ATU Local 757
ATU Local 757

×
Register an Account
Forgot Login?
President's Podium — Shirley Block
Mar 06, 2024

We finally got six (6) people to fill the Security Dispatch positions in the OCC at TriMet. They should have taken 2-4 more candidates. They are not considering coverage when people will be off for vacations, floating holidays, sick, or other time away. I proposed to TriMet that the top eight candidates should be provided with the opportunity to be trained for these positions. If you need six and they only train six, what happens if all six candidates don’t pass the training process? We have a follow-up meeting on Wednesday February 28th to discuss funding and schedules. You would think that this meeting would have taken place last summer rather than at this late stage. Mark Poulson and Pat Williams are not the right people to lead this group. I know they have a different agenda for the room; I can see that clearly. In fact, Ray Charles would have been able to see through their shenanigans!

Let’s hope the passing of Senate Bill 1553-1 will make illegal drug use on transit a crime and discourage people from engaging in this behavior on our buses, trains, platforms, shelters, and transit centers. They could be charged with A Class A Misdemeanor.  It’s sad when you can’t board a bus or train without witnessing drug use or drug paraphernalia while on board. Even some of our bus shelters are being set up and used as small street drug houses.

I had the pleasure of attending the California Transit Workers Annual High Road Training Partnership conference in Oakland CA, January 26th – 28th. The work being presented will help transform lives, not only by teaching our craft to new recruits, but by making solidarity a way of life at work and by extending its reach to include young people looking for careers in transit. That community spirit will also ripple out to include our riders and the voters who support mass transit.

On Friday, February 16th, we had Rebekah and Krisa from University of Oregon’s Labor Education & Research Center (LERC) facilitate Professional Development training for newer union representatives. I want to give a big shout out to all that attended. The participation was great. Good to see everyone joining in with energy. We have additional training to come!

We had a Labor/Management meeting with Amy Schlappi and Rodney Espe in Hood River on Tuesday, February 13th, to clarify language pertaining to Standby and WOC. I also wanted to clarify the process for members to be properly trained and refreshed.

Tillamook got a five-year contract. It was ratified on Saturday February 10th. Their contract received 100% support from the members in the voter box! We opened negotiations in Corvallis (MTR- Western) on Monday 2/19/24, opened Yamhill on Thursday 2/22/24, and was back at it with TriMet on the 20th and 21st. We are on a roll; I will keep you informed of the progress!



Top of Page image
Powered By UnionActive - Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.