The 1005 LineThe 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
December 2010
Slip Slidin' Awayby Melanie Benson, Driver 854
The effects of the freezing rain and sleet that fell in south and central
Minnesota Saturday night, November 20 and Sunday morning, November
21, were well covered by the local papers. The St. Paul Pioneer Press
quoted a State Patrol officer saying, "It was one for the ages as far as
road conditions go." Both papers reported on the effects the storm had
on EMT's, the police, emergency room personnel, the trucks carrying ice-
melt and sand, traffic, motorists and pedestrians. Neither, however,
addressed how the sleet affected public transportation, specifically buses
and rail.
A Transit Control Center graph showing operator calls into TCC
shows the growing concern of drivers on the street Saturday night as road
conditions worsened: Calls spiked from seven at 9:00 p.m. to over 110
by 11:00 p.m. At 11:01, the TCC issued its first text reading, "If you are
unable to proceed, pull over and hold at a safe location." Similar mes-
sages were issued at 11:38 p.m. Saturday and again at 6:42 a.m. and 6:53
a.m. Sunday morning. Other calls directed drivers to get off the freeway,
to use snow emergency detours, to stop using the Uptown Transit Station,
to reroute when necessary, and a myriad of other messages for multiple
buses.
A Pullout Performance Report lists a total of nine late pullouts Sunday
morning ranging from 128 to 303 minutes late due to "no operator avail-
able." Two pullouts were lost altogether for the same reason.
A memo from Chad Loeffler of the TCC at 1:27 p.m. Sunday provides
more interesting statistics: From late Saturday night to 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, 87 buses were stuck. Four "notable" late pull-ins Sunday morn-
ing due to buses being stuck or unsafe to drive ranged from seven to ten
hours late. Around noon on Sunday, 155 buses were still on the street,
and about 22.3% were running late.
“If you want higher wages - join
a union. If you want to elimi-
nate poverty - join a union. If
you want safety standards - join
a union. If you want a pension
- join a union. If you want
healthcare - join a union. If
your boss wants to send you into
a dangerous situation and you
want to tell your boss to ‘kiss my
ass’ - join a union!"
Cecil Roberts, President of the
United Mine Workers
What’s Inside...
Officer’s Corner
page 2
Union Meeting Highlights
page 3
Warm Wishes - Heating Systems
page 6
How it Works When it Don’t
Work
page 7
Metro Transit Winter Driving
page 8
Transit Security Awareness and
Terrorism Recognition Class
pages 10
Transit Safety and Security
page 11
Editorials / Obituaries
page 14, 15
Continued on page 10
OFFICER’S
CORNER
Page 2
Michelle Sommers
President
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
Union Office
312 Central Ave.
Suite 438
Mpls., MN 55414
612-379-2914
email:
website:
www.atu1005.com
CalendarEducation
Committee Meeting-
11:30 a.m.
December 21st
January 18th
Membership
Meetings
December 28 - Mpls.
January 25 - St. Paul
10:00 a.m. - 7:00
p.m.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!
Metro Transit
As 2010 comes to an end and the New Year begins, I know most of
you are wondering when the contract will be settled.
ATU and management have continued to meet with the state mediator
and we are trying to look at non-cost items as well as health care and
wages. I believe there will be another offer to vote on in January 2011.
This has not been an easy contract to negotiate: The state is in a deficit
and most public employees have been taking pay freezes. To go along
with the money issues, management has not been very open to the non-
cost items in our proposals that union members asked us to fight for.
We are now working on a day- to-day extension of the contract that
expired July 31st. Under that extension, the council continues to pay the
amount required by contract to your health care plan. Because we have
not agreed on a new amount, the old amount still applies - which means
the member pays the increases for the plan. This means that the members
are paying the full cost of the 14.5% health care cost increase until we
have a ratified contract. In the end, when the contract is settled and the
council picks up at least some of the increase, the members' cost will go
down for 2011.
Right now all of us, including retired members, will be paying more
for health care. Just remember, we are all in this together. None of us is
getting a free ride.
Rochester
Rochester negotiations have also begun. Dan Abramowicz, Dave
Gosha, Terry Sprung and Janis Borchardt are the team working with
Rochester City Lines management. They have only met a few times and
will update RCL members as things develop.
First Transit
John Zapata, Dave Walker, Jeromy Sater and I have been working on
the First Transit contract. Negotiations have been moving along even
though we are now working with the third different lead negotiator for
First Group. We have settled most non-cost items and are now ready to
get the financials done. We have contacted the Federal Bureau of
Meditation Services (FMCS) to work through the money issues with us.
In Closing
I hope everyone has a great holiday season and a happy New Year. Be
safe and have fun.
Page 3
Union Meeting Highlights
Continued on Page 4
October 2010
Retirees are being permitted to participate in Open Enrollment this
year because of the plan design change in Plan A.
Maintenance Executive Board members were invited to attend a
meeting to discuss the documents for the upcoming biennial
Maintenance pick.
Two E-Board members will attend the Twin City Area Labor
Management Council seminar "Federal Changes in Healthcare" on
Wednesday, November 10.
Arbitration Requests
A South driver requested arbitration after being discharged for violat-
ing Metro Transit's Operator Policy (4th responsible accident). This case
will go to arbitration.
South Mechanic Technician Tim Dixon, 5510, agreed to carry a
grievance concerning overtime assigned at South Garage in his name
throughout the grievance process. This case will go to arbitration.
An MJR drive requested arbitration after being discharged for violat-
ing Metro Transit's Non-Operator Attendance Program. This will go to
arbitration.
A Heywood driver requested arbitration for a filed customer service
complaint. This case will go to arbitration.
A Nicollet driver requested arbitration after being given a Class A
violation and a 20-day suspension for violating Metro Transit's Cell
Phone Policy. This case will go to arbitration.
The Reduced Service Day Agreement for 2011 was presented, dis-
cussed and voted on. This proposal passed.
A letter of agreement (LOA) was proposed to the Executive Board
concerning facilities maintenance and public facilities maintenance tech-
nicians. This proposal passed.
A proposal to allow four 10-hour shifts in the Maintenance
Department was presented to the Executive Board. This proposal passed.
A representative of Matt Bostrom spoke to the members.
The Union Obligation was taken by Matthew Longtin, 70213.
Financial Secretary/Treasurer's Report
Four members passed since the last meeting:
Kerry Schiro, 1071
Jason Dero, 64217
LeRoy Olson, retiree
Donald Hansen, retiree
Members stood for a moment of silence.
Education
Committee
Advisor
Dorothy Maki
Chair
Melanie Benson
South
Liz Goldberg
Vice Chair
Stacey Taylor
Heywood Office
Ilona LaDouceur
Rec. Secretary
Nicollet
Alec Johnson
Ryan Timlin
Twaya McIntosh
Debbi Sievers
Blayne Williams
Overhaul Base
Open
Ruter
Tim Robinson
Jackie Williams
East Metro
Philip Jarosz
Lisa Callahan
Heywood Garage
Faye Brown
Walter T. Curry, Jr.
LRT
Stephen Babcock
Layout
Carl Rice
725 Bldg.
Scott Lindquist
Editorial Board
Ken Dolney
Mark Lawson
Gary Bier
Page 4 Union Minutes Continued
President's Report
Cell phone cases and arbitration settlements were announced.
There was a contract negotiation update.
Arbitration assessments are temporarily ceased.
Sleep apnea was discussed. It's becoming a larger problem for mem-
bers trying to renew their DOT physical cards.
Trial Boards were discussed.
The Election Challenge is being appealed by the Department of Labor
Jacqueline Williams has been appointed to the Education Committee.
Newly- elected International Officers and the International
Convention were discussed.
Delegate Reports
Dan Abramowicz reported on 2010 ATU Latino Caucus, Russ Dixon
reported on 2010 ATU International Convention and Ken Dolney report-
ed on the 2010 Minnesota State AFL-CIO Convention.
New Business
Trial Boards were requested by members. After each case (2) was
briefly presented and discussed, a vote was taken. The requests passed.
Rochester Meeting. - Wednesday, Oct. 27
Contract negotiations were announced with more pending.
Proposals were exchanged with the company RCL.
Company contract proposals were read and discussed.
Overtime issues were discussed with a resolution reached between the
parties.
Deb Sievers gave a delegate report on the 2010 ATU International
Convention.
November 2010
The Executive Board discussed the 2011 budget.
Arbitrations
A TIC representative requested arbitration from the membership after
a final record of warning for absenteeism. The union feels that the disci-
pline is excessive and that the department is trying to add on require-
ments/features that were already eliminated by an arbitrator's decision in
a company-wide policy for non-operators. A secret ballot was cast, and
this will be going to arbitration.
A South operator is asked for arbitration after being discharged for
operator policy and overall record. He is asking to be reinstated as an
operator and made whole, or the opportunity to transfer into another
department within the company. The company had reviewed MnDot
Light Rail
Facility
Stephen Babcock #3128
Carl Rice #6223
We have four new students in
training for rail operators. Training
started Monday, November 8,
2010
6716 Lisa Callahan from EM.
9939 Robert Tapper from Nic.
66104 Stanley Jones from Hey.
67011 Mohamed Elmi from Nic.
Happy Holidays Everyone!!!!
Be SAFE!
The campaigns (door wiring,
centertruck brake plumbing, speed
sensor and sanding system) are
completed. Our service calls
should improve. Now that these
campaigns are finished, we will be
starting our 13th train (out of 27)
for overhaul.
The new Maintenance of Way
(rail systems) building is under-
way on 24th and Hiawatha.
Preparations are underway for
expansion of stockroom, RCC, and
the truck shop. We have already
completed third floor modifica-
tions.
Congratulations to Jerome
Kaczmarek. He has acheived an
outstanding 38 years of safe bus
and train operations out of 38
years of employment. No one has
ever achieved this before.
East Metro
Philip Jarosz, Dr. #65015
Lisa Callahan, Dr. #6716
Some new changes are occurring
at East Metro:
The position of Garage
Coordinator is open again, as
Cheryl Kienietz-Hall #360 has
decided to return to the training
center.
For now, Timothy Bowan
#9025 is acting as Interim
Coordinator. George Hernandes
#1354 is working with Tim, and
the position will be posted again.
There will be testing and inter-
views in the process of filling this
position. This position is open to
all applicants, although senority
does play a role.
Lisa Callahan has made a move
to light rail. Lisa contributed as a
writer for this garage column. Best
wishes. There is an opening for
another ATU member to write arti-
cles in this column. Please see Ken
Dolney.
On a lighter side, East Metro
is getting all new exercise equip-
ment sometime around the first of
the year.
All New Year's resolutions may
apply for this opportunity, as size
matters, not senority. (Lol)
Page 5
video tapes after customer complaints. The operator was confused with
the lane changes on the newly-constructed Highway 62 and Freeway
35W. He was taped backing a bus on the wrong ramp. The operator was
under a Final Record of Warning for three previous responsible accidents.
A secret ballot was cast, and this will not be going to arbitration.
A Heywood operator asked for arbitration after being cited for a viola-
tion of the Cell Phone Policy, a 160 hours (twenty working day) suspen-
sion. For part-time employees this can mean more than five weeks with-
out income. The length of suspension is excessive. It was alleged that
management was informed of the cell phone usage by a third party.
Management downloaded the video which showed the operator violating
the policy. The member is asking to be made whole. The union's posi-
tion is that the grievant has a right to know who his accuser is. (See
Trial Board later on in the minutes for further information.) A secret bal-
lot was cast, and this will be going to arbitration.
President's Report
Cell Phone Policy We have a few decisions from arbitrations, won
two (aspects of one decision), lost one. It is obvious that the company
will not be allowed to have one cookie-cutter policy that fits all situa-
tions.
Contract Update Have met, gotten nowhere. We gave them no-cost
proposals (such as fix the maintenance seniority). Management would
not deal with them. We are waiting to see who wins the election and
who the new Met Council leader will be. It will be a big factor in our
negotiations.
Healthcare Everybody's rates are going up. Once the contract is set-
tled, there will be adjustments. Active people will have another open
enrollment, but there is no guarantee that there will be one for retirees.
North Star Maintenance will vote on 10-hour shifts. There was one
meeting for Bus Maintenance at the last meeting.
Snow The company has asked for waivers on the limits of part-time
drivers during snow emergencies. We have declined.
Boot Camp in Chicago Larry Hanley, our newly elected ATU
International President, has organized a meeting in Chicago with other
transit unions to figure out strategies on how to get operating income for
transit systems.
CDLs Sleep apnea, diabetes are all big issues when renewing your
license. Please make sure that you have documentation from your doctor
showing everything is under control when you go to renew your license.
Vice-President's Report
A big THANK YOU to the GOTV campaign volunteers! (Please
see Box on page 14 for further information.)
ATU Hardship Fund - Write in 'ATU Hardship Fund' on the designee
line on the Charitable Giving Campaign Fund 2010 form underneath the
Greater Twin Cities United Way line. You can contribute as little as one
dollar, more hopefully, to be taken out at paycheck time. What a wonder-
ful way to help our members when they are in need!
Union Minutes Continued
Continued on Page 13
Commuter Rail
Big Lake
We are proud to celebrate
Northstar Commuter Rail’s one
year anniversary. Northstar started
revenue service on November 16,
2009. To lead up to this milestone,
we were happy to boast our largest
ridership month to date – 81,186
riders for the month of September.
We also boast a 95.6 on-time per-
centage which says a lot about the
work that goes into maintaining
and delivering trains daily.
Route 887F
We are pleased to announce
that there is a new route added to
Metro Transit. This bus route
serves Friday Midday service
between St. Cloud and
Minneapolis. It stops at four of the
five Northstar Stations – Big Lake,
Elk River, Anoka and Coon
Rapids. It will help Met Council
evaluate ridership during off-peak
commuter times.
First Northstar Retiree
We’d like to congratulate Dave
Devine on his retirement and
thank him for his 34 years of serv-
ice with Metro Transit. Before
coming to the MTC in 1976, Dave
was a taxi driver, a bus driver, a
student, and a member of the
United States Navy.
Planning/Updates
On-Board Cameras –
Installation complete.
WiFi Installation for remote
download of camera data is slated
to begin in November.
AESS – Parts delivered.
Installation TBD.
Page 6
Warm Wishes for the Holidays and the New YearMelanie Benson, Driver 854, Nicollet Garage
The mission of workers in the public transit industry is to transport
our passengers safely, on time, and in comfort. In the winter months,
there are special challenges in each of these areas, and we meet them.
How the Heating System Works
The heating systems on the buses keep the drivers and the passengers
warm, yet many of us don't know how these systems operate. The basic
elements of the heating system are the heat generated by the engine, the
heated coolant circulating next to the engine through a heater core (like a
radiator) and a fan that blows the warm air into the engine compartment.
The air is blown through gunnels on either side of the passenger compart-
ment, where the vents deliver the warm air to the passengers and the
driver.
Heat controls located on the dash allow the driver to set the interior
temperature of the bus between 68 and 74 degrees. The thermostat,
located in the rear of the bus, measures the temperature of the passenger
compartment as a whole. The higher the temperature setting, the longer
the valves remain open that let the heat flow through. These are located
behind the vented panel in the rear of the bus.
After a bus is started at the beginning of a shift, it should take no
longer than twenty minutes for the bus to heat up.
Heat in the Front of the Bus
Coolant runs all the way to the front of a bus and goes through a
heater core behind the fare box. This is where the heat for the defrosters
comes from. The pull controls located on the dash are attached to cables
that open and close water valves for the temperature and the direction of
the air. This system is manual instead of electric, like the valves for the
rest of the heating system. Sometimes a cable may break or a valve may
get stuck, leading to problems with the defrosters.
The Infamous Webasto
Located on the driver's side of the bus, midway back, is the Webasto
heater. This unit is designed to further heat the coolant flowing through
the bus for auxiliary heat. It is a burner that burns raw diesel fuel, which
is emitted in a fine spray. The fuel is diesel because of its low com-
bustibility.
At the beginning of each season, the Webastos may smoke a bit ini-
tially. This is normal, as the fuel nozzles are cleaned off. If they smoke
excessively, and a driver sees a lot of smoke pouring out the left side of
the bus, there is a defect.
Often, there is a smell associated with the Webasto that can be con-
fused with the smell of an exhaust leak, because they're both diesel.
Generally, if fumes are noticed from the center of the bus forward, they're
Page 7
How it Works, When it Don't Work.Blayne Williams #77, Nicollet Garage
When an operator writes up a driver’s report, a few things happen:
- First, the bus is brought to the shop.
- The driver's report is brought to the office and a work order is generat-
ed on the computer. The "work order" gives a detailed history of the
maintenance and repairs made to the problem bus.
- The Tech can then see if this has been a repeat problem or a new issue.
- When the repairs are made, the Tech gives a written description on the
work order of what he or she found and fixed.
- The work order is brought to the office, the information is entered in
the computer, and an internal paper trail is established.
This is how it's supposed to work.
probably from the Webasto. If passengers sitting in the rear of the bus
smell fumes, especially when the bus is sitting still, there is probably an
exhaust leak from somewhere in or near the engine compartment.
Webasto heaters should never be turned on inside the garage, and
should always be turned off before pulling a bus into the garage.
Our Responsibilities
Defects in the heating system can only be corrected if they are identi-
fied by the driver with a defect slip. Maintenance personnel in the serv-
ice garages can correct problems with sticking valves, faulty pumps or
fuel nozzles, and other parts. Each shift in each service garage has a
mechanic who specializes in the HVAC system. Working together, we
can help make this a warm winter for our coworkers and our passengers.
Many thanks to Blayne Williams, Nicollet Garage mechanic and Stan
Green, East Metro mechanic and HVAC specialist, for their assistance
with this article.
Heywood
Ilona La Douceur #66048
Faye Brown # 6331
Walter T. Curry, Jr. #3815
Dispatch
The pick for dispatch begin-
ning November 29 will go into
effect December 11. Tommy will
go back to five days doing the
mark-up. Watch out (boom),
Tommy in the hold. We look for-
ward to it.
Safety
Weather has changed, so give
yourself time to react to condi-
tions. Bus floors will be slippery,
so watch out for passengers as
they walk on the bus.
There's a new sign on the pull-
out lane (NO PARKING) to pre-
vent accidents.
Training
The 35W and 46th Street
Station looks good, but we will not
be doing the routes there. Nicollet,
South and private contractors will
have it.
Transit Information
Congratulations to new TIC
Reps Brian Anderson, Michael
Holsten, Steven Meyer, Joanna
Rivera-Ocasio, Francene Skins-
Ross and Brianne Waterhouse,
who began October 18, 2010.
They have completed their
class training and are now in
coaching. As of December 3,
2010, Brian Anderson, Michael
Holsten and Brianne Waterhouse
have turned in.
CRYPTOEach letter stands for another. If you think A=F, for example, it would
equal O throughout the puzzle. Clue: B=E (Answer on page 9 )
Submitted by Pat Kelehan, Facilities Tech. #5470
A Z B Y B C X D A Y X D Z X F F V G B Y H J
Z V K D B D V L Z X M
A Z B O X A D Q X J B M.....D V L A C V K F M
D A V Q F L A A B Y L R S.
Nicollet
Melanie Benson #854
Twaya McIntosh #9002
Debbi Sievers #64222
Alec Johnson #66034
Ryan Timlin #66279
Blayne Williams #77
The effects of the icy condi-
tions of November 20/21 on
Nicollet Garage employees were
varied. Drivers, dispatchers and
mechanics showed courage and
common sense. Some of their sto-
ries are reflected here.
One driver recounted how he
was driving the 6-line up Xerxes
Avenue when he encountered a
bus stopped diagonally across the
intersection, blocking traffic.
Drivers had to negotiate unfamiliar
streets to detour, and his bus slid
straight through an intersection.
Another driver completed all
her trips on the 21-line, even
though this meant pulling in four
hours late. She had to improvise
her own detour to get up the hill
by the cathedral in St. Paul.
The two mechanics who spent
their whole shift out with the tow
truck were able to manually push a
bus off of a fire hydrant, it was
that slippery. (Buses weigh about
15 tons.)
A driver on the 23-line reported
driving 15 miles an hour on a
straight roadway and starting to
slide sideways. Knowing he
couldn't brake, he had to steer the
bus back on course.
Numerous drivers making slow
turns felt the rear ends of their
buses start to slide out of control.
Thanks to those who shared
their stories.
Everyone did a great job.
Page 8
Metro Transit Winter DrivingStacey Taylor, Driver 70055, South Garage
The roads can get hectic during the Minnesota winters and the pres-
sure is on us, as drivers, to get customers to their desired locations. As
much as we focus on on-time service, safety should be at the front of our
minds for both customers and ourselves. Now that we have had a signifi-
cant snowfall, both first-time Metro Transit bus drivers and those more
experienced have had our first taste of driving in snowy and icy condi-
tions. It seems the right time to go over and review important tips about
winter driving.
Most drivers have received the winter driving handout packets fur-
nished by the Metro Transit Safety Department entitled "2010 Snow
Reroute Packet" and the "Facing Winter Challenges Metro Transit 2010-
2011" via their garage mail. Everyone can learn and review from these
tips whether you drive a 40-footer or an Articulated Coach (artic).
The first page of the "Facing Winter Challenges" handout gives us essen-
tials to "Keeping Your Bus Under Control In Snow and Ice." An impor-
tant fact that sticks out is that "Ice at 32 degrees is twice as slippery as
ice at 0 degrees." It seems like starting or stopping causes the most con-
cern for drivers. Braking on black ice is also a major concern when the
weather gets more extreme. Black ice is created from vehicle exhaust and
can occur at intersections, cloverleaf highway entrances and off ramps.
We can use two of the five safety keys we see posted throughout the
garage. Safety Key #2 "Get the Big Picture" and key #4 "Leave Yourself
An Out" - reducing speed and increasing following distance so we leave
enough space to stop and avoid sudden braking. Also, whether driving a
40-foot bus or 60-foot artic, caution should be taken when accelerating.
Metro Transit Safety Specialist Mark Kitzerow at South Garage said
drivers, especially those in rear-wheel drive articulated buses, need to
take extra caution not to immediately accelerate when leaving snowy and
icy stops. "Gently release the brake pedal," Kitzerow explained. "Allow
the wheels to gain traction and then slowly move your foot to the acceler-
ator and gently accelerate." Kitzerow said this helps drivers avoid tire
spin and maintain control of the bus.
According to the Articulated Coach Operator Handouts, tire spin often
occurs because the damping system may over-react or under-react to the
sudden acceleration. Another tip Kitzerow added was to avoid pulling
too close to curbs with large amounts of snow and ice.
South Garage driver Richard Welton #65149 is in his sixth year with
Metro Transit and can remember his first winter driving in 2005. Welton
recalls that in 2005 a lot of artics were towed out of ditches and pulled
off the sidewalks because they had gotten stuck. Before coming to Metro
Transit, Welton said he had never driven anything larger than a pick-up
truck. He drove his first artic his first winter with Metro Transit. "It was
Page 9
somewhat intimidating because it ended up being one of the worse winters for artics," Welton said. Welton said
he never really had any problems with artics in the winter until last year when the back end of his artic started to
slide into another lane as he made a routine right-hand turn after crossing a bridge.
"Even though you are going slow with the front wheels, the back wheels will keep accelerating, especially
going back and forth from ice to concrete," Welton said. His bus eventually straightened out a few feet beyond
the bridge. Welton believes he is fortunate because he has had close calls in both 40- footers and artics but says
that until you get into certain conditions with a bus you are never really tested. "There is no simulation in class
for driving a bus in snow or ice whether 40-footer or artic," Welton added. "But artics are a different type of
driving altogether."
This year, 2010, will be Welton's first winter not having an articulated bus. "Take your time as much as pos-
sible," Welton said. "Even if you are late it makes more sense to be late than driving fast through ice and snow
with artics. They will get away from you. When they say drive according to conditions, drive according and
then some."
There are a lot of ways we drivers can take control to avoid trouble before we hit the road. We can do proper
pre-trips of adjusting mirrors, checking for snowbrushes, making sure signals, wipers, and defrost systems work.
While on the move, the "Facing Winter Challenges" handout also stresses Key #3 Keep Your Eyes Moving
by checking passengers in the mirror as well as keeping stairs and doorway area clear of snow and reminding
passengers to watch their steps and use handrails.
Remember, safety should be our main concern for both customers and us during these long drawn-out
(Minne-snowda) winter months.
Have you?Have you ever…
…stopped to pick up a fire hydrant, mailbox, bench or a tree?
…waited at a stop sign for it to change to green so you could go?
…stopped at a red light, checked for traffic in both directions, then proceeded on through before the light
changed to green?
…thought you heard the bell and stopped when no one rang? …or didn't hear it when they did?
…wondered where the hell you were?
…seen a light change in the distance and thought it was yours?
…turned the wrong way on a one-way street?
…taken your foot off the brake before you realized someone was getting their bicycle off the rack?
…read your paddle wrong and gone to the wrong terminal?
…forgotten to change your destination sign until you were almost at the end of your trip?
…forgotten to change your trip settings several trips in a row?
Thanks for reading, and feel free to send more to me,
Faye Brown, Driver # 6331, Heywood Garage
Answer
THERE WAS TRASH ALLOVER MYHOUSE SO I HAD THE CAT
SPAYED......SO ITWOULD STOPLITTERING.
Page 10
Transit Security Awareness and Terrorism Recognition ClassBy: Officer Geoffrey Wyatt, Metro Transit Police Department
The Transit Security Awareness and Terrorism Recognition Training (TSAT) program was developed by the
National Transit Institute (NTI) in cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to better educate
our front-line employees in the nation's transit systems on how to better recognize and respond to potential ter-
rorist actions. Not only that, but we provide very useful information which can be beneficial on a day-to-day
basis.
The program is put on locally by the Metro Transit Police Department, who fine-tuned this program to the
Minneapolis/St. Paul local area. Students are paid overtime for their attendance, and after about 16 classes so
far, we have received great feedback. Many students have come out of the course with a much better knowledge
base and most have stated that they really enjoyed the class. Several students have commented about how much
they learned and how much fun they had in the class.
Within the last month, officers from the police department distributed flyers to all the garages with the dates,
times and locations for all upcoming training. With the holiday season approaching, the classes will begin to
slow down, however the grant money is available until early next summer so the classes will pick up again in
the spring. If you would like to attend one of the courses, please see your garage manager to get signed up or
contact Lt. Jim Franklin at the police department at 612-349-7200 for more information.
Driver 65015 has attended the class and is enlightened with a new awareness of the information. It safe-
guards our working environment when well- informed employees can provide added security to the community
and to our jobs. This program is priceless and well worth attending to protect our livelihoods. Did I mention
that added income is paid for attending this class?
The accident summary for Nicollet, Heywood and South reflected 30 accidents between 9:00 p.m. Saturday
and 10:00 a.m. Sunday. Most of these were bus/fixed object accidents, a few were buses hitting parked vehicles,
and in two cases the bus left the road. The "Non-Responsible Safety Conference" determined that sleet/ice relat-
ed accidents would not be charged against the drivers, and memos dated November 23 to this effect were distrib-
uted by the Safety Specialists, thanking drivers for their "determined efforts toward safe driving."
The most dramatic stories, of course, were in the streets, where drivers contended with buses sliding side-
ways even at slow speeds, getting stuck in intersections or on roads with or without passengers, not hearing from
or being able to contact the Control Center, and the often-terrifying feeling of impending loss of control.
Mechanics in service trucks, who spent their entire shifts assisting the drivers, could often only pull a bus away
from a fixed object, knowing there was no safe place to leave the bus. When the TCC sent out the text messages
that, if drivers felt the conditions were unsafe, they could pull over and sit, drivers had to balance this against
wanting to get their passengers home or to other destinations.
There is no way of adequately representing the accounts of drivers, mechanics,
TIC representatives, and other union members who risked their safety either to get
to work or to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities under extremely dan-
gerous conditions. They should all be commended and honored.
Thanks to those who provided the information for this article. Numerous calls
concerning this article to the offices of Steve McLaird, Assistant Director of
Transportation (who ordered that buses be pulled out Sunday morning), and
Christie Bailly, Director of Transportation, were not returned.
Slip Slidin' Away Continued from p.1
A tumbleweed blew into the LRT shop and caught the spirit of the season.
Are you having a garage party? Take pictures and send with captions to
your Education Committee member or Dorothy Maki at the union office.
Page 11
TRANSIT SAFETY/SECURITY COM-
MITTEE (TSSC)
MEETING MINUTES November 2010
Members of the Committee Present:
Christina House, Committee Chair
Danielle Julkowski, Management Advisor
Diane Rude, East
Brad Carlson, Nicollet
Dereje Tafesse, MJR
Leatha Falls, Heywood
Lisa Benson, South
Others in attendance:
Michael LaVine, Police
Jim Franklin, Police
Rosalind Salters, TCC
Roger Haas , Maintenance
Elizabeth Kelly, TCC
Christine Kuennen, TCC
Eric Isakson, TCC
Dorothy Maki, ATU
Emily Anleu, Acting Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER
Christina House called the meeting to order at 10:00
a.m. in Chambers.
REVIEW OF MINUTES
August minutes were approved.
POLICE REPORT
Mike LaVine in attendance: 15 operator assaults.
They have made arrests in 12 of the 15. There have
been two new ones that they are currently investigat-
ing. Covert Alarm Policy - they will respond to it, but
not with lights and sirens until TCC verifies that there
is an actual emergency on the bus. Jim Franklin -
Strategic goals, goal is to get uniforms police before
front line employees. They are having uniformed
police officers train front line employees in a course
called "Safety Awareness & Terrorism Recognition
Training". They have trained about 300 employees
since the class began. Please encourage operators to
attend.
TCC REPORT
Eric Isakson in attendance: TCC supervisor position
will be posted for only internal candidates. They were
in fall-back mode for longer than expected last
Saturday. It was to fix a feature with the Covert
Alarm. There was another one on Wednesday 11/3,
due to a power shortage. Call numbers for the month
of October - Routine: 10,749 Covert: 36
STREET OPERATIONS
Debra Downing in attendance: The fall-back didn't
work well for them. Monster Dash - Routes that were
affected 4, 6, 14, 22, 5, 17, and 35W was closed .
Most of the events are over for the year. Still a few
events, 35 W, DT St. Paul. Kim Stein started
Monday.
MAINTENANCE REPORT
Roger Haas in attendance: We use 700,000 gallons of
fuel a month or 8.2 million gallons a year. On 11/18
there will be a meeting with representatives from
Safety and Transportation to discuss ways to glean the
fuel use. Still working on keeping the windshield
clear for drivers. 1100 and 1200 buses have issues
with the steering column being raised and lowered.
GUESTS
Rosalind Salters and Elizabeth Kelly in attendance:
Annunciators , Rt 17 since February 2010. Rt 10 and
18 coming soon." They would like feedback on how
it's working. Beginning next year they will call a
meeting with the Committee and see about populating
other routes, for now they don't have the staff to
maintain it, but they are hoping to have it systemwide
sometime next year. If you have any problems or con-
cerns with it, please fill out a "Bad order radio" card,
so TCC can work on the problem. There will be a sur-
vey and updated instructions coming soon. If the
annunciator isn't working you need to call TCC.
OTHER
Next meeting is December 2
Respectfully submitted, Emily Anleu, Recording
Secretary
Disclaimer:
Due to format changes, these columns
are not exact replicas of TSSC minutes.
The exact minutes are posted after each
meeting at the operating garages.
Page 12
RetirementsCongratulations to October Retirees
10/01/10 Kathleen Palmquist, Ruter Bus Op. 2342
10/01/10 Dennis Rose, So. Bus Op. 549
10/01/10 Donald Sathre, Hey. Bus Op. 1476
10/02/10 Kevin Peek, Ruter Bus Op. 6201
10/02/10 Carl Olding, OHB Maint. Motor Builder
5390
10/02/10 Charles Chase, Ruter Bus Op. 9169
10/07/10 Edward Severson, Transit Store Cashier
Mpls 2658
10/09/10 William Andre, Transit Infor. Rep 3656
10/09/10 Richard Walker, So. Bus Op. 257
10/18/10 Ambe Funwi, Hey. Mech. Technician
9909
10/30/10 Donald Wintheiser, EM Bus Op. 9
The last edition had an error concerning Kellie
Miller’s years of service. We're very sorry about
the oversight. Kellie’s hire date was May 31,
1978.
She more than earned each one of her years and
deserves to be recognized for that.
We will stop printing the anniversaries com-
pletely until we can be assured that the TIS docu-
ment that the information is taken from is accurate.
The group of Instructors who made it to his retirement were:
Left to right: Denny Johnson, Scott Lindquist, Tim Smith, Ted Stephney, Gil Nevils, Dorothy Maki, Gloria
Hunt, Keith Dilling, Steve Nichols, John Marroquin, Larry Roering, Tom Newkirk, Cheryl Kienietz-Hall
Keith Dillings Retired on July 1st
Keith was hired October 19, 1981 and retired July 1, 2010. He spent most of his driving career at Heywood
Garage until he became a full-time instructor. Keith’s first and last students came to see him retire too. He is
going to enjoy his cabin and boat up north and do some traveling to California where his son lives.
Page 13
The Education Committee wishes “Happy Holidays”
to you and your families
Left to right, first row: Tim Robinson, Faye Brown, Melanie Benson, Ilona LaDouceur and Dorothy Maki
Second row: Philip Jarosz, Walter T. Curry, Jr., Stacey Taylor, Twaya McIntosh, Carl Rice, Jackie Williams,
Blayne Williams and Stephen Babcock
Not Shown: Alec Johnson, Ryan Timlin, Liz Goldberg and Lisa Callahan
Financial Secretary's Report
Members stood for a moment of silence for the following members that have passed away since our last
meeting:
Garnet Allen - 50-year retiree
Michael Craven - Heywood Operator
Unfinished Business
Trial Board charges involving the Cell Phone Policy In the first case, Ken Dolney, Chuck Feucht, and Mark
Lawson reported back that there was insufficient evidence and recommended that charges be dropped. The
membership voted and the recommendation passed. It should be pointed that out that charges can be brought up
again if there is sufficient evidence in the future.
In case Two, the member admitted to the charges. The Trial Board found that the member is truly repentant.
They recommended a fine of $100 and a written apology to the offended member and to the membership. The
membership voted and the recommendation passed.
New Business
A motion was made and passed to move the March 2011 membership meeting to Minneapolis because of a
conflict with a Wild hockey game.
A motion was made and passed that the union officers would look into buying or leasing a centrally-located
property for union membership meetings. A report will be made to the membership at the February meeting.
Union Minutes Continued from p5
In the early 1980's there was a day with icy streets in the metro area like those of a couple of weeks ago. I
pulled out of the garage in the morning, and almost immediately slid into a snowbank. Bus service was sus-
pended that day until about 10:30 a.m., when the trucks had been able to distribute the salt and sand, and it was
safe to drive.
The same thing should have happened this time. The media could have been contacted so the public would
know. There was no need for these dangerous driving conditions to have caused this much anxiety. Numerous
people in the union ranks and even safety and management folks agree.
It makes one wonder if there are guidelines to address such situations, or whether management just tries to
handle each situation as it comes along.
Melanie Benson, Driver 854, Nicollet Garage
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 advi-
sor Dorothy Maki at: [email protected].
Letters
To The
Editor
Page 14
On September 24, 2010, several homes in Minnesota and Illinois were raided by the F.B.I. This was part of
an investigation of what the law enforcement agency said was related to "the material support of terrorism."
I do not know nor have I ever met any of these 14 people implicated in this investigation. However, in my
research of this action I have found out that these people are not terrorists. They are Americans. Some are
union members and well-known activists. Their "crime" is being anti-war activists. This is of great concern to
me as a Union activist and a political activist.
In my view, what happened to these people is a crime. Their homes were violated and possessions confiscat-
ed, although every American has the constitutional right to advocate and organize for change in the foreign poli-
cy of the United States of America.
The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, to which I am a delegate, goes on record as "expressing its grave
concern that the recent FBI raids are reminiscent of the Palmer Raids of the 1920's, the McCarthy Hearings of
the 1950's, and the FBI's harassment of the civil rights movement, and our grave concern that these raids be the
beginning of the new and dangerous assault on the First Amendment rights of every union fighter, international
Democratic GOTV (Get Out the Vote) Campaign
East Metro
Joel Bisch #9960
Ken Dolney #2641
Bonnie Green #644
Chuck Gudknecht #3809
Rick Steffels #5985
Jim Wolf #68232
EM- Stan Green
South
Todd Eddy #64421
Mark Lawson #6986
Nic
Kathy Jones
Gwendolyn Lee,
FTH
Marlin Jensen #1381
TIC
Ilona LaDouceur #66048
Union Officer
Dorothy Maki #9082
Dan Abramowicz
Tommy Bellfield
Michelle Sommers
Election Judges
Washington County-Terry and
Mike Qualy
Anoka County-Dorothy Maki
THANK YOU
We see time and again, it is that little extra effort that makes all the difference. We helped deliver 24% of the
St. Paul vote and only 14% of Minneapolis…….see any correlation?
Michael Wayne Craven, Sr., age 67, of Monticello (formerly of
Superior, Wisconsin) died Tuesday, November 9, 2010 following a
brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kelly (Olson)
Craven; children Michael Craven, Jr., Jackie Craven- Busch, Amanda
Craven (Nate Ostrom), and Amber Barker (Jathan); eight grandchil-
dren; siblings Laura Anderson (Larry), Sue Korhonen (Doug), Randy
Craven, Robert Craven, Sr., and Sharie Craven; stepchildren Dustin, Devin and
Brianne Waterhouse; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his
parents Clinton and Linda; brother Richard; wife and mother of his four children
Beverly Shaul Craven; and son-in-law Joe Busch. Interment at Greenwood Cemetery
of Superior, WI.
Mike was a retired bus driver, hired February 11, 2002 and retired November 1, 2010. Mike's wife Kelly
Craven was a bus operator, TIC Rep and now works at Northstar in maintenance. Stepchildren Brianne
Waterhouse works in TIC and Dustin Waterhouse is a Part time driver out of Heywood Garage.
Garnett Lavo Allen, age 76, of Minneapolis, passed away October 23, 2010. She was preceded in death by her
parents, Charles and Iva Allen. Her brothers are Donald, Wayne, Skip and Arden.
Garnett was a 50-year retiree, Employee 3159. She was hired in December of 1953 and retired in November
of 1995 and worked in the finance department as an Accounts Payable Cost Clerk.
Page 15
In Memoriam
Okay, the bad girl is back I don't know if the Metro Transit Police know it or not, but they are here to serve and protect. It has come
to my attention that the job they are supposed to be doing isn't getting done quite right.
Some officers get on the bus and do nothing but ride in the area where it's not that bad, then get off before
the problem areas come. They ask for a transfer to show they were there, but maybe they need to get one when
they get off to show how what a short time they stayed.
Sometimes the passengers who would cause a problem know how long it takes the police to come when
called, so the problem passengers will jump off. No one really cares when you say you are going to call the
police.
Some of the police do other things that are considered not right, like stopping their personal vehicle in a bus
stop. In one case, even though the bus drivers were blowing their horns, the driver wouldn't move while the
other one jumped out to get some hot dogs at 7th and Nicollet. Wow, what happened to donuts and coffee?
PROTECT the glaze and SERVE the java. (I made a funny, everybody laugh.) I know I used a lot of "they" and
"them" to protect the innocent. But we know who THEY are. Don't put your foot in the shoe if it's not yours.
Some of them do a good job and are there to help. They get the bad guys sometimes, so all is not bad. Cheers to
the good!
Please feel free to submit more to Faye Brown at Heywood Garage.
solidarity activist or anti-war campaigner."
Furthermore, there is a recent report from the Department of Justice Inspector General wherein he soundly
criticized the FBI for improperly targeting domestic peace and anti-war groups for investigation.
In light of this, I have written letters to President Obama and to Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken
requesting that this matter be investigated. It is my hope that others consider doing the same. As an American,
a Union member and a person, I am appalled and seriously concerned that these or other improper and unjusti-
fied actions can be done to myself or to you.
Sincerely, Ilona LaDouceur, TIC Emp. #66048
DRUG TESTING RIGHTS
If you do not use the specific wording when you request results from a positive drug test, the agency has no obligation to comply.
All they are required to do is give you a paper stating the results are positive. Every employee has the legal right to request, in writ-
ing to the Medical Review Officiers (MRO), copies of: the Litigation Package* of the initial test. (this will tell you how your test
turned up positive); the Confirmation (breaks results down into specific levels); the Threshold levels (baseline of all tests)
The Litigation Package can be nearly 100 pages of technical data, which cannot be analzed or understood by a layperson, including
union officers. Professional interpetation is available at member’s expense, starting at about $50 minimum.
WEINGARTEN RIGHTS STATEMENT
If disciplinary action is suspected, read this statement to your foreman: I request to have a union representative present on my behalf
during this meeting because I believe it may lead to disciplinary action taken against me. If I am denied my right to have a union
representative present, I will refuse to answer accusational questions and any I believe may lead to discipline.
Left to right, front row: Greg Stowe (Heywood Maintenance), Russ Dixon (Heywood Operators), Chuck
Feucht (East Metro Maintenance), Dan Abramowicz (Recording Secretary / Asst. Bus. Agent), Michelle
Sommers (President / Business Agent), Dorothy Maki (Vice-President), Tommy Bellfield (Financial
Secretary / Treasurer), Gary Bier (Office / Clerical), Clifton Bolden (Nicollet Operators), Curt Anderson
(Union Sentinel)
Left to right, back row: Dave Gosha (Rochester City Lines), Tim Dixon (South Maintenance), Mark
Lawson (South Operators), Dave Hopwood (MJR Maintenance), Brian LaRoue (Overhaul Base), John
Zapata (Nicollet Maintenance), Dave Rogers (LRT Operators), Ken Dolney (East Metro Operators),
Clarence Maloney (LRT Maintenance), Tom Mevissen (Northstar Commuter), Maria Hennes-Staples
(MJR Operators)
Best Wishes for the Holidays
from the ATU Local 1005 Executive Board
Recommended