead of the 10.2 Millionbudgeted for Transit Police?!! Much of this could also go for the salaries and health care of front line workers.
Trimet's Rider Advocate program was never about employee/public safety in the first place, but for the sake of appearances. It was as if their priorities changed from the real world to what the folks at the City Club thought of them. That mindset's even reflected in the attitude of their Board of Directors.
Trimet then replaced the Rider Advocates with a group from an extreme right wing conservative Ministry called Victory Outreach. Evangelicals. Don't know if they were paid or volunteered. I believe there were some grievances filed by the Union but never heard what became of them. Some of these folks were born again, from prisons and the streets which I have no problem with. My problem was the fact that they were actively preaching hatred on the Buses, of a public agency, to the LGBT community. They were extremely homophobic and known for it. They were confronting folks (me too) who they felt fit the LGBT stereotype and demanded that we repent, followed up with informational brochures from their church and a shame based berating. They even went after women traveling alone on the Bus at night. Talk about judgmental! It didn't sit well with me and since Jay was in charge of the program I contacted him.
Several times, in fact.
He didn't return my calls. One day I saw him in the Bullpen. He tried to run from me. I was taken aback. What was that about?!! As far as I knew, we were still on good terms and his offer to assist "anytime, anyplace, anywhere" was still open. Even if we hadn't been on good terms, as a Manager he still had a professional obligation to treat me equally. He finally stopped and we talked briefly. He was extremely nervous, kept looking around as though he was afraid someone would see him talking to me. Trimet's like that. They provide their managers and executives with a list of employees who're under their radar. Trimet promotes a culture of fear. It's an Authoritarian culture were employees are afraid to break ranks. If they don't comply they're terminated. It's also called Bullying and Mobbing. All those big (I own you) salaries out the door. Nevertheless, Jay was openly Gay. I informed him about what was going on with this group. "Haven't heard about it yet." Said he'd get back with me then scurried off. Never did. Co-workers told me they complained to him as well. He knew it was going on and supported it by doing nothing. It's like, 'if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem'.
What type of a Public Agency knowingly hires haters, puts them on the Buses then brags about their commitment to 'Diversity' in the Community?!! It comes under the 'lack of transparency and accountability' section. They hire 'haters' inside the Agency too, but on the Buses where our customers are often victimized as well, made it equally disturbing.
So the Ministry eventually left but not because of anything Jay did or didn't do.
Then there was THIS when he was sitting in an official capacity as a Judge for my Step III Grievance hearing. Scroll 3/4 of the way down to his picture in front of the stove. I posted that image in particular because I believe (and it's just alleged) that Trimet hires certain people for certain managerial and executive positions because of their appearance. Jay 'looks' like an Executive. He even has a large loud growl. In other words, they look and sound like a big shot but in actuality are folks who just 'appear' Presidential, if you know what I mean. They take orders. According to Shirley Block, he was illegally audio/video recording me in that meeting.
