LABOR DAY

TRIMET LIFT TERMINATES DRIVER FOR EMERGENCY BATHROOM STOP

I drove Trimet for 22 1/2 years. You know what one of the worst parts of the job was?

Yep !!! 

No where to relieve yourself

No time to relieve yourself

(if ya gotta go - ya gotta go)

Can't even tell ya how many times I had to beg to use a public restroom somewhere or hide behind a bush or a tree (usually at night) or use a trash can or an empty cup in the back of the bus or use the back door stairs (pre camera days).

It's far worse for women obviously, but there were a few times when I'd relieve a bus and the Operator spaced out his pee jar. It was known and expected - among us,  The powers that be weren't gonna go out of their way to accommodate us. It was a problem the Union used to take on as well. It had to do with the quality and safety of your work and your health.

Most dispatchers would try and work it in but taking the time would still make you run late. Some Operators would end up driving in circles for hours without a break.  Newbies in particular - thinking it would give them brownie points. There simply wasn't enough time in scheduled breaks. Sometimes Operators had to decide between being late all night or not having lunch or dinner and then you got into blood sugar problems. 

It's 'humane 'nature - if ya gotta go ya gotta go. Years ago one of our Operators was killed, run over by her Bus cause she was trying to make a mad dash to the restroom at Sunset TC. She had to go so bad she spaced out the emergency brake and shut the door behind her. 

A lot of Trimet restrooms are filthy holes with bugs and urine. They expect you to eat in there too. 

Both images from Gresham TC  My last few years of driving I'd end up at Pier Park and it was just as gross!!

You're working out there and gotta stay hydrated, particularly in this hot weather. Many Operators won't hydrate in fear of having to make an emergency stop somewhere. Then they start having kidney problems or something else which Trimet fights Workers Comp tooth and nail. During winter ice and snow storms too, if you're stuck somewhere and ya gotta go. You think Trimet's gonna have pity on ya if some asshole sees you and calls it in?  NOPE!!

It's not like we're relieving ourselves out in the open. You make a judgement - no one's on the bus - late night hours - and your bladder's on fire.

(if ya gotta go - ya gotta go)

Click on it to zoom

I removed her picture outta respect. I think she got a raw deal. I hope the Union goes to battle for her and then I hope she sues LIFT Management, personally, for every penny they've got!!  

TRIMET DECLARES IMPASSE

Read this ALL THE WAY to the end. 

Binding Arbitration: A Bad Deal For Workers

What's it mean?  Minimum wage? no benefits? 

You guys would've done a whole lot better if you'd voted for the guy who knew what he was doing. 

You would've done a whole lot better if you brought up safety, fights, stabbings and no security. Faulty and un-maintained equipment. Lousy schedules, no bathroom or dinner breaks. 

Union members forced to work in a workplace devoid of dignity.  It's hostile and bullying. They have policies to stop these types of abuses but the policies are only enforced for favorites. 

Randy Steadman

Executive Director Labor Relations and Human Resources

$219,883.00 (2015) including bonuses.

According to another blog.

He's so arrogant about his Union Busting he advertises online. Images above are from LinkedIn and his personal business site Workplace practices Group LLC.  His wife's a Union Buster at Port of Portland. They don't support the middle class. They don't share Oregon's progressive values. 

           Stedman's hands are not clean.  He's a lawyer,  he knows what that means. In other words, he comes to the table with no intention of negotiating a contract.  

As a result THIS happened:  

TriMet Declares Impasse

Dear members,

ATU leadership is disappointed to inform you that TriMet has declared impasse in our ongoing contract negotiations.

After a marathon 14-hour mediation session on August 16th, TriMet management gave ATU leadership every indication that the company was open to continuing to work with the union to try and find an agreement that met all parties’ needs. Unfortunately, this appears to no longer be the case, and we received the company’s unilateral declaration of impasse.

Moving forward, we will work with our members to develop a last & final offer as we prepare for Interest Arbitration. We remain committed to fighting for a contract which meets the needs of members and retirees. While Leadership and your Wage Committee share our members’ disappointment that we were not able to come to an agreement through the negotiation process, we believe that we will have a strong case in Arbitration.

We will continue to keep you updated as this process moves forward. Thank you for your patience and ongoing support. This is, incidentally, why we’re unable to hold this weekend’s Advanced Rep Training, which we’ll work to reschedule ASAP.

In Solidarity,

ATU Leadership

The larger problem as I see it, isn't the Union contract per se, but the fact that Trimet intentionally hired a known Union Buster for an outrageous amount of money to break a Union that is bound by a NO STRIKE CLAUSE. They are, in essence, testing the validity of a NO STRIKE CLAUSE vs FORCED ARBITRATION - which is or so it seems, strikingly unethical, perhaps illegal.   

AMERICAN INCOME LIFE AND ATU 757 - CAREFUL!! ***UPDATE

Update - Since the Union President has refused to respond back, I've filed a complaint to the Insurance Commissioner against AIL I'm also filing a complaint to ATU International against the President of ATU 757 for releasing our private information including home addresses and encouraging strangers who may have police records to visit with retirees in our homes and purchase crap we don't need now that we're on a limited income. 

Damn, I can't seem to download the voicemail but have it locked away for safe keeping. 

transcribed voice mail from August 16th, 2017:

"Hi Ellen, my name is Nick from American Income Life. I'm calling to let you know we have received your reply card and we will be in your neighborhood the next few days and will be delivering your $3500.00 accident member death benefit and other benefits from the ATU 757. The number I can be reached at is my personal cell 1-360-281-7335. I look forward to talking with you and will continue to try and reach you."

SCAM ALERT 

FOR ATU 757 RETIREES

I was concerned it was a scam. It appeared they were targeting retirees plus several of his points in his voice mail weren't true, so I called ATU to verify.  The person I spoke with is someone I've known for years. She's honest and understands Union issues well, although perhaps in this instance from a different perspective. I told her about the voice message which CLEARLY STATED, "...we will be in your neighborhood the next few days and will be delivering your $3500.00 accident member death benefit and other benefits from ATU 757."  I found this part particularly alarming and disturbing. I'm concerned how many retirees he sent this message to. It sounds like a 'leader' message with the promise of gifts if you open your door to me. Frightening!! If you're elderly and really believed someone representing your Union was going to hand you $3,500 dollars, you might not think twice about opening your door. You might not think about your own safety. You might not question any of it. Hypothetically, if it were true it seems ATU would've sent out a notice to be on the lookout for him, well in advance. But, not so -  The second lie, "we have received your reply card...".  There wasn't a reply card because I didn't receive one to send in. (common gas lighting technique),  and the third lie, "The number I can be reached at is 1-360-281-7335 is my personal cell..."  I called that number and it's not his "personal cell" but what appears to be someone's home phone. It wasn't official. She didn't answer it in an official business capacity - but rather with a  "Hello". 

The woman at the Union Office agreed with some of my arguments but felt they were trying to gain access to our homes so they could sell us other things - gawd knows what, I didn't ask. I felt it was a dishonest business practice. It appears he was trying to illegally enter our homes. She kept pushing the idea that in spite of this, "they've been VERY HELPFUL to Union members in the past." She said they have an excellent reputation and floated the idea that Nick was perhaps new. For me, it was too too far off the wall. If this Insurer is sending someone into our homes with the promise of money and gifts , and he's already made questionable statements that tells me something's terribly wrong. 

They're not gonna give us money. The fact that he said he was, is enough to have the cops talk with him about trying to gain illegal access into our homes. Really - who is this Nick and why is he lying? Why doesn't he just tell us over the phone what he wants, what he's selling then we have the option of making an appointment - or not. Personally, if I had to, I'd rather meet him in a public place than in my home. It's intrusive. One thing fer sure - I'd venture to say he's not selling vacuums. And ATU has a role in this to. They need to be careful who they give our information to and when they do they need to let us know. Don't ignore our personal safety so you can make a few bucks on the side - if that's what you're allegedly doing. 

PASS THIS INFO ON TO ATU RETIREES!!

"Hi Ellen, my name is Nick from American Income Life. I'm calling to let you know we have received your reply card and we will be in your neighborhood the next few days and will be delivering your $3500.00 accident member death benefit and other benefits from the ATU 757. The number I can be reached at is my personal cell 1-360-281-7335. I look forward to talking with you and will continue to try and reach you."

TRIMET'S CUSTOMER SERVICE - UPDATE

It started out as a joke but after talking with several people I was encouraged to submit it. When you're talking about ways to curb assaults - nothing and I mean NOTHING should be left out of possibilities. 

Screenshot of my suggestion

click image for zoom

After hearing nothing I replied back and informed them it was a serious suggestion. 

Her response sounds rather rude - robotic. From my experience, Trimet doesn't like suggestions and won't act on them. If they do anything at all it's to keep track of them for statistical purposes only. That's what disconnects them from their Operators, the community and their customers. 

I thought if I did it 'cutsie' it'd get some attention - get some minds thinking' about 'possibilities'

Trimet could curb assaults through entertainment.

But will it work?

NOT!!!

when you're talking to deaf ears.

"Now the first thing that we must do is to develop within ourselves a deep sense of somebodiness. Don't let anybody make you feel that you are nobody."

Don't let anyone define you !!