What is an International Convention, Anyway? Continued on bottom of page 5
24
August / September 2007 Anyone who reads the In Transit magazine published by our International Amalgamated Transit Union probably knows our union's convention is coming up in Las Vegas September 17-21 this year. But, for those of us who don't read it, who are bored by the idea of a convention or who simply don't see how it applies to us, here are a few simple facts: Our International Union includes over 100 local unions in the United States and Canada. Every few years, all the local unions get together to make decisions about how our International Union should function, and to elect the International officers. The delegates, who vote at the convention, are selected at the local level in special elections. Our delegates from Local 1005 this year are: Michelle Sommers, Jerry Ewald, Scott Tollin, Tom Campbell (maintenance), Gary Bier (office), Russ Dixon, Mike Rossini and Tommy Bellfield (drivers and dis- patchers). Each local is also entitled to submit resolutions to be voted on at the convention. This year, for example, the Windsor, Ontario local has submitted a resolution that terms of office for Local Union officers and International Union officers should be four years instead of three, and that conventions should be held every four years instead of every three. The reason for the resolution is to save money. (See page 22 in the May/June issue of In Transit. ) Members who have opin- ions about lengthening the terms of office at the Local and International levels should feel free to let our delegates know. The position of the union leadership is that they are strongly opposed to this resolution as written with implimen- tation during the current terms. (legthening the current terms) If it is to be done, it should be at the begining of an election cycle. Once delegates arrive at the convention, many are assigned to be on one of several committees, such as: Credentials, Resolutions, Laws and Rules, COPE, Balloting and so on. In these committee meetings, resolutions (such as the one above) are discussed and voted on. The committee then comes to the Continued on bottom of page 5 What is an International Convention, Anyway?
Transcript
Aug
ust
/ Sep
tem
ber
2007
Anyone who reads the In Transit magazine published byour International Amalgamated Transit Union probably knowsour union's convention is coming up in Las Vegas September17-21 this year. But, for those of us who don't read it, whoare bored by the idea of a convention or who simply don't seehow it applies to us, here are a few simple facts:
Our International Union includes over 100 local unions inthe United States and Canada. Every few years, all the localunions get together to make decisions about how ourInternational Union should function, and to elect theInternational officers.
The delegates, who vote at the convention, are selected atthe local level in special elections. Our delegates from Local1005 this year are: Michelle Sommers, Jerry Ewald, ScottTollin, Tom Campbell (maintenance), Gary Bier (office), RussDixon, Mike Rossini and Tommy Bellfield (drivers and dis-patchers).
Each local is also entitled to submit resolutions to be votedon at the convention. This year, for example, the Windsor,Ontario local has submitted a resolution that terms of officefor Local Union officers and International Union officersshould be four years instead of three, and that conventionsshould be held every four years instead of every three. Thereason for the resolution is to save money. (See page 22 inthe May/June issue of In Transit.) Members who have opin-ions about lengthening the terms of office at the Local andInternational levels should feel free to let our delegates know.
The position of the union leadership is that they arestrongly opposed to this resolution as written with implimen-tation during the current terms. (legthening the current terms)If it is to be done, it should be at the begining of an electioncycle.
Once delegates arrive at the convention, many are assigned tobe on one of several committees, such as: Credentials,Resolutions, Laws and Rules, COPE, Balloting and so on. Inthese committee meetings, resolutions (such as the one above)are discussed and voted on. The committee then comes to the
Continued on bottom of page 5
What is an InternationalConvention, Anyway?
U of M Workers on Strike.
As you drive by the University of Minnesota, you will notice theworkers on strike; They went out on September 5th. As you may remem-ber, these workers were there for us in 2004; we need to be there forthem. When you drive by, please honk or wave when possible. If youhave time during the day, stop by the University and stand on a picketline with the workers, they would love to see the support. There will alsobe rallies of support throughout the strike, we will let you know whenand where, please come and show support if you can.
As you have seen posted on the union boards, we lost the BMS hear-ing to keep the payroll positions in the ATU. Though we lost this hearing,the fight is not yet over. We still have arbitration cases that need to beheard and settled. I can't help but wonder what job they may go afternext. I will tell you we will always fight to keep any job in the ATU.
We have set a schedule for negotiations with Metro Transit. We havescheduled over 50 days between November 9, 2007 and July 31, 2008.We hope that we won't need all these days, though with past history onenever knows. We will be posting the schedule later this month so thateveryone knows. With a full nine months to negotiate before the currentcontract expires, we hope that we can get a fair contract negotiated wellbefore the expiration date.
As many of you know, we have been working with Rochester CityLine Drivers and Dispatchers to organize a union. I would like to thankMarlin Jensen and Deb Sievers for the work they are doing, they are thelead organizers in this campaign. I would also like to thank the rest ofthe organizers that have worked with them: Rick Steffels, Curt Botner,Catrina Boucher, Ryan Timlin and Michael Harris . The National LaborRelations Board (NLRB) has agreed with the ATU that only transit driv-ers and dispatchers should be able to vote in an election. The vote isscheduled for September 18, 2007. The vote should not be delayed atthis point, although we will not be surprised if the employer tries to finda way to get the NLRB to change its mind.
I would like to thank all the members for the work you have donesince the 35W bridge collapse and all the extra work during the StateFair. I know many of you have been pulling in late, running late andworking extra hours in all the departments to keep things running.Thank You for being there!
President's ReportPayroll periods are not mandated by our contract, hopefully you are
aware of the upcoming changes and have selected your option (vacation,loan, no-pay).The reasons that the drivers payroll is changing is that,overall, drivers are outnumbered by other employees in the Council.Drivers will now get three paychecks in November. It's a change I knowwe aren't thrilled about, but drivers will now have direct deposit. Theywill probably mandate all employees to be in this within two years, asallowed under state law.
Maintenance Recognition - This was tabled at the E.B. meeting. Wewill go back to Jan Homan about our concerns.
Test Mediation Case - Hopefully we will get the vote on this casesince the Council has agreed to test this case in Mediation. This is some-thing I have been trying to get into our grievance procedure for sometime, and it is free. (We are trying mediation to cut down the cost ofarbitration)
Call Control if you are operating two minutes late. Let’s get thisback on them instead of us. Let’s include Rail and all Drivers.
Organizing - Things are going quickly in Rochester and we have sup-port from other unions.
Results of Union Meeting VotesMotions
To pay mileage of $.40 per mile and $30 per diem to members of theOrganizing Committee effective June 1, 2007 - PASSED
Requests for ArbitrationEast Metro Operator: Violation for running late - No to arbitrationEast Metro Operator: Violation for running late - Yes to arbitrationEast Metro Operator: Filed customer complaint - No to arbitrationEast Metro Operator: Violation for running late - No to arbitrationMJR Vault Puller: Terminated for misappropriation of Council funds(excessive breaks) - Yes to arbitrationMJR Vault Puller: Terminated for misappropriation of Council funds(excessive breaks) - Yes to arbitrationFTH Operator: Filed customer complaints - No to arbitrationFTH Operator: Violations for running late - Yes to arbitration
New BusinessBob Schaller nominated Tom Campbell as the Executive Board mem-
ber from the Overhaul Base. President Sommers thanked Bob for hisinvaluable service to the Local, as he prepares to retire.
Continued on Page 4
July 2007 MeetingPresident's Report
Our organizing commitee has been working very hard with RochesterCity Bus drivers in an effort to bring them into the ATU. There shouldbe a hearing on our petition in about a week. I would like to thank all thepeople working on this campaign. We also are working with the Presidentof the ATU Local in Lacrosse, Wisconsin since they are a little closer.
There are a couple of Maintenance issues. One involves a job postingat Light Rail for a Paint position and the other about a position not filled.We will meet Thursday with the Maintenance Board Members on theseissues.
On the Payroll Representation issue - We have not yet received theBMS ruling. We are surprised by this since the Company asked for anexpedited ruling. These have been our jobs since 1934 and we are notgiving up on them.
If you did not elect an option for the payroll change, talk to your man-ager as soon as possible. If you did not choose an option, you will beshort a check.
We are meeting with management tomorrow on the issue of mediationto address what we consider to be a flawed grievance procedure. Wehave agreed upon a mediator, Bob Weisenberger, who came out of theTeamsters.
There are a lot of violations for running late. Part of the issue revolvesaround bathroom use. We believe management understands this issue alittle better since we met with them: Someone had apparently chained theexecutive bathroom closed for “research.”
I welcome Tom Campbell, new Board member from the OHB. Again,I want to thank Bob Schaller for his time and effort.
There are three state pension programs: MSRS, PERA and TRA.There has been discussion on whether or not the Post Fund, which is acombined pot for all three entities, is sufficiently funded and what weneed to do to ensure this. The State Legislature makes the decision; butthere is a committee of all three funds (of which I am part) that is lookingat a recommendation.
Results of Union Meeting VotesMotionsOn the Maintenance Recognition Program - FAILEDOn the State Fair overtime assignments - PASSED
Requests for arbitrationEast Metro Operator: Violation and Record of Warning for operating late- No to arbitration
Highlights (from p. 3)Page 4
At the GarageLRT
Contact Bob Boyle or M a r k A m m e n d
Rail Operator Harry Mandik #655took the top spot at the local railoperator rodeo. Vern Goble #5203,Mark Aszmann Jr. #5584, and MargoTrujillo #6741 placed first throughthird respectively in the maintainerrodeo. These four employees will berepresenting us at the InternationalRail Rodeo next June in SanFrancisco.
With work now starting on the newTwins ballpark and our intermodalstation, and with the shocking col-lapse of the 35W bridge, we areanticipating the future expansion oftransit. Plans are being drawnup to facilitate future needs.
It appears that finally transit is beingrecognized as a necessary service, notan expensive boondoggle.
www.atu1005.comContact Jerry Ewald
Get the latest info from the unionwebsite: Meeting agendas, griev-ances coming before the member-ship, officers’ e-mail addresses,etc.
Get connected. Union strengththrough member involvement!
Look for information on retireeson the www.atu1005.com website,including:
*retirement parties, *newsletter articles*retiree clubs, *deaths of retired members
Page 5
AT THE GARAGENicollet
Contact Melanie Bensonor Dorothy Maki
Bob Seidel, Dr 254, retired unex-pectedly in late July: His retire-ment party was on July 27th. Wewish him well and want him toknow that he will be missed, bothby his passengers and co-workers.Bob, who is profiled in theJune/July issue of this newsletter,had 34 years of driving.
Interestingly, Leonard Jaycox, Dr.494, who was profiled in the samearticle, was thinking about retiringin September, but picked workinstead. Go figure.
Stephen Babcock, the Nicolletlead stockkeeper, will be returningto the 725 building to a temporaryposition.
The Nicollet Garage Sale will bethe first weekend in October.
floor of the convention and presents its report and/or recommendations tothe rest of the delegates. (This is similar to the way the Local 1005Executive Board discusses an issue and brings a recommendation to themembership.) The ultimate authority, however, is with the voting dele-gates.
Several hundred delegates will be present at the convention, andvisitors are also welcome. The theme of this year's convention is "TheRight Move," and members will celebrate increased organizing efforts,activism in electoral politics, and dedicated transit funding in Canada.Violence against transit workers will also be an important topic for dis-cussion. (Page 8, July/Aug In Transit).
These conventions are excellent opportunities for transit unionmembers to share experiences and learn from one another; and when ourdelegates return, they'll report to the members at the Local 1005 member-ship meetings on September 25 in St. Paul.
ATU Convention (from p.1)
At the GarageHeywood
Contact Dorothy Maki
Parking has been reduced soHeywood Drivers have had toalter their pull-ins due to construc-tion on the retaining wall betweenthe upper and lower parkingdecks. This new wall willincrease the driving area for busesat Heywood. The pedestrian stairscompliment the design .
U of M Strike... excerpt from Minnesota Daily...the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
union officially went on strike Wednesday.......
Linda Kingman, a secretary in the biological sciences office, organ-ized picketers outside Moos Tower. She said currently strikers areassigned to four-hour shifts, although that will be flexible. Strikers canstay longer if they choose as well. Kingman said the reason she was onstrike Wednesday was simple: "Wages, wages, wages," she said.
Other union workers showed their support of AFSCME members.
Jack Berner, who has worked as a bus driver with Metro Transit for18 years, honked for strikers Wednesday while driving down WashingtonAvenue and gave a few of them thumbs-up. Berner, who has been onstrike twice while working at Metro Transit, said he was supporting thestrike because he could empathize with other union workers. "They'retrying to make a living, too," he said. "Everybody on the top is taking allof the money."
At noon, strikers gathered for a rally on the Northrop Mall. Rallyorganizers chose the location so they could be near University adminis-tration, housed in Morrill Hall. The large crowd of roughly 1,500 cele-brated, whistled and cheered as various union members and sympathizersgave speeches.
Some students donned green buttons in support of University work-ers, while many others sat on the fringe of the rally to take it all in.
AFSCME members protest Wednesday on a pedestrian bridge overWashington Avenue Southeast. Picketers found various gathering spotsaround both the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses."This is where weshould be able to study, but I had to move," she said. "I respect (thestrike) but do find it distracting."
Strickland added that she didn't expect this during her first few daysat the University and said she was slightly concerned about the lack of
Continued on Page 8
Retiree MeetingsNorthside Breakfast ClubMeets the second Tuesday of each month, 8:30 AM at Barnacle Bill’s, located at Shingle Creek Parkway andFreeway Blvd in Brooklyn Center.
Southside Breakfast ClubMeets the fourth Thursday of each month at 8:00am at the VFW on 67th and Lyndale.
St. Paul Retiree Lunch ClubMeets the second Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon. The St. Paul Retiree Club has moved its meetingplace from the Wells Lanes to the VFW Post #295, located at 111 So. Concord Exchange in South St. Paul.
Metro Transit Mechanic TeammateMeets the third Tuesday of the month at Old Country Buffet located at 2000 South Robert.
Martin J. Ruter -Alive & well
by Scott LundquistHeywood driver Bill Larson, #1540, posted the fol-
lowing note and picture about the real Martin J. Ruter atthe garage last month. Bill and another Heywood driver,Randy Hanson, #61 had run into Martin Ruter at theWWII Memorial Dedication at the St. Paul Capitolgrounds. On that day there were so many vets and dis-plays and re-enactments of WWII that it was just verycrowded.
Of all the people to run into, there was Martin Ruter.He was with his two daughters. When we talked to him,he told us that he was in the artillery in WWII. He didn'tsay where, but from years ago I seem to remember he wasinto some heavy combat. All the vets attending the dedica-tion were given a Minnesota Medal of Service designed bythe State Veteran's office. That's what Martin is wearing in the photo.
We talked to Ruter a long time. He is still on the farm in Hanover, Minnesota. He had just turned 83, I think.He doesn't drive many of the heavy farm vehicles anymore: The daughters keep him busy doing other things allthe time. He said he was clearing up the deadfall in the woods near his farm, getting ready to stock firewood forthe upcoming winter. Both Randy and I have 34 years in. Randy remembers Martin from Old Northside but Iremember Martin more at Shingle Creek. We both remember Martin would work any route of any length at anytime of the day. That's when overtime was very plentiful and there were no restrictions: first come - first served.
At Old Northside, Martin would pull in from his run and find a place to nap before he left for his overtime.Sometimes he slept on a pool table upstairs, or under the scheduling tables near the dispatch area. On one hotday at Shingle Creek, Martin found a nice cool area under the blower fan in the entry area. Some driver found acoffee can and some cardboard and placed a nice R.I.P. memorial announcement just above Martin's head. If Iremember right, drivers and anyone else walking by tossed money in the can. He ended up with about $7 or $8for his nap! Martin was a good guy; very reliable and always there when he was needed. And he always broughta gunnysack full of corn-on-the-cob from his farm. We ate pretty good up there at Shingle. And, lastly, I thinkMartin retired as the single driver who had the most seniority of all time.
Call him or drop him a line. His daughters thought that would be a nice idea.Martin J. Ruter; Box 54; Hanover, MN 55341; 763-497-2288
This picture was taken at the WWII MemorialDedication at the St. Paul Capitol grounds onSaturday ,June 9, 2007. Left to right; Bill Larson,Martin Ruter , Randy Hanson.
Page 6
Page 7
Holistic Healthby Dorothy Maki
If I said to you 'Keep yourbody alkaline', would you under-stand what I mean? Scientificstudies show that cancer cellshave a hard time reproducing inan alkaline environment, butthrive in an acidic environment.
The easiest way to have yourbody PH level become more alka-line is to put in a search for 'alka-line foods' on the computer, buythose foods for your home, andlast but not least, cook and eatthose foods in your home. Thereare many listings to help youmake good choices when you areat the grocery store. REMEM-BER: IF YOU DON'T HAVE ITIN YOUR CUPBOARDS, IT'SNOT THERE TO EAT ORCOOK WITH!!
Have your goal be to eat 51%alkaline.
A typical day at our householdconsists of many normal foods. The areas in which we are a bitdifferent from the average is thatmost of our ingredients are organ-ic and without added sugar.
Our water has a pH of 8.0, andwe mostly use agave nectar tosweeten up our desserts. Agave isfrom the cactus - same as tequila!!Mmmmmm. It is supposed to bebetter to use thansugar/honey/maple syrup -because it does not crystallize.REMEMBER: Too much of anysweetener is not good.
Here are more foods forthought:*Pork can be filled with virusesthat are heat-resistant. *Milk has a ton of sugar in it.*Horizon organic milk productsare not what they claim. Horizonis owned by the largest dairy con-cern in the world "Dean Foods".
The cows do not get tograze, but are confined; andthe immigrant workers areabused. Don't buy theirproducts. *Pumpernickel bread hasless than 1 gram of sugar.*Sea salt has less sodiumthan regular salt.
Good WaterDid you know that some water
is more acidic than other water?Bottled water is a must at timeswhen we travel and are on the go,BUT it is very wasteful if wecount on it for all our drinkingand cooking water. And I hate tobreak the news to you, but muchof the bottled water on the shelvesis acidic tap water, as stated in thearticle in the Star Tribune onSaturday, July 28th, section A3,buried deep in the paper. Itshould be front-page news!PepsiCo Inc. Aquafina brand bot-tled water is being pressured tochange their label to state that itcomes from a public water source- simply known as tap water - notfrom a deep aquifer like the labelshows.
AMAZING FACT ABOUTWATER: It is alive. It has theability to copy information. It caneven change with different wordsspoken! Dr.Masaru Emoto wrotea book 'The Hidden Messages inWater' in which he tests watercrystals from all over the world.In Japan, his home country, tapwater is so full of chlorine andchemicals that it is not capable offorming complete and whole crys-tals. In contrast, water fromsprings and upper reaches ofrivers form beautiful crystals. Healso did many experiments on
speaking 'Thank-you' or 'Love'versus 'You Fool' or ignoring thewater. The water crystals literallychange with the different input.AHAH!! That is why so manypeople bless their food and waterthroughout our history!
Investing in a good water puri-fier should be on everyone's giftlist for himself or herself. The bestproduct on the market for puttingin your home is ALKA-BLUE byNexus Corporation and costsbetween $800-$1000.
It has a great filtration system,is quite compact (so it does nottake up a lot of room on thecounter), is a breeze to hook up tothe kitchen faucet, and requires anew filter ($100.00) about once ayear. This system detoxifies, oxy-genates, alkalizes, and re-hydratesyour body. It also takes out chlo-rine and contaminants to .03microns, unlike a reverse osmosisor simple charcoal filter that mosthomes have now.
Occasionally, I have to buybottled water, then I just reuse thebottle over and over, filling itfrom the house. It's less wasteful.Best bottled water:Glenwood-Inglewood springwater: tests alkaline and is avail-able in the gallon jugs.Fiji Water: expensive, but veryalkaline.Next Issue: Attitude, Vibe,Vitamins!!
Page 8 support staff if the strike draws on.
Among the notable guest speakers were AFSCME Council 5 execu-tive director Elliot Seide and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MikeCiresi.
Ciresi said he has long supported workers and unions, going back tohis days as a lawyer. "Everyone is entitled to a fair playing field," hesaid.
Ciresi added that it is often the middle class that feels squeezed bylabor tensions. "We need to re-energize the middle class," he said. Hesaid a solution to labor disputes is to invest more into education and pro-vide it at a lower cost so students aren't left with large amounts of debtbefore they take their first jobs. "If you provide for an educated, healthypopulation, (strikes) don't happen," he said.
Wolter said preliminary numbers from the University's office ofhuman resources show two-thirds of the more than 3,000 AFSCMEworkers reported to work Wednesday.
Get out and support AFSCME 3800, withPresident Phyllis Walker. They were extreme-ly supportive of us when we were on strike!
At the GarageSouth
Contact Liz Goldberg
Construction UnderwayAfter several delays, the much antici-pated reconstruction process on Southhas finally begun with the digging anddemolition of old walls on the south-west corner. With the new perimeterwalls now in place, demolition andconstruction on the interior will beginvery soon starting with the driver'sroom.
Bus Restriction from the NorthEntrance
Due to excess stress resulting in dam -age to the pavement, all buses are per-manently restricted from using thenorth entrance/exit and now mustpull-in and pull-out by way of 77thstreet via Airport Lane to the south -east entrance.
Driver Appreciation September 6thThe grills were smokin as SouthSidersenjoyed grilled chicken and ribs along with potluck fare atThursdays "Driver AppreciationBBQ". Enthusiasm, appetites and out-side temperatures soared on this "per-fect way to spend a summers day"event and its success all too evidentby the universal chanting of - "Icouldn't eat another bite!"
Thank You Dispatch With a new dispatch pick effectivethis September 29th we wish to payhomage to our current crew of wonderworkers here at South. Thank you foryour hard work and smiles, and weknow- you throw your hearts into it aswell:FT: Frank Collins, Larry Pederson,Ed Pedersen, Sharyn Basso,William Mayer and Ned Swentik.Relief: Tom Loehlein, John Carrier,Dan Stearns, Tom Mansk andCharles Kelly .
Youngsters held up signs at a strike support rally last week outside theuniversity's child care center. Photo by Deborah Rosenstein fromWorkday Minnesota. Source: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3269
Page 9
From Inspiration to PublicationHow The 1005 Line is produced
Stephen Babcock(Edited by Melanie Benson, Liz Goldberg, Dorothy Maki and, finally, the Editorial Board)
The Education Committee is entrusted with producing the Local ATU 1005 newsletter. The purpose of The1005 Line is, like most newsletters, to inform, entertain, and to provide an outlet for the expression of opposingviews and values. People on the committee are volunteers and spend a considerable amount of their personaltime meeting, planning, writing articles, revising articles, additional revising and further revising.
The committee meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 2:30 pm. at the union office. The meetings areopen and friendly: It is a fun way to catch up on all the latest union news. The meetings last anywhere from anhour and a half to two and a half hours. None of us has extraordinary talent (speaking mostly for myself); butwe help each other and spark off of each other's creativity. The amount of involvement is up to each individualmember. Attending meetings is not a requirement, but it is a fun aspect. Subject matter is up to the writer, butit is discussed and brainstormed at the committee meetings. We try to limit an article to no more than threepages and try to keep it relevant to our members (contrary to what some of our members think).
The paper is produced over a two-month period. At the first meeting we discuss old news from the previousmeeting and then we brainstorm for new ideas. There are the regular features that a member has taken responsi-bility for. For example, the Officer's Corner is rotated among the officers to express their viewpoint on currentevents. Then there are features like "Union Meeting Highlights" where we try to inform the membership what isgoing on in their union without giving away too much information (for this publication is highly read by man-agement); and, lastly, articles that are of a one-time interest. Articles can have a byline or they can be anony-mous. Editorials are put in as they are written and are the responsibility of the author. Editorial authors have tobe identified, and the right to publish or not lies with the committee.
We go through the meeting using the notes from the previous meeting as a guide. Although we adhere to"Robert's Rules of Order," we are a very informal group. Our Chair position rotates among the members andusually runs for about a two- month period (one cycle of producing the newsletter.) The Chair has a lot ofresponsibilities: to see that deadlines are met, that rules are followed, and to meet with the Editorial Board forfinal approval.
We adhere to certain guidelines: The Chair and the Editorial Board have the right to edit; but, in the sameregard, the author has the right to pull the article. It is a balance that shifts both ways at times. Some authorsare more territorial and protective of their work, and others are grateful to get the help. It is a struggle that pro-duces a better paper. (Remember those first mimeographed 11x17 print-only editions? They must be collector'sitems by now.)
There is a sense of humor that runs through the editing process. Jokes and funny comments are made - not atanyone's expense, but at different situations caused by mispronunciations, being tired of the task, puns, and justout-and-out goofiness. During the last editing process, the singing of a few bars of a song that has the lyrics"come-a, come-a, come-a-along with me" was replaced with "comma, comma, comma, along with me" afterinserting so many commas in articles. (I was sick of it, you hear me, sick of it!!) Occasionally, there will be apun to laugh at. We like to laugh because it is a long process and laughing breaks the monotony. Otherwise itbecomes too much. (This is brought about by some people who are compulsive about punctuation, I won't men-tion any names. I realize that these people are needed in the world, so other people can understand the dyslex-ic.)
Right now committee member Melanie Benson, Stephen Babcock and the author help with the editing, cor-recting the punctuation and grammar of the articles (mostly Melanie). This used to be in the realm of theChairperson's duties, but with the use of software, emails, and the amount of corrections, presently it is easier tocorrect the articles as they are laid out in the paper. The author can always make revisions to the revisions made
Continued on Page 19
For complete details please see theSafety and Security Board located inevery garage.
STREET OPERATIONS: LeeBennett in attendance.Many thanks to all involved inSector 8 changes and detours andre-routes for 5th St bridge closedbetween FTH and 5th St Garage.
Page 10
Transit Safety and Security Committee Meeting Minutes
Members:Jim Chisholm, Management Advisor, TCC David Rogers, Chair, RailJerry Larsen, HeywoodMary Vasterling, South Theresa Collins, NicolletDennis Engebretson, East MetroVan, Ruter Operator
JuneOthers in Attendance
Lee Bennett, Asst. Manager StreetOperations, Chad Loeffler - TCC SupervisorFritz Coulter, Asset Protection,Brian Motari - East Metro SafetySupervisorMichael Guse - RailTransportation Manager, Bill Porter - Deputy Chief BusOperating Officer Brenda Himrich - Manager ofBus & Rail Safety, AJ Olson, MTPD Deputy ChiefSam Jacobs - Director of BusTransportation, Stewart Rudi - South OperatorMark Johnson - Heywood GarageManager, Georgia Stinson - Asst DirectorBus TransSteven Kaari - East MetroMaintenance Supervisor, Scott Tolin - ATUChristine Kuennen - AsstManager TCC, Chuck Wurzinger - MaintenanceSupervisor
All is going well. EB 4th St near-side 4th Av S bus stop - Mpls.public works agreed to put newstop far side in front of jail. Mpls.has been instructed to delete near-side stop and use only far sidestop. Thanks for the patience dur-ing the changes.
TCC REPORT: Chad Loeffler inattendance: Nothing new toreport.
MAINTENANCE REPORT:Chuck Wurzinger in attendance. Small mirror mounted on sidedestination sign to have viewbehind operator is proceeding,about 200 buses completed so far. Steering wheel replacement pro-gram is beginning to proceed, theones with the padding that is com-ing off will be replaced with hardsteering wheels.Fan replacement - buses that gothrough mid life overhaul willreceive new fans. No financialresources available at this time todo full retrofit on older buses.
SAFETY: Himrich in attendance:Minnesota Crosswalk Law - Assoon as pedestrians are clear ofthe traffic lane that you are in youare free to proceed, ops do nothave to wait for pedestrians toclear entire intersection.Transportation and safety workinghard to promote safety keysthroughout company.Safety statistic graphs passed out.Preventing falls pocket guide draftwill hopefully be completed byJuly.Front facing cameras - FritzCoulter from MTPD asset protec-tion gave demonstration of newcamera images. There will be 6cameras on artics, 5 cameras on
40 ft buses, and both include onefacing out the front window. Allcameras are recording continuous-ly versus the old buses when onecamera or the other would berecording. 240 buses will beretrofit with new cameras.Retrofits will begin within 60days on the newest 40 ft buses.Solid green light indicates video isrecording, anything other than thatshould be written up. All systemswill take a couple minutes to startup. Newer buses will use infaredlight in the night time to enhancefacial features at nighttime.
RAIL OPERATIONS: MarkAmmend represented Rail at theInternational Rail Roadeo andplaced 6th out of 28 differentagencies. LRT Maintenanceplaced 5th in Maintenance catego-ry.
POLICE REPORT: AJ Olson inattendance. 3 significant operator incidentssince last meeting. 1) Op in northMpls was spit on after requestingfare. 2) Op spit on after gettinginvolved with 2 passengers whowere having a verbal disagree-ment. 3) Op threatened on Rt.14,suspect found and arrested forfelony terroristic threats.Operation Shamrock - DowntownSt. Paul drug sting occurred yes-terday, 6/6/07, after numerousundercover drug buys inDowntown over past 3 months.Arrests will continue in the nextcouple days. Metro Transit willdouble downtown foot beatpatrols during daytime throughnext month. Crime problem wasan interagency problem. All whoare arrested will be issued trespassnotice for 1 year from Metro
Page 11
Transit.Increased presence on buses stillbeing stressed. 1437 hours inMay, goal will be 1500 hours permonth starting in July. Focus willstill be on Route 5, but willinclude Rt.19 and Rt.16. Otherroutes that will attempt to beincluded are Rts.10 and 21.Police presence is making a dif-ference. Citations have increasedon 5 line with upgraded policepresence.4 officers are now assigned to ridethe buses for 8 hour shifts.Saturation details will continue. 6officers will be assigned fulltimein July.Mpls and Henn County Sheriffswill increase presence at bus stopsso more officers can ride buses.Metro Transit will assist by pro-viding 6 extra officers in DwtnMpls to address livability issues, 3onboard buses in Dwtn and 3 onfoot beat.MPD will assist in Dwtn withDetox van and booking van willbe made avail to Transit officers.MPD will eventually have perma-nent 10 person foot beat in Dwtnarea.MTPD still in the process of hir-ing new officers.
Stewart Rudi to present: StrollerPolicyProblem originally identifiedapproximately 7 years ago.In 2005 stroller policy issued.Placards made to assist youngestcustomers. Operators not toldhow to instruct passengers onwhat to do. Metro Transit Policystates that you need to foldstrollers, and dealing with cus-tomers with certain language hasincreased compliance. Is stroller policy to hard toenforce? Many ops/trainers don'tknow how to say request withoutseeming confrontational or enforc-
ing. Language that says it isMetro Transit Policy seems toincrease effectiveness. Passengersdo appreciate ops when they dotheir job. A script for ops may increaseeffectiveness. When bulletins areissued there is no information onhow to enforce policy. Maybestroller effectiveness will increaseto 75-80%. Without stroller pol-icy, maybe shopping carts will beback, more lift usage. Stroller policy is good for ops.Double strollers are a differentthing all together. Doublestrollers can be let on.
OTHER: MADDADS update:John Suttles has resigned positionas liaison. Sam Jacobs will nowbe liaison to MADDADs. Newproposal to have MADDADs con-tract increased for 3 years in July.Training currently in progress forsecond team to ride buses. Concerning cup holders on 3000series artics: There are 2 loca-tions for possible cupholders - oneon the upper left and the other bythe MDT on the right hand side.Issue to be discussed at Nextmeeting.Respectfully submitted,Chad Loeffler, RecordingSecretary
JulyOthers in Attendance
Lee Bennett, Asst. Manager,Street Ops, Dave Larrabe - RiskManagementMichael Guse - RailTransportation Manager, ChadLoeffler - TCC SupervisorBrenda Himrich - Manager ofBus & Rail Safety, GeorgiaStinson - Asst Director Bus Trans.Sam Jacobs - Director of BusTransportation, Scott Tolin - ATU
TCC REPORT: Chad Loeffler inattendance.TCC data from operations contin-ues to be processed into reportsabout how routes perform. Onesuch report, the lift cycles per dayreport is such an example.Service development reports thatthe Route 19 schedules will be re-evaluated and changed for theSept pick.
STREET OPERATIONS: LeeBennett in attendance:Access Mpls still going back andforth with proposals - one propos-al is to let bikes use the Mall at alltimes of day, the bike lanes on2nd Av S and Marquette woulddisappear to allow more room forsidewalk expansion to accommo-date increased passenger waitingarea.
SAFETY: Brenda Himrich inattendance:Survey about test fans have notbeen distributed due to goodweather days. Safety stillattempting to collect data and ana-lyze. May statistics and datapassed out. Information is onsafety boards at garages. Southand East Metro are currently overthe year end goal. Safety special-ist reporting more collisions atintersections and collisions amongnewer bus operators. Safety con-tinues to look at accident data andreasons for accidents. Due inAugust - a pocket guide draft foroperators on preventing passengerfalls. Q-Strength representativewill be meeting with safety in Julyto look at any other possible solu-tions to lift passenger restraints.
RISK MANAGEMENT: DavidLarrabee in attendance.Risk Mgmt in partnership withsafety to do once a month garagevisits on current topics from cour-tesy cards to unreported accidents.
Page 12Unreported accidents are acci-dents that are not reported to TCCand/or not reported at the garage.
PREVIOUS ISUES: Sam Jacobs:Passengers remaining on bus atterminals: Sam: Transportationwill continue to look into issueand investigate to see if any solu-tion
ATMs riding on buses at night:The goal of the idea is to havemanagers to have a good under-standing of what is going on todayversus in the past. Many timesduring grievance process man-agers seem to not have grasp ofissues/policies. Sam to bring upat next meeting with ATMs.
Stroller policy: Stroller policy
Bulletin draft reviewed.Operators should follow policy,and tell customers that MetroTransit Policy is to have cus-tomers fold the stroller. The goalis to take burden off operator andhave operator state that it is com-pany policy. Bulletin will be re-issued.
LRT REPORT: Michael Guse inattendance. Overhead fan in oper-ators cab can now blow air at alltimes at operators request. Nosecond fan was added.Update: Fencing along the northend of the VA Hospital Station - ifLRT adds fencing to that locationsecondary problem may form withpedestrians walking farther alongthe right-of-way. Stations are
currently built to safety standardsthat still allow for accesibility.TSSC Rail representative is op fornominations and will be voted onin July.
OTHER: FTH will host Safetyand Security Forum on FridayAugust 17, 11a-1p. Second hourwill concentrate on police demon-strations and Security issues.Plastic Barriers - what arethoughts of having complete wraparound for operator safety?Transportation will look into whatother agencies do.Respectfully submitted,Chad Loeffler, RecordingSecretaryFor complete details please see theSafety and Security Board locatedin every garage.
Nicollet Instructor Jean Hammonds #1374Operators Laurie O'Connell#63106Perry Baker #64127
South Instructor Randy Finch #128Operator John DeCarlo #9371
Below: E.M. Instructor JerryLarson #9763Operator Long Her #2432
Good to Go!
Instructors filled the driver rooms answeringquestions on group usage with the Go-To Card. SeveralOperators reported being asked to do a group transac-tion the same day they received their information. Theyreported success! Remember to ask any Instructor orCoordinator questions you have concerning the Go-ToCards.
Page 13
Hybrid Metro Transit Bus in GLBTPride Parade
The GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Pride Parade andrelated activities have been an annual event in the Twin Cities and othercommunities for many years. This year's event, one of the country'slargest, was expected to draw 400,000 participants.
-by Deborah Sievers, #64222
I am a member of the GLBT community and I work at Metro Transit.A couple of years ago, I started working with Marketing to get a booth inthe park for the Pride event and a bus in the parade. This is the secondyear for the booth and the first year for the bus. I am so proud of who Iam, and this is my one time a year to celebrate, even though I don't hideit for the rest of the year. I think that, for the most part, the people Iwork with accept my orientation because I do not push anything on themand they know me for me. To all of my friends at Nicollet Garage:Thank you for being my friend and treating me like part of the family.
I also want to thank everyone who helped with Pride. For the ones who could not make it due to other obli-gations: We missed you. We had a lot of fun and saw some very neat people. At the parade, we got to see AlFranken; and the mayor, R.T. Rybak, actually stopped by the bus to check it out. We ran out of candy, so nextyear I am going to start buying in February to make sure we have enough.
The weather was great, the company was good, and the people who stopped by the booth looked like littlekids in the candy shop, wanting anything and everything we had. They had big smiles as soon as they saw thebooth. Some had very good questions and others shared their stories of the transit system. The most frequently-asked questions were about light rail, so maybe next year we can get light rail folks included to answer thosequestions. One woman stopped and asked when we're getting buses off of the mall. If I had been thinking fastenough, I would have asked her when they were going to make Hennepin safe enough for our disabled and eld-erly passengers. But by then I think my brain had gone into mental shutdown.
I am hoping to put a committee together for next year so we can get more people involved. If interested,send me a note at Nicollet Garage.
So again, to the following people:
Kelci Stones from Marketing - If it was not for her hard work, we would not have had anything at Pride.
Michael Crosby, #9696, for driving the bus;
Melanie Benson and Mark for walking and handing out candy and magnets. Melanie for taking pictures so wehave memories;
Michael Harris, #64324, for also walking and handing out candy and magnets;
And my partner in crime at the park, where we do seem to work well together and cannot wait to do it again,K.W. Johnson, #3689, from TIC:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR.
Page 14
I n 2004 a group comprised oftransit mechanics and trainersfrom public and private transitagencies around the country metin Herndon, Virginia. Workingwith The National Institute ForAutomotive Service Excellence(ASE), they began the task ofdeveloping certification tests fortransit mechanics. The reason fordoing this is best explained byASE.
Let's face it, in today's pres-sure-cooker atmosphere, keepingup with technology and the com-petition is more important thanever. The National Institute forAutomotive Service Excellencecan help you meet today's chal-lenges and those down the road.The benefits are both personal andprofessional:* By taking and passing tough,national competency exams you'llhave the pride of knowing thatyou are among the elite in yourprofession. * You'll have the credentials toprove your competence to others:your coworkers, your employer,and your customers. * You can expect increasedrespect from your peers and youremployer. * ASE testing can be used togauge the effectiveness of thetraining classes and courses youare sent to by your employer. * Once certified, you willreceive an ASE shoulder insignia,wallet I.D. card, and a wall certifi-cate, suitable for framing. ASE
also offers mugs, caps, and otherrecognition items at modestprices.
Additionally, many ASE-certi-fied technicians report:- added responsibilities- selection for advanced training- improved job opportunities- salary increases- college credit for ASE certifica-tion
One other reason for the transitindustry to develop their ownstandards of certification is thatwe know what is required to getthe job done safely and correctly,in an ever-increasing world oflawsuits, it is only a matter oftime before the government triesto enact standards on mass transit.As the experts in the field of tran-sit maintenance, I believe we arethe ones best equipped to saywhat those standards should be.
Soon after ASE began devel-oping tests for transit mechanics,the Amalgamated Transit Union(ATU) and The Transport WorkersUnion (TWU) partnered with tran-sit agencies around the country todevelop training to go with theASE tests. This soon developedinto a committee under theAmerican Public TransportationAssociation (APTA).
The Bus Maintenance TrainingStandards Committee is chairedby Bob Hykaway, an ATUInternational Vice President and
Dennis Cristofaro, the manager ofBus Maintenance Training for theChicago Transit Authority.There are about forty-fivemechanics and trainers sent by theunions and public and privatetransit agencies to assist in devel-oping training curriculum for theASE tests .
Presently, Metro Transit hasCertification for: Electrical,Suspension Pneumatics, EnginePower Train and A/C. We alsohave one for Advanced EngineDiagnostics. Soon to come:Steering and Transmissions.
This underscores the impor-tance that many transit agenciesplace on good training programsin a world becoming more andmore high-tech with each passingday. It accomplishes nothing totest and measure a mechanic’sknowledge unless there is relevanttraining in place to increase thatknowledge.
Sources: ASE.comAPTAstandards.comGreg Hall, FTH Board Member
ASE Standards, A Win-Win for ATU, Metro TransitIt is estimated that over half of Metro Transit’s workforce will be replaced within the next ten years
Transit HumorAt 34th and Nicollet, a young
woman hurried across the streetagainst a red light, dodging traf-fic, to catch a waiting northbound18, explaining, “I already missedtwo buses.” Then she rang thebell and got off at 33rd.
Page 15
Prize WinnersLeather Jacket Cert., MarlinJensen #1381Leather Jacket Cert., Steve Leko#9201Hotel, John Zapata #5570Jax Restaurant $50.00, JoseBolanos #2335Jax Restaurant $50.00, NatalieLyons #6444DVD Player, Bernadette Martinez#5989DVD Player, Howard Merrill#9226MP-3 Player, Harold Riddle#3805
Second Annual ATU PicnicA good time was had by all members who attended the Second Annual ATU Local 1005 Picnic. Plenty of
food, fun, games and prizes were available Sunday, July 8th at Battle Creek Park in St. Paul. The collage of pic-tures on the following pages says it all. We are sorry that we can only show a small portion of the picturestaken. Please visit the website for additional photos. Check out these prize winners and plan to attend next year.
MP-3 Player, Dan Kadlec #64088Girls Bike, Jasmine Willis #9933Boys Bike, Tim Weber #2382Cub Foods $50.00, Mary LeeHeard #7731Cub Foods $50.00, Ed Chavez#2072Union Jacket, Joe Kummrow#401Union Jacket, Harold Riddle#3805Union Polo Shirt, Tina Hacker#2482Union Polo Shirt, WalterSzymczak #64278Union Polo Shirt, Theresa Collins
#1378Union T-Shirt, Debbie Serrine#6441Union T-Shirt, Harold Riddle#3805Union T-Shirt, Terry Qualy #3638Union T-Shirt, Don Linder #259Union T-Shirt, Chuck Feucht#5355Union T-Shirt, Jim Henn #1436Union T-Shirt, A. B. Willis Dunk Tank Money, Jerry Larson#9763Vacation Day, Russ Dixon #918
CRYPTO by PAT KELEHANEach letter stands for another. If you think X=O, for example, it would equal O throughout the puzzle. Clue: P = E
A P Z P S R P B B X C W Z X P D W P C Z V
F S C A C R T G D J K C L V T Q B C O P.
X P B B O!? J V V J P K V T B W G P P Z X P
W C S J Z X D J O K V L D J O.
(Answer on page 23 )
Oops…
Due to a computer glitch, a few sentences were dropped from the ends of articles in the June/July issue of The1005 Line:
On page 5, in the box on Death Benefits, the sentence should have read: (This is in response to concerns on thepart of some members that no recognition is given.)On page 7, the last sentence of the Tapestry article on Ghansam Ramnarain should have read: "With a greatpersonality, a job he loves, enjoyable hobbies, a wonderful family and goals for retirement, Ram is right wherehe wants to be."On page 20, the last sentence of the article on the Driver Kidnapping and Assault should read (re Diane Rude):"With great determination, she insists: 'I'm not giving up.'"
Page 16
Page 17
ObligationWe all need a reminder of the
obligation we made when we becameunion members, to refocus.
I, _______________, in the presenceof God and the members of this Union,do solemnly promise and pledge (with-out any reservation or evasion) to sup-port the Constitution and General Lawsof this Amalgamated Transit Union. Iwill keep myself in good standing bypaying all dues, fines and assessmentsrequired. I will work to promote thebest interests of this Union and encour-age my fellow worker to become members of the same. I will not take the place of any member of this organi-zation, or any other union worker who may be on strike or locked out. I will not reveal any of the private busi-ness to anyone not entitled to know the same. I will not engage in activity evidencing gross disloyalty nor inconduct otherwise unbecoming a member, and will not knowingly wrong a member or see one wronged if in mypower to prevent it. I will not appeal to any legal authority in matters pertaining to this Union until I haveexhausted all means of redress provided by its laws. I will be considerate of others in word and action and willnever discriminate against a fellow worker on account of race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, dis-ability, citizenship, or national origin. I also promise to promote the cause of trade union principles and defendthe freedom of thought, whether expressed by tongue or pen, with all the power at my command.
I understand there is nothing in this obligation that will in any way interfere with my political and religiousrights or that will be in any way inconsistent with my duties arising from any of the relations of life.
This obligation I take upon my honor, and solemnly promise to keep the same, as long as I remain a memberof this Union.
Page 18
Route H Now Goes to Other GaragesBus garage employees to get gift cards for taking survey, getting weighed
Starting in October, employees at Heywood, Nicollet, Ruter and South garages can earn $40 in gift cards for45 minutes of their time. That’s all the time it takes to participate in the Route H survey, conducted byresearchers from the University of Minnesota.
To participate, garage employees have height and weight measurements taken and complete an on-site surveyabout eating and physical activity. Participation is done on an employee’s own time, but each participant willreceive $40 in gift cards to Target or SuperAmerica, as well as a U of M lanyard.
The data collected will be used to evaluate the effects of health initiatives that occurred at South and NicolletGarages in 2006 and 2007. “The data collected is confidential,” said Route H Coordinator Rebecca Mitchell.“Names are always separated from survey data.”
Data collection runs from October through December and will occur at various times to reach employeesfrom all shifts. To participate, employees can stop by the Route H table at their garage during any of the timesposted on garage bulletin boards. Only employees assigned to the four participating bus garages are eligible toparticipate.
Route H is funded by the National Institutes of Health and is supported by ATU Local 1005, TMSA and theFit for Life program.
Employees with questions about Route H should talk to study staff during data collection times, [email protected] or call Route H at (612) 626-6599.
Julian Johnson, FTH Op. 67200, takes Obligation at the Aug. Meeting
Page 19
or pull the article.
When we eventually settle on a permanent Chairperson, and as committee membership increases, hopefullywe will go back to the old system of having the articles proofed before they go to the layout person. We arewaiting for somebody to get suckered … I mean elected to the position.
The Vice Chair is very important in our committee. Liz Goldberg inspires us with ideas and possibilities:She thinks outside the box. She comes to meetings enthused with ideas and presents them to us. She acts as theChair in our meetings. She reviews our meeting minutes before they are sent out.
The "Layout" person (Steve) is the anchor. All pictures and graphics must be converted to Tiff file formatand then the grey scale (color) must be reduced so the pictures are not too light or dark. It takes time to deter-mine where they will be positioned in the paper, like putting together a puzzle without knowing the size of thepieces. The layout software, Quark, is universally used by printers to lay out print jobs, but it is not the mostuser- friendly. I try not to throw cold water on new proposals; I just try to help members realize the difficulty inchange.
The Recording Secretary, most recently Dorothy Maki, is new to the position and is instrumental in produc-ing the committee minutes.
We all author articles and, as a committee, we are evolving to use each member's strengths and talents.When members’ personal or family circumstances require their attention, other members fill in.
PDF files are exchanged for editing before the Editorial Board meeting and final approval. Formally, theChairperson is part of the Editorial Board; but, with the rotating chair, it has been that anyone interested cancome to the meeting. For a while I was able to get an "almost" completed copy (PDF file) to the Editorial Boardmembers by the union meeting before the paper was supposed to come out, every other month, then meet withthem a week later. At that meeting the paper was read and final edits were made. Lately, it seems that theBoard cannot get together at one meeting and two separate meetings have to be arranged. The union laptop hashelped tremendously. Changes are made on the spot. There is a requirement that at least two of the threeEditorial Board members must approve the issue.
Once a final proof is ready, it is sent to all the officers and they usually have one or two days to make anyobjections or changes. It is uploaded via internet to a graphics company that creates a film from the Quark soft-ware. That film produces better image quality at very littleadditional expense. A PDF file accompanies the files alongwith all pictures (in a Tiff format) just in case there is a prob-lem that may arise from the film production.
A couple of days later, the printer calls to say the paper isready for pickup. The paper gets delivered to the facilities,usually by the layout person driving about a hundred milesaround the metro area. Once there, the Union Board membersor Committee members control the distribution in the garages.
Presently we are considering changing the format of thepaper, changing the front page, adding an index, changing col-ors and changing fonts. We are considering going to a quarter-ly publication. If you have ideas, come to one of our meetings.We are open to suggestions, we are your paper, participate! Wealso need help - Please!
Continued from P.9 “From Inspiration to Publication”
RetirementsCongratulations to May Retirees
05/01/07, Klueckman, James, South FT. Bus Op. 35005/05/07, Woods, Joseph W, E.M. FT. Bus Op. 8937
Congratulations to June Retirees6/1/2007, Kessler, Dale P, FT.Op. 6010, Hey. Gar.6/2/2007, Nordstrom, Kenneth E, Mech. 5116, So.Mech.6/2/2007, Fuller, Leroy K, FT.Op. 96, So. Gar.6/12/2007, Tompkins, Larry Data Collector 806/12/2007, Loehrs, Lyle W, Sn. Mech. Bldg. 3603 Rail6/30/2007, Weber, Judy L, FT. Op. 191, E.M. Gar
Congratulations to July Retirees07/07/07, Falk, William B, Mech.1487, OHB07/05/07, Johnson, Gary L, Op. FT., 332, Hey.07/21/07, Seidel, Robert J, Op. FT., 254, Nicollet07/07/07, T'Kach, Bruce P, Gen. Disptcher, 4202, Hey.
Congratulations to employees celebratingAnniversaries
August10 YEARS 8/2/1997, Dickson, Daniel A, So. Gar. Cleaner III055508/4/1997, Clark, Judith D, Hey. Gar. Helper III 077338/4/1997, Mills, Anthony V, Ruter Gar. Bus Op. F.T.077358/9/1997, Birong, David E, Nic. Gar. Bus Op. F.T.077428/9/1997, Huffman, Gerald S, Nic. Gar. Bus Op. F.T.077418/18/1997, Abron, Kisha R, Hey. Gar. Bus Op. F.T.077498/18/1997, Clark, Barry E, Hey. Gar. Cleaner III 055498/23/1997, Dalida,Wayne A, Ruter Gar., Bus Op. P.T.07754
15 YEARS8/3/1992, Leggacy, Shawn W, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.062118/17/1992, Smith, Nanette M, Public Facility Maint.,Pub. Fac. Worker 062158/24/1992, Abramowicz, Daniel S, Ruter Gar., Bus Op.F.T. 062258/24/1992, Adermann, Wayne I, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.062198/24/1992, Hott, Dianna L, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.062218/24/1992, Rice, Carl B, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T. 062238/24/1992, Wohnoutka, Scott D, So. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.06224
20 YEARS8/6/1987, Bumpers, Levorn, Ruter Gar., Bus Op. F.T.012008/31/1987, Novak, Laurie E, Hey. Gar., Sr. Mechanic01209
30 YEARS8/5/1977, Hayes, Martin J, Overhaul Base, Sk. Helper05155
35 YEARS8/7/1972, Jackson, Daniel D, E.M. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.030128/21/1972, Archer, John V, Maint. of Way Bldg, Lic.Elec. 01463
September10 YEARS9/6/1997, McArthur JR., Steve, Nic. Gar. Helper III055529/8/1997, Acker, Alvin D, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.077599/8/1997, Carter, Robert G, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.077569/8/1997, Wisner, David B, E.M. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.077589/13/1997, Bogan, Mckinley, Ruter Gar., Bus Op. PT077639/13/1997, Malueg, Vaughn H, E.M. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.077669/22/1997, Marcks, Timothy R, Rail Op & Maint.Facility, Train Op. 077749/22/1997, Wiedmann, Jeffrey T, So. Gar., Helper III063049/29/1997, Vinson, Hawthorne, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.07779
20 YEARS9/14/1987, Armijo, Steven T, So. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.012659/14/1987, Lester, Joseph A, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.012649/17/1987, Johnson, Mark A, E.M. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.012789/17/1987, Nygren, Byron N, Ruter Gar., Bus Op. F.T.01269
35 YEARS9/5/1972, Sathre, Donald E, Hey. Gar., Bus Op. F.T.01476
Page 20
CORRECTION: Jerome Kaczmarek, RailOperator #1408, has 35 years of service. (The lastissue had him at 30 years.)
Page 21
ATU Local 1005 3rd AnnualCharity Motorcycle RunRescheduled due to Rain
ALL Facilities and Friends WelcomeCharity : Save: Suicide Awareness Voice of Education. Ride to SAVE a life.
Registration/Donation: $20.00 per bike.
When : Saturday, Setember 22nd, 2007. Registration starts at 10:00 AM.Pull out at 11:00 AM. Ends approximately between 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
Where: Meet at the lower Afton and Hwy 61 Park-n-Ride. Take 94 to Hwy 61 SB, Park-n-Ride on left side. Try to get there early to register, and receive a raffle ticket, get a map, draw a pokercard, and acquire any other information that may be needed.Registration starts at 10:00 AM.
Raffle: Prize give-aways. The registration of $20.00 automatically enters you in theRaffle. Prizes awarded at the end of the run. Winners must be present to win.
Poker Run : For an additional $5.00 per person, one card will be drawn at each stop and recorded.Best poker hand (5 cards) wins 50% of the pot. 2nd place wins 30%, and 3rd place wins 20% of the pot. Enter as many as you want, $5.00 each.
Title Run: Approximately 100 miles. Starting at the Lower Afton and Hwy 61 Park-n-Ride lot
ROUTING AND STOPS TO BE ANNOUNCED UPON REGISTRATION
Years ago, the 67-line went from downtown Minneapolis to Chanhassen. As we crossed fare-zone limits, Iwould announce: “This is Zone 2 - Please deposit 15 cents as you leave... Zone 3 - Please deposit 25 cents,”and, finally, “Zone 4 - Please deposit 40 cents.” As soon as I made that last announcement, a young man cameup, his eyes wide, and said, “How much is it going to be by the time we get to Chanhassen? I don’t have muchmoney.”
For a short time we also had a 10-cent charge to travel between Minneapolis and St. Paul on crosstownroutes like the 21-line. We pulled the bus over at a certain point between the cities and went back to collectchange from the passengers, then dropped it in the farebox and resumed driving.
Those were the days!
Submissions for Letters to the Editor are subject to approval of the Editorial Boardand space considerations. Letters to the Editor are solely the opinion of the authorand do not represent endorsement by ATU Local 1005 or the Education Committee.If you have an editorial to submit, please contact a committee member or our advisor Scott Tollin at: [email protected]
LettersTo TheEditor
Political Notes:
The 2007 Minnesota Legislators opened the session giving themselves a raise. What was unique about the2007 raise is that the Democrats would not allow an up or down vote. This was just a prelude as to the tax initia-tives yet to come.
A ten cent tax on gas, a 6.5% tax on Canterbury Park Horse Racing and Card Club (This tax would have putCanterbury and 450 employees out of business), increase sales tax, increase wheelage taxes, increase tab andlicense fees, increase mortgage and deed taxes, a 790% beer tax increase, a paint tax and a new cell phone tax, a2% tax increase on those making over $450,000 a year.
The $6 billion new spending initiatives were stopped dead in their tracks by Governor Pawlenty's veto. Theseinitiatives and more will not just go away, they have just been temporarily stalled.
I have a list of 26 taxes that we as consumers pay our government. There is one tax that is missing and I'msure others. This tax is a lawyer tax.
Back in 1994 the flavor of the day for trial lawyers was to sue the tobacco industry.In 1998 Michael Ciresi's law firm successfully sued the tobacco industry for $6 billion dollars. The Ciresi Lawfirm yielded $566 million. Michael Ciresi himself made $55 million.
Four months ago Mike Ciresi courageously announced he was more than willing to pay an additional 2% taxon the rich. I don't think a 2% tax hike on Mike will jeopardize his construction of a new castle on one of thelakes in the Brainerd area or will it hinder his run for the Senate seat in 2008.
At $.75 a pack it will take Minnesota smokers 17 to 21 years to pay the $6 Billion tobacco lawsuit. The judgegave the tobacco industry two years to pay the Ciresi law firm. Ironically, this is just the right amount of smok-ing time for Minnesota smokers. Theoretically in 17 to 21 years the $6 billion dollar lawsuit will be paid, butwill cigarettes be reduced $.75 a pack?
Shame on Governor Pawlenty for his $.75 fee or tax initiative on a pack of cigarettes.Thomas Noland 656 Aqua Circle Lino Lakes, Minnesota 55014Phone 651-784-4631Email…[email protected]
Page 22
Best Transportation Development? Growing Public Demand for Public Transit, Says Twin Cities Business
Magazine (September 2007).Despite the depressing, ongoing inability of the state's government to pass a transportation package, the
efforts of those pushing for transportation improvement in Minnesota haven't been wasted. Among other things,they've brought to light the fact there is a real demand for improved public transit. People and officials fromdowntown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie are clamoring for the proposed Southwest light-rail line, for instance.Two factors have pushed the cause forward, particularly among once-skeptical suburbanites: the great success ofthe Hiawatha light-rail line, and the increasing congestion of metro-area roadways. Piecemeal fixes and bonding
Answer To CRYPTO:PETER BELL HAD THE IDEA TO WRAP A BUS IN CAMOUFLAGE. HELLO!? NO
ONE COULD SEE THE DARN THING COMING.
Page 23
Fun Trip to Willmar
A group of drivers went to Willmar,Minnesota, to support our candidates inthe State Driver’s Roadeo. Duane tooksecond place. Next year it will be inBemidji, Minnesota, and we plan to goagain.
The Annual Metro Transit BusOperator roadeo will be held September24 - 27th. The eligible winner will com-pete in the International Roadeo to beheld in Austin, Texas., in May of 2008.Safety specialists will begin signing upoperators right after the State Fair ends.
Standing, left to right: Duane Lundgren (FTH), Darrell Hanson, PeterMoore, Bernie Martinez, Theresa Collins and Jeanne O'Neill. Kneelingin front: Debbi Sievers. Everyone except Duane is out of Nicollet.
(i.e. borrowing from future taxpayers) won't solve the problem. We need a transit system. How long will it takeuntil state leaders--certain state leaders--hear the whistle blow? ~Gene Rebeck, Twin Cities Business Magazine,September 2007
September 28, 2007. Transit for Livable Communities' 10th Anniversary Celebration. Join us in celebratingthe accomplishments of Transit for Livable Communities and our many partners and volunteers over the last 10years. The event will also honor former Congressman Martin Sabo for his leadership in securing significant fed-eral funding for many transit, bicycling, and quality of life improvements in the Twin Cities. The event willserve as a fundraiser for TLC, with proceeds benefiting our education, research, and organizing work for trans-portation choices in the region. Tickets will be available in September. The event will be held at St. Paul's UnionDepot, with a reception at 5:30 p.m., and dinner and program at 6:30 p.m.
August 29, 2007. Twin Cities Residents Want Transit...Now Let's Commit to Funding It. MN2020, a progressive, nonpartisan think tank, published an editorial by Matt Clark, treasurer and member ofthe TLC Board. " The business and government leaders of other regions have made the investments necessaryfor their economic futures," says Clark, also a vice president at the Minneapolis division of a global investmentbank. "If we don't want to be left 'waiting at the station,' we must demand the same commitment from our lead-ers here in Minnesota."
Source: Transit For Liveable Communities Website: www.tlcminnesota.org
In MemoriamRobert “Dutch” Schultz, Operator 6929
South Operator, Schultz, Robert E. age 64, of Mpls, passed away August 5.He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Lois; and brother, Ronnie.Survived by his nine children, seven grandchildren, one great-granddaughter,two brothers and three sisters; and many nieces and nephews.
He started at Metro Transit part-time on July 7, 1999 and transfered over tofull-time August 5, 2000. He was recovering from a heart attack and passedaway on Sunday, August 5, 2007. Bob was very quiet and never in the manager’s office, but he would still sit and talk to you, a friendly guy. Bob’sdaughter is Operator 66257, Janell Schultz, out of South.
The Rochester City Lines Transit Drivers Rally Held on August 25th, 2007. was a great success. Soon they will be members of our union.
A group of supporters listening to one of our speakers
ATU Vice PresidentJanice Bochard fromMadison, Wisconsinspeaks to the group.
ATU members, past,present and future. Themembers came fromWisconsin, Minnesotaand there were someother locals there aswell.
Look for future updates next issue.Photos supplied by Deb Sievers.
