Download - 2011 Nov_Dec
The 1005 LineThe news and information
publication of
ATU Local 1005 Prepared and
distributed by the Education
Committee
For The People Who Know Where They Are Going
November / December 2011
"Our members are struggling every day and working hard, and these are their children. � ese are our children who are out here saying America must change. America must take care of its people. " - ATU Int'l. Pres. Larry Hanley, applauding the Occupy Movement
What’s Inside...
Officer’s Corner
page 2
Union Meeting Highlights
page 3
Met Council Recognition
page 6
Transit Funding Committee
page 10
March for Peace
page 12
TSSC Minutes
page 15
Retirements
page 13, info page 18
Yellow Ribbon
page 19
Midwest School
page 20
ATU Rally
page 23
Holiday Greetings
back cover
UNION ELECTION RESULTSFaye Brown # 6331
On November 9, 2011 ATU 1005 held its election and the WINNER
is you, because you came out to make your vote count. Now that it's over
and the dust has settled, here are the people's choices.
The Executive Board Offi cers:
President/Business Agent - Michelle Sommers
Vice-President - Dorothy Maki
Recording Secretary/Assistant Business Agent- Mark Lawson
Financial Secretary/Treasurer - Tommy Bellfi eld
Executive Board Members of Metro Transit Facilities:
Overhaul - Ron Laumeyer
LRT Maintenance - John Hawthorne
LRT Operators - Dave Rogers
South Transportation - Lisa Benson
South Maintenance - Tim Dixon
Heywood Transportation - Russell Dixon
Heywood Maintenance - Greg Stowe
Nicollet Transportation - Cliff Bolden
Nicollet Maintenance - John Zapata
MJR Transportation - Gordy Raveling (In a runoff December 14th)
MJR Maintenance - Jody Theisen
East Metro Transportation - Ken Dolney
East Metro Maintenance - Chuck Feucht
Rochester - Dave Gosha
Big Lake Commuter Rail - Tom Mevissen
Your next step now is to get to know your board Continued on page 14
OFFICER’S
CORNER
Page 2
Dan AbramowiczRecording Secretary/Ass’t.
Business Agent
LOCAL 1005
OFFICERS
President/Business Agent
Michelle Sommers
Vice-President
Dorothy Maki
Recording Secretary/
Ass’t. Business Agent
Dan Abramowicz
Financial Secretary/
Treasurer
Tommy Bellfield
ATU Local 1005
Union Office
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(Closed 12:00 - 1:00)
312 Central Ave.
Suite 438
Mpls., MN 55414
612-379-2914
email:
website:
www.atu1005.com
Calendar
Education Committee
Meetings - 11:30 a.m.
on the third Tuesday
December 20th
January 17th
Membership Meetings
on the fourth Tuesday
December 27th - Mpls.
January 24th - St. Paul
10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
This is the last article I write as an officer of Local
1005. I want to make it a good one.
Many have asked me why. Why aren’t you running? Why didn’t you
run for another term? The reasons are several. Mostly, I’d say it was
organization. My lack of organization at home came with me when I
began my term. Many who have seen my desk will attest to this.
Keeping track of grievances, taking phone calls, answering questions,
returning messages, grievance preparation (yes, we actually try to do
that), contract negotiations, membership meetings, political action, videos
and more - all this requires an enormous amount of internal organization.
I thought I could keep up and couldn’t. For that I apologize to all my
union brothers and sisters.
Now, several moments of personal privilege:
Anyone wishing to become active and make a positive change in their
union should start by attending some membership meetings. I know sim-
ple meeting attendance is not the only measure of a good union member,
but it’s a start!
If attending a meeting just isn’t possible, and you are determined to be
an integral part of the union, try running for delegate to one of the region-
al labor federations. These days there are plenty of things to get involved
with if political action is your thing. (It’s not mine, never was.)
So where does one start actually representing members? The next step
is the garage-level Executive Board Member. This is the position that
teaches the fundamentals, where one learns about the contract, policies,
laws, management and members (not necessarily in that order).
Being a full-time union officer is not, nor is it supposed to be, an entry
level position to a union career. Sorry.
And now for something different:
A lot of our members have to deal with sleep apnea. Some require the
use of a C-Pap machine. I recently participated in a project with our
office neighbors, Froeber Dentistry. They tested me for sleep apnea,
which I knew I had because I snore and I’m overweight. When the
Continued on page 27
Page 3
Education
Committee
Advisor
Dorothy Maki
Chair
Melanie Benson
South
Liz Goldberg
Stacey Taylor
Heywood Office
Ilona LaDouceur
Rec. Secretary
Nicollet
Alec Johnson
Ryan Timlin
Twaya McIntosh
Blayne Williams
Ruter
Anastasia Bloodsaw
Jackie Williams
Scott Lindquist
East Metro
Philip Jarosz
Doug Barton
Heywood Garage
Faye Brown
Vice-Chair
Walter T. Curry, Jr.
Debbi Sievers
LRT
Carl Rice
Lisa Callahan
725 Bldg.
Stephen Babcock
Layout
Editorial Board
Ken Dolney
Mark Lawson
Gary Bier
Requests for Arbitration
An FTH operator requested arbitration for a Class B Violation (Red
Light). After a brief explanation in which the operator appeared, a secret
ballot was cast. This case will go to arbitration.
A South operator requested arbitration after being discharged for
violating Metro Transit’s Operating Policy (Violations). After a brief
explanation in which the operator appeared, a secret ballot was cast. This
case will not go to arbitration.
A Nicollet operator requested arbitration for a responsible accident.
After a brief explanation in which the operator appeared, a secret ballot
was cast. This case will go to arbitration.
A South operator requested arbitration for a responsible accident/
Record of Warning (Safety). After a brief explanation in which the
operator appeared, a secret ballot was cast. This case will go to
arbitration.
A South mechanic technician requested arbitration because Metro
Transit management violated the overtime rotation procedure. After a
brief explanation in which the mechanic technician appeared, a secret
ballot was cast. This case will go to arbitration.
Michelle Sommers presented a proposed Letter of Agreement
regarding the probation period of non-operator employees (Art. 6, Sect. 6,
7th paragraph). After a brief explanation a standing vote was taken. The
proposal passed.
The Reduced Service Day agreement for 2012 was read and discussed.
After a brief discussion, the Executive Board took a recommendation
vote. The proposal passed.
President’s Report
National Group Protection representatives have been visiting the
properties talking to members about supplemental insurance. This
company is union-run.
There are two rallies coming up on behalf of public transit. The ATU
International has sent T-shirts and signs for a rally downtown on
September 28, and the AFL-CIO will be sending representatives from its
meeting at the Hilton to join us at the Hennepin County Government
Center on Friday, September 30.
One arbitration award was received since the last meeting was denied.
ATU’s involvement in the Safety and Security Committee has been in
question after requests for minutes of the meetings were not supplied to
us upon request. A meeting has been scheduled to take place right before
the Oct. 6 scheduled meeting.
ATU 1005’s new website is close to being up and running. Any Continued on page 4
Union Meeting Highlights
September 2011
Light Rail
Carl Rice #6223
Lisa Callahan #6716
With the 2011 Election for LRT
mechanic board member, we will
be saying goodbye to Clarence
Maloney and hello to John
Hawthorne. As for the Operator
Board Member, Dave Rogers ran
unopposed.
Winter is just around the corner!!
Are YOU ready?
The new pick started December
3, 2011. It's a 12-week pick.
LRT had four new students start
training to be new operators
October 24, 2011. They are:
Tri Thiem 67439
James Fischer 68050
William Morris 68103
Gene Conley 68226
Also remember: With the Central
Corridor coming in, we will need
more operators!
Page 4problems or suggestions should be sent to us.
Local 1005 received thanks for our support of the Crystal Sugar
workers.
Issues that came out of this year’s State Fair service were few, but one
particular issue was dispatcher overtime vs. district supervisor overtime.
All budget information was formally requested.
Federal transportation funding is still at risk at our level. More work
is being done to mobilize the membership about transit funding and
members’ jobs. Local 1005’s Transit Funding Committee went into
facilities (with management’s approval) to talk to members on these
issues. The office keeps a list of volunteers who are willing to work on
these topics.
Vice-President’s Report
Dorothy Maki mentioned United Way’s Charitable Giving Campaign
coming up soon. Even $1 per paycheck directed to the ATU 1005
Hardship Fund would be a big help. Three members have already been
helped.
Delegate Reports
Maria Hennes-Staples thanked the membership for their work on the
Transit Funding Committee.
Gary Bier and Russ Dixon reported on the ATU Eastern Can-Am
Conference that took place in Manalapan, Florida, from September 13-17,
2011.
Unfinished Business
Nominations were conducted for Executive Board Officers and
Members for the upcoming 2012-2014 term.
Mark Jesse thanked the membership for supporting him through
pledges.
October 2011
Executive Board Recommendations
The International Foundation is offering several learning opportunities
in areas such as retirement plans and health care plans. All the seminars
take place in 2012, in several cities. A motion was m/s/c to pay
registration, airfare, luggage fees, hotel and per diem for two officers to
attend three seminars on health insurance plan designs put on by the
International Foundation at a cost not to exceed $10,000.00.
A motion was m/s/c to endorse a resolution in support of the “Jobs,
Not Cuts” Rally to be held on November 19.
A motion was m/s/c to hold the December 2012 executive board
meeting and both membership meetings on Tuesday, December 18,
instead of December 25. (December 25 is the 4th Tuesday).
A motion was m/s/c to hold the December 2012 Rochester member-
ship meeting on Wednesday, December 19, instead of December 26.
East Metro
Philip Jarosz, Dr. #65015
Doug Barton, Dr. #68273
There are new wall fans
installed to cool down the drivers
who use the wellness room. New
kitchen counters were also
installed. This is good.
There is a new MCI coach CD
for viewing in the drivers' room.
Any questions, see an instructor.
Donations are being gathered
to benefi t the East Metro Garage.
Drivers who have items may give
them to Eddie or Barb.
Articles or comments to be
printed in the ATU 1005 newsletter
can be forwarded to Doug, Philip
or Ken Dolney.
Page 5
Beginning in January 2012, Education Committee members will be
paid two hours for each committee meeting attended and four hours for
article(s) submitted.
Requests for Arbitration
An FTH operator requested arbitration for a responsible accident and
Final Record of Warning. After a brief explanation in which the operator
appeared, a secret ballot was cast. This case will go to arbitration.
An FTH operator requested arbitration after violating his Last Chance
Agreement. After a brief explanation in which the operator appeared, a
secret ballot was cast. This case will go to arbitration.
An LRT operator requested arbitration for a Class A violation for a
switch overrun. After a brief explanation in which the operator appeared,
a secret ballot was cast. This case will go to arbitration.
Financial Secretary-Treasurer’s Report
A motion was m/s/c to dispense with the treasurer’s report, subject to
audit.
The following member passed away since last month’s meeting:
Stephen Leko, 9201 – Retired Operator and Relief Instructor.
Members stood for a moment of silence.
President’s Report
Several arbitration awards received were announced. One was denied,
one was sustained, and one was a compromise.
Health insurance rates for 2012 did not increase by 14.5% as
previously stated, but only by 4.26%. Metro Transit asked if we wanted
to open up the CBA to address the “lopsided” percentages, but ATU said
‘no.’
Local 1005 signed a lease for new space that will be occupied in
December. The union office will be moving into room 345. Because of
the tight rental market, the lease was negoiated down to $9.75 a square
foot. This includes $50,000 in remodeling.
Another long-term employee (mentioned anonymously) received a
DWI in his own car and lost his job. Operators were reminded not to
drink and drive because they will lose their jobs with one conviction.
The ATU has been discussing with Metro Transit the requesting of
video. Members were urged to immediately request video when they
think it’s needed.
The Commuter Rail Helper position that was created in 2010 was
recently awarded to an employee with less seniority than another
applicant. That employee has left the position and Metro Transit is
considering settling that grievance by offering it to the grievant.
The Interchange Project was discussed briefly. The Interchange
Project is a large transit hub with shopping. Construction is scheduled to
begin in 2012 near FTH. The Interchange Minneapolis is now one third
funded. This project will unite transit and development - creating a civic
space connecting multiple transportation options; supporting a vibrant
Continued on page 22
Commuter Rail Big
Lake
Welcome
In October, we welcomed
Sharonda Sellers and Brianna
Waterhouse to Northstar
Commuter Rail VMF. Sharonda
comes from the bus side and
Brianna worked in TCC.
Employee Recognition
Northstar hosted its 2nd
Employee Recognition event of
the year. Enjoying the mild
October weather, the employees
gathered for a BBQ with ham-
burgers and brats. Various other
delicious homemade dishes were
added to have a veritable feast.
Utah Locomotive
For almost two years now, we
have been utilizing a locomotive
under a lease agreement with the
Utah Transit Authority. This loco-
motive has become an integral
part of the Northstar system. I
don’t like to think how many trips
we would have missed and how
many passengers would have been
left waiting on platforms if we
didn’t have this locomotive avail-
able to us. I am now happy to say
that although the lease is expiring,
we will not be losing #12.
Instead, it will become part of
Northstar’s permanent fleet. As of
the end of October, we have a ful-
ly-executed purchase agreement
and payment has been sent to
Utah.
Northstar celebrated its 2nd
Anniversary on November 16.
Page 6
Met Council Employee Recognition
On Tuesday, September 27, in the Harriet Island Pavilion, the Met-
ropolitan Council held its Employee Recognition Event. Employees of
various agencies within the Met Council were awarded for their years of
service and/or their performance on the job.
The theme was Commitment + Service + Pride = YOU! The following
Metro Transit employees were recognized for their length of service:
40 years of ServiceKenneth Day, Bus Op. FT, East
Metro
Kimble Odegard, Relief Mark-Up
Disp., East Metro
35 years of service
Robert Benson, Coordinator,
South
Melanie Benson, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Robert Boyle, Foreperson Electro
Mech Tech, LRT
Dennis Conley, Mech. Tech., MJR
Kenneth Dolney, General Disp.,
East Metro
Paul Eshleman, Head Stockkeeper,
OHB
Kathy Jones, Maint. Clerk, Nicollet
Bruce Kern, Mech. Tech., East
Metro
Jerry Kluge, Brake Shop Mech.
Tech., OHB
Thomas Klute, Mech. Tech.,
Nicollet
Stephen Lischalk, Bus Op. FT,
South
Lorene Love, Bus Op. FT, MJR
Michael Meyer, Brake Shop Mech.
Tech., OHB
Renee Stafford, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Daniel Stout, Lic. Maint. Elect.,
Instruction Center
Mark Tobin-Cortez, Mech. Tech.,
East Metro
Bernadine Woodards, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Patricia Wright, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Jeffrey Zabel, Body/Paint Shop
Mech. Tech., OHB
30 years of ServiceMichael Bilderback, Cleaner III,
East Metro
Gary Cagle, Mech. Tech., East
Metro
Timothy Dixon, Mech. Tech., South
Randal Heinrich, Bus Op. FT,
Martin J Ruter
Patricia Jackson Gray, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Charles Lake, Skilled Helper, OHB
Ronald Laumeyer, Body/Paint Shop
Mech. Tech., OHB
Stephen Meyer, Skilled Helper,
Nicollet
Page 7
Heywood
Ilona La Douceur #66048
Faye Brown # 6331
Walter T. Curry, Jr. #3815
Debbi Sievers #64222
Maintenance
Terry in the maintenance
department would like to say how
proud she was to see so many
Heywood drivers and mechanics
came out to vote for our union
board.
The maintenance department
will be getting a new bulletin
board for short and long-term
information.
The holiday celebration was
held on December 15.
Safety Department
Let's be aware that it's winter,
so leave yourself the safe cushion
of eye lead time of 15 seconds. In
January the safety department will
be showing a video on winter driv-
ing in the Right-to-Know classes,
so sign up early.
REMINDER: Let's look out
for each other and don't idle your
bus in the bays. The doors are
down now, and that means less
fresh air ventilation.
The 1005 Line
Remember, you can always
access past and present issues
online at www.atu1005.com on
the Education page.
You can also see the results
of arbitration votes and other
meeting results.
Carl Munson, Body/Paint Shop
Mech. Tech., OHB
Ricky Sovde, Mech. Tech., South
Karen Swesey, Mark-Up Disp.,
East Metro
Joel Terrell, Coordinator, Nicollet
25 years of ServiceGloria Allen, Senior TIC Rep, Hey-
wood Offi ce
Norman Anderson, Bus Op. FT,
East Metro
Kimberly Fleming, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Judy Gilbertson, Bus Op. FT, South
David Lefebvre, Engineering &
Facilities, OHB
Arnold Libby, Coordinator Central
Stores, OHB
Harry Mandik, Train Op., LRT
Lawrence Quist, Bus Op. PT Day,
East Metro
James Schlafer, TIC Rep, Heywood
Offi ce
Wanda Starr, Bus Op. FT, South
General Wade, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Darren Warren, Mech. Tech., East
Metro
Randy Webb, Bus Op. FT, MJR
James Webb, Bus Op. FT, South
Blayne Williams, Mech. Tech.,
Nicollet
20 years of ServiceJacqueline Beamish, Bus Op. FT,
Heywood
Bobby Bell, Bus Op. FT, Heywood
Tommy Bellfi eld, Rail Disp., LRT
Lisa Benson, Bus Op. FT, South
John Colbeth, Rev. Equip. Maint.,
Instr. Center
Laurence Crepeau, Skilled Helper,
South
Allan Daley, Bus Op. FT, Nicollet
June Evens, Bus Op. FT, MJR
Tesfaye Fufa, Bus Op. FT,
East Metro
Amy Gudmestad, Lead Supervisor,
TIC, Hey. Offi ce
Steven Hammonds, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Daniel Hayes, Bus Op. FT, MJR
Donald Hills, Bus Op. FT,
Heywood
Peter Jackson, Bus Op. FT, East
Metro
Jay Jensen, Bus Op. FT, Heywood
Michael Kelley, Bus Op. FT,
Nicollet
Dale Leen, Bus Op. PT Day, South
Kathleen Love, Clerical Ass’t.,
Heywood Offi ce
Mark Montillon, Bus Op. FT,
East Metro
Bryson Powers, Bus Op.FT, South
Michael Schellenberg, Bus Op. FT,
East Metro
Robert Schwintek, Train Op., LRT
Timothy Smith, Instructor, Instr.
Center
Gregory Strombeck, Bus Op. FT,
South
Gnia Vu, General Disp., South
CRYPTOEach letter stands for another. If you think A=F, for example, it would
equal F throughout the puzzle. Clue: A=L (Answer on page 19 )
Submitted by Pat Kelehan, Facilities Tech. #5470
A Z B X C, W Z D B V F C T W Z G D T
S W H T H Q A L R D J
C M C B V M W D G X S Z K
Z B C Z A “V Z O H R Z A A M B Z L C K”.
Nicollet
Melanie Benson #854
Twaya McIntosh #9002
Alec Johnson #66034
Ryan Timlin #66279
Blayne Williams #77
Maintenance
While most of the work on the
ventilation system has been com-
pleted, there are still electricians
working on parts of it.
There's a brand new wash rack.
Work continues on the east side
of the building, where fuel tanks
are being converted to above-
ground.
The maintenance managers' and
maintenance clerk's offices have
undergone major renovations.
The floor in the breakroom will
be resurfaced soon.
Transportation
Everyone is asked to be consid-
erate of fellow workers while park-
ing. The changes on the east side
of the garage have removed several
parking spots, and space will be
tight. Please don't leave vehicles in
the parking lot overnight or straddle
parking spaces.
Thanks to everyone who made
the December 14 holiday party such
a success by contributing food and
helping in so many other ways.
The bulletin boards next to
Ellen's office upstairs are meant to
hold photographs of Nicollet
Garage employees. Photos former-
ly posted have been saved. Anyone
willing to work on these photo
boards can contact Melanie, Driver
854.
Page 8
Oh Brother, May I Use the Restroom?By Sheila Miller
Operators have many challenges throughout the course of their day, not
the least of which is restroom relief. If the bus route serves a transit center
it’s a slam dunk – the driver’s room has at least one restroom. But what
can you do on those routes that don’t serve a transit center?
Most gas stations, convenience stores and fast food restaurants have
public bathrooms open to their customers, and many don’t mind if some-
one comes in to use the restroom without making a purchase. There are a
few small businesses that limit restroom access to paying customers or just
employees. They may have a small profi t margin, a single bathroom they
want to reserve for customers, or a bad attitude. It’s their business, their
bathroom facility, their prerogative. Operators need to respect their right to
restrict or refuse access to the restroom, just as Metro Transit limits access
to transit center facilities.
It continues to be a challenge to secure restroom access at or near
terminals. Some locations have increased security and some businesses
have reduced their hours of operation or closed. Metro Transit has entered
into agreements at a small number of locations to ensure operator access to
restrooms, especially where there are few alternatives. A small reimburse-
ment is negotiated to help offset water and supply expenses. Fifteen years
ago there were agreements with about 55 businesses. Over the years many
of those locations have gone out of business, been sold or relocated; cur-
rently only a dozen businesses receive payment for operators’ use of their
facilities. In these tough economic times, that is good news for the agency.
Funds are not unlimited to contract for restrooms.
In recent months there have been complaints to Metro Transit from a few
restroom locations, paid and unpaid, about a very small number of bus
operators abusing restroom privileges.
It is each operator’s responsibility to assure that Metro Transit driv-
ers continue to be welcome at
restroom locations: respect the
owner, manager and employees
of every business. Greet staff
when walking into a business.
Make a small purchase; buying
a pack of gum, a cup of coffee
or a bottle of water makes you a
customer and contributes to the
business’ bottom line.
Sheila Miller is a 34-year ATU
member, a former bus driver and
current Bus Stop Coordinator.
She maintains the restroom list
as part of her duties.
MJRJackie Williams
#66180
Anastasia Bloodsaw
#2297
Best Wishes to
all MJ Ruter opera-
tors in the coming
years. We are
extremely proud of
the closeness we have with each other. We may tease each
other about non-serious matters but, just like any family,
we are ready to protect and defend our operators.
There are several operators on the disabled list, and
we pray for their healing. We are especially proud of
Paul Kelly's #2474 recuperation and return to driving. It
was a long process, and progress has yet to be made. We
know that every season is for MIRACLES and this sea-
son makes us ever so grateful for his progress.
Congrats to all the ATU incumbents who won another
term in office, and to the newcomers in the office of
Recording Secretary and board members positons. You
are doing a fantastic job, and we thank you. Ruter had a
run-off election and we want to congratulate the winner,
Gordy Raveling. Thank you for your interest in represent-
ing us.
Ruter would like also to congratulate Jody Theisen the
‘old ‘ night janitor, as he moves from the 'vampire' shift to
daytime janitor and has been elected union steward for the
mechanical side. Jody states, ‘I will miss my friends from
nights.’ A lot of us will miss his neck and shoulder mas-
sages after a stressful morning of driving. Now we under-
stand what ‘split shift’ actually means. Good luck, Jody,
and try to get that massage therapy license.
If you have an occasion to come to Ruter (where we
retain bragging rights to the comfort of our operators’
room seating), don’t be surprised that you will not be able
to look at certain shows while you wait for your shift to
start. Management has eliminated shows like Jerry
Springer and Maury Povich. No more "JERRY, JERRY."
It’s a shame they are not paying the cable bill, huh? Talk
about filtering channels for ADULTS. (Now we may
never know who the father is.)
Once again we thank operators who have a heart for
the young passengers and supply gloves and hats for
needy children in this Minnesota winter weather. This
loving gesture is done by none other than a Loving
Operator with a name that describes her. Lillie Loving
Operator # 6828. Speaking of love, her passengers abso-
lutely love her. When she is not available to drive, they
take notes and report to her what you did differently than
she does. (Personally, I don’t like driving her routes, I fear
the reprimand she will give me when she returns. lol) So,
operators, be safe, and have a safe driving winter and a
Blessed yuletide season.
Page 9
My First Year at Light RailLisa Callahan, #6716
I want to educate my fellow co-workers about the
things at light rail that we don’t ever see much about.
About four years ago, a near and dear friend of mine
tried to talk me into applying at light rail. I came up
with every excuse in the book not to do it.
I worked for Metro Transit for 14 years (11 years
at Nicollet and two at East Metro), and I didn’t think
I wanted change. I said “No, it would be boring
riding back and forth on 12 miles of track. I will get
claustrophobic in that small cab and I won’t be able
to talk to customers.” Well, a couple of years went
by and I changed my mind. I guess my patience was
running thin. The older I get, the worse it gets.
I was hired on at Hiawatha Light Rail in Septem-
ber of 2010.There were four of us in that class. I was
the most senior operator and the one who was going
to get to stay while the rest would have to return to
driving bus at the conclusion of training.
It was October when we got the call to start train-
ing. I had the best trainers in the system, I have to
say. We had classroom study and rode the train. It
was a different experience, but I thought it was great.
When we fi nally got the chance to operate the train,
it was an even greater experience! Training contin-
ued through the middle of December and then I was
on my own.
I learned from the best – and, with the guidance
of my fellow co-workers, I didn’t fi nd it boring at
all. It’s actually all right! While operating on 12.2
miles of track one way, there is a lot to observe:
people, animals, cars and many other things that
could obstruct the rail at any time. There are many
signals that we must be aware of and make sure that
they’re the correct signals for us. It’s a class “A”
violation to run a red signal. We have a great group
of operators.
It’s been one year and I’d like to thank my fellow
co-workers, the training department, signals person-
nel, track, traction power, supervisors, the manage-
ment team, and anyone else I may have forgotten.
Thank you for making this a safe and wonderful
year! I enjoy being a part of the future of transporta-
tion in Minnesota. As we continue to grow, I can say
I am very thankful for having made this decision.
Thanks, everyone.
Page 10
725 Bldg
Scott Lindquist #6401
Stephen Babcock #3128
On Saturday, November 19th,
thieves stole all four AC/Heating
units off the building roof. The
police figure that it must have hap-
pened early Saturday morning. (A
nearly-full moon would have made
the visibility better.) Techs were
working Saturday and Sunday dur-
ing the day. The roof can be seen
easily from the freeway.
Considering the fact that there
are cameras on every outside wall
and alarms everywhere, the thieves
were pretty bold.
A video security tape shows
that the thieves were two men in a
red, beat-up pickup truck.
Unfortunately, the license plates
could not be read. The men were
smart enough to know the place
was alarmed and did not enter the
building. Other vacant buildings
in the area have also been robbed,
possibly four that same night.
Technology can lull people
into feeling secure. As we can see,
this kind of thing can happen any-
where.
ATU 1005 Transit Funding CommitteeStacey Taylor, Driver #70055
On September 20, 2011, transportation workers, along with community
groups, demonstrated in national rallies from DC to LA to show govern-
ment representatives how they felt about proposed cuts to transit funding
in an event called in "Don't X Out Public Transportation Day.”
Prior to that day, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 1005 had been
educating members and the public about transit funding through the for-
mation of the Transit Funding Committee (TFC).
According to TFC Co-Chair Gary Bier, ATU board members formed
the committee in response to the 2011 Minnesota government budget
shutdown, which threatened to cut many state programs, including a cut
in transit funding of nearly $110 million. “The committee’s purpose is to
educate all Metro Transit employees about where transit funding comes
from, how important it is and how it can affect a person’s life,” Bier said.
Bier also serves on the executive board of ATU 1005 for Heywood Ga-
rage Offi ce and Clerical Employees. ATU 1005 President Michelle Som-
mers heads the committee that is made up of a mix of eight ATU members
including drivers, mechanics and clerical employees.
According to Bier, TFC started its education campaign by going to each
of the Metro Transit facilities talking to drivers and others about how they
can get involved.
“Those cuts would have forced an estimated loss of 500 Metro Transit
jobs. We explained to employees how seniority would be affected,” Bier
said. “Those with seniority who kept their jobs would have to pick up
the slack for those eliminated. If you had weekends off because of your
seniority, you may have had to go back to working weekends to cover for
those lost jobs.” Bier pointed out to employees that Metro Transit gets
funding from federal, state and county sources.
“We are not just educating members on funding, but educating them
on where their paychecks come from,” said Maria Hennes-Staples (Driv-
er#2479). Hennes-Staples shares the co-chair position with Bier and she
is the executive board member for Transportation at Martin J. Ruter (MJR)
Garage. Hennes-Staples explained that another focus of the committee is
to inform members about who their representatives are and identify those
who represent the state’s transportation funding committee. “This is the
group that controls the funding for transit,” Hennes-Staples said. “ We are
encouraging members to contact their representatives to let them know
how they feel about transit funding.”
In the July/August 2011 edition of The 1005 Line newsletter, Metro
Transit General Manager Brian Lamb addressed the outcome of the Min-
nesota budget decision pertaining to transit. Lamb pointed out that the ini-
tial proposed $109.4 million cut over two years was vetoed by Governor
Dayton. It was revisited as a reduced $52 million over two years – along
Did You Know?
The top 10 longest one-way Metro
Transit routes are:
888 (Northstar) - 38.7 Miles
860 - 29.4
852 - 28.2
675 - 27.3
270 - 26.6
294 - 25.8
674 - 25.5
677 - 25.3
589 - 24.2
365 - 23.6
850 - 23.5
Page 11
South
Liz Goldberg #1630
Stacey Taylor #70055
Congratulations to
Lisa Benson and Mark Lawson!
Our recent ATU 1005 union
elections resulted with Lisa Benson
as South Garage's new Union
Representative and Mark Lawson in
the position of Recording Secretary/
Assistant Business Agent. Our most
sincere best wishes for a successful
three years.
2011 Holiday Pot Luck and Raffle
December 15th was the date for
great food and good company -
as well as the chance to win some
fantastic raffle items at South's
annual holiday get-together. Thanks
for whipping together that fave des-
sert, salad or main dish and amaz-
ing your co-workers with your culi-
nary talents!
The Annual "Butch Shiro Chili
Cook-Off" Winners Are...
First place winner - Mr. Bob
Benson
Second place - Ron Shaw
Third place - Mike Zimmerman
Congratulations to our winners
AND congratulations to everyone
who entered the competition this
year. Each and every dish was
absolutely delicious!
with one-time funding of $15.8 million of Counties Improvement Transit Board funds
and $7.3 million from reserves of suburban transit providers - which brought the total
Met Council’s need down to $29 million.
“We have very big worries about the federal funding as well. The federal budget
is yet to be completed and the fi xes that we got were one-time fi xes,” Hennes-Staples
explained. “ The next fi scal year coming up we are going to have to start all over
again. The one-time fi xes we got to somewhat fi x our budget won’t be there this time
around.”
Hennes-Staples said TFC has began reaching out to different community groups
and forming different alliances with organizations like Blue-Green Alliance, Transpor-
tation for Livable Communities (TLC) and Affordable Living as well as the disability
and actions groups. “There are several different groups of individuals in the commu-
nity that solely depend on public transportation that would be stranded without public
transportation,” she added.
In the past TFC participated in rallies with organizations such as TLC and the AFL-
CIO.
"Transit for Livable Communities is a nonpartisan, nonprofi t organization working
to reform Minnesota’s transportation system. Through advocacy, community orga-
nizing, and research, we promote a balanced transportation system that encourages
transit, walking, bicycling, and thoughtful development."
(http://www.tlcminnesota.org/about.html)
“There is an ongoing process to keep the community informed on what is going on
and where things stand so when the time comes and we need to rally, they are there to
back everybody up,” Hennes-Staples said. “The government is really good at mislead-
ing the public on what is truly going on. It is our job to get true and accurate informa-
tion out there so when it is time to make important decisions people can do so.”
Bier pointed out that transit has been proven to help build communities and help
businesses as well. “Transit keeps people employed by getting them to their jobs. This
helps companies work better because employees get to the work sites,” Bier explained.
“Not only do individuals suffer if there is no transit, but companies suffer.”
Bier said TFC encourages all ATU Metro Transit employees with ideas to contrib-
ute by either attending future meetings or volunteering. TFC is looking for volunteers
to make calls, hand out fl iers, do surveys at facilities or just talk to others about transit
funding.
“Bring the topic of transportation into casual conversations and keep the conversa-
tion fl owing about transportation in our personal lives because it affects our personal
lives,” Hennes-Staples said. “The most important thing is keep the conversation
alive.”
For more information contact Gary Bier or Maria Hennes-Staples at the Union of-
fi ce: ATU Local 1005
312 Central Avenue, Suite 438, Minneapolis, MN 55414312
Offi ce: 612-379-2914
E-mail:offi [email protected]
Page 12
Hundreds March for Peaceby Melanie Benson, Driver 854
Minneapolis was only one of the cities where
people of all ages marched on October 15, 2011 to
demonstrate their opposition to the wars being con-
ducted by the U.S. around the world. The rally began
on Lake Street and Hiawatha in the early afternoon and
culminated in a rally at South High School.
Many of the signs carried
at the event drew connec-
tions between the vast amounts of money spent on war while social programs are being
slashed: Money for Housing/Not for War; Money for Jobs/Not for War; War is Mak-
ing Us Poor; Bring the Women/Men/Money Home Now and How is the War Economy
Working for You?
Several showed support for U.S. troops: Support the
Troops/Bring Them Home; Bail Out Our Troops/End the
Wars; Bring the Troops Home Now. Others addressed
general questions of war and peace: Stop the Killing; Stop
the Violence/End the Wars; War is Terrorism; Not One More
Death!; 10,000 Civilians Killed/Drone Strikes do not Promote Women's Rights; and,
simply, PEACE.
Many were specifi c to Afghanistan: Out of Afghanistan; Ten Years Too Many; Six
Wars Too Many (referring to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Libya);
End the Iraq and Afghan Wars Now.
Signs and apparel refl ected some of the groups endorsing and
participating in the march: Nurses for Peace, Veterans for Peace;
Iraq Veterans Against the War; and Women Against Military Mad-
ness (WAMM).
Speakers at South High, similarly, represented different orga-
nizations. They included a pastor; a representative of the Occupy
Movement; a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War; and mem-
bers of an immigrant rights group.
In training sessions around the U.S., the Amalgamated Tran-
sit International Union is also drawing these connections and is
getting a good response from ATU local unions, International
President Larry Hanley says: "We explore the twin evils of war
and tax policy," and observes that
Democratic politicians seems to be
"married to this ridiculous war" in
Afghanistan. "You say our pen-
sions are unsustainable, our wages
are unsustainable - when are you
going to say this war is unsustain-
able?"
Page 13
From an email announcement: It is with a
mixture of excitement and sadness that I am
pleased to announce that Arnie has turned in his
paperwork announcing that he intends to retire on
January 3, 2011. Please stand by for an offi cial
announcement of when and where the retirement
celebration will occur.
Chris HaefnerManager, Materials ManagementMetro Transit
HolidazzlePhilip Jarosz, Dr. #65015
The Holidazzle was started in 1992 handing out coupons to res-
turants and stores along Nicollet Mall. Metro Transit got involved
in 1992 offering free rides, along with support from the Downtown
Council and WCCO-TV. That year over 16,000 rides were given.
This was a result from the State Fare routes. Metro Transit had ten
operators wearing Santa hats in 2001 who were chosen for their
GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
The Twinkle bus was introduced in 2005 wearing 20,000 lights
and having spinning wheels, with a Santa Claus coming out of the
roof vent. This was developed by four Overhaul mechanics: Joe
Gilles, Terry Greg Vaughn, Terry Hinchcliffe and Howie Melco. The Twinkle bus is now retired from service.
Target is the major sponsor of this seasonal tradition, which has entertained over 300,000 spectators. This year
Northstar will offer free rides on December 10th and 17th. Metro Transit selected December 10th as the night to
participate in the parade. Several Metro Transit employees joined in the fun.
Many local celebrities have graced the Holidazzle Parade in the past. Will you be the next to be seen on the
bus, rail, or train?
Temitope O. Agboola #6872
Retires October 11, 2011
After 13 years of service, Temitope
plans to return to his home in Nigeria.
In his retirement, Temitope is going
back home for good to Lagos, Nigeria
(in the western part of the country). He
is the elder son of seven boys and is
going back to a big family.
He will always visit, because his
children have made America their
home.
Photo: Muyiwa (Brother-In-Law),
Moji (younger sister), Iyabo (Sister-In-
Law)
Arnie's Retiring
Page 14
Bus Groupies, Part TwoThe “Bad Girl” with more light fun reading on bus groupies.
Mary and son Josh ride mainly route 68. She has been a groupie for about 10 years, starting on the old St. Paul
14 (now the 64). The unique thing about Mary is that she befriends every driver she meets and all the regular pas-
sengers on the line. She knows how to give directions and route information as well as TIC. Her son is severely
handicapped and has a limited vocabulary.
Christine(Chris) and her daughter Julia travel mainly on the 54 and 84 lines.
Chris has been a groupie since 1980. Her daughter doesn't care much for it all, but
has no choice since her mom drags her along.
Do you know Larry Ruter? He rides every bus in the system and claims to be
Martin Ruter's nephew (as in MJR Garage). Larry has a disability from a car accident
when he was young. If you ask him, he will gladly tell you - he's a great story teller.
(Lol) He used to travel with friend Grant, but Grant recently got married and doesn't
ride as much.
In my last article I wrote about Les. He's been riding since 1963. Here's a picture
of Les. Say hi when you see him. Thanks to Russ the Driver for all the information.
Union Election continued from p.1members and offi cers fi rst hand by
attending union meetings and seeing
them in action.
Study your union by-laws so you
can understand what's going on and
form an educated opinion on their
performance.
We don't need the chitter chatter
of "He/She doesn't know what they
are doing, why they're running."
Let's see you do it, and then see what
you have to say.
So support our representatives
and stand together, That's what
"union" stands for. Out of the vast
numbers of active members and
retirees, there was a good turnout.
Thanks so much for coming out.
Ilona LaDouceur, election judge, Theresa Qualy and Tony Taylor, ballot
clerks shown here at Heywood
Twaya McIntosh, Dr. #9002 and Sonnie Sam-
uels, Dispatcher were ballot clerks at Nicollet.
TRANSIT SAFETY/SECURITY
COMMITTEE (TSSC)
MEETING MINUTES
Disclaimer:
Due to format changes, these columns are not exact replicas of TSSC minutes. We
cannot assure the accuracy of all data. The exact minutes are posted after each meet-
ing at the operating garages.
Page 15
October 6, 2011
Members of the Committee Present:
Darell Hanson, Nicollet, Committee Chair
Danielle Julkowski, Management Advisor
Monica Kruger, Management Advisor - Training
Rolland Green, LRT
Leatha Falls, Heywood
James Minelli, East Metro
Dereje Tafesse, MJR
Lisa Benson, South
Others in attendance:
Jim Franklin, Police
Amina Wolf, LRT
Chuck Wurzinger, Maintenance
Brenda Himrich, Safety
Christy Bailly, Transit Operations
Pam Steffen, Customer Relations
Eric Isakson, TCC
Steve Jaeger, East Metro
Doyne Parsons, MJR
Deb Downing, Street Operations
Dorothy Maki, Union
Russ Dixon, Union
Michelle Sommers, Union
Emily Anleu, Acting Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER
Darrell Hanson called the meeting to order at 10:10
a.m. in Chambers.
REVIEW OF MINUTES
November minutes were approved.
POLICE REPORT
Jim Franklin in attendance:
• Five felony operator assaults YTD. 4/5 arrests
• 28 Misdemeanor assaults – 9/28 arrests
• Felony assaults are down from last year. 17 felony
assaults last year
• Darell Hanson – Do we have cameras at Nicollet
parking lot? Operator had his vehicle damaged and
would like the tape reviewed if possible. Police can
look into it. Might not have the tape any more. Please
provide name and report information.
• We have hired fi ve offi cers and are now fully staffed.
They are in what’s called a fi eld training program and
all should be ready for patrol in January.
• Update on requested presence on the 19 line: He will
have LaVine report on this next meeting.
• What police presence is there in downtown Minne-
apolis late at night? Can’t speak to specifi c incidents,
but around 2:00 am, when fully staffed, two part timers,
two sergeants and three offi cers 8p-4a on Friday and
Saturday night. They are available for service calls and
they work with TCC to decide the priorities.
TCC REPORT
Eric Isakson in attendance:
• No call numbers for September, but will bring them
with Oct. numbers next month.
• Hiring update: In the process of hiring for three posi-
tions.
• Leatha Falls - Driver had an issue with TCC not call-
ing back. Eric - Please provide specifi cs and I can look
into it. There were fi ve covert alarms that night, which
is a lot.
SAFETY REPORT
Brenda Himrich was in attendance:
• Hired a new safety hygienist
• Bus Roadeo Brian Lamb spoke about the initials
of the employees that passed away the past year. The
initials were on the hats.
• Winner will be announced in Insights.
• Can we put the year on the hats? - Yes
• Reports - No Top 10 location report
• YTD per 100K miles by garage • Under goal
• Monthly accident report per garage • Under goal
• Routing for 16 & 50 • Need another way to enter on
University. It is unsafe.
• Management agrees. Options and current precautions/
observations were discussed, no conclusion reached.
• Bike boxes at intersections seem to be working.
• James Minelli - The turn on the new ramp going to Cedar
is dangerous right now and he is concerned with winter
coming. He would like management to take a look at the
new turn. • Christy Bailly and Deb Downing will take a
look at it.
LRT
Amina Wolf was in attendance:
• Construction on the expansion of Rail Operation &
Maintenance Bldg. - Expanding on the north and west side
of the Bldg. This will make room for the additional LRV'S
when they arrive.
• Hiring three supervisors. Open house 9am & 1pm 10/17
• Lines on 5th St need to be repainted. Cars and pedestrians
can’t see where they need to be.
• Glare on the signal 198 makes the aspect unable to be
seen.
STREET OPERATIONS
Debra Downing in attendance:
• Since baseball season is over, the issues at the 5th St
Garage are not an issue any more.
• Finishing the last 5th St. Garage platform. All three will
be done and ADA compliant.
• University Ave. has been switched over again. Let them
know if there are any issues so they can talk to contractors.
• U of M is still hard. Detours and road closures in the area
• Who monitors the lights coming into and out of the VA
Hospital? The lights are too short for you to be able to get
through. VA is in charge of the lights. In the morning they
have police that help people get through.
• Light length issues: Lights at U of M: It can take 10
minutes to get on to the highway and it’s hard to get out of
the UofM. In the afternoon they have TCA’s.
Leaving 7th St Garage an op had to wait through 5-6 lights
before he could make it through.
Light on 5th and Nicollet not long enough to get a bus
through. Christy will look into it.
Turn from 2nd Ave. to 3rd St. to 94.
Page 16
November 3, 2011
Members of the Committee Present:
Darell Hanson, Nicollet, Committee Chair
Danielle Julkowski, Management Advisor
Monica Kruger, Management Advisor - Training
Rolland Green, LRT
Leatha Falls, Heywood
James Minelli, East Metro
Dereje Tafesse, MJR
Lisa Benson, South
Others in attendance:
Mike LaVine, Police
Amina Wolf, LRT
Chuck Wurzinger, Maintenance
Brenda Himrich, Safety
Christy Bailly, Transit Operations
Pam Steffen, Customer Relations
Deb Downing, Street Operations
Dorothy Maki, Union
Brad Carlson
Derrick Cain, LRT
Jeff Wostrel, FTH Garage
Steve Jaeger, East Metro
CALL TO ORDER
Darell Hanson called the meeting to order at
10:10 a.m. in Chambers.
REVIEW OF MINUTES
October minutes were approved.
POLICE REPORT
Mike LaVine in attendance:
• Operator assaults are done - 9 YTD
Latest one was an operator hit in the head with a
book bag. Due to a good description by the op-
erator they were able to apprehend the assailant.
Rt19 Calls , -2011 vs 2010 • August 2010 - 23
Calls / August 2011 - 18 Calls - Number of calls
is down.
• Seven squads assigned to the Rt. 5 and Rt. 19
during the day.
• Dorothy is concerned the Police aren’t riding
far enough into north Minneapolis or late enough
at night. Capt. LaVine would like operators to let
their managers know when they have a prob-
lem and they will forward it on to him to assign
someone to try to resolve the issue.
• Christy Bailly provided the Police with a map
of the areas where the most help is needed.
Capt. LaVine has had a chance to look at it and
they have partnered with Brooklyn Center PD
and Robbinsdale PD to cover those areas.
There are offi cers that ride the buses up there.
Christy Bailly was hoping that there would be
cars driving in the area.
There are cars that patrol key intersections and
monitor problem areas.
Rash of theft from persons on the LRT: Phones,
purses, iphones and ipads, etc.
• Some of the suspects have been apprehended
and will be charged with a felony.
• Witnesses say they knew something was going
Page 17
to happen. They saw the suspect “casing the train car.”
• Thefts are happening on buses and trains.
• We are making announcements on the train platforms
and are working on having them on the buses.
• There are more plain-clothes offi cers riding the trains.
• Joining the 1st and 7th precincts to double up efforts
on the trains and bus stops.
TCC REPORT
Monica Kruger in attendance:
• Police dispatching - Less relay, info is typed and then
sent.
SAFETY REPORT
Brenda Himrich in attendance:
• No Top Ten report. Reporting system is having
trouble.
• Brenda is here representing LRT and Bus. LRT Safety
will not attend this meeting.
If there are issues, the LRT representative can com-
ment on them too.
LRT
Amina Wolf and Derrick Cain in attendance:
• Amina: Safety would like Operators to notify RCC
when/if they are unable to see the signal aspect at sig-
nal 198.
• Derrick- New seats that were installed are being re-
placed. 20 have been installed, but are causing damage
to the door and the handle, so they need to be refi tted.
If there are any other questions about LRV seats, Gene
Sheldon would be willing to attend one of the TSSC
meetings to answer them.
STREET OPERATIONS
Debra Downing in attendance:
• Westbound 3rd St./Cedar ramp It was communicated
with the engineers and the construction company. They
feel it will work. We have talked to them about it, so
we’ll wait to see what happens this winter.
- Once construction is done it will be better.
- If it were like an exit ramp it would be better.
- It will cost us money in the end.
ACTION ITEM: Christy and Chuck will look into
this issue.
- What is going to happen if someone gets into an ac-
cident, who will be held responsible? Road conditions
are taken into consideration during investigation.
- What is the solution? Need more space. The turn is
too sharp.
Lights at the VA hospital: The VA doesn’t like us on
54th because of the emergency room location.
ACTION ITEM: Deb will look into moving the
shelters back.
• No right turn on red sign on 2nd Av & 3rdSt - Has
been given to the city, they will decide if it has merit
• Lighting issues - N 3rd Ave. to W 11th St.
• Detours and construction were discussed - 94 con-
struction ends 11/5
Taking buses off the highway and putting them on to
city streets isn’t a good solution any more as many four
lane roads have been converted to two lanes.
RISK
No Report
MAINTENANCE
Chuck Wurzinger in attendance:
• Stop-request signals on hybrid - Will try to increase
volume, will discuss options for the dash light with
New Flyer and Safety.
• Valve button issue - Fleet service supervisors are still
investigating this. Write up your bus if you have an
issue.
• Bike racks stick during winter. The hook can’t be
lifted up. - Had a meeting and discussed adequate
lubrication.
• Discussed the exit door sealing to not let in cold air.
• MJR has fi ve unlocked doors to come into the garage.
The doors don’t have locks. Can we get locks installed?
Tony is working with Fritz.
- He is going to work on getting the bathroom locks
installed.
• Metro Transit won a grant to buy two advanced hy-
brid buses: Two 40 ft New Flyer Series Hybrid in May
2012
You won’t know the difference between the parallel
drive system and the series drive system. We can pull
power from the battery and these buses can be driven
under total electric power, without the engine running
for short distances.
- Start stop mode – We won’t be doing this just yet, but
we’re working with the engine manufacturer to make
this happen. When you’re at a stop sign, instead of
idling, the engine would shut off and start again when
you start moving again.
• There are cost-saving advantages to these buses.
• Would like feedback from TSSC about location of
Silent Alarm button.
CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Pam Steffen in attendance:
• Rail-only transfers are going away 1/1/12.
• Free rides on buses, trains, and Northstar for Holid-
azzle 12/10 & 12/17. No twinkle bus this year.
Marketing is asking for volunteers to walk in the
Page 18
Retired Members’ Clubs
Northside Breakfast ClubMeets 8:30 a.m. the 2nd Tuesday of each month
at Barnacle Bill’s, Shingle Creek Parkway and
Freeway Blvd, Brooklyn Center.
Southside Breakfast Club Meets 8:00 a.m. the 1st Wednesday and the 4th
Thursday of each month at the VFW Post, 67th
Street & Lyndale Ave in Richfi eld.
St. Paul Retiree Lunch ClubMeets 12:00 p.m. the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Mattie’s (formerly Wells Lanes ) So. Con-cord St., South St. Paul 55075
Metro Transit Mechanic TeammateMeets at 12:00 p.m. the 3rd Tuesday of the month
at Old Country Buffet (by Petco), 2000 South
Robert St., West St. Paul
If you want to join the St. Paul Retiree Club
contact one of the following:
President Howard Osterkamp (651) 731-2428
Vice-President Jay Kerkvliet (651) 489-8281
Treasurer Paul Huber (651) 698-6551
Secretary Mary Huber (651) 698-5771
Retirements
Congratulations to September Retirees
09/02/11 Stephen Leko, So. Op. 9201
09/03/11 Thomas Martinson, Northstar Maint.,
Cleaner 68218
09/03/11 Thomas Jaeger, Nic. Op. 6726
09/07/11 Edward Soltau, Nic. Op. 415
09/08/11 Michael Ludke, Nic. Op. 2092
09/10/11 Jarrold Berezovsky, E.M. Op. 8821
09/12/11 John Frederick, So. Op. 879
09/16/11 David Berry, E.M. Op. 7730
09/16/11 Charles Ricard, Nic. Janitor 641
09/24/11 Kenneth Zimanski, E.M. Op. 2741
Congratulations to October Retirees
10/13/11 Judy Koch, Hey. Off. TIC Rep, 3658
10/14/11 Christine Ingram, Nic. Op. 64379
10/15/11 Frank Edwards, Hey. Off. Money
Counter 9918
10/15/11 Arlene Hernandez, So. Bus Op. 9791
10/17/11 Temitope Agboola, Nic. Op. 6872
Crypto Answer
LARGE, HAIRY MECHANIC WHO
COULD FIX EVERYTHING WAS A
REAL “YAK OF ALL TRADES.”
parade.
• Adding more recharge locations for Go-To Card us-
ers: 60 by mid- month
• 12/5-23 we’re going to do a Buy One Get One 7-day
pass – Auto load the 2nd 7-day pass
• Marketing would like your feedback on Customer’s
Code of Conduct. Customer called and said she didn’t
feel like we were doing enough.
- Should we have a handout card with the code of con-
duct on it? Will be in four different languages.
- We put it in the buses so they could point to it and say
its policy. Cards might seem like it’s coming from the
operator versus the company.
- Can we make automated announcements on the
buses?
If you have trouble with a certain area, please contact
your manager and we can try to help with it.
- LRT Lake St. platform was discussed.
Rt. 11 detour will be changed 11/15 to meet the
requests for elderly and disabled customers that were
getting missed by the current detour.
ACTION ITEM: Reissue bulletin about transit link
transfer.
ACTION ITEMS
• Street Ops:
Westbound 3rd St./Cedar ramp ACTION ITEM:
Christy and Chuck will look into this issue
VA hospital
- ACTION ITEM: Deb will look into moving the shel-
ters back.
• Customer Relations ACTION ITEM: Reissue bulletin
about transit link transfers.
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Anleu, Recording Secretary
Page 19
Observances were
held on November
10, 2011 at all facili-
ties with a fl ag-raising
ceremony to honor
veterans and their
families.
After the event at
East Metro Garage
there was a good
turnout for the cake
and sandwiches served
to all employees in the
drivers' lounge.
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
MJR
LRT facility (cen-
ter photos)
MJR Garage
(left photos)
South Garage
(bottom photos)
Page 20
Midwest School for Women Workers
The Midwest School for Women Workers, hosted by Wayne State
University, was held July 28-31 in Detroit, Michigan, bringing together 74
participants from 22 local unions, including three from ATU Local 1005:
Michelle Sommers, Dorothy Maki and Maria Hennes-Staples. The title of
this year’s school was Women Standing Up and Standing Strong: Midwest
Strategies for Protecting the Heartland.
Workshops reflecting this theme were: Building Women’s Power in a
Global Economy; Women and Leadership; Bargaining in Tough Times;
Building a Diverse Labor Movement; Defending the Attack on Workers;
Sheroes in American History; Coordinating the Benefits of FMLA and the
ADA; Building Labor Community Coalitions; Framing the Message;
Deception Detecting; Organizing Underrepresented Workers; and
Mobilizing/Energizing Members.
Dorothy attending the following workshops:
Framing the Message
This discussion was on the attacks on workers by false messaging, the
use of conspiracy, religion, and fear mongering. There are 43 corporate
‘Think Tanks’ who work to ‘frame’ a message so that it is something that
it is not. For example: “Right to Work,” “Homeland Security,” “Trickle
Down.”
We also looked
at some famous
leaders and what
they used for their
style of speaking:
Mother Teresa, Bill
Clinton, Albert
Einstein, Mahatma
Gandhi, Richard
Nixon, Colin
Powell, Fidel
Castro, Abraham
Lincoln and John F.
Kennedy.
The stakes are high. The time is now. We need to have victory in our
messaging, and that message is to take care of our mass transit systems
throughout the country, that in effect take care of the needs of the poor, the
needs of the special, the needs of the elderly, the needs of the businesses,
the needs of us all together.
In mass transit we need to have short-term focus with long-term
thinking. We developed short clips which we delivered to the class.
Attacks on Workers
ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) sounds so innocent,
so ‘American’ - but ALEC has a paper trail of anti-worker deeds and
agendas. It is closed to ‘members only’ (see ALECexposed.org.) which
consists of 300 corporations (including Walmart, Pfizer, State Farm, and
Below are some of the 40
quotes from labor leaders on the
raised tiles.
Page 21
Reynolds) and 2000 state legislators.
ALEC believes that government is only for security and that any force in civil society that contests business’
right to make a profit should be crushed. More information on ALEC follows:
ALEC ExposedSubmitted by AFSCME Council 5 on November 9, 2011 - 1:07pm.
Investigative reporters are shining a spotlight on the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council
(ALEC), a membership organization of Republican state legislators bankrolled by the Koch brothers and
powerful corporations. Their conservative philosophy is that government should be demonized, starved or
privatized. To impose their view, ALEC produces model legislation that, according to articles in the The Nation
and Bloomberg, is heavily influenced by industry groups. ALEC boasts that 1,000 bills based on its model
legislation are introduced in state legislatures each year. In Minnesota, we’re familiar with those toxic bills that
take away the collective bargaining rights of public employees, cripple unions, privatize public services and
loosen regulations and lower taxes on corporations. Minnesota co-chairs of ALEC are Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer
(R-Big Lake) and Rep. Matt Dean (R-Stillwater).
Tea Party fanatics in Minnesota are preaching the gospel according to ALEC: —“We’re broke”; “Public
sector workers are to blame”; “If we tax the rich we’ll face economic extinction” – and ALEC has given them
the legislative tools to enact their vision.
More than 50 bills attacking worker rights were introduced in the Minnesota Legislature this year – and we
know ALEC influenced that toxic legislation. Right-wing state legislators quietly met with corporate lobbyists
behind closed doors during an ALEC training at Bandana Square in St. Paul on March 4, 2011. Co-hosting the
event were former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer and House Majority Leader Matt Dean. We also spotted
Sen. Warren Limmer (R–Maple Grove) and Gen Olson (R–Minnetrista).
These secret meetings – underwritten by the insurance industry, big oil, pharmaceutical giants and a private
prison corporation – are part of an on-going effort to subvert the public interest. This hidden collusion between
well-financed lobbyists and elected legislators undermines the basic American values of public debate and full-
disclosure that Americans rightly expect when our laws are made.
The following are admitted ALEC members in Minnesota. Let’s call them out:
House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove), 651-296-5502
Sen. Mike Parry (R-Waseca), 651-296-9457
Sen. John Sterling Howe (R-Red Wing), 651-296-4264 or 651-278-4693
Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-Apple Valley), 651-296-4120
Rep. Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck), 651-296-4317 or 320-239-2726 (privatize DNR)
Rep. Mike Benson (R-Rochester), 651-296-4378 or 507-993-1250
Rep. Matt Dean (R-Stillwater), 651-296-3018
Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), 651-296-2273 or 507-843-3711
Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton), 651-296-6746
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake), 651-296-4237 or 800-920-5875
Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers), 651-296-7806 or 763-428-4626
Rep. Linda Runbeck (R-Circle Pines), 651-296-2907 or 763-784-8822
Rep. Ron Shimanski (R-Silver Lake), 651-296-1534 or 320-0112
This week, hundreds of state legislators – and probably a handful from our state – are at an ALEC conference
getting sleazy in the Big Easy. They’re meeting at a fancy New Orleans hotel with ALEC donors to draft more
far-reaching legislation. They’ll expect us to swallow that poison next session.
ALEC’s toxic donors include the Koch brothers, Wal-mart, Reynolds Tobacco, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals,
ExxonMobil, BP, and the Corrections Corporation of America – to name a few. In a world shaped by these
industry groups, insurance companies repeal health care reform, polluters draft environmental laws, and private
corporations profit from human incarceration.
Page 22
regional economy; reducing green house gas
emissions; and increasing mobility - connecting a
regional rail network, buses and bike trails. We have
also been receiving federal dollars for "park and rides."
President Sommers asked to pass the hat to help a
member out of work, whose wife is very ill. There
will be a fundraiser for him, too.
Assistant Business Agent’s Report
Dan Abramowicz announced the upcoming annual
By-law Committee meeting to be held on Wednesday,
February 8, 2012. Proposals are due by Wednesday,
January 18, 2012 at 4:00 p.m.
New Business
President Sommers asked to pass the hat for the
protesters at OccupyMN.
The 2011 Midwest School for Women Workers was held
in the heart of Detroit. It was walking distance to the
Detroit Tigers/Lions beautiful fi elds and a longer walk to
the waterfront, where this strong sculpture (seen on the
Chrysler ads) is located. Sadly, the many huge empty
buildings refl ect the effects of the deep economic crisis.
Transcending
“Transcending” is the Labor Legacy Landmark,
the nation’s largest piece of public art honoring
working women and men. The open space on top
symbolizes labor’s unfi nished work. Artists David
Barr and Sergio De Giusti designed this 63-foot-
high steel arch surrounded by 14 bronze sculp-
tures. “Transcending” pays tribute to the Motor
City’s rich labor heritage
One of the
fourteen bronze
sculptures em-
bodying Collec-
tive Bargaining
Detroit's Rich Labor Heritage
Detroit Institute of Art
Diego M. Rivera (1886-
1957) traveled from
Mexico to Detroit in the
early 1930s to paint the
powerful “Detroit Industry” fres-
coes in the Institute of Arts. The
murals refl ect his impressions of the
vast automobile assembly lines at
the Ford Motor Company
and his views of modern
technology and its impact
on society.
Union Meeting highlights continued
Page 23
AFL-CIO Joins Transit Rally
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka came to Minneapolis to help send
off the 800 attendees concluding the Next Up Young Workers Summit.
He capped off a successful weekend with an inspiring speech that called
for young people to use their “critical imagination,” their ability to look at
problems and come up with new and different solutions.
He told the crowd, “America needs a good dose of critical imagination
right about now. We need ideas and energy. We need enthusiasm, opti-
mism, that sense that everything is possible…You are the future of this
movement, and all of us—all of America’s working people—need you and
your critical imagination in a big way.”
At a time when the country is experiencing record poverty levels, and
young people and communities of color are experiencing rates of unem-
ployment almost double the national average, Trumka encouraged Next Up attendees to draw upon themselves to
fi nd the strength to beat back attacks on the middle class:
“Our most critical resource is right here: the passion we feel, the love, the determination in our gut! We need to
tap it for all it’s worth!”
He also encouraged attendees to take the next step and follow up their participation in the summit by taking on
concrete leadership positions when they get back to their local unions and organizations:
“Each of us needs to provide leadership—forceful, ground-level
leadership. We need to challenge ourselves and push each other to
take risks, and that means to risk failure. We need to create strate-
gic plans, put them into action and hold ourselves and each other
accountable, so we actually carry through, and build our plans to
the next level….Together we are the most powerful progressive
force on the face of the earth.”
Michelle Sommers, President of
the ATU 1005 spoke to attendees
prior to the march
The September 30th march started at the Hilton on 3rd Avenue and 10th Street, went up the Nicollet Mall and
the returned on 6th Street to the Hennepin County Goverment Center.
Page 24
Brutality will not evict an idea
whose time has come!
The fi re has been set! Now we need to fan the fl ames!
The Occupy Movement has ignited hope in many people
here in the U.S. and internationally. It has become the voice
of the anger that has grown over the last few years at Wall
Street - and it has given a voice to the voiceless!
The movement may not have specifi c demands right
now, but what is clear is that it is a response to the economic
collapse. It expresses the frustration of many youth who see
a bleak future, one with very few jobs. The jobs that will be
available will be low-paying with very few benefi ts, if any.
It also vents the anger over the banks’ and Wall Street’s dictatorship over our lives.
From the fall of 2008 up to April 30 this year, the banks received $12.2 trillion (New York Times “Adding up
the Government's Bailouts” July 24, 2011) and have only used $2.5 trillion. One of the biggest arguments for this
bailout was to stabilize the economy and to create jobs. But the economy appears to be going into another slump,
and very few jobs have been created compared to what is needed.
The 1% (meaning the richest of the rich in society) have used their power, their vast fi nancial resources and
political infl uence for their own self-interest. They own more wealth than the bottom 50%. This is what caused the
Occupy Movement to arise here in the U.S., inspired by the events in Egypt, Spain and Greece earlier this year.
Quick Rundown
The Occupy Movement started on September 17 in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan in New York City.
There were a few hundred in the beginning, but when police used force to remove this small group, it was the
spark that lit the fl ame. On September 24, protests erupted in New York City, leading to more police repression
and sparking even larger demonstrations. On October 1, thousands took over the Brooklyn Bridge, leading to
hundreds of arrests.
Footage of a teenage girl being arrested by the NYPD caused even more rage and led to Occupations across the
U.S. and the world. The demand? “We are the 99% and it’s time for the 1% to pay!” Occupations sprang up in
L.A., Oakland, London, Madrid, Hong Kong and even here in Minneapolis at the Government Plaza. While the
Occupation in Minneapolis has not been as large as other cities, it has drawn in up to 2,000 people at rallies in the
Government Plaza (People's Plaza).
More police repression was handed down in Oakland on October 25. Just one day after police had raided the
encampment, protesters came back to reclaim the park. That is when a 24-year-old Iraq Vet by the name of Scott
Olsen was hit in the head by a teargas canister fi red by police. A call was issued for a General Strike on November
2. This led to protests in solidarity with Oakland across the world. In Oakland, the Occupation joined up with
workers across the bay area and shut down the port of Oakland, the fi fth largest port in the U.S.
On November 14, Zuccotti Park was raided by the NYPD. They used tear gas and batons on the protesters.
This sparked even more anger, and Thursday, November 17 (or N17 as it was called) was called as a day of mass
action across the U.S. Originally, in some areas, it was a day of action around “Jobs not Cuts,” but it turned in
to rallies against brutality. In New York, the protests called for shutting down the New York Stock Exchange
Submissions for Letters to the Editor are subject to approval of
the Editorial Board and space considerations. Letters to the
Editor are solely the opinion of the author and 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 Dorothy Maki at: [email protected].
Letters
To The
Editor
Page 25
(NYSE). The protesters didn't shut it down, but were able to delay its opening and closing, causing disruptions
throughout the city. In the evening, up to 32,000 people occupied the Brooklyn Bridge.
That same day there were bridge occupations across the U.S. Here in Minneapolis the 10th Ave. bridge was
blockaded for one hour. Eleven people were arrested. They were demanding “Jobs not Cuts.”
The brutality the police have handed down is nothing new to many communities across the U.S. It’s just that
it’s in front of our faces daily now. There have also been reports across the country of police refusing to attack the
protesters.
What Next?
The movement has a chance of moving out of just occupying city squares or parks. It is taking on a new direc-
tion here in Minneapolis and elsewhere. Protesters are now occupying a house in the process of foreclosure in
North Minneapolis; and on November 19 they had occupied a second house until police evicted them on Novem-
ber 20. These actions are exposing the deep ties between the political system and the banks. How much money
did the city spend on police to evict people from a home instead of protecting the citizens? Apparently it is more
important to protect US Bank’s money than ordinary people.
The movement going into the communities could start larger possibilities by building networks in our commu-
nities allowing us to rebuild and take back our communities, our schools and our streets!
The Unions and the Movement
November 2 in Oakland shook the establishment to its foundation. The movement’s call for a strike forced
labor to move into action at a critical point. It also smashed the idea that the public hates the unions. The youth
who are the future called them to action.
Now is the time for us in the labor movement to learn from the movement and help them push forward! The
ideas of the occupations need to spread farther, and we need to bring them into the workplace (especially public
sector workers)! We are facing the largest struggle in our history. On December 23, Congress will be voting on
the largest cuts in U.S. history. People’s jobs are at stake and the future is at stake. We need to take up the call and
fi ght for our futures and a future for the youth.
We need to demand:
- Hands off Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid! No cuts to education and social services!
- We need jobs, not cuts! Fund a federal public works program to create millions of jobs for the unem-
ployed.
- Make Big Business pay! For major tax hikes on the super-rich and corporations!
- End the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan! Slash Pentagon spending!
We need to start organizing co-ordinated job actions to fi ght these attacks and show people a way forward. We
can no longer stay silent. We must stand up now!
Ryan Timlin, Driver 66279, Nicollet Garage
AT WAR WITH CLASS WARFAREby Ilona LaDouceur #66048
Right around the time the Occupy Wall Street movement started, I took notice that on one of the stations -
Fox News to be precise - (Keep your enemies close I say) made the statement on several occasions that the only
thing the Occupy Movement was going to do was cause “class warfare.” This statement totally blew me away.
To me it was asinine. It was almost funny. Almost.
In my view, class warfare has been around for a very long time, although it has grown and escalated in the
last 20 years beyond belief. How can a person make the statement that the Occupy Movement, the various
workers’ rights rallies, protests, union strikes and lockouts are the cause of class warfare? They are the result
Page 26
In Memoriam
Steve Leko, South Operator/Instructor 9201, age 56, of Woodbury, died on
October 22, 2011. He is survived by his loving wife Laurie; daughter Jenni-
fer (Mike) Maguire; son Michael (Stacy) Leko; parents Charles and Lorraine
Lauren, and is also survived by his siblings and many other loving relatives and
friends. Stephen was a bus driver with Metro Transit for 19 years.
Steve was hired at a part-time operator on January 4, 1992 and promoted to
full-time on March 3, 1993. He retired September 1, 2011.
class warfare.
Even Warren Buffett, the third richest man in the world, has criticized the U.S. tax system for allowing him to
pay a lower tax rate than his secretary and his house cleaner. He pays about 17% in federal income taxes, about
half the percentage of his secretary.
And the saying, “The rich get richer as the poor get poorer” has never been more true. It is no surprise that
older Americans are wealthier than younger ones. A new study, by the Pew Research Center, analyzed the eco-
nomic well being of current older and younger adults to those in the past. It found that the age-based wealth gap
skyrocketed to 47:1 in 2009 compared to 10:1 in 1984.
More interesting points in this study: Wealth - Households led by an adult age 65 or older had a median net
worth of $170,494 in 2009, compared to $120,457 in 1984, adjusted in 2010 dollars, for a gain of 42%.
Households headed by an adult 35 and under had a median net worth of $3,662 in 2009, compared to $11,521 in
1984: a decline of 68%. Poverty - In 1967, 33% of households led by an older adult were poor, compared to
12% of households led by a younger adult. But by 2010, 22% of younger adults were poor, compared with 11%
of older households.
Did you know:
• The income for the richest 1 percent in the U.S. soared 275% from 1979 to 2007, but the bottom 20 per-
cent grew by just 18%.
• That just 147 companies control 40% of the global wealth.
• 49.1 million or 16% of all Americans live in poverty
• 280 of the biggest publically-traded American companies faced federal income tax bills equal to 18.5%
of profits during the last three years - a little more than half the official corporate rate of 35% and lower
than many industrial countries.
• CEOs saw their income grow 27% in 2010, the average worker 2.1%
• CEOs received a median of $2.2 million from bonuses, up 47% from $1.5 million in 2009. And that
comes on top of a healthy 7% boost to the median salary, which is now $1.1 million.
So in reading this information and statistics, it is clear to me that the 99% of us and the movements, protests,
rallies and marches that we participate in are definitely the result, not the cause, of class warfare.
(References - Time Online, ABC news, Yahoo News, The N.Y. Times, USA Today, Socialistworld.net)
Page 27
Cartoonist: Paul Kirchner
results confirmed sleep apnea, Froeber Dentistry took some dental impressions for an Oral Dental Appliance. It
looks like two mouth guards connected with two flexible rods. When fitted and worn while asleep, the appliance
makes the lower jaw protrude outward slightly, which increases the size of the airway. A larger airway means
more oxygen into the lungs, deeper sleep and better rest.
There’s more science behind it that I won’t (and when I say “won’t”, I mean “can’t”) go into, but it works! I
feel better throughout the day, especially in the mid-afternoon when previously, I would often get groggy and
tired. Without completely sounding like a commercial, after using the appliance for the first week, I felt the dif-
ference immediately.
One last thing: Not too long ago, something happened that I wasn’t prepared for. Last month we needed to
hold a special executive board meeting because of the many requests for arbitration. Earlier that morning I was
scheduled to observe an “in service test.” It went long, so long that I got very concerned that I was going to be
very late for a meeting that I scheduled. I thought that someone else would have to fill in for me. I thought that
my streak was going to end. My streak of attending every special executive board meeting, every executive
board meeting, every membership meeting (a.m. and p.m.) since taking oath in March, 1995, was going to end.
While it was happening, I only became angry. As it turned out, I made it on time and the meeting went well. I
never thought I was a proud man, but this really opened my eyes. My duration as a board member and my sense
of humor were the things that helped me succeed (if one could call this term a “success”). Yet the possibility of
that streak coming to an end really messed me up. I am proud of the time spent, the work done and the friend-
ships made during my time on the Executive Board. My decision to not seek another term was the right one.
But alas, I am the acid reflux in the belly of the beast.
Returning to my driving career will be fun. I’d like to close by quoting a verse from one of my favorite
songs, lyrics that symbolize my re-entry to the rank and file.
Offi cer's Corner continued from p.2
All right I’m down on the reins, holding the rope,
Live and let live from now on,
And as the free hand, alone a free man,
I got a world of my own.
I go as I please, fend for myself
Pull out all the stops, throw the dice.
Out on my own, gonna go it alone,
When I need it, I’ll ask for advice.
You don’t have to be old to be wise.
I’d like to acknowledge the most important
person in my life, Michelle. Any and all the suc-
cess I had during my term can directly be attrib-
uted to having her in my life.
Thank you ALL!
Season's Greetings from the Executive Board!
Left to right, front row: Clifton Bolden (Nicollet Operators), Maria Hennes-Staples (MJR Operators), Dan
Abramowicz (Recording Secretary / Asst. Bus. Agent), Michelle Sommers (President / Business Agent), Dorothy
Maki (Vice-President), Tommy Bellfi eld (Financial Secretary / Treasurer), Russ Dixon (Heywood Operators), Tim
Dixon (South Maintenance)
Left to right, back row: Dave Hopwood (MJR Maintenance), Tom Mevissen (Northstar Commuter), Brian
LaRoue (Overhaul Base), Chuck Feucht (East Metro Maintenance), Ken Dolney (East Metro Operators), Dave
Rogers (LRT Operators), Curt Anderson (Union Sentinel), John Zapata (Nicollet Maintenance)
Missing: Greg Stowe (Heywood Maintenance), Gary Bier (Offi ce / Clerical), Dave Gosha (Rochester City Lines),
Mark Lawson (South Operators), Clarence Maloney (LRT Maintenance)
Best Wishes for the Holidays From the Education CommitteeLeft to right, fi rst row: Philip Jarosz, Faye Brown, Deb Sievers, Ilona LaDouceur, Dorothy Maki and Stephen
Babcock
Second row: Ryan Timlin, Doug Barton, Jackie Williams, Stacey Taylor, Melanie Benson, Lisa Callahan, Carl
Rice, Alec Johnson
Not Shown: Liz Goldberg, Blayne Williams, Walter T. Curry, Jr., Anastasia Bloodsaw and Scott Lindquist
