OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION|AFL-CIO/CLC

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2018

There are 100 riders for every active member in your city.

What are YOU waiting for?

ORGANIZE

A/C in the summer and heat in the winter

No fumes on the busMore bus

serviceA

mechanically safe bus

No insects on the bus

Wait, these are issues we care

about too!

IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 3

LAWRENCE J. HANLEY International PresidentJAVIER M. PEREZ, JR.

International Executive Vice PresidentOSCAR OWENS

International Secretary-Treasurer

INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTSRICHARD M. MURPHY

Newburyport, MA – rmurphy@atu.orgJANIS M. BORCHARDT

Madison, WI – jborchardt@atu.orgPAUL BOWEN

Canton, MI – pbowen@atu.orgKENNETH R. KIRK

Lancaster, TX – kkirk@atu.orgMARCELLUS BARNES

Flossmore, IL – mbarnes@atu.orgRAY RIVERA

Lilburn, GA – rrivera@atu.orgYVETTE TRUJILLO

Thornton, CO – ytrujillo@atu.orgGARY JOHNSON, SR.

Cleveland, OH – gjohnson@atu.orgROBIN WEST

Halifax, NS – rwest@atu.orgJOHN COSTA

Kenilworth, NJ – jcosta@atu.orgCHUCK WATSON

Syracuse, NY – cwatson@atu.orgCLAUDIA HUDSON

Oakland, CA – chudson@atu.orgBRUCE HAMILTON

New York, NY – bhamilton@atu.orgMICHELLE SOMMERS

Brooklyn Park, MN – msommers@atu.orgJAMES LINDSAY

Santa Clarita, CA – jlindsay@atu.orgEMANUELE (MANNY) SFORZA Toronto, ON – msforza@atu.org

JOHN CALLAHAN Winnipeg, MB – jcallahan@atu.org

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVESDENNIS ANTONELLIS

Spokane, WA – dantonellis@atu.org

STEPHAN MACDOUGALL Boston, MA – smacdougall@atu.org

ANTHONY GARLAND Washington, DC – agarland@atu.org

ANTONETTE BRYANT Oakland, CA – abryant@atu.org

SESIL RUBAIN New Carrollton, MD – srubain@atu.org

CURTIS HOWARD Atlanta, GA – choward@atu.org

ATU CANADAPAUL THORP

Brampton, ON – president@atucanada.ca

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS

Subscription: USA and Canada, $5 a year. Single copy: 50 cents. All others: $10 a year. Published bimonthly by the Amalgamated Transit Union, Editor: Shawn Perry, Designer: Paul A. Fitzgerald. Editorial Office: 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20903. Tel: 1-301-431-7100 . Please send all requests for address changes to the ATU Registry Dept. ISSN: 0019-3291. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40033361. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: APC Postal Logistics, LLC, PO Box 503, RPO, West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS EMERITUS

International President Jim La Sala, ret. International President Warren George, ret.

International Executive Vice President Ellis Franklin, ret. International Executive Vice President Mike Siano, ret.

NEWSBRIEFS

Maine bus drivers testify against autonomous busesIn Maine, a bill in the state legislature would pave the way for driverless buses. However, bus drivers are telling state legislators to put the brakes on the bill. Local 714-Portland, ME members voiced their concerns at a hearing in the state capitol. “Safety is our biggest concern. We deal every day with people. A lot of times we are dealing with ADA passengers, people with disabilities, and we have big questions about how people are going to be serviced,” said one bus driver. “This comes down to customer service and

safety of our passengers. What happens if somebody falls on the bus? What happens with wheelchairs? Who will strap those wheelchairs in? What happens if, god forbid, someone falls out of a wheelchair? We do so much more than just drive the bus.”

Winnipeg Local calls for a review of flawed electronic fare card system The City of Winnipeg has cut corners in implementing its electronic fare card, Peggo, which is run on an outdated system. Local 1505-Winnipeg, MB is calling for a review and audit of Peggo. “Unfortunately, we warned about this quite some time ago… They purchased a system that was outdated,” said Local President Aleem Chaudhary. “These glitches were and are a daily problem.” The Local says riders adding money on the cards online or by phone can be delayed by 24-48 hours, and many riders board buses with a

pre-paid card that doesn’t work.

AC Transit drivers push for more protection after shootingLike most transit workers across North America, dealing with riders who are angry, drunk and even violent has become part of the job for AC Transit bus drivers in the Bay area in California. However, when someone recently shot out the back window of a bus, Local 192-Oakland, CA decided enough is enough. The Local is demanding better safety standards through grievance and, possibly, arbitration, as past requests to the transit agency have been ignored. Local 192 is one of the more than 140 Locals that have passed the resolution

to fix the bus driver workstation.

IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 3

CONTENT 2018JAN/FEB

Vol. 127, No. 1

2 International Officers & General Executive Board

News Briefs

3 Index Page

4 Winnipeg City Councillors take transit challenge

5 International President’s Message: Training

6 International Executive Vice President’s Message: Mass Transit has certainly been in the news of late

7 International Secretary-Treasurer’s Message: The first casualty of war

8 ATU Organizers - Union Special Forces

Mississauga transit program helps low-income families

9 ATU welcomes the newest groups to Vote Yes! for the ATU family in 2016 & 2017

15 How automation of transit could worsen racial inequality

16 Poll reveals DC-area residents blame management for WMATA’s woes

17 With assaults on bus drivers up, Ottawa Local pushes for protective driver shields

Maryland Bill would make assaults on bus drivers a felony

18 Longtime ATU international communications director retires

Winnipeg Local blames province for proposed transit cuts

19 1% got 82% of wealth created in 2017, poorest half got nothing

20 Free transit increases ridership, tackles urban ills

21 A Local 113-Toronto, ON, bus driver goes above and beyond

Milwaukee bus driver helps woman in labor

22 Worcester, MA, Local mobilizes riders in fight for transit funding

24 Trouble in Music City: Good transit vs. more transit in Nashville

25 Calgary boy celebrates 9th birthday on a bus

27 Safety comes first for Kelowna BC bus drivers in harsh winter

28 Translations (Spanish)

31 In Memoriam

32 ATU Latino Caucus pitches in for Puerto Rico hurricane relief efforts

FIRST JOINT INDUSTRY COUNCIL FORMED23

UNIFOR STRIKES AGAIN, RAIDS UNITE HERE LOCAL 75 IN TORONTO

26

4 January/February 2018 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 5

Winnipeg City Councillors take transit challenge in 2018

With the tragic shooting death of Local 1505-Winnipeg member Irvine Jubal Fraser on the job, other concerns about driver safety, an increase in bus fares and other transit issues, Winnipeg Transit made major headlines in 2017.

In response, the Winnipeg Free Press put out a challenge to City councillors as a New Year’s resolution, that they commit to riding the bus to and from work once per month, to get better acquainted with the service. Currently only one councillor takes the bus to work daily.

Of the 16 councillors, 11 were on board, although three of those accepted conditionally. In addition, Mayor Brian Bowman said he won’t participate directly, but pointed out he tries to take Winnipeg Transit as often as possible.

Councillor Matt Allard set his own transit challenge pledging to ride to work every day for a month and check out every bus route running through his ward. “I expect I’ll learn quite a bit by being a user every day of the service. I plan to talk to residents and drivers and really just document anything that I think is interesting,” he said.

First-hand opportunity to see safety issues for drivers

Local 1505 is eager to see how the councillors’ bus challenge pans out and hopes it creates change for the better.

“They’ll have the first-hand opportunity to see the issues that are surrounding the drivers for safety,” said Local President Aleem Chaudhary. “And at the same time, I think it will be a positive thing for the councillors themselves to be able to ride the bus with their fellow constituents and be able to interact with them.” v

Winnipeg City Councillor Matt Allard

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Training

We have spent a lot of time and resources training local officers, and increased that over the last several years since we own a training center.   We have introduced a few different ideas to our officers.

Training for negotiations

First, is that we should not casually agree to “bargaining rules.” They are usually designed to neuter the union. Sometimes Locals agree, for example, to not talk to their own members during bargaining.

This is suicide.

We urge your officers to open communication with the members. That’s not to say that every word in bargaining is made public, but the members must know what issues are at stake and the tone of the bargaining. This should come from your president, not independently from other people at the bargaining.

Second, we cannot give up the right to talk to the press. No contract should be “negotiated” in the press, but when we have issues of public concern, we cannot give up our right to speak out – ever.

Third, with a shrinking labor movement and constant attacks on unions, we must, must, must build relationships with our riders. Transit and our Union are under attack. That affects us and our riders. There was never a more natural alliance than us with our riders.

Malpractice

It is malpractice if our Local Unions ignore the power of organizing our riders. There are 100 riders for every active

member in your city. What are you waiting for? Start a rider organization, get connected to one if it exists! 

The issues of our members and our riders, at the fundamental level, are the same. But often we let politicians and bosses turn our riders against us. This should be a topic at every union hall. School bus Locals need to know and work with parents, transit and paratransit Locals with riders and special needs advocates. As local budgets and the federal budget cut transit, we need a bigger voice. It is right there waiting for you.

Anti-worker forces

The anti-worker forces are coming again to take away your right to have a strong voice at work through your Union. Backed by billionaires and given huge budgets to destroy unions, they will get their U.S. Supreme Court to change the rules to allow freeloaders to not pay union dues.

And their counterparts in Canada will be watching what happens in the U.S. as they make plans to do the same.

ATU has led the way in preparing for this, but please consider that the power of the union is not just in organizing our coworkers, it’s in organizing the people with whom we share a third of our lives – our passengers.

Any Local Union in need of help in organizing riders should call my office. We are fully committed to this effort. Next issue, we will salute the rider groups and Locals they work with. v

LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

6 January/February 2018 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 7

JAVIER PEREZ, JR., INTERNATIONAL EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT

Mass Transit has certainly been in the news of late

Amazon is offering a $5 billion dollar investment and touting 50,000 new jobs for its Headquarters 2. One of its stated requirements is for the community to have a good transportation network. Mass Transit is key in moving the promised 50,000 new jobs. “Among the reported 17 metro areas finalist chosen, fewer than half are transit-and-walking hubs. Columbus, Indianapolis, Nashville, Austin, and Raleigh all rely almost exclusively on local bus networks to move today’s transit riders. Dallas, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Miami can only boast of limited rail networks. And across all nine of these metros, only Pittsburgh sees even 5 percent of its commuters take transit to work.”  Cities from both our countries have jumped into the bidding war offering millions of dollars of incentives. Many of the incentive are upgraded airports, transit systems and access to free ways.

I’m amazed at the frenzy, given the lack of Transit and infrastructure investment many of these same communities have failed to make for its current stakeholders. Toronto has not offered incentives. The Ontario government announced it would boost “support for students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, including artificial intelligence, to continue to build a highly skilled workforce and support job creation and economic growth, that will help the region whether the firm comes or not” Time will tell if is campaign rhetoric or the real deal.

Are TNC’s Uber and Lfyt disrupters?

In the year 2000, Ubercab entered the taxicab market in San Francisco. Shortening its name to Uber in the years since the company has expanded across the United States and the world. A brief conversation with any cab driver validates the disrupter label within the taxi industry. But what about Mass Transit? Yes, Uber and others have sought to penetrate our industry. It has sought to syphon off work with its oft-stated argument of first and last mile

passenger safety and convenience they can provide. Left out of its braggadocio is that, not all Transit consumers can afford the entry price of their ticket to ride, the smart phone nor its pricing scheme.

Jarret Walker a transit consultant recently penned an article for “City Lab,” suggesting that, “…so much writing on the topic of Uber and disruption right now, is that transit agencies are at risk of being “swept away.” The assumption is that transit agencies are like IBM’s PC business facing the challenge of Apple, or GM facing the challenge of Toyota. Claiming that transit agencies are monopolies deepens this impression, since everyone wants to break a monopoly, except those who profit from it.”

“But transit agencies are not businesses. They are not monopolizing a profitable business and preventing others from entering. They are running an unprofitable service for reasons unrelated to profit: the functioning of a dense city, the liberty of its citizens, and connecting disadvantaged people to opportunity. Nobody has proposed a way for the private sector to deliver, profitably, on all of those goals.”

Is 2018 the Year of increased spending on infrastructure?

Only time will tell. What is certain is that ATU has been at the forefront of legislation and actions to protect our membership and the public we serve. We also will continue to place our crafts on a higher plane. In 2016, ATU began organizing Uber Drivers in NY. To date approximately 14,000 have signed up.

We will need to be politically vigilant and lead the conversation in both our countries as the debate progress. v

Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.

IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 7

The first casualty of war

OSCAR OWENS, INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER

“Truth is the first casualty of war.” And, as a Vietnam veteran, I understand why misinformation is put out on a battlefield. Confusing enemies or getting them to believe something that’s not true saves lives.

The Trump administration must believe they are waging war. That’s the only way I think they can justify the contradictory and false statements they issue almost daily. This is not the usual “spin” we expect from politicians. These comments persuade people to believe something that’s false to generate support, or to defeat “enemies.”

Vulgar tirade

The president’s recent vulgar tirade about Haiti and African countries is a case in point.

His words were no accident. Like a radio “shock jock” who says outrageous things to increase ratings, Trump knew exactly what he was doing. And he got exactly the response he wanted.

Trump says racist things he knows his base will love. At the same time he thinks he can confuse the public and thwart his “enemies” by claiming that it’s all “fake news,” and cynically issuing a proclamation praising Dr. King.

Truly, however, it doesn’t matter what exact words he used, or even, whether or not he’s a racist. What matters is that he has no problem stoking racial hatred, and denying it later. That should outrage us all.

The oldest trick in the book

I had to laugh when I saw the news reports that several big businesses gave their employees a $1,000 bonus after

the Trump tax revision was passed. It reminds me of the way employers will offer their employees a $1,000 signing bonus during contract negotiations instead of giving them a real raise. That’s one of the oldest tricks in the book.

Desperate workers often jump at the chance to have a small windfall, not thinking that a raise is permanent, and would provide them with far greater wages over time. Nevertheless, the news was seen as evidence that “happy days are here again” because of Trump.

Big business hasn’t seen fit to increase wages as their profits have soared in the recent recovery. How would giving them even more money change that?

One only needs to look at their ardent support for the case being brought before the Supreme Court this year that will greatly weaken unions to realize that they have no intention of meaningfully increasing wages.

We’re being played, manipulated, and distracted by Trump’s vulgar, confusing, and contradictory sideshow, and the illusion that by bestowing the bulk of our nation’s wealth on the already obscenely rich, we will all get rich ourselves.

Nonsense! We must fight this assault on working families with everything we’ve got. v

Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the latest ATU news.

8 January/February 2018 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 25

In the military, there are special forces - Navy Seals, Green Berets. They are sent in to work in the most difficult circumstances at great personal risk, where results matter.

In ATU we have a group of organizers. They are unsung heroes who work long hours, motivated by a real love of ATU and our movement. Self-starters, they usually work alone. They not only work to build ATU, but to bring the benefits of union membership to low paid, poorly treated workers.

They show up before sunrise at dark, unfamiliar bus yards and garages to meet people they do not know and recruit them to our movement. They face hostile bosses, crooked lawyers, sometimes police harassment. That takes courage and challenges and many human qualities. It’s stressful work but for believers it’s rewarding.

Most of what we do is helping workers build power, but in new organizing you start from scratch.

They change lives, starting the process of raising wages and lifting people. In the last seven years, they have organized more than 6,500 members in the ATU.

I want to pause and say thank you to Marylin Williams, Dan Sundquist, Natalie Perez and Mike Harms – The ATUs special forces. v

In solidarity,

Lawrence J. Hanley International President

ATU Organizers - Union Special Forces

Mississauga single mother of three, Sophia Samuels, works two jobs to provide for her family and depends on public transit to go to and from work, but sometimes she can’t afford a bus ticket because of bills.

Thankfully, she has been able to take advantage of a support program where food banks can buy transit tickets at half price and distribute them to those who need them.

The Mississauga discount-ticket idea began in 2016 as an experiment but was recently made permanent because it has been so successful in helping those who rely on public transit.

With the size and sprawl of cities growing, it’s no surprise that the average Canadian household spends more on transportation than anything else except shelter. And transportation costs are unrelated to income level – both wealthy and low-income residents pay the same price to ride transit. So, poor people tend to spend a greater proportion of their money on transportation.

While a number of cities have adopted a low-income transit fare for people in need, the idea of allowing food banks to

buy cut-rate tickets to distribute as they want is rare.

Great way to make money stretch

“We try to give them away where we can,” said Reverend Jennifer Reid of St. Peter’s Anglican, Erindale, one of the churches that participates through a food bank, where Ms. Samuels gets her tickets. “It’s such a great way to make our money stretch.” v

Mississauga transit program helps low-income families

The Reverend Canon Jennifer Reid

IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 25

• a guarantee that new transit jobs are public sector, good-paying, ATU-represented jobs

• 10-minute headways on the 14 busiest bus routes, and expanded hours of service

• specifics on how the mayor plans to deliver 31,000 units of truly affordable housing by 2025

The concern driving PATHE is that without these commitments, “Let’s Move Nashville” will become a “gentrification train,” benefitting wealthy, white, or choice transit riders while displacing and further impoverishing poor, African American, or transit-reliant residents.

“Let’s Move Nashville” will move to a referendum later this year before heading into a lengthy process of decision-making.

Right wing Koch brothers oppose transit referendum

It faces total opposition from rich right-wingers who would rather transit didn’t exist. At center stage in the Nashville fight is the Koch brother funded, Libertarian Cato Institute, which has a knack for opposing nearly every local debate over transit expansion, arguing against investments in rail and bus service.

Local 1235 has no intention of helping anti-transit billionaires kill the plan. Instead, they and PATHE are laser focused on ensuring that the mayor’s plan leads to good transit, good housing, and good jobs. v

Most kids have their birthday parties at a swimming pool or their backyard, but one Calgary boy wanted to hold his at a Calgary Transit bus depot.

Nine-year-old Alec Hamilton, a potential future ATU member, has loved trains since he was two, but became  fascinated with buses when an older model bus picked him up from school one day.

After he learned that Calgary Transit was retiring his favorite bus, he asked the transit agency if he could hold his birthday party on the bus.

Amateur Calgary transit historian

Despite his age, Hamilton is an amateur historian on the Calgary Transit fleet, pointing out the older model he loves is in the “old Olympic design.”

Calgary Transit fleet manager Russell Davies was very impressed with Hamilton’s knowledge of the buses and the system. “It’s kind of incredible and he’s got a job if he wants one, actually,” Davies said.

Davies says a unique  event like Hamilton’s birthday reinforces the critical role  transit plays in the lives of the nearly 280,000 Calgarians who use and depend on public transit to get around every single day.

“We know how important we are to them and every so often we need to let them know that you’re important to us,” he said.  “It’s not just 280,000 people, it’s 280,000 Alecs or 280,000 grandparents.” v

Calgary boy celebrates 9th birthday on a bus

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Canadian Agenda

In 2018, the labour movement is expected to face unprecedented assaults on our basic right to organize from politicians doing the bidding of billionaires. In response, unions like ATU are investing their resources in building a labour movement that crosses barriers and borders. After all, the only way to beat money that stretches around the world is with a labour movement that does the same.

Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way. For the past year, Unifor – Canada’s largest private sector union – has been on a crusade to grow even larger, not by organizing new members, but by raiding other unions. It’s an anti-democratic campaign masquerading as a democratic movement, and it’s already giving global corporations and public agencies the upper hand in upcoming negotiations.

Last year, Unifor President Jerry Dias launched an unsuccessful raid on Local 113-Toronto, ON, with the assistance of a disgruntled Local president who lost his election to become an ATU international vice president. Dias hoped Local 113 members could be persuaded to leave ATU if a few misleading figures shouted “democracy” and condemned any affiliation with U.S. unions.

The plan backfired when ATU’s General Executive Board trusteed Local 113. Along with most of Local 113’s elected officers and stewards, the trusteeship exposed the Unifor plot that had been going on behind the scenes for some time.

Now, Dias is at it again. This time his target was UNITE HERE Local 75, which represents more than 8,000 hotel workers in Toronto. As with Local 113, Dias found a disgruntled local union president at odds with most of her elected executive board.

When UNITE HERE reluctantly imposed trusteeship on Local 75 – at the request of the local’s executive board and after a year of attempted dispute resolution – Dias pounced once again, using the same old playbook. “American invasion,” and, “We want union democracy,” he cried.

Fact versus fiction

The picture that Dias paints is one in which big, bad international unions charge like storm troopers into locals, dismiss everyone, seize whatever they can grab, and install their own officers.

But facts are stubborn things, as Dias learned the hard way last year when his attempted raid on Local 113 failed. It didn’t take long for members to realize that the effort was actually a greedy, anti-democratic power grab by two union leaders who put personal gain before the interests of members.

In the case of UNITE HERE Local 75, the picture is fast becoming clear, as well. Turmoil in the local started in 2016, when factions emerged at the Local that brought monthly executive board meetings to a standstill. Dozens of complaints from members began pouring into UNITE HERE’s international, alleging undemocratic practices, and even charges of racism leveled against the Local president.

In April 2017, a majority of Local 75’s elected executive board requested that UNITE HERE trustee the Local. Instead, over the next year, the international did everything it could to resolve the disagreements. Little progress was made. Concern mounted that the disputes would weaken

Unifor strikes again, raids UNITE HERE Local 75 in Toronto

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With a brutal winter dumping snow across Kelowna, BC, Local 1722- Kelowna, BC, is reminding the riding public that safety is the number one concern for bus drivers.

In a letter to the editor in the Daily Courier, Local President Scott Lovell points out that bus stops are dangerously packed with snow and that the Local has requested the hard-working city crews thoroughly clear all bus stops for the safety of drivers and riders.

Trained professionals

doing a difficult job

“We are trained professionals sometimes doing a very difficult job in incredibly difficult driving situations,” his letter says. “It is overwhelmingly noticeable that our community’s seniors and mobility challenged passengers are avoiding transit because of the added perils of access.”

Noting that snow removal budgets are already over budget, Lovell writes, “In future winters, we hope this challenge can be overcome and all our community can utilize the public transit system. In the meantime, please continue to be very cautious in our bus stops especially when boarding or off-loading from a bus. Your safety is our No. 1 concern.” v

Safety comes first for Kelowna BC bus drivers in harsh winter

the Local’s hand in coming collective bargaining with its multinational hotel employers.

In December 2017, UNITE HERE’s international executive committee trusteed Local 75 to restore its stability and prepare for negotiations.

The Local president responded by changing the locks on the union hall and removing 12 elected executive board members on trumped up charges. She then used her new, hand-selected board to take action against other officers and pass a motion opposing the trusteeship.

Unifor raids are a boss’s best friend

In January 2018, Unifor withdrew from the Canadian Labour Congress, the largest federation of labour unions in the country and presided over by a Unifor member and Dias ally. Despite its enormous influence within the CLC, Unifor claimed the body wasn’t democratic enough. The truth is that Unifor left so it could be free to raid UNITE HERE Local 75.

Dias quickly entered the fray with his usual attempt to divide and conquer. Within hours, Unifor organizers were confronting UNITE HERE members outside their workplaces, insisting they sign cards for this new union.

Sadly, Unifor’s campaign won’t bring a single unorganized worker into a union. In February, Unifor’s misguided, heavy-handed and deceptive campaign was dealt a serious blow as thousands of workers at 17 of 24 Greater Toronto Area hotels in play voted to stay with UNITE HERE Local 75, rejecting Unfor’s raid attempt. While four went with Unifor and the remaining three are pending as of press time, significantly, Unifor didn’t go after workers at 24 other hotels.

There’s a better way forward

Raiding is the well-worn path of failing union leaders. ATU and successful unions like it have a better idea. ATU has invested in organizing and mobilization, growing our ranks to 199,000 transit workers across Canada and the U.S.

We launched a multi-local campaign in Ontario to “Keep Transit Public” and resist privatization by Metrolinx, and we did it with support from multiple CLC affiliates. We also rolled out a coordinated bus operator workstation campaign, with more than 140 Locals passing resolutions demanding their governments and employers address fatal flaws in bus design.

Our joint industry councils, intended to unite Local unions who share private sector employers, are beginning to elect their own leadership. Soon, these democratically-elected JIC leaders will engage in ATU’s first-ever, national bargaining with these employers.

As ATU is demonstrating, there is a better path forward for the broader movement: organize the unorganized, grow the international labour movement, and engage in coordinated action against the bosses. v

28 January/February 2018 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 29

Formation

Nous avons consacré beaucoup de temps et de ressources à la formation des agents locaux, et plus encore au cours des dernières années, depuis que nous possédons un centre de formation. Nous avons soumis quelques idées à nos dirigeants.

Former pour mieux négocier

Premièrement, nous ne devrions pas accepter à la légère les « règles de négociation ». Elles sont souvent conçues dans le but de neutraliser le syndicat. Il arrive parfois que des sections locales acceptent, par exemple, de ne pas parler à leurs propres membres durant les négociations.

Pur suicide.

Nous exhortons vos dirigeants à maintenir une communication ouverte avec les membres. Cela ne veut pas dire que chaque mot de la négociation doit être rendu public, mais les membres doivent connaître les enjeux et le ton de la négociation. Cette information devrait venir de votre président, non indépendamment des autres participants à la négociation.

Deuxièmement, nous ne pouvons renoncer à notre droit de nous adresser aux journalistes. Aucun contrat ne devrait être « négocié » dans la presse, mais lorsque nos préoccupations sont d’intérêt public, nous ne renoncerons pas à notre droit de parole – jamais.

Troisièmement, avec un mouvement syndical qui se rétrécit et les attaques constantes contre les syndicats, nous devons absolument, impérativement établir des relations avec nos usagers. Le transport en commun et notre syndicat sont sous attaque. Cela nous affecte tous, nous et nos usagers. Il n’y a jamais eu d’alliance plus naturelle que celle que nous avons avec nos usagers.

Faute professionnelle

C’est une faute professionnelle si nos sections locales ignorent leur pouvoir de former nos usagers. Pour chacun des membres actifs de votre ville, il y a cent usagers. Qu’attendez-vous ? Démarrez une organisation d’usagers ou connectez-vous à l’une d’entre elles s’il en existe ! 

Les préoccupations de nos membres sont fondamentalement les mêmes que celles de nos usagers. Mais nous laissons

souvent les politiciens et les patrons retourner nos usagers contre nous. Cela devrait être un sujet de discussion dans chaque syndicat. Les sections locales des travailleurs du transport scolaire ont besoin de connaître et de travailler avec les parents, les transports en commun, les sections locales du transport adapté, en collaboration avec les usagers et les défenseurs des personnes à besoins spéciaux. Comme les budgets locaux et le budget fédéral coupent dans le transport en commun, nous avons besoin d’une voix plus forte. Cette offre n’attend que vous.

Forces anti-travailleurs

Les forces anti-travailleurs reviennent encore à la charge pour vous enlever votre droit d’avoir une voix forte au travail par le biais de votre syndicat. Soutenues par des milliardaires et dotées d’énormes budgets pour détruire les syndicats, elles obtiendront de la Cour Suprême des États-Unis qu’elle modifie les règles, permettant aux pique-assiettes de ne pas payer de cotisations syndicales.

Et leurs homologues canadiens surveilleront ce qui se passe aux États-Unis alors qu’ils prévoient faire de même.

Le SUT a ouvert la voie en s’y préparant, mais considérez que le pouvoir du syndicat ne consiste pas seulement à structurer nos collègues, mais aussi à inclure les personnes avec lesquelles nous partageons un tiers de nos vies – nos passagers.

Toute section locale qui a besoin d’aide pour l’organisation des usagers est invitée à appeler mon bureau. Nous nous engageons pleinement dans cet effort. Dans le prochain numéro, nous rendrons hommage aux groupes d’usagers et aux sections locales avec lesquelles ils travaillent. v

Premier conseil industriel mixte

Une page d’histoire a été écrite en janvier dernier, lors de la création du premier conseil industriel mixte (JIC) du SUT et de la tenue de sa première réunion. Le JIC est composé de sections locales partout aux États-Unis et au Canada qui représentent les travailleurs de la MV Transportation.

Approche innovatrice dans l’industrie

Cette réunion se produit après des années d’expérience syndicale locale avec des compagnies de transport privées

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contractées pour gérer un nombre croissant de systèmes de transport en commun. Sous la direction du président international Larry Hanley, le syndicat a élaboré une approche innovatrice à la négociation et aux relations patronales-syndicales avec les sociétés multinationales telles que MV.

Au cours des dernières années, les dirigeants de telles sections locales ont reçu des directives sur les stratégies éprouvées pour traiter avec ces géants de l’entreprise. Ils ont été informés sur les antécédents professionnels et les relations d’entreprise avec les gouvernements locaux. Les formations ont également couvert le langage contractuel et les tactiques de négociation efficaces.

L’un des problèmes majeurs identifiés par les sections locales JIC réside dans les arrangements pris par les entreprises dans leurs contrats municipaux. Les sections locales ont été frustrées par les affirmations des entreprises selon lesquelles leur capacité à négocier est limitée par leur contrat, ou par l’absence de langage contractuel, exigeant qu’une entreprise respecte les normes de rendement.

Conséquemment, l’International exhorte les sections locales à participer à la formulation des demandes de propositions (DP) et des ententes de revenus avant qu’elles soient présentées au public.

C’est ce qu’a fait la section locale  128 – Asheville, NC qui connaissait avec des problèmes récurrents avec la First Transit. L’horaire d’entretien était mal établi, voire pas du tout, par l’entreprise. La flotte était tombée dans un tel délabrement que des VUS étaient utilisés pour fournir le service, et le roulement de personnel était élevé.

Mesures adoptées

Grâce à une campagne conjointe avec des groupes communautaires, la section locale a réussi à intégrer le comité de DP, suggérant le langage compris dans la DP. La section locale a également été invitée à siéger au comité de sélection, obtenant ainsi une voix et un vote au comité qui choisit la prochaine entreprise à diriger le système.

Une situation semblable à Escambia County, en Floride, a donné l’occasion à la section locale 1395 – Pensacola, FL de se faire entendre dans l’élaboration d’un contrat client.

Ainsi, le SUT se bat pour les salaires, la sécurité et les conditions de travail au-delà de la table de négociation, exigeant et gagnant une voix dans le processus qui aide à déterminer le résultat des offres contractuelles.

Un pas de plus

Le JIC nouvellement formé – le MV Transportation Council – a poussé ses préoccupations un pas plus loin, rencontrant les dirigeants de la MV afin d’amorcer un dialogue sur des questions comme les appels d’offres, les contrats, le chiffre d’affaires, les conditions de travail et d’autres enjeux. Les futurs conseils de chaque compagnie de transport privé se réuniront et éliront des dirigeants au cours des prochains mois. Les sociétés de transport multinationales ont également accepté de rencontrer leurs conseils respectifs.

De toute évidence, la façon avec laquelle le SUT traite ces entreprises a changé. Nous avons planifié. Nous avons mis la table. Nous sommes prêts. v

Notes discordantes dans la « Music City » : qualité contre quantité de transports en commun à Nashville

Un nouveau projet d’expansion du transport en commun dans la ville plutôt mal desservie de Nashville au Tennessee est comme une douce musique aux oreilles de plusieurs. Malheureusement, le maire ne danse pas sur la même musique que les travailleurs locaux du transport en commun. La façon de procéder de la Ville aura des répercussions importantes sur la façon dont les travailleurs aborderont l’expansion du transport en commun, où qu’ils soient.

Pour comprendre ce qui se passe à Nashville, on doit comprendre la différence entre ceux qui demandent davantage de transports en commun et ceux qui demandent de bons transports en commun. Ce débat ressemble à celui touche le Travail depuis les cinquante dernières années : plus d’emplois ou plus de bons emplois ?

Les travailleurs gagnent maintenant moins et travaillent plus que jamais. Les syndicats peuvent-ils célébrer la baisse des taux de chômage lorsque les nouveaux emplois créés sont pour la plupart à faible salaire, sans avantages sociaux et dans des industries nuisibles à la société dans son ensemble ? À quoi sert un emploi s’il ne permet pas de payer les factures ou d’améliorer le sort de nos communautés ?

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Lorsque le docteur Martin Luther King fils s’est rendu à Memphis, il y a cinquante ans, pour s’adresser aux travailleurs de l’assainissement en grève, il a constaté des parallèles dans les luttes pour les droits civils et la justice économique. Dans son discours du 18  mars  1968, il déclarait : « Car nous savons qu’il ne suffit pas d’intégrer les comptoirs-repas. À quoi sert à un homme de pouvoir s’asseoir à un comptoir-repas intégré s’il n’a pas assez d’argent pour se payer un hamburger ? »

De même, cela ne suffit pas de créer un emploi si ce n’est pas un bon emploi. Cela ne suffit pas de créer une nouvelle ligne ferroviaire si ce n’est pas une bonne ligne ferroviaire. Alors, qui décide de ce qu’est un bon emploi ou un bon système de transport en commun ?

Pour la section locale 1235 – Nashville, TN et ses alliés de la People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing, and Employment (PATHE), la réponse est claire : c’est le peuple qui décide. Et la seule façon pour le peuple de se faire entendre est d’unir leurs voix.

« Let’s Move Nashville »

Leur cible est le maire de Nashville, Megan Barry, un démocrate qui a proposé le projet de transport en commun «  Let’s Move Nashville  » (Transportons Nashville) qui demande de nouveaux centres de transport en commun, plusieurs lignes ferroviaires, de nouvelles taxes pour soutenir le travail et une toute nouvelle agence pour superviser le tout.

Nashville a désespérément besoin de plus de services de transport en commun. Mais comme nous l’avons vu dans de nombreuses villes, un nouveau service de transport en commun mal implanté peut s’avérer nuisible. Si le nouveau système réintroduit la privatisation du transport en commun, se finance à partir d’impôt supplémentaire pour les pauvres au lieu des riches, suscite le développement du luxe en déplaçant les familles à faible revenu, ou se concentre uniquement sur les usagers de choix et non sur ceux qui dépendent du transport en commun, qui aide-t-il réellement ?

Les membres de la section locale  1235 ainsi que leurs partenaires de la PATHE ont un message simple pour le maire Barry  : nous avons besoin d’un transport en commun et nous avons besoin qu’il soit bien fait.

Des emplois bien rémunérés, représentés par le SUT

La PATHE a formulé ses demandes, noir sur blanc, parmi lesquelles on retrouve :

• la garantie que les nouveaux emplois dans le transport en commun seront des emplois du secteur public, bien rémunérés et représentés par le SUT

• des intervalles de 10 minutes sur les quatorze trajets les plus achalandés et un prolongement des heures de service

• des détails sur la façon dont le maire prévoit livrer 31 000  unités de logement réellement abordables d’ici 2025

Ce qui préoccupe la PATHE est que sans ces engagements, « Let’s Move Nashville » deviendra un train d’embourgeoisement qui profitera aux usagers blancs, riches et privilégiés tout en déplaçant et en appauvrissant davantage les pauvres, les Afro-Américains et les résidents qui dépendent du transport en commun.

Le projet «  Let’s Move Nashville  » fera l’objet d’un référendum plus tard cette année avant d’être lancé dans un long processus de prise de décision.

Les frères Koch s’opposent au référendum sur le transport en commun

Le référendum fait face à une vive opposition de la part des riches partisans de la droite qui préféreraient ne pas avoir de transport en commun. Au centre de l’arène dans le débat de Nashville se trouve le Libertarian Cato Institute, institution financée par les frères Koch, qui a le don de s’opposer à presque tous les débats locaux sur l’expansion des transports en commun, s’opposant aux investissements dans le service ferroviaire et d’autobus.

La section locale 1235 n’a aucunement l’intention de laisser ces milliardaires anti-transport public faire échouer ce projet. Avec l’appui de la PATHE, ils se concentrent à fond pour s’assurer que le projet du maire se concrétisera en un bon système de transport en commun, de bons logements et de bons emplois. v

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1- MEMBERS AT LARGEBERNARD E APPLETONWESLEY C ELDREDGEF J LEEHAROLD B WILMES

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113- TORONTO, ONRAYMOND C COLESTONY DAIGLETOM DEDESDAVID D DURAISAMIDAVID T GARRETTRENATO GIANSANTIMICHAEL HOWLETTCHESTER JAYEANTONIO MARCHESECOLIN SINCLAIR MOORESTANLEY MURRAYALBERT H NEWCOMBETERRENCE PITAWANAKWATCHRISTOPHER W RYANDAVID SUTTONTREVOR VOLLETTRONALD HORACE WALKERFREDERICK ARTHUR WEBBDERRICK A E WYELD

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880- CAMDEN, NJFRANCIS A DOUGHERTYSTEPHEN K C ENGDAVID FAGANPENELOPE V FLORY

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1005- MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, MNARTHUR E DULLINGERDAVID L ROGNELAWRENCE L SOHR

1179- NEW YORK, NYMELVIN J HERSHKOPFMARIO LAZZARO

1181- NEW YORK, NYFRANCISCO APONTEERNEST BACHERTHEDWIG BACHMANNSALVATORE BADALAMENTIALEXANDER BARBEROJOSEPH CAGGIANOMARIA GAMBINOMICHAEL D GREENLOUIS A JONESJAMES E LEDGERANNIE MAE LENNONFRANK M MAHERRICHARD MONTELLONIDIA PAYANOFRANKLIN J PETRUZZOEDWARD J SCHIFFDOMINICK TESOROMARIE URZIAROSEANN VAIANOJAMES WEISSFELICIA YACCARINOLIGURIO ZELLI

1235- NASHVILLE, TNJOHN K HAILEY

1267- FT.LAUDERDALE, FLTREVOR MITCHELL

1277- LOS ANGELES, CAALEKSANDER AFTANASROBERT ANDRE FORDSTEVE HEARN JROMAR NOMURA

1290- MONCTON, NBWAYNE A SMITH

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1338- DALLAS, TXROBERT ESSEXCOREY D HIGHTOWER

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PAIDLANCASTER,PAPERMIT #1052

With the federal government recently cutting off hurricane relief aid for Puerto Rico, many residents continuing to live without electricity, and others struggling to obtain food and water, the ATU Latino Caucus launched a drive to help the people of the storm-ravaged island.

The Caucus launched a relief effort during the Latino Caucus annual Conference in Seattle, WA, a week after the hurricane hit. A raffle was held, and the Caucus donated $1,000 to raise more than $3,000 in relief funds. They collected more than 30 pallets of water, non-perishable food items, clothing, household goods, and other necessities.

Half of the funds went to The National Museum of Puerto Rico Arts and Culture in Chicago and the other half went to Mar Azul Church in Puerto Rico, which is affiliated with the CAIAC Family Reflection Church in Orlando.

The International pitched in, providing financial assistance for the transportation of the donations to Florida after funding fell through.

“ATU members have a long history of helping those in need, and our Latino Caucus is continuing that legacy,” said International President Larry Hanley. “I applaud the Caucus board for mobilizing this relief effort to help the people of Puerto Rico who are still in desperate need so many months after this disaster.” v

ATU Latino Caucus pitches in for Puerto Rico hurricane relief efforts