At 10:44 pm on Saturday March 9th, 2013 as I was driving Line 4 south bound at SE 7th and Mill at 30 mph, with a full standing load, a car moving from the left suddenly appeared a foot or two in front of the bike rack. I SLAMMED the brakes, SLAMMED the horn and watched as my customers flew in the air and into each other as the little white car continued through the intersection unscathed. I yelled out asking if anyone was hurt, if anyone needed medical and then called Dispatch. I didn't see the car until it was directly in front of me because it was hidden behind the HUGE left side clam shell mirror.
Jason Bynon, Dispatcher
The Dispatcher sounded sleepy, irritated, as though I had woken him. Later that night after talking with him over the phone from Center Street, I realized he had a natural sleepy drawl and was new to that position. He asked if there were injuries and if I was OK. I told him there were a few and that I was not hurt. He instructed me to continue on my route. I informed him that I needed to check on the customers and that I was shaken and needed time to recover.
The Dispatch system was also new. It timed out after a minute, which I didn't know. There were times when it just went into a black hole - no response. I wanted to get to my customers but the handset being less then a foot from it's cradle wouldn't let me. I hadn't been cleared to use my cell phone so I tried to continue the conversation as best as possible. When I didn't get a response back I got out of my seat to check on customers and injuries. The dispatcher then came back through the internal microphone. When I tried to respond he was gone and visa versa. We were both frustrated because this was an obvious emergency and we couldn't communicate. But he got the point. In the meantime a cop stopped so he talked with dispatch and helped out. The thing is, when an emergency happens there's a list of questions dispatch has to ask. How many injuries, what are the nature of them, how many men, women, children, ages, description of injuries or broken property. Obviously, the Operator needs to be able to assess the situation and evaluate who needs what. It can't be done from the Operators seat. In retrospect I shoulda evaluated the situation first then called Dispatch. I shoulda done it from my cell phone instead of waiting for permission to use it. Trimet has become anal with regard to cell phone use and emergencies. The main thing was the car driver survived unscathed, the injuries to our customers were minor and limited. It also helped that the bus was packed - bodies flying into bodies - softened the blow! And I was proud of my ability to pull this off in spite of the fact that my employer does everything they can to re-direct my focus to their barrage of bullying intimidating tactics because they don't really understand the nature of this business and what the consequences of their actions could create when they try to force an Operator to drive immediately after their abuse! It's become a game - they purposely provoke you then give you an ultimatum. Either drive or suffer time-loss.
Then this guy showed up:
Myles Vaylon, Road Supervisor
$87,980.64, per 2012 W2
Then THIS:
A week later after it was all done and presumably over with, I was back in a bus, a Station Agent that I was particularly fond of made a point of letting me know that he was no longer interested in the joking small talk we had enjoyed with each other over the years. It was because of Vaylons' ACID report. My friend was disappointed in me as were several others who also read it. It was sent to virtually every department within the system. I decided I needed to see it. I had asked several times prior why I was even charged with insubordination, as the links above attest and each time I was told by Mark Poulson that he, "didn't know" and neither did Evelyn Warren. But they did know as they were part of that process. In a grievance meeting she said...
Evelyn Warren,
Garage Manager, Center
$82,141.71 per 2012 W2
... it was essentially, 'none of my business'. She refused to answer questions except for playing word games. Click the second link above or THIS and scroll half way down to the conversation between she and I, just below my picture.
ACID is an acronym for something. lol According to the form it's a Field Ops Supervisor Incident Report. In the pre-filing grievance hearing I asked to see it and was told I could have a copy but when I tried I was told I couldn't. I then asked this guy...
Mark Poulson, Center St. Assistant Manager
$49,618.52 per 2012 W2
Don't know why it's so low, perhaps he started mid-year.
His yearly salary would normally be similar to:
Leonard Lambert, Asst Mgr, Powell $68,484.34 per 2012 W2
Liza Mitzel, Ass't Mgr, Center $67,498.99 per 2012 W2
...he said, "Absolutely not!!!" When I asked why he told me because "it's private no one can see it." He said it goes in a file. I then asked if I could see the report he wrote from his investigation and he started laughing and said, "You gotta be kidding, no way!!!"
THEY THINK THEY'RE GONNA SCARE ME OFF BY
TREATING ME LIKE THIS:
AS IF I WERE SOME INSOLENT, MISBEHAVED LITTLE GIRL WHO DESERVES TO BE BEATEN UP BY THAT BIG 'OL IMPORTANT MANAGER THUG THING THEY GOT GOIN' ON OVER THERE!
BUT, YA KNOW
Betty Lindley, 1914
THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN
DON'T YA?!!
BECAUSE
I SIMPLY WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT BEHAVIOR FROM ANYONE, LET ALONE THIS RANKIST GANG OF BULLY'S!!!
Trimet's socio-economic class structure and Managerial system is primarily identified by the clothing they / we wear. Blue shirts are front line workers. White shirts are Supervisors as in Road, Trainers, Dispatchers, Station Agents, etc. Managers are identified by their well dressed attire, most of whom or so it appears drive large gas guzzling SUV's, Mercedes, BMW's etc. Ya know, the one's who have a need to be identified by their 'look good'.
Blue shirts are not typically believed regardless of how many witness accounts / statements are turned in. Managers and White shirts are always believed over blue. (As is exemplified in my situation here with Myles Vaylon, Dispatcher Jason Bynon and Mark Poulson). Years ago, under Clyde Earl's regime we weren't allowed Civil or Constitutionally protected rights. We weren't allowed to access anything through Public Records to defend ourselves if the need arose and everything and everyone was secretive and sworn to secrecy. There was so much fear throughout the Agency that most employees with strong issues ended up backing down or quitting. Retaliation is one of the things Trimet uses to control their workers, and they're very good at it. Clyde Earl managed the workers through bullying and abuse and his ways crossed over to how Hayden Talbot conducted business as well. We're still burdened with Earl and Talbott's ways because most of todays Managers were handpicked in their image.
BUT
THE TIDE'S BEEN TURNING..
CHANGE IS KNOCKIN'
SINCE
THE
BLOGGER!
LISTEN TO THIS
THEN
READ VAYLON'S REPORT
THEN
READ POULSON'S REPORT.
The mp3 is from that night. It's the only call I'm aware of that was captured from dispatch. Poulson's report says there's another between me and dispatch. I've put in a Public Records Search for it. Vaylon writes in his report below (2nd page, 1st line), "She was yelling so loud Dispatch could hear her." NEVER HAPPENED so I will be looking forward to receiving that one as well.
I've posted BOTH reports below, even though Poulson tried to prevent me from getting them.
What they and the links above prove is:
1.) Vaylon didn't turn in page two of his ACID to public records (the one that says I asked for a "hug") until he was recently contacted by Trimet's Public Records Department.
2.) I'm cleared of all charges Vaylon made against me via the witnesses.
3.) Vaylon has a problem with anger and honesty.
4.) Warren has a problem with honesty.
5.) Poulson has a problem with honesty.
VAYLON'S REPORT:
click images for zoom
I was gonna respond to some of his remarks but they're outrageous, so much so that I decided I didn't wanna get dragged into it any further. When I saw the 'give me a hug' thing on the 2nd page I decided my lawyer can deal with them.
Besides, Poulson's report cleared me via the witness statements. Notice he says, "After the fact" but I gave him the witnesses following my arrival at the garage that night. "After the fact" is a bunch 'a baloney because Vaylon charged me with insubordination AFTER Poulson already had witness information.
Click for zoom
Screen shot from Poulson's report.
There were 10 to 12 additional witnesses but Trimet hasn't given me the SIP's. These are people who called in days and weeks later but their accounts of what happened won't get counted because of on-going retaliation. TM doesn't give me commendations that are taken over the phone. No record. I DIDN'T EVEN GET A 'THANK YOU FROM TRIMET!" I DIDN'T EVEN GET CREDIT FOR THE COMMENDATIONS FROM THE FOUR WITNESS STATEMENTS THAT NIGHT! What I got was ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE and CHARGED WITH INSUBORDINATION!
At one point I was walking around the incident scene with a piece of paper and a pen getting witness names and numbers. I tried to ask Myles if he had witness cards in the truck but he kept yelling at me.
POULSON'S REPORT ON THE INCIDENT:
I wasn't "very distraught and emotional as a result of the near-miss..." Give me a break! I've been operating buses for nearly 21 years and have had many close calls. I was UPSET and EMBARRASSED because of the manner and the language Vaylon used on me in front of my customers! He didn't care who was there, or what he said or how he behaved. He appeared to be having a temper tantrum so I removed myself from him. What could possibly make Poulson even THINK he, not just COULD, but what RIGHT DOES HE HAVE to define MY feelings?!! Feelings are not facts and this was afterall, supposed to be a FACTUAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT.
Poulson received this from Vaylon "the general consensus" and Warren directed him what to do with it. If you know anything about how Trimet treats their employees, it's easy to see how they put this together in order to make it look like I was insubordinate. The last paragraph is in direct conflict with the last bullet. The data pack was blank and dispatch was inaudible. The only thing they couldn't get around were the witness statements. Page one says he talked to 4 witnesses, then he later says he talked to 3. No matter, what's important are their statements because they have no motive other then to tell the truth. Arrow on the right. lol Arrow at the bottom of the page:
If all three witnesses, as Poulson stated, agreed that
"Supervisor Vaylon was yelling, overreacted, and would not let Op. Fox speak."
Then how can he say, "...overall, it was an ugly exchange."
That's a contradiction!
First paragraph, Last sentence, "Supervisor Vaylon did not seem to realize how upset Op. Fox was and, in general, dismissed her emotional condition,"
Third bullet, "The Dispatcher's tone was received by Op. Fox as, "Oh. it's you again. Why are you bothering me and why are you making such a big deal out of this?"
Fifth bullet, "The exchange between the Operator and the Supervisor should not have taken place adjacent to the passengers, and both of them allowed their emotions to override their professionalism."
No wonder Poulson didn't want me seeing the report. Instead of presenting the FACTS he instead goes on a tirade about feelings, emotions and an assumably "ugly" exchange that, according to the witnesses never happened:
Screen shot, page two
Seriously, If "Supervisor Vaylon would not let Op. Fox speak", then how did it become an "UGLY EXCHANGE?"
Mark Poulson
Screen shot, page 3
"OP Fox has a history of being confrontational and both the Dispatcher and the Supervisor knew it. They had dealt with her before and were not going to go out of their way for her."
I met Dispatcher Jason years ago at North Terminal. We visited a few times. I remembered him because he was a nice guy. Haven't seen him since.
Myles and I have know each other as 'work friends' since we both started. We haven't ever had unkind words or feelings for each other, that I was aware of. We always acknowledged each other or visited briefly throughout the years. He arrives at work when I leave. This was the first time I experienced him as a Supervisor. I assumed he was having a rough night when this happened because he was working an RDO and not his usual early early am shift. I did ask him, early on and privately if he was "ok" because he seemed out of character. After reading what he wrote I have nothing more then pity for him or for anyone who would go to such extremes to make up the stories he did about me that night. As my witnesses said, "he was yelling, overreacting and wouldn't let me talk. There's always been a lot of chatter about his temper but I never gave it a thought until I experienced it myself.
As far as my history of being CONFRONTATIONAL - you got that right. I'm not some dumb bimbo who follows the status quo. If you think you're gonna retaliate against me and try to silence what I write on this blog then I'm gonna fight back. If you want what I write to change then you'd better change your ways of doing business so I won't have anything to write. If you got something to say then say it but don't steal money from my pay check or make up lies about me running red lights or honking my horn or charge me with insubordination or mandate me into meetings where your hired hit people work me over then expect me to Operate a bus on the streets all the while your PR department is promoting "Safety is the core value..." to the very public you serve!
Screen shot, page 3
"They had dealt with her before and were not going to go out of their way for her."
Unless I'm mistaken, Poulson is saying here that two white shirts and one suit (him) believe I should be treated differently then my co-workers under similar circumstances. Right?
SPEAK OUT OR YOU WON'T BE HEARD!
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