As we close out 2025 and welcome 2026, I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. We are looking forward to a bright year ahead. As you celebrate with family and friends, please remember to celebrate responsibly, please do not drink and drive. There are many safe ways to enjoy the New Year while protecting yourself and others.

As we enter the new year, I encourage all members to become politically involved through ATU COPE. By participating, you help strengthen our Union’s ability to support legislation that protects transportation workers and labor rights. Recently, ATU met with Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Reed and U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter to discuss the needs of our members and public transportation as a whole. We plan to continue these conversations with other elected officials in the future.

By the time you read this, Secretary of State Reed will have joined me on a ride-along aboard MAX to experience our system firsthand. I hope this opportunity sheds light on the conditions our MAX operators and the public face every day and helps continue meaningful discussions about improving safety across the system. As we meet with public officials and politicians, we are encouraging them to join us on ride-alongs not controlled by the agencies, to ensure the agencies do not control the narrative.

If any member, active or retired, in Oregon or Washington would like to be more involved in upcoming political actions, please contact the Union office. It is important that you are part of the process and that your voice is heard. Our voice is our power.

Around the Locals

Corvallis
At the OSU Shuttle, the contract is being prepared for a membership vote in the upcoming month. Please read January’s Labor Press for the outcome. I would also like to congratulate Lisa James for stepping up to serve as the new officer at this location.

C-TRAN (Combined Contract)
After a long and hard battle with the agency, the contract will be voted on by the membership by the time you read this article. Again, please look to the January Labor Press for the outcome. I would like to thank and congratulate the entire C-TRAN bargaining team for your hard work and dedication in reaching a completed contract for a membership vote.

Bend – COIC / MTM Merger
At the time of writing, we are still addressing seniority issues. We hope to have a sign-up available in early January.

First Transit – Regions 2 and 3
We are preparing to send out contract openers and will be convening the bargaining team soon.

LTD and RVTD
Contract openers are also being prepared for these locations, and bargaining teams will be convened shortly.

OSP (Outdoor Service Provider)
We will be sending notice from our legal counsel, as the agency continues to fail to respond to our contract negotiation updates.

TriMet
Briefs have been completed for the Stores arbitration. We expect to hear a decision within the next 60 to 90 days. This does not prohibit either side from continuing discussions or settling the grievance prior to the arbitrator’s ruling.

We are also continuing discussions on resolving older grievances. In TriMet’s own words, the question remains: How does it benefit all parties to resolve grievances?

Additionally, we continue talks regarding the CSS demand to bargain. TriMet has implemented a schedule that we believe does not resolve the issues raised during the bargaining process. We will continue these discussions in hopes that TriMet will hire a new manager who can focus on and understand the business needs of this department.

I would also like to thank everyone who participated in the Holiday Bus this year. We had the privilege of delivering baskets to TriMet employees who have been out of work due to long-term illness or non–workers’ compensation injuries.

Overall Union Update

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Holiday Santa event. This year, we were able to give away over 250 toys to the children and grandchildren of ATU 757 members.

Once again, I had the opportunity to join LCSA (Labor Community Services Agency)—along with my family and some office staff—to help deliver toys and food baskets to union families who were out of work during the holiday season. These families came not only from our local, but from locals across the state. Thanks to generous donations from Union brothers and sisters like you, LCSA was able to assist over 200 families this year. Thank you to everyone who was able to donate.

Lastly, the ATU 757 Annual Picnic will be held at Alderbrook Event Center in Brush Prairie, Washington. Please watch your Union board and the website for additional details. If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, please contact the Union office to be added to the volunteer list. We would love your help with this and other upcoming events.