Per our by-laws, I regrettably have to announce that you’ll see an assessment being deducted from your paychecks, starting the second pay periods this month. This office must charge everyone who was a member on December 31st an equal amount. This year has been a very expensive year for these legal fees and organizing efforts. Besides successfully bringing back many terminated employees, some of the other legal fees include issues involving the First Transit Handbook, Senior Services coach operator hours, First Transit, Lakewood, not negotiating in good faith, and at Community Transit - holiday pay, sick leave calls, on time reporting, contract article 18.2, Labor/Management meeting pay, failing to arbitrate (ULP) and reimbursed wages for Union officers. As a result, the total assessment is $70.12 per member. Read more >>>

One of the frustrations of the Union officers is member to member disputes. The whole idea of the Union is to bring people together in solidarity. Member to member conflicts do the opposite, they tear the Union apart rather than help to make the Union stronger. I have written about this before and I will probably write about this again. The ATU International has slogans that address solidarity like, "ONE ATU", and "United We Bargain, Divided We Beg."

I have spent a lot of my time trying to defuse member to member disputes. I have even had management contact me and ask me to intervene and attempt to resolve disputes between members. Sometimes an employee gets so angry at another employee that management or HR gets involved. The next thing that could happen is that one or both of the employees will get disciplined, leading up to and including termination. Although the Union officers would prefer to shy away from these disputes, I have found it better to meet them head on and try to get some resolution. I would rather have a member contact the Union and give us an opportunity to talk to both parties than have a member go to management.
 

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I don’t know why it takes seeing the twinkling lights, beautiful ornaments and sales on turkeys that makes most people stop and realize what they’re thankful for. I had the dear-in-the-headlights-look when, before Halloween I heard a TV commercial for an upcoming holiday sale at Macy’s and realized the year had come and was nearly gone. For most like me, I think we simply get caught up in our daily lives of work, taking kids to school, work, kids swim lessons, work…work…work… trying to keep all the balls in the air before even one falls down is a challenge to us all. This is not to say though there aren’t times throughout the year that in the quietest of moments, we do think about how thankful we really are. What am I thankful for… where do I begin?

We have been negotiating with Senior Services for several months and I was thankful to announce last Thursday that we finally reached a tentative agreement. This negotiation has been the most difficult our local union has ever endured. I held a number of meetings with the members to make it known that the agency was demanding the Union make huge concessions which included a reduction of wages of at least 3%, and some portion of nearly all their benefits. In a time when concessionary bargaining is not unheard of, bargaining backwards is, especially in my world! The primary reason I became involved in the Union and my position as President was to improve the working conditions of our members, not make them worse, so hearing an employer demand such reductions is contrary to my purpose in life. But, as always we stayed strong and because of the support from our members I believe our steadfast perseverance resulted in a contract that in these most difficult of economic times provides our membership with assurances in some areas that we have been trying to negotiate for several years.

Details of the tentative agreement will be discussed at a meeting for Senior Services members on November 27th.

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On November 4th I had the unique opportunity to attend an arbitration. In the last news letter I wrote about having a voice in the workplace. This was an experience I will never forget. This particular arbitration was a result of Community Transit’s assistant managers calling our members at home any time they had an unscheduled absence. Asking how they are feeling, telling them they are missed and wondering if they can assist them!
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Dear Union Brothers and Sisters:

In association with United Way and Snohomish County Labor Council, the ATU is sponsoring a Toys for Tots campaign this holiday season.

According to their brochure, “Toys for Tots is the Marine Corps’ premier community action program.” Those who work for the program do so on a voluntary basis. All toys collected in Snohomish County will be distributed within the county. Toys are available to those who voice a need, without question of one’s financial circumstances.

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Recently you were instructed to sign an “Investigative Consumer Report Disclosure and Consent Form”. Drivers returning to base on Friday were told that this form must be signed before picking up their paystubs or signing out. Some members have reported that they were told that they would not receive their paycheck, or that they would not be allowed to work again, until the form was signed and turned in. This should have served as a warning to you that something was amiss. It was.

 

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