Oct

ober

/ N

ovem

ber

2007

Continued on Page 14

Rochester City Lines Drivers

Chose ATU 1005Bus drivers for Rochester City Lines, which operates the

city's transit system, overwhelmingly have voted to join anational union of transportation workers.

“City Lines workers voted 35 to 9 to affiliate with theMinneapolis-based Local 1005 of the Amalgamated TransitUnion,” said Robert Chester, the National Labor RelationsBoard Regional Director

The union now will represent bus drivers and dispatchersfor the city's transit system. However, the vote does not affectmore than 50 other employees for the company's commutersystem to area towns outside Rochester; it also does not affectthe affiliated charter division.

The ballots from a Sept. 18 election had been helduncounted until Wednesday because of a formal challengeseeking to add the commuter bus drivers to the ATU's bar-gaining group. However, the NLRB in Washington, D.C.,rejected the appeal late last month and the ballots wereopened Wednesday at NLRB's regional office in Minneapolis.

Forty-nine workers actually voted, but five votes werechallenged at the counting. "We would not look into thembecause they are not sufficient in number to affect the resultsof the election," Chester said.

As many of you know, the Union Officers feel that organizing nonunion workers is important. Once in awhile we hear the complaint thatwe should not spend time on other properties when we have plenty ofissues to deal with here.

In order to continue to keep our standards of living up we need to bemindful of what the standards are in surrounding areas. If wages are stag-nant where employees are non-union, we run the risk of seeing some ofour current work moving to those lower paid jobs.

We have watched union membership drop to a low of 12 % in thiscountry. We need to move aggressively to increase union participation. Ifwe ignore this, we stand to loose influence politically and risk becomingirrelevant as spokesmen for the rights of the working class and underpriv-ileged.

Hopefully, you, the members will understand and help move thiscause forward.

OFFICER’SCORNER

Page 2

LOCAL 1005OFFICERS

President/BusinessAgentMichelleSommers

Vice-PresidentJerry Ewald

RecordingSecretary/Asst.Business AgentScott Tollin

FinancialSecretary/TreasurerChuckGudknecht

Calendar

EducationCommittee 2:30 pmAlways the ThirdTueday of themonth at theUnion Office

Executive Board& Union MeetingNov 27 - St. PaulDec 18 - Mpls.10:00 AM / 7:30 PM

Union OfficePhone612-379-2914email:office@atu1005.com

Scott TollinRecording

Secretary/Asst.Business Agent

Organizing

Welcome to Our new UnionMembers of the

Rochester City Lines.

Page 3

Education Committee

AdvisorScott Tollin

Chair Members Rotate

SouthLiz Goldberg

Vice Chair

Heywood OfficeOpen

NicolletMelanie Benson

Overhaul BaseOpen

RuterScott Lindquist

East MetroOpen

Heywood GarageDorothy Maki

LRTOpen

725 Bldg.Stephen Babcock

Layout

Editorial BoardKen DolneyDan AbramowiczChuck Feucht

Union Meeting HighlightsAugust 2007 Meeting

President's Report

… Payroll update - We got the bad news with our loss in the BMS. Wedo have an arbitration regarding clear language in our contract that speci-fies ATU work. We feel we have a better case in arbitration than we didin the BMS case. Our arbitration centers around our contract languagethat says only ATU members can do ATU work.

Thanks to all the employees and members who helped out during thebridge crisis. Federal funding is starting to come in and unfortunately,we are benefiting from this tragedy. There are 42 Operators going fulltime. We did turn down a request that they be made to work their ros-tered work while in training. This would amount to a 14 hour day. Wedid give the company an emergency waiver on the part time 30 hourmaximum for 3 weeks.

As Scott has reported, we have negotiations coming up and we willpost the dates. We have an eight month schedule already with three daysa week set for negotiations. The lead negotiator only recently found outthat we are the hang up with the labor peace agreement for the RNC.

Mark Lawson had filed a class action grievance at South because ofchanges made regarding the absenteeism policy. We were pleasantly sur-prised that Brian Lamb changed the policy back at our request. This pol-icy had been negotiated. We appreciate Brians action in resolving thisconflict.

Arbitration costs: Chuck did report on the financial health of the localand the reason for the increase in assessments and the possibility for afuture increase again. We actually won the last two grievances: Onewith 9 months of back pay. We did loose the Rail case.

The International Convention- A Canadian Local has submitted avery interesting resolution that would extend our terms upon passagerather than the next election cycle. I can let you know that this unionoffice is totally opposed to this position.

Marlin and Deb are leading the drive in organizing Rochester and wehave won a clear victory in a NLRB ruling and look for a vote on eitherSeptember 14th or 19th. We had an excellent rally Saturday with theAFL-CIO and many other affiliates joining. (Please see lead article)

I know we have problems with District 5, Local 668 AFSCME. Butthere is a wonderful AFSCME Local 3800 that is rallying on Thursday atMorell Hall on the U of M Campus. Give them your support.

Metro Transit have agreed to open the miscellaneous Operator list forthe first time in many years, so if you know of anyone who wants to getback on the list, let them know.

Tickets were made available for interested members to attend “The

Page 4

At the GarageLRT

Contact Bob Boyle or M a r k A m m e n d

We got the news this month that threeof our former mechanics have beenpromoted to management.

We congratulate Rick Carey on hispromotion to QA training manager,also Gene Sheldon on his promotionto maintenance manager. We also con -gratulate Mike DeWolf on his promo -tion to QA supervisor. At this time thecareer advancement program (CAP)for our helpers is still on track to pro-duce electro mechanical techniciansby the end of the year.

This is a part of the massive gearingup for the 2009 overhaul of the LRVs.Speaking of gearing up we are gettingready for winter and are awaiting theverdict on our tunnel glaciers.

www.atu1005.comContact Jerry Ewald

Get the latest info from the unionwebsite: Meeting agendas, griev-ances coming before the member-ship, officers’ e-mail addresses,etc.

Get connected. Union strengththrough member involvement!

Look for information on retireeson the www.atu1005.com website,including:

*retirement parties, *newsletter articles*retiree clubs, *deaths of retired members

Paul and Sheila Wellstone Memorial Dinner” to be held October 28th inSt. Cloud and featuring Vice President Mondale.

Chuck Gudknecht announced the deaths this month… ActiveOperator Robert E Schultz and two retired Operators…Lawrence Doddsand John Cline.

Results of Union Meeting VotesMotions - There were no Motions.

Requests for ArbitrationArbitration of a FTH Operator grieving their discharge for violatingMetro Transit Operating Policy and overall record. Passed.

Arbitration of Fare Box Technician grieving his discharge for violatingprocedures and dishonesty. Passed.

New Business: None

September 2007 Meeting

President's Report

Safety Awards Program - New, approved by the E.B.for Bus and Railoperators. This is something new. A positive drug test will put you outfor one year. This is the first time PT - FT and Rail will be put into thesame program. Continuous service counts from the day you start.Currently a PT Op. who stays PT for 10 years would start new when heelects to go FT. My thanks to Russ Dixon and Mark Ammend for assist-ing in this. You will also get more days off now. A Class 'A' violation, aClass 'B' signal over run at Rail knocks you out as does Safety relatedviolations on the Bus side. Also a Federally determined serious trafficconviction will knock you out. I think this is a good improvement overthe current program.

Maintenance Recognition Program - I want to thank Bob Schaller,Steve Schurmeier, Greg Hall, Chuck Feucht, and Del Schafer for theirassistance in putting this program together.

Payroll - Over 600 Operators signed up for Direct Deposit. The prob-lem arose when, the Company in their infinite wisdom, said that DirectDeposit will start October 4th and then they started it last week. So ifthere are any issues where people did not get funds were they needed togo let us know. There should be no overdraft fees charged to our peoplefor something out of their control.

The International Convention - The issue, for extending Officersterms, was shot down early. Our position was strongly opposed to this.We were one of five Locals noted for organizing efforts.

Rochester - Marlin Jensen, Deb Sievers, Rick S., and Catrina P. work-ing hard in Rochester. We have had the vote but they are sealed at theLocal NLRB Office. We believe we have the strong commitment in votessince 49 out of a possible 50 voted with 5 contested. (See article in thisissue)

Union Minutes Continued:

Page 5

Over the past seven months, morethan 900 workers have chosenATU:

Northeast StatesRegional Transportation ProgramPortland, ME; 10 dispatchers

D.C./Maryland/PennsylvaniaBattle's Transportation Washington, DC; 69 paratransitdrivers

Laidlaw Transportation, Inc. Allentown, PA; 65 school busdrivers

ATU Organizing Victories

Politically there is not much going on at this point. TLC (Transit for LivableCommunities) is hosting an anniversary that we are proud to be a part of.

Contract proposals are being voted on. If you have any questions, pleaseask.

V.P. Report: Jerry reported on the ATU-SAVE Motorcycle Run.

Delegate Reports: Jerry & Scott reported on the International Convention Terri Qualy reported on the Labor Mural as Delegate to the St. Paul Trades.Chuck Gudknecht announced the deaths this month…James Puype (Retired)

Results of Union Meeting VotesMotions

Asst. B.A. Tollin presented the Maintenance Recognition Proposal for consider-ation by the members and by standing vote. Passed.Requests for arbitrationArbitration of MJR Mechanic grieving a violation of Metro Transit Policy. Passed.New BusinessThe Union Contract Proposals were read and voted on as a package. Passed.

Southeastern StatesWest Palm Metro,West Palm Beach, FL; approx.200

MV Transportation, West Palm Beach; 110 paratransitoperators

Veolia Transportation, Inc.Charleston, SC; 6 dispatchers

Western StatesCanby Area Transit/Wheels, Canby, OR; 21 transit operators

City of North Bonneville, North Bonneville, WA; 9 cityemployees

Bend Area Transit, Bend, OR; 48 transit operators

First Transit, Denver, CO; 240 transit operators

Veolia Transportation, Inc. Denver, CO; 269 operators

Midwest StatesKU Lawrence, KS; 60 transit

CRYPTO by PAT KELEHANEach letter stands for another. If you think X=O, for example, it would equal O throughout the puzzle. Clue: Z = RZ X W U A B Z C D Z V Z D S D Q F U H

J D K X Q F X M D Z W Q K F Z X S C V

F B X S S B O O B P X F D F R D Q X Z Z B A -

O W Q P D P Z D M T J U W S X Q

S B Q E D Q F W B Q.

(Answer on page 17 )

Retiree MeetingsNorthside Breakfast ClubMeets the second Tuesday of each month, 8:30 AM at Barnacle Bill’s, located at Shingle Creek Parkway andFreeway Blvd in Brooklyn Center.

Southside Breakfast ClubMeets the fourth Thursday of each month at 8:00am at the VFW on 67th and Lyndale.

St. Paul Retiree Lunch ClubMeets the second Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon. The St. Paul Retiree Club has moved its meetingplace from the Wells Lanes to the VFW Post #295, located at 111 So. Concord Exchange in South St. Paul.

Metro Transit Mechanic TeammateMeets the third Tuesday of the month at Old Country Buffet located at 2000 South Robert.

Walt started at the company on June 23rd, 1947. Atthat time, there were some buses that went to Excelsior,but mostly street cars which was a two person opera-tion. "Some guys were fun to work with. One guynailed money to the floor to watch people try to pick itup."

"In 1951, I went to buses." He worked at a garageon Curry. I said "Huh?! Curry? Where was that?" "Itwas downtown off Curry street, got traded to the city tolet the city keep up the streets."

"We had overtime everyday, and you didn't get paiduntil after 10 minutes of overtime, then it went down to 5 minutes." (he was aware that we now have overtimefor every minute, a good change made by President Bob Rossman)

"We used to get so many umbrellas and junk for lost and found. To get rid of them we would put the for-mans name on it." Funny! "Fare was 7 1/2 cents---two tokens for 15 cents, six for 45 cents and 10 for bigshots." When I asked further, Walt explained, that the big shots always just threw in a dime to show they hadmoney to burn.

"The years I spent as a board member and full-time officer, I hoped I helped improve the conditions of theOperators and Mechanics. From the time I started in 1947, the union has made many improvements for themembership."Here are a few of the highlights:* 40 Hour work week (used to be 36 hour guarantee for 6 days a week.* Penalty time after 12 hours* Pension Plan Improvements (used to be $40.00 a month)* Picking days off separate from runs (used to be the days off went with the run) (In 1962 Walter finally

got a Saturday/Sunday off!)* Changed vacation pick to twice a year (used to be you had to pick for the whole year in advance.)

Walt has been retired for 25 years already! But he is still so active. He is a Delegate to the DFL and hasbeen for 50 years! He was in the rifle squad at Fort Snelling for 25 years, and along with George Nelson devel-

Page 6

Walter Mickelsonby Dorothy Maki

Page 7 oped a memorial service for transit employees. They keep track and havegiven out approximately 90 memorials to date.

He and his lovely wife Catherine will be married for sixty one yearson Christmas day and have four children-Byron, Bruce, Steven andSheila. Byron is retired from Metro Transit, and Steven recalled the dayswhere he would bring a sandwich and thermos to his dad at his layover inShoppers City.

Walter grew up in Pelican Rapids and now resides in Brooklyn Park.He was in the Air Force for four years. He met Catherine in Illinois andthey stayed engaged for the last two years while in the service. I askedhim why Christmas day to get married? "Because it was the first day wecould get married when I got out of the service. The church wouldn'tallow marriages until after advent, and advent was done at 2:00pm onChristmas, so we got married Christmas afternoon." Aaaah, love sweetlove!

I told him he looks great for 87 years old and asked how his healthhas been. "I had two bouts of cancer and open heart surgery with a pacerand a 1/2 dozen minor surgeries----but still alive and ticking." I said"wow, I would never have guessed that-----how about your wife, how hasshe been?" He gets a glint in his eye and shakes his head "I can't nameall of her surgeries!"

They have a loving home filled with dance music and are good inmind and spirit. You can find Walter at Barnacle Bills for breakfast every2nd Tuesday.

Pictures from Walter’s Past

Above: Inside a typical car.To the right above: Inspector Peterson with company car.To the right: The transfere of mail from the Hokins shuttlegoing downtown.

Continued Next Page

Page 8

Looking Forward in OurHistory

New Operators joining Metro Transit.Starting at the left: Dana Alexon, Mose Stamps,Latonya Holifield,Gene Wolf, Joseph Mitchell, Ronald Brooks

Northside Garage 1952

50th and Xeres Ave. So.

Hennepin Ave at Lagoon

More of Walt’s pictures can be seen onwww.atu1005. com

Page 9

ATU 1005 Charity Bike Run 2007

The original date of August 18th for the ATU 1005 Charity Bike Run2007 was a rain out. It was rescheduled for August 19th. Only 15 motor-cycles showed up. We went on a shorter version of the run. We endedup soaked from the rain.

But, on Sept 22nd it proved to be a great thought to reschedule therun one more time. And what a day it was, sunny with blue skies, itturned out to be an excellent bike riding day. As the day rolled on, so did78 motorcycles, and over 100 people. The line of motorcycles stretchedout along the road for 1.5 miles.We broke all records, including the charitable donation toS.A.V.E., in the amount of $1655. According to many who rode, it waswell organized, and a great success.

The ride started at the P-n-R at Hwy. 61 and Lower Afton, went souththrough Prescott to Diamond Bluff, River Falls, and finally Lake Elmo.Everyone enjoyed the food at the Westwind. It turned out to be a safe andfun ride, with no problems or setbacks.

Including a most excellent ride, there were numerous door prizesawarded, way too many to mention, donated by the ATU 1005 and volun-teer members from the S.A.V.E. Charity. Also, 3 very happy poker handwinners. Some comments were that the actual ride was too short. If moreriders feel the same way, please contact your ride committee contact, andlet them know.

Pictures of the ride are available on CD, for $5.00, including a couplegroup shots. Contact Jerry Larsen @ 651-329-3581 orJJML007@aol.com.

What a day!!!! We will try to make this happen next year. Look fordetails at your facilities by June 2008. For next year we need more volun-teer road captains, and ride committee members. Please help us out,thanks.

Thanks for your support to all who attended.

Also special thanks to the Ride Committee: Jerry Ewald, RussHoosline, Debbie Serrine, Rick Steffels, Tony Taylor, Mike and ToniaShupien (S.A.V.E. Charity voluntees), and Dr. Dan Reidenberg, S.A.V.E.Charity spokesperson, dreidenberg@save.org.

Jerry Larsen

For complete details please see theSafety and Security Board located inevery garage.

Page 10

Transit Safety and Security Committee Meeting Minutes

Members:Jim Chisholm, Management Advisor, TCC David Rogers, Chair, Rail, AbsentJerry Larsen, HeywoodMary Vasterling, South Theresa Collins, NicolletDennis Engebretson, East MetroVan, Ruter OperatorJeffrey Thompson, HeywoodOperator, Curt Botner, Nicollet OperatorABSENT

AugustOthers in Attendance

Speakers:Tom Weaver - RegionalAdministrator, Brenda Himrich - ManagerBus/Rail SafetyBrian Lamb - General Manager, Chief David Indrehus - MetroTransit PoliceVince Pellegrin - Chief OperatingOfficer Bus/Rail, Sam Jacobs - Director of BusTransportation,

service. In the face of crisis,Metro Transit performed phenom-enal. We do great bus service.Business community is very sup-portive of Transit. Very proud ofthe work that Metro Transit doesday in and day out.

GENERAL MANAGER: BrianLambA very sincere Thank You to allbus garages, the front line peoplemade this happen. It is amazingthat 25 extra buses were able to beput out 12 hours after the 35Wbridge collapse. Traffic patterns are still beingidentified. When the vacationseason ends, and the U of M goesback to class, traffic will continuechange and may get worse.Even though Rail may get noticedmore often, the bus ridership hasbeen on the increase this year.Metro Transit should be planningfor the increase in ridership tocontinue and needs to plan to han-dle this increase. We are stillholding our ridership increasesfrom the high gas prices eventhough gas prices have fallen.Transit should come first whenconsidering moving people aroundthe metro. Transit advantages willcontinue to proceed - bottlenecksfor Transit need to and will beaddressed.Mpls/St. Paul Metro Area wasrecently granted $133 million by anational grant from the UrbanPartnership. $90 million is desig-nated for Transit improvements.Plans include 1) increasing parkand ride spots in the North andSouth metro, 2) extending theTransit network down toLakeville, 3) have all day servicealong 35W south. Other plans

include stations along 35W, suchas at 35W/46St where bus localand express bus routes can cometogether. Improvements need tobe completed by September 2009.Another part of improvementswill be to have double bus laneson Marquette and 2nd Ave S inDwtn Mpls to get buses movingthrough the downtown. Otherimprovements include Go To CardImprovements, possibility of a35W hot lane, when it gets morecongested the bus fare may godown on those routes. Mpls has to demonstrate that wecan reduce congestion by 10-15%in these heavily traveled corridors.Transit is the future. MetroTransit will continue to work withFederal, State and local officials.Mpls - mayor Rybak understandsthat people need to get in and outof downtown Mpls. NorthStar Commuter Rail - finalstages of full funding grant agree-ment with Federal appropriations.The goal is to have Northstar upand running by the end of 2009.Twin Cities is becoming a multimodal system. We are workingon a plan to get the 21st centurytransportation system moving.Metro Transit is attempting to get55 more buses in the near future,and also working on the 314 newbus order

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER:Vince PellegrinMetro Transit supplied buses to35W command post, buses fortransportation of emergency per-sonnel, many Thanks to allinvolved.New Buses update - the Urbanpartnership will allow us to add26 new buses for increased serv-

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR:Tom WeaverState of Transportation -Government is realizing thatTransit should be invested in; rea-sons include the success of theHiawatha Line, rising gas prices,and the excellent service thatMetro Transit puts on the streeteveryday. Transportation fundingpackage is on the horizon.Response to the 35W bridge col-lapse was phenomenal. Great jobby Metro Transit and Governmentstepping up with a plan and extra

Page 11

ice.Metro Transit may acquire 55 newbuses, including 18 hybrids fromGillig that are already made andsitting at Gillig and exercising anoption for 15 artics on an existingcontract.New order for 164 diesel and 150hybrid electric buses is still inprogress. The Hybrids are easieron fuel and emissions.Biodiesel tests are working wellusing B20 fuel. No known main-tenance problems exist Summer/Spring all buses willoperate on B20, fall and winter allbuses will be operating on B10.Republican National convention -Metro Transit will have to supply120 buses for convention. Thedays are Sept 1-4, 2008. This willinclude a 2 day overlap with StateFair.

DIRECTOR OF BUS TRANS-PORTATION: Sam JacobsGoals for Metro Transit -Dependability, service, and publicrelations/customer relations.Current goal for daily sick list is86, we are averaging 82.3 sickoperators per day.Pullouts - goal at 7 lates per day,currently is 6.4 lates per day.Customer service - 85 complaintsper month for reckless/carelessdriving, currently 94 per month.Operator rudeness complaints -132 goal, 185 currently. Mainline accessibility - complaints up62% from 1 year ago. Personalattendant problems - Personal careattendant does not have to pay,does not have to secure the wheel-chair, and they can ride with noquestions.The Metro Transit Team alwaysrises to the occasion to meetgoals. Each garage receives 550complaints per month. The chal-lenge is to ask yourself if you can

treat customers better even in theface of poor behavior by the cus-tomer.

MANAGER OF BUS/RAILSAFETY: Brenda HimrichIt is important to be seen. Duringthe State Fair, operators will berequired to wear a high visibilityvest at the Como Transit Stationthis year. The day after the Fair,sign up will begin for bus Roadeo.Sept 24 is practice day, then road-eo follows. AED demonstrationgiven.

METRO TRANSIT POLICE:Chief Dave IndrehusIn regards to the Bridge Collapse -whenever a bus is needed onecomes, everyone is appreciative.four more Metro Transit Officerswill be sworn in next week.MTPD is in the process of hiringCSOs, and also has increasedpresence on buses. Securityforms can be filled out for securi-ty requests, and all requests/formswill be addressed. Officer JeremyRausch and K-9 IZZY - dogsacquired in January 2007 andtrained with MPD to start. Alldogs are explosive trained. K9srespond to suspicious packages onbuses/trains and at all MetroTransit facilities. K-9Demonstration given at Forum.

Minutes respectively submitted byChad Loeffler, TSSC recordingsecretary.

SeptemberThere was no TSSC meeting inSept due to State Fair.

For complete details please see theSafety and Security Board locatedin every garage.

At the GarageSouth

Contact Liz Goldberg

Congratulations Jim Warner!2007 Bus Roadeo's-"Rookie of theYear" After recently competing in theSeptember 25-27th Metro Transit BusRoadeo, Jim, PT. South Operator#64398, took top honors with best score as a first time roadeoparticipant. Coincidently, Jim's hiredate- September 25, 2004!

South Garden Tradition Continues to Bloom.

Moved from South's front door (dueto building reconstruction) to acrossthe west parking lot onto "SwampMeadows", South's 2007 garden has a unique andrustic charm all its own. A pond complete with cattails andbird sanctuary accompany the tomatoplants, Jalapeño peppers, mums and avariety of flowers all under protectionof the ever- vigilant South's "GardenGnome."

Special mention to chief gardeners;Susan Mitchell PT. Operator #66022and Bryson Powers Operator #9178who have contributed their time, tal -ents and care to this tiny garden oasis.Thank you also to Ned Swentik fortiling and to Susan's horse- for the fer-tilizer.

Mechanical DepartmentThank You!

Transportation and service at South isa family affair and a- team effort.With Operators manning the frontlines- 43 Mechanics, Helpers, SkilledHelpers and Cleaners are busy behindthe scenes servicing and maintainingSouth's fleet of 124 buses 24/7 on 3shifts.

Demanding little fanfare, we wouldlike to acknowledge and thank thismodest team of highly talented techni-cians and skilled work persons ofwhom we all rely on for so much. A Special "Thank You" to you -South's Mechanical team!

Page 12

Lizbeth Goldberg

15 billion years ago, all matter and energy of space was contained in an initial speck the size of a dime.Within a split second, a tremendous explosive cosmic expansion sent matter filling all of space and our uni-

verse was born.

10 billion years later this newly created space, time, matter and energy formed the sun, planets and 90% of allstars.

2 billion years ago the earliest forms of life on earth appeared as algae, as the result of a complex sequenceof chemical reactions taking place spontaneously in earth's atmosphere.

500 million years ago- first vertebrae, 400 million first land plants and animals, 300 million- reptiles, 200 mil-lion- Age of Dinosaurs, 65 million Dinosaurs extinct and finally- 2 million years ago, after the age of mam-

mals- Homo Sapiens.

Man with the capability to think, reason and create, unlike any other living thing in our history. Each and every one of us different, unique and special

6.6 billion miracles.

Alan Thao

"I worked at the Pearson Candy Company on 7th street in St. Paul and one dayin 1999 I heard that the company would be changing ownership. This worried mevery much. I told my cousin about this and he told me that I should apply for ajob where he worked and that there were several positions open. My cousin was abus driver for Metro Transit".

"I went to Metro Transit and filled out an application and had an interview. Iwas very optimistic until another guy was hired instead of me. A week later, I wascontacted and told that they needed me right now and would I be interested. Theguy they had hired ahead of me quit after one week! I was sent to the OverhaulBase for training for a janitorial position." "Yes, I like my job very much. Maybesomeday in the future I might like to be a mechanic, go to school and get my 2year certificate for diesel mechanic." " I am happy here - its good pay - a govern-ment job! Nothing better than that!"

Alan came to the States in 1979 when he was nineteen from Laos, a small communist state in Southeast Asia.Laos, surrounded by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma, is about twice the size of Pennsylvaniaand its population is nearly 6 1/2 million people. The Lao people migrated from southern China in the eighthcentury and in the fourteenth century the first Laotian state- the Kingdom of Lan Xang existed to the eighteenth century. After a period as a French protectorate (French Colonial Empire) it gained independence in1949. A long civil war ended when the communist "Pathet Lao movement" came to power in 1975. Despite thatit ranks as one of the lowest countries in economic and political freedom, the economy of Laos grew 7.2% in2006- 35th fastest in the world. Private enterprise has been on the increase since the 80's.

"I don't really miss home (Laos) very much. You can't do what you want- too much control. I like Minnesota!My Mother, my brother, my uncle, cousin and everyone I know are all here. I lived in California for fourteen

Tapestry

Page 13years when I first came here and one day I was sitting on the sofa and the sofa began to move. I looked out thewindow and the street sign was moving- an earthquake! Winter is fine but freezing rain I don't like. No, I amfine right here- no earthquakes!"

Alan's advice to new U.S. citizens: "My advice to anyone who comes to the States is this- Stay in school!Even if you are old, learn as much as you can and don't be afraid to speak to people."

Alan is married and has six children; 2 boys and 4 girls and one grandchild.

Alan Thao #03650 South Janitor

Jayne Arendt-Verhelst

Jayne is a newly hired part time Operator and she loves it. You don't need toeven ask her because it shows.

"I was hired January 22, 2007 and went through training in March. Theyreleased us to drive all by ourselves! All of us made it in my class. Our trainerswere the greatest- Sheryl, Randy and Ray. I like part time, I don't ever intend ongoing full time, but I really like driving, its awesome! I feel as if I am in com-plete control of the situation and you're so independent out there. The best part isthat I am outside surrounded by nature. On my 589 Route I see coyotes, deer,beavers and all kinds of birds - I love it." "How about that peregrine falcon at theBasilica- isn't that the coolest!"

"In 1985-87 I went to Mankato State where I met my husband Alan, ten yearslater - we got married. Then in 1990 I spent four years at the Minneapolis Technical Collage of Graphic Arts.During that time I was a cashier at Cub Foods working 6 pm to 1 am.

In 1994 I worked at various sign companies learning everything I could and then…I got burned out. I am anature person! I hate being cooped up! Then for six years I worked for Dons leather Cleaning, driving arounddelivering goods. I enjoyed the driving.”

One day, John, my brother- in- law talked to me about driving a bus, and I thought… Yah ! I can do it! I canhandle it! I wasn't sure if Metro Transit would call, but on my 40th birthday they called me! Training was easy-and fast and I really enjoyed it."

She describes herself as: "Enthusiastic, fair, honest, positive and an animal lover". Jayne also strongly feelsthat all living things deserve respect and kindness. "I think you should be nice to people. I saw enough cutthroat behavior in my past jobs and I don't want to be a part of that attitude- ever."

Jayne's hobbies are: nature, camping, animals, gardening and did we mention… Nature?Jayne and her husband have two Siberian Huskies and two cats." I want a horse!!"

One dispatcher at South described Jayne as "a breath of fresh air." That she is..and more.

Jayne Arendt-Verhelst #67030 South PT Operator

Page 14

The official results pave the way for formal bargaining toward alabor agreement between Rochester City Lines and the ATU 1005 union.Rochester City Lines general manager Dan Holter said “customersshould not see any effects in fares or operations in the short run becauseof the unionizing. However, fares, which were stable this year, mightrise in 2008 because of normal increases in operating costs.”

Holter said compensation for Rochester City Lines is comparable tosystems in other similar sized transit systems in Minnesota. He also said,“the drivers and company managers have maintained a good atmosphereduring the period leading up to and through the unionizing vote.”

ATU President and Business Agent Michelle Sommers says,"Well, there are some questions about how people are paid andwe'll deal with them. And if there'ssomething wrong we'll deal with it ifit's the proper way and that's fine.We met with the Drivers onWednesday after the vote and theyare incredibly happy. They tried toform a union 12 years earlier and itfailed." Sommers says of the 50workers who voted, 5 votes werecontested based on eligibility and oneworker failed to vote. Rochester CityLine drivers will join almost 200,000

other transit workers who are part of the US and Canadian ATU Union.

Source: Bob Freund,Post-Bulletin,Rochester MN Photos courtesy ofLaura Askelin,President, SE MNArea Labor Council,AFL-CIO offATU.org

ATU Organizing from P. 1

good products are not cheap, butare worth it. Good health goinginto the future in absolutelyinvaluable.

This product is even in the PDR(physicians' desk reference.) Ifyou need further information, goon line to www.vibeforme.com orcontact John Marroquin,Instructor 2612 at South garage.

Attitude: I can't say enough about atti-

tude. It is the way we approachproblems, it is the way weapproach people, it is the way weapproach our life. Working hard,being proactive, professional, andhaving fun while doing it.

Remember:Think good thoughts and bekinder and gentler to the strangersyou meet, for you know not whatburden they carry. (Smile)

bag of chips. We NEED toreverse the epidemic of heartdisease, diabetes and cancerthrough healthier eating andnutrition. I believe good prod-ucts like this help us.You can call 1-877-584-2375Juice Plus information line.

Great Local Company

Eniva Corporation wasfounded in May of 1998 byAndrew and Ben Baechler, twinbrothers that graduated from U ofM and U of Wisconsin-Madison.Andrew was the visionary/ mar-keting guru and Ben is a doctorwhose degree in immunology andnutrient delivery systems/antioxi-dants and angiogenesis (science ofcellular growth) helped them pro-duce great products. Vibe is oneof those great products.

Vibe: It is a strong liquidvitamin. This liquid is the high-est absorption vitamin on themarket.

The 4 blends of ingredientsdesigned to improve:

Immune HealthHealthy AgingCardiovascular HealthCellular Health

Here are some of the naturalextracts found in this product:cranberry, raspberry, blueberry,blackberry, strawberry, cherry,acai berry, elderberry, wolfberry,chokecherry, gojiberry, pomegran-ate, lemon, lime, carrot, pumpkin,hibiscus, and stevia.

WOW! And as I said before,

Holistic Healthby Dorothy Maki

dmsilva9082@aol.com

Page 15

Testing your alkaline level:

PH kits are available at localdrug stores. It consists of a smallcircular container (like a circulartape measure), pull out a smallamount of strip paper and put iton your tongue. There is a colorchart included that will show whatyour alkaline level is for that day.Yellow is acidic and blue-green isalkaline. Try to keep yourself inthe green. When I first test-ed…………. bright yellow!

Vitamins:It's just too hard for us to eat

'right' given the hectic pace of ourjobs. It's an impossible task to eatenough fruits and veggies. Vitamins can fill the void and helpto boost our immune system.Some type of vitamin is betterthan none.

I have tried many brands and Ithink the best on the market isJuice Plus. Juice Plus is awhole food supplement, whichmeans it has fruits and veggiesdehydrated down and ground upand put into capsules. Think of itas a mini meal in itself!

The product comes in two bot-tles, a red capped bottle that is thefruit capsule, and a green cappedbottle that is the veggie capsule.Take the fruit in the morning (per-fect for the 5:30 am pull-outs!),and the veggie in the evening(perfect for the pm stub).

This product is not cheap,(about $1.00 a capsule)….BUT itis so worth it. We think nothingof putting in a $1.00 for a pop or a

As with all vitamins and food sup-plements, seek advice from your

physican.

Page 16

ATU International ConventionAttending the ATU International Convention as the Mechanical representative was very informative. I was

appointed to the Balloting Committee. Many speakers made the valuable point of "Voting for our LaborEndorsed Candidates."

The president of the TWU (Transportation Workers Union), who works in cooperation with the ATU, gave aspeech that pointed out that Mass Transit is a major part of the solution to the environmental problems with airpollution and global warming. Transit has the smallest "Carbon Foot Print", of any form of transportation. Weare part of the solution to these problems and Transit should be expanded Nation wide.

Our International President Warren George thanked all the locals for their organizing efforts, noting 1005'sorganizing in Rochester. He also reported on the Mechanical Training and testing programs being developed.Local 1005's representative on the project is FTH mechanic Greg Hall, who is working with the ASE,(Automotive Service Excellence).

Thanks to all ATU 1005 members for giving me this opportunity, Tom Campbell, mechanic OHB.

"The Right Move "Was the theme for the Amalgamated Transit Union 2007 International Convention. I was a first time dele-

gate representing the office employees of local 1005. I found it to be a great experience, and the speakers werewell informed on the issues facing the ATU.

The international President George stated that the ATU is a team and if we all work together as a team there'snothing we cannot do. As I was sitting there I was thinking of our local, and as we move forward organizingother properties such has (Rochester) we will only make our own local stronger. We need to support each other,not only other member's of 1005 but to make sure we have the right people in public office that will supporttransit.

Thank you for sending me to the convention.Gary Bier

The Labor Studies Certificate ProgramTheir course address the challenges you face everyday - and their classrooms. The Labor Studies Certificate

Program is a non-credit program that provides a strong foundation in the core areas of labor studies.

The Labor Studies Certificate Program includes both on-campus component (general classes offered byLES), and an off-campus outreach component (classes offered by particular unions). Students who enroll in thecertificate program are able to take both types of classes to fulfill their requirements.

Students who desire to enroll in the certificate program, are required to make a one-time administrative pay-ment of $35, along with tuition for each course in which they enroll. There is a time limit of 5 years to completethe program, and students can, with documentation, apply LES classes taken since the year 2000 to fulfill therequirements. If you have questions about whether past coursework applies, please contact Tony DeAngelis at612-624-1602

Students are required to complete 75 hours of LES classroom training to fulfill the certificate requirements.The 75 hours includes 55 hours of basic requirements and 20 hours of electives. Instructors include experiencedLES staff and guest instructors with particular expertise in important areas. This year's classes will be held atthe Hubert H. Humphrey Conference Center (HHH) on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota.

Labor studies courses are open to all interested working people. It is not necessary to enroll in certificateprogram to take any of their courses. Please register at least one week in advance. To register, call 612-624-5020 or go online to www.csom.umn.edu/page5946.aspx Our ATU local 1005 will reimburse members $100per class towards certificate.

ATU’s 55th Convention-Las VegasPage 17

Answer To CRYPTO:RAIL WORKERS RECENTLY BEGAN TAPERING TRACKS TO ACCOMMODATE

THE NARROW-MINDED REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

The meeting at Bally’s Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, was officially called to order at 9:00a.m.. International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens presiding as Temporary Chair.

As a tribute to ATU members from New Orleans, The Smokin’ Crawdads Band pre-ceded the Color Guard marching down the center aisle with a rousing rendition of “TheSaints Go Marching In.” After the posting of the Colors, the National Anthems were sungby Todd Parish.

International President George set the tone for his address by saying, “ATU is a team,”and that without his fellow officers, representatives, local unions, members and volun-teers, he could do nothing, “but with you, there is nothing I cannot do.”

Another area of success, ATU has enjoyed, is its bargaining strength. Since the 2004 Convention, the ATUhas doubled the number of contracts in place where operator pay exceeds $20/hour – from 46 to 93 – with 13contracts paying more than $25/hour. In today’s climate where employers do everything in their power to shiftthe burden of rising health care costs and pension contributions onto the backs of workers, ATU’s bargainingsuccesses will ensure a better standard of living for its members.

On the political front, George expressed his gratitude for the hard work members did during last fall’s mid-term elections, making phone calls, knocking on doors and getting out the vote. The result: Nancy Pelosi will godown in history as the best Speaker of the House for working people this country has ever had; and transit secu-rity has become a top legislative priority with a $3.4 billion funding level over the next four years for transit and$87 million for over-the-road bus companies.

But perhaps the most impressive showing of ATU’s efforts to serve members is its community outreachactivities. In the devastating wake of Hurricane Katrina, ATU put out a nationwide call to action to help restoreNew Orleans as a vibrant city, starting with restoring its broken transit system.

In closing, George reminded the delegates that America is on the verge of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunitynext year to bring about a sea change in the White House. “Everything we have worked so hard to achieve ishanging in the balance,” he said. Our future is at stake, and it’s going to require everyone “making the rightmove” to get the job done.

Democratic candidate for President Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), gave a passionate speech and thanked theATU for its support on many issues over the years.

Nevada Democratic State Senator Steven Horsford addressed the delegates on behalf of Democratic presiden-tial candidate Sen. Barack Obama. Horsford told the delegates that mass transit would be a priority in an Obamaadministration, and that he would work to eliminate the disparities in mass transit service provided to the richand the poor.

http://www.atu.org/

RetirementsCongratulations to August Retirees

8/1/2007, Pollard,Dennis, E. M. Ft. Bus Op. 023218/7/2007, Schaller,Robert, OHB Body/Paint Shop- Sen.

Mech. 027138/18/2007, Engstrand,Daniel, OHB Non-Rev

Veh./Warr-Sen. Mech. 015598/1/2007, Burton,Melvin, OHB Brake Shop-Skilled

Helper 051178/31/2007, Gleb,William, Ruter-Gen. Dispatcher 02809

8/18/2007, Ezaki,Barbara, So. FT. Bus Op. 00333

Congratulations to September Retirees

9/28/2007, Butts, David L. Hey. Bus FT. Op. 39509/10/2007, Lavoi, Thomas OHB Mech. 5239

Congratulations to employees celebratingAnniversaries

October5 YEARS 10/28/2002, Boelter,Dennis, Stockkeeper, 39039, E.M.Gar.

10 YEARS 10/11/1997, Farah,Omer, Bus Op. FT., 07780, Nic.Gar.10/11/1997, Hayes,Reyford, Bus Op. PT Day, 07784,Hey. Gar.10/11/1997, Martin,Greg, Bus Op. FT., 07781, Nic. Gar.

15 YEARS10/12/1992, Beilke,Diane, Bus Op. FT, 06240, E.M.Gar.10/12/1992, Burns,Marjory, Bus Op. FT., 06243, Hey.Gar.10/12/1992, Pavek,Darin, Bus Op. FT., 06236, Hey.Gar.10/12/1992, Thomas,Kenneth, Bus Op. FT., 06242,E.M. Gar.

30 YEARS10/17/1977, Marson,Robert, Mech., 03477, E.M. Gar.10/17/1977, Mevissen,Thomas, Sn. Mech Bldg Maint,05342, OHB.10/31/1977, Gruidl,John, Bus Op. FT., 00664, SO. Gar.

35 YEARS10/2/1972, Olson,Jerry, Bus Op. FT., 01504, SO. Gar.

10/9/1972, Uzpen,Mark, Bus Op. FT., 03022, E.M.Gar.10/10/1972, Stigen,Eric, Sn. Mech., 05250, OHB.

November10 YEARS11/10/1997, Bledsoe,Tyrone, Op. FT, 06705, Nic. Gar.11/10/1997, Burkhardt,Michael, Op. PT Day, 06709,Nic. Gar.11/10/1997, Castile,Tracy, Op. FT, 06711, E.M. Gar.11/10/1997, Ojogwu,Bernice Asua, Op. FT., 06701,Nic. Gar.11/10/1997, Radke,Lisabeth, Lead Stockkeeper, 06700,OHB.11/15/1997, Callahan,Lisa, Op. FT., 06716, Nic. Gar.11/15/1997, Carr,Curtiss, Op. FT., 06724, Nic. Gar.11/15/1997, Landowski,William, Op. FT., 06718, Nic.Gar.11/15/1997, Stewlow,Timothy, Op. FT, 06721, Hey.Gar.11/15/1997, Wineman,Gerald, Op. FT., 06715, Nic.Gar.11/24/1997, Howe,Dale, Sen. Mech., 06727, OHB.11/24/1997, Jaeger,Thomas, Op. FT., 06726, Nic. Gar.

15 YEARS11/2/1992, Thomas,Queline, Op. FT., 06245, E.M. Gar.

20 YEARS11/2/1987, Tilghman,Jerome, Op. FT., 01286, Hey.Gar.11/9/1987, Coleman,John, Op. FT., 01315, Hey. Gar.11/9/1987, Hellendrung,Georgia, Op. FT., 01305, Nic.Gar.

30 YEARS11/7/1977, Cline,Irene, Money Counter, 03169, Hey.Office & Oper Facility.11/14/1977, Cullen,Loree, Instructor, 00236, MJR. Gar.11/22/1977, Christenson,Sharon Stockkeeper, 03173,OHB.

35 YEARS11/6/1972, Larson,William, Op. FT, 01540, Hey. Gar.

Page 18

Submissions for Letters to the Editor are subject to approval of the Editorial Boardand space considerations. Letters to the Editor are solely the opinion of the authorand do not represent endorsement by ATU Local 1005 or the Education Committee.If you have an editorial to submit, please contact a committee member or our advisor Scott Tollin at: stollin@atu1005.com

LettersTo TheEditor

Page 19

Union Meeting Courtesy I was sitting at the last union meeting trying to pay attention to the proceedings. What struck me is the lack

of respect for the members and officers! Sometime the folks who are visiting the most are our elected officers.Despite Pres. Sommers' repeated insistence for people to quiet down, the chatting continued. I have to wonderwhy these people even come to the meetings. Is it to make a difference in the lives of fellow union brothers &sisters? Are they there for the free snacks & coffee provided? Is it to see whether or not they win any of the doorprizes? Or could it be simply to get reimbursed at the end of the year on their annual dues? Only they know.

Is it any wonder that management thinks that they can walk all over us? First off, if one sees how relativelyfew people go to the monthly meetings, they could assume that we don't care what happens in negotiations orother talks. Second, if we choose to not take our own meetings seriously, what else will be turned into a glorifiedsocial hour? Third, if the membership doesn't respect their elected leaders, why bother going to the meeting?

Finally, I would hope that all who go to the meetings would show some self control and respect. This canonly serve to ultimately strengthen the local as a whole. It's not the place or time to catch up on gossip, or to fig-ure out where the best place to go hunting will be this year. It's not the place to compare notes on cars, or totrash what your manager called you into their office for. It is the time to sit quietly, pay attention, and most ofall, make this union as strong as possible.

Beth Bennett, Nicollet op# 2156

Light DutyLight duty is not for the faint of heart! People go on the restricted duty list following surgery, or when a doc-

tor decides that a person can't do the job that they were hired to do. Whatever the reason, light duty is theiranswer.

People on light duty can expect to do anything from being a receptionist to assisting with lost & found, tobeing a vital part of the marketing team. Where some folks complain about light duty, I find it nice to see howother departments work, and what goes on under the surface of what most folks see as "MetroTransit."

There are times when duties turn slow, but some see that as a blessing away from the constant on-the-go paceof their regular duties. There are some cynics that say light duty is a polite way of saying "We'll make work foryou". There is nothing further from the truth! It is a way for employees to financially support themselves as wellas strengthening their muscles to be able to return to their normal job. This involves being allowed to go tophysical therapy, doctor appointments, and in general, following the restrictions placed on them by their doctor.

Some positions are long term, others can be filled for a week, a month, or longer. It all has to do with theneeds of a department being met by employees with restrictions. However the length and scope of light duty, itcan be a blessing for the 10 or so people that can earn a paycheck.

Beth Bennett, Nicollet op# 2156.

In Memoriam

Donald Boehner, Operator 691

Donald Boehner, of Andover, operator 691 out of Heywood passed awaysuddenly on October 8th. He had 31 years with Meto Transit.

He lived in Andover and like to play chess, crossword puzzels and followfootball.

He is survived by his wife, Betty and two daughters, Melissa and Lorena.A good Father and husband. Services were held on October 20, 2007.

The Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority.... voted on a proposal to purchase the Union Depot concourse and adjacent track area in downtown St. Paul

from the U.S. Postal Service. Purchase price is $49.6 million which will be reduced to $45.3 million if all pay-ments are made on time by Dec. 31, 2010. If the purchase is approved, the Rail Authority would restore theDepot for use as a multimodal transit hub serving the East Metro region.

In the comprehensive long-range transit vision laid out by the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority, manymodes of transit will come together at the refurbished Union Depot, including Central Corridor Light Rail,Amtrak passenger rail, the Red Rock, Rush Line, Robert Street and I-94 corridors, Greyhound and JeffersonLines buses, Metro Transit, bicycles and pedestrians. Eventually, plans are to bring in high-speed rail fromChicago.

At this regional transit hub, passengers would transfer seamlessly from passenger rail to buses and light railtrains. Commuters and visitors arriving on trains would be able to connect with local transit lines to get to jobs,pro sports and entertainment venues, shopping and restaurants.

Thanks to generous federal funding and far-sighted county investment in the project to date, work on themultimodal transit center will be ready to begin when the U.S. Postal Service moves its mail-sorting operationsfrom the depot to Eagan by the end of 2010. The depot is scheduled to reopen as a transit hub in 2012, two yearsbefore the Central Corridor Light Rail line is scheduled to open. Source: http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/home/index.htm