What's he lookin' at? - Amalgamated Transit Union

M A Y/JUNE2 0 1 0w w w . a t u . o r gOfficial Journal of the Amalgamated Transit UnionAFL-CIO/CLCS P E C I A L R E P O R T: W H Y FIRSTGROUP M AT T E R SW h a t ’ s h e l o o k i n ’ a t ?This Scot’s company is the single largest employer of ATU members . From FirstGroup’sheadquarters in the UK, CEO Sir Moir Lockhead has his eyes on your contract, your pay,your benefits ,and how they affect FirstGroup’s bottom line. This special report tells you whothey are, how they operate, and why you should keep your eyes on them…whether you workfor FirstGroup or not ! Special Report begins after page 8.

Amalgamated TRANsit UNIONinternational OFFIcersWARREN s. gEORGEInternational PresidentRONALD J. HEINTZMANInternational Executive Vice PresidentOscar OwensInternational Secretary-TreasurerInternational Vice PresidentsJOSEPH WELCHSyracuse, NYRODNEY RICHMONDNew Orleans, LA – rrichmond@atu.orgDONALD T. HANSENTenino, WA – dhansen@atu.orgROBERT H. BAKERWashington, DC – bbaker@atu.orgLARRY R. KINNEARAshburn, ON – lkinnear@atu.orgRANDY GRAHAMGloucester, ON – rgraham@atu.orgJAVIER M. PEREZ, JR.Kansas City, MO – jperez@atu.orgRICHARD M. MURPHYBraintree, MABOB M. HYKAWAYCalgary, AB – bhykaway@atu.orgCHARLES COOKPetaluma, CA – ccook@atu.orgWILLIAM G. McLEANReno, NV – wmclean@atu.orgJANIS M. BORCHARDTMadison, WI – jborchardt@atu.orgPAUL BOWENCanton, MI – pbowen@atu.orgLAWRENCE J. HANLEYStaten Island, NY – lhanley@atu.orgKenneth R. KirkLancaster, TX – kkirk@atu.orgGARY RAUENClayton, NC – grauen@atu.orgMarcellus BarnesFlossmore, IL – mbarnes@atu.orgRAY RIVERALilburn, GA– rrivera@atu.orgInternational RepresentativesYVETTE SALAZARThornton, CO – ysalazar@atu.orgANTHONY WITHINGTONSebastopol, CA – awithington@atu.orgGARY JOHNSON, SR.Cleveland, OH – gjohnson@atu.orgDENNIS ANTONELLISSpokane, WA – dantonellis@atu.orgKAREN MILLER-LEWISMemphis, TN – kmiller@atu.orgCanadian CouncilROBIN G. WESTCanadian Director61 International Boulevard, Suite 210Rexdale, ON M9W 6K4director@atucanada.caMessage du PrésIDENT INTERNATIONAL PAR WARREN S. gEORgeComment des cAMPAgnes sTRATégiques PEUVENT-ELLE PROFITER AUX MEMBREs de l’ATU ?Dans ce In Transit, vous trouverez une section spéciale qui décrit une nouvelle “campagne stratégique” que nous menons au nom de nos membres FirstGroup.Ces campagnes stratégiques sont un concept relativement nouveau pour les syndicats, alors j’ai pensé utiliser cette colonne pour vous parler un peu de ce sujet.Il y a dix ans, l’ATU était un syndicat différent de ce qu’il est aujourd’hui:• Premièrement, si nos membres étaient employés par une entreprise privée, celle-ci avait tendance à être une petite entreprise familiale. Et la conventioncollective négociée par les autorités locales avait peu d’effet sur nos membres qui travaillaient pour des organismes publics.• Deuxièmement, notre département de recherche n’avait qu’à obtenir les taux de rémunération en vigueur et les avantages offerts par des entreprises équivalentespour aider ceux qui négociaient des conventions collectives locales. On n’avait pas besoin d’être «proactifs».• Et, troisièmement, il n’était pas nécessaire de maintenir constamment des liens de communication instantanée entre les représentants locaux et internationauxpour rester à jour au niveau des informations nécessaires à la négociation collective réussie.Les TEMPs ONT cHANgéAujourd’hui, nos employeurs du secteur privé sont les grandes entreprises multinationales qui opèrent à partir de maisons mères et qui ont des départementsimportants et sophistiqués pour les grandes relations dans le travail et qui sont en communication constante avec les gestionnaires locaux.Et ces opérateurs privés - qui gèrent un nombre croissant d’agences de transport en commun - menacent de baisser les salaires et les avantages de toute l’industriedu transport - public et privé. Certes, cela semble être leur objectif.De toute évidence, la manière dont nous représentons nos employés du secteur privé a dû changer. C’est pourquoi j’ai créé le département des campagnes stratégiques.Le nouveau département exerce non seulement des fonctions de recherche traditionnelle, mais il recueille et analyse également les contrats pour les rémunérationsentre les districts de transit et les prestataires privés.Le département nous donne les outils nécessaires pour concentrer nos efforts d’organisation dans les domaines où nous pouvons obtenir une plus grande densité.En d’autres termes, si votre section syndicale représente les employés d’un district de transit, nous serons en mesure de travailler pour organiser des entreprises detransport privées non syndicalisées dans la même région et qui travaillent pour des salaires inférieurs aux employés syndicalisés.Plus de POIDsLorsque votre section syndicale représente et négocie pour des membres d’autres entreprises de votre région, elle aura plus de poids à la table des négociations.Le Département encourage les membres des sections syndicales à s’impliquer dans les élections ou les nominations des représentants des districts de transit, ycompris pour des postes d’officiers des sections syndicales au sein des conseils de transit.Le ministère fournit également aux sections syndicales des contrats avec des informations sur les rémunérations et des informations pour négocier de façonstratégique. Ainsi, les sections syndicales n’ont pas à fonctionner dans le vide. Elles peuvent négocier de concert avec une analyse plus large des employeurs privés, deleurs contrats et des conventions collectives dans tout le pays.Je vous invite à lire la section FirstGroup dans ce numéro et à en apprendre davantage sur la campagne stratégique.Un Mensaje Del PresIDENTE INTERNAcIONAL POR WARREN S. gEORgECOMO LAS CAMPAÑAS ESTRATÉGICAS BENEFICIAN A LOS MIEMBROS DE LA ATUEn esta edición de In Transit usted encontrará una sección especial que describe a nueva “campaña estratégica” la cual estamos comenzando en beneficio de losmiembros del Primer Grupo. Las campañas estratégicas representan relativamente un nuevo concepto para las uniones de trabajadores, por lo tanto, yo estoy utilizandoesta columna para informarle a usted algunos detalles lo que eso significa.Diez años atrás, la unión ATU era una organización sindical diferente de lo que es hoy día:• Primero, si nuestros miembros estaban empleados por una empresa privada, dicha empresa tendía a ser una pequeña operación comúnmente llamada de“mamá y papá.” Y el contrato colectivo que se negociaba por la unión local tenía poco efecto sobre nuestros miembros que trabajaban para agencias públicas.• Segundo, nuestro departamento de investigaciones necesitaba solamente facilitar datos sobre los salarios y beneficios prevalecientes en empresas equivalentes,a fin de asesorar y ayudar a aquellos que realizaban esas negociaciones colectivas a nombre de la unión local. Y esto no era necesario que fuera una cuestión“proactiva.”• Y, tercero, no era necesario mantener una comunicación instantánea y permanente entre los dirigentes de la unión local y la unión internacional paramantenerse actualizados con la información que era necesaria para la exitosa negociación de un contrato colectivo.Los TIEMPOs Han cAMBIADOHoy día, nuestros empleadores privados son ahora grandes compañías multinacionales que operan desde ubicaciones centrales, con grandes departamentos derelaciones laborales altamente sofisticados y los cuales mantienen constante comunicación con sus gerentes locales.Y estos operadores privados, los cuales administran un creciente número de agencias de tránsito de servicio público amenazan la reducción de salarios y beneficiosde la total industria del tránsito – pública y privada. Ciertamente, eso parecen ser sus objetivos.Obviamente, la manera en que nosotros representamos a nuestros empleados en la industria privada tenía que cambiarse. Por eso es que yo he establecido eldepartamento de campañas estratégicas. El nuevo departamento no solo realiza funciones de investigaciones tradicionales, sino también colecciona y analiza loscontratos de ingresos entre los distritos de tránsito y los proveedores privados.El departamento nos provee con las herramientas necesarias para concentrar nuestros esfuerzos de organización en aéreas donde nosotros podemos construirdensidad. En otras palabras, si su unión local representa a los empleados de un distrito de tránsito, nosotros estaremos en condiciones de trabajar hacia el objetivo deorganizar a proveedores privados que no ofrecen servicio de tránsito en la misma área y quienes están socavando sus salarios.Más PODERCuando su unión local representa y negocia a favor de miembros en otras empresas en su área, esto le otorga a su unión local mucho más poder en la mesa denegociación.El departamento está instando a las uniones locales a que tomen parte en los procesos eleccionarios y de nombramiento de representantes de distritos de tránsito,incluyendo la participación de dirigentes de ATU de uniones locales en las juntas y comisiones de tránsito.El departamento también está facilitando a las uniones locales con contratos de ingresos e información sobre la negociación para ayudarles que ellas puedannegociar estratégicamente. Así, pues, las uniones locales no tienen que operar en un vacío. Ellas pueden negociar conjuntamente, con un análisis más amplio de losempleadores privados, con conocimiento de los contratos de ingresos, y de los contratos colectivos negociados a través del país.Yo le invito a que usted lea la sección Primer Grupo que aparece en esta edición, para que así pueda aprender más sobre la campaña estratégica.2 IN TRANSIT www.atu.org

A MEssAgE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL EXEcUTIVE VIcE PREsIDENTRaids: Preparing for a FightIn addition to the threat of public-private partnerships, and the recent trend of private contractorsdemanding to reopen our contracts, there is a growing threat of raids from the InternationalBrotherhood of Teamsters.The Teamsters are a part of the “Change to Win” coalition which was formed in 2005, when severalinternational and national unions broke away from the AFL-CIO. The CTW unions insisted thatthey had to form a new group because the federation did not do enough organizing. They pledgedthat they would aggressively organize and increase the numbers of the labor movement.But many onlookers felt, and I was one of them, that this was simply going to provide these breakawayunions the opportunity to raid AFL-CIO-affiliated unions without recourse or penalty. (Affiliatesof the AFL-CIO, are barred from raiding other affiliated unions.)At the time of the split in 2005, the ATU was able to renew a longstanding no-raid agreement withthe Teamsters which dated back to the days when Jimmy Hoffa, Sr., served as president.That agreement ended in March 2009, when the Teamsters refused to extend the no-raid agreementunless the ATU agreed not to organize certain private transportation companies. International PresidentGeorge obviously refused to sign such an agreement, and with a gentleman’s handshake, the twointernational presidents agreed not to raid one another.Unfortunately, the Teamsters have not honored that agreement. They have been actively and openlyraiding ATU locals in the United States. They take the easy route, targeting properties where the ATUhas already done the hard work of organizing the unorganized. And they prey on locals where thereare members who feel they have not been adequately represented.TIME TO FIgHT BAcK!It is time for the ATU to fight back! While the Teamsters may outnumber us in terms of size andmoney, the ATU negotiates superior contracts in mass transit as compared to any other union, andhas earned the reputation as the leader in the transportation industry.In preparing for this fight, there is an immediate action that every local should take, if they haven’talready done so. That is to ensure that they are members of their respective state, provincial, and locallabor councils.Section 15 of the ATU Constitution requires United States locals to affiliate with central bodiesand state federations chartered by the AFL-CIO, and Canadian locals to affiliate with district labourcouncils and provincial federations chartered by the Canadian Labour Congress, unless excused bythe International President.‘they take the easyroute where theatu has alreadydone the hard workof organizing theunorganized.’LOcAL LABOR AFFILIATIONs MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVERThis affiliation is more important than ever before in light of the current raids by the Teamsters.Though certain ”Change to Win” unions are no longer affiliates of the national AFL-CIO, many oftheir locals have continued their participation and affiliation with state federations and central laborcouncils through “solidarity” agreements. These solidarity agreements, in most cases, require affiliateunions to abide by the provisions contained in the AFL-CIO Constitution, including the no-raidprovisions.If you hear that another union is on your property soliciting your members, contact your central ordistrict labor council (assuming your local is a member) and file the necessary protest. Also, immediatelycontact the International Union for guidance and assistance.And remember, local unions become vulnerable to raids by other unions if the members perceive theyare not being represented. So local officers should make sure their local bargaining units are serviced.Compare contracts. ATU contracts are second to none.www.atu.org MAY / JUNE 2010 5

Page 2 — Why FirstGroup MattersFirstGroup: Where Did they come From?Fast FactsFirstGroup CEO Moir Lockheadwas knighted by Queen Elizabethfor “services to British transport.”(But in life, “Sir Moir” is more likea backwards Robin Hood whorobs from the workers to give torich British stockholders!)tHe britisH are coMingFirst was born in Great Britain in the 1980s, when the British government decidedto contract out the nation’s public buses, subways and trams to private companies. MoirLockhead, the general manager of Aberdeen, Scotland’s bus and rail authority, arranged abuyout of his own transit system. One by one he acquired commuter rail, bus, subway andstreetcar networks all over the United Kingdom for his transportation empire. Looking fornew places to expand, he began casting his eyes on North America.Lockhead got his first stake by purchasing Ryder Public Transportation (parent of Ryder/ATE and Ryder Student Transportation) in 1999. He spent the decade scooping up mid-sizedschool bus, paratransit, and big bus firms across the United States and Canada – familiar nameslike Hertz Bus, Cardinal Coach and Coach USA Transit. But the big prize was still to come.laidlaw laid lowFirst wanted to be the biggest school bus and mass transit contractor in North America,and now there was only one thing in its way: the storied Canadian bus company Laidlaw andits nearly 50,000 buses and vans. In 2007 First made its move. The British multinationalshelled out $ 3.4 billion* for the Canadian-American transportation giant.Photo: Micha Theiner/CityAM/Rex USAIn a single transaction First had leaped to the top of the yellow-bus, studenttransportation heap and had drawn even with rivals like Veolia in mass transit andparatransit. First had even picked up Greyhound, another Laidlaw company,in the bargain. In the wake of the massive merger First would slashpayrolls by laying off thousands – from office managers to busoperators – to emerge as a highly profitable multinationalconglomerate with one foot back in Britain and the other inthe New World.2 IN TRANSIT www.atu.org

A Special Report for ATU Members – Page 3Where Does FirstGroup plc Earn Its Money?According to FirstGroup’s corporate report issued May 13, 2009, the company earned nearly$10 billion in revenues for the previous fiscal year.• Greyhound was responsible for over 10%, or nearly$1 billion, in company revenuesFast Facts• First Transit/First Services was responsible for over 10%,or nearly $1 billion, in company revenues• First Student was responsible for over 25%, or about$2.5 billion, in company revenues• FirstGroup’s British bus and rail operations wereresponsible for over half of company revenues —morethan $5 billionNovember 4, 2009FirstGroup admits £140m taxpayer subsidyA British Bailout Bandit?U.S. Wall Street banks weren’t theonly firms begging for a taxpayerbailout during the economiccrisis. In November 2009, Britain’sGuardian newspaper reportedthat First demanded and receivednearly $230 million in subsidiesfrom the UK public treasury whentheir rail franchises didn’t turn outas profitable as expected!Photo: Alex Slobodkin/iStockphotoSource: “FirstGroup plc Preliminary results for 12 months to March 31, 2009” Presentation, dated May 13, 2009* All dollar figures used are U.S. dollars.www.atu.org MARCH / APRIL 2010 3

Page 4 — Why FirstGroup MattersFirstGroup in North america: How transit contracting Works, Why It Mbig bus and paratransitFirst Transit is the mass transit arm ofFirstGroup, responsible for over 10% of themultinational corporation’s revenue.“A transit authority that wants to contractout its bus or paratransit (disabled) service willadvertise an RFP (or ‘request for proposals’) withthe details,” explains International Executive VicePresident Ron Heintzman.“First Transit and other transit contractorssubmit their proposals. If First has the winningbid, it will get a contract to provide the serviceusing First employees in place of public transitworkers.” (In some cases the contract will onlyrequire First Transit to manage a transit system,in which case only the managers work for First,while employees still work for the transit agency.)Transit contracting is a lucrative business.First Transit earns tens of millions of dollars peryear to provide bus service in major metro areasFast Facts3 %like Denver, Phoenix, Portland and Vancouver –and holds dozens of smaller contracts across theUnited States and Canada to provide not just busand paratransit service but also university andairport shuttles. Most contracts run for years andhave a built-in pay increase for the company of3% or more each year. According to FirstGroupcorporate reports, First Transit is a billion-dollarbusiness segment that turned in operating profitsof 7.6% in 2008-09.Many different labor unions represent FirstTransit employees somewhere in the UnitedStates, but ATU has the largest union membershipin First Transit. Still, thousands of First Transitemployees remain unorganized.why does it matter?Today more than 10% of North America’smass transit service has been outsourced to privatecontractors – and that portion is growing. Unlikepublicly operated transit systems, private contractorslike First have to earn a profit. That’s why wagesand benefi ts for operators employed by privatecontract operators are significantly lower than thoseemployed by public transit authorities. And whilemost public mass transit employees are covered bypensions, private transit contractors today almostnever offer pension benefits – and strive to eliminatethem where they already exist.first group affects your paycKecK…Even When You Don’t Work for Them!The lower wages and benefits offered by forprofitbus contractors like First are a problemfor all of us – even those of us still employed bypublic transit authorities. When your local unionenters bargaining with your transit authority,management always brings up the lower wagesoffered by First and others as an argument againstunion requests for a decent raise – and oftenthreatens to contract out YOUR work if you don’tgive them their way!first student: yellow busFirst Student is the student transportationarm of FirstGroup. Around four out of 10 yellowschool buses in North America are now operatedby for-profit, private contractors – and FirstStudent is by far the biggest of the lot. The hugedivision employs nearly 70,000 and is responsiblefor one-quarter of FirstGroup’s global revenue;it reported whopping 12.6% profits in 2008-2009.In a typical First Transit or FirstStudent contract, the company’stake from local taxpayersincreases more than 3% per year.Did you get a 3% raise this year?Photo: Jon Patton/iStockphoto4 IN TRANSIT www.atu.org

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AMENDEDThe Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Amendments Act was signedinto law on September 25, 2008, and became effective on January 1,2009. To fully grasp how the ADA Amendments Act clarified who shouldbe entitled to the law’s civil rights protections, it is important to understandwhy the ADA needed amending in the first place.WHY DID THE ADA NEED AMENDINg?The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability inemployment. When it was passed in 1990, Congress expected that the ADAwould provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the eliminationof discrimination against individuals with a disability and provide broadcoverage. This expectation, however, was neither fulfilled by the courts nor theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) ADA regulations.The ADA defined an individual with a disability as someone who: (1) hasa physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more majorlife activities; (2) has a record of such an impairment; or (3) is regarded ashaving such an impairment.In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court began to narrow the definition ofdisability in unexpected ways, running afoul of the intent of Congress whenit initially passed the ADA. That year, in Sutton v. United Air Lines, Inc.,the U.S. Supreme Court held that, when determining whether an individualhas a disability under the ADA, consideration must be given to the effects ofmitigating measures – such as corrective lenses, medications, hearing aids, andprosthetic devices – when deciding whether an impairment is substantiallylimiting.The Supreme Court in Sutton thus required a more restrictive view ofthat part of the definition, which in effect eliminated protections for manyindividuals whom Congress intended to protect.In another case by the U.S. Supreme Court a few years later, Toyota MotorManufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., v. Williams, the Court further narrowedthe application of the term “substantially” and reduced the broad scope ofprotection Congress intended to be afforded by the ADA.The EEOC’s ADA regulations also prompted Congress to take actionto revise the ADA – the EEOC defined the term “substantially limits” as“significantly restricted,” which was inconsistent with congressional intentas it expressed too high of a standard.PURPOsEs OF THE ADA AMENDMENTs AcTThe goal of the ADA Amendments Act is to send the message that thedefinition of disability should be construed in favor of broad coverage ofindividuals to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of the ADA. Theeffect of these changes, in other words, is to make it easier for an individualseeking protection under the ADA to establish that he or she has a disabilitywithin the meaning of the ADA.While the ADA Amendments Act retains the ADA’s basic definition of“disability,” it changes the way the statutory term should be interpreted inseveral ways. Most significantly, the ADA Amendments Act:• Eliminates the requirement that mitigating measures be consideredwhen determining whether a person meets the definition ofdisability;• Rejects the standard that the term “substantially” needs to be strictlyinterpreted because such creates a demanding standard for qualifyingas person with a disability;• Changes the definition of “regarded as” so that it no longerrequires a showing that the employer perceived the individual to besubstantially limited by a major life activity; and• Conveys Congress’ expectation that the EEOC will revise itsdefinition of “substantially limits.”DIsABILITY DIscRIMINATION & THEEqUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY cOMMIssIONThe EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegalto discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of theperson’s, among other things, disability. Although the ADA AmendmentsAct is not some revolutionary new law – it simply attempts to restore thelaw back to what Congress intended it to be when it originally passed theADA – the EEOC has taken on the task of revising its ADA regulationsand accompanying interpretive guidance in order to implement the ADAAmendments Act. The EEOC is, in fact, aiming to publish its final rule byJuly 2010. Workers should be aware that new EEOC regulations are expectedto be published this summer.With this background in mind, Congress determined that the ADAneeded to be amended.www.atu.org MAY / JUNE 2010 9

— L E G I S L A T I V E R E P O R T —Emergency Operating AssistanceBill Introduced in SenateWith the full support of the ATU, on May 25, Senator ChristopherDodd, D-CT, introduced the Public Transportation PreservationAct of 2010. The bill was designed to address a growing mobility crisisthat is impacting almost every community in America.It would provide $2 billion for emergency support of publictransportation agencies nationwide, allowing them to reverse or avoid deepservice cuts, steep fare increases, and life-altering layoffs that are cripplingAmerican families. Senators Robert Menendez, D-NJ; Dick Durbin, D-IL;Charles Schumer, D-NY; Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ; Sherrod Brown, D-OH;Jack Reed, D-RI; and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY; cosponsored the legislation.International President Warren S. George endorsed the legislationstating, “Affordable, convenient public transit keeps cars off the road,reduces traffic and congestion and improves the air quality in ourcommunities. Since January 2009, six out of ten public transit systems inthe U.S. have cut service, raised fares, or both; thousands of transit workershave been laid off; and millions of commuters have less access to publictransportation. Without emergency action, the problem will get worse– seven out of 10 transit systems are facing deficits in the coming year.”Dodd, the outgoing chair of the Senate Banking Committee who isretiring from Congress at the end of this year, is desperately trying tomove the bill before more service cuts occur. “While families continue tostruggle to make ends meet the last thing we should do is make it harderand more expensive for people to get to work. This bill will preventdisruptive service cuts and help put money back in the pockets of familieswhen they need it most,” said Dodd.The $2 billion provided for emergency relief would hopefully closefunding gaps in operating costs. Transit agencies could use the fundsto reduce fare increases, rehire workers, and restore services that werecut after January 2009, or to prevent future service cuts, layoffs, or fareincreases through September 2011. Agencies that have not increased faresor cut services and do not plan to do so may use the funds for capitalimprovements, such as the purchase of buses.Over 4,000 Laid-OffMore than 4,000 workers in the public transportation industry havebeen laid off since the beginning of 2009 – a significant percentage of a“green” workforce. According to a recent industry survey, since January1, 2009, 84% of transit systems have raised fares, cut service or areconsidering either of those actions. Nearly seven in 10 project budgetshortfalls in their next fiscal year.One place hit particularly hard has been the city of Chicago. Since 2009,the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has laid-off 1,099 ATU members andmade significant cuts on the bus side. “Nearly two million daily riders andmore than 15,000 employees in the Chicago area have been impacted bybudget shortfalls caused by the recession,” said Senator Durbin. “Today’sbill will help Chicago and 13 other transit agencies across Illinois avoidlayoffs and prevent drastic service cuts and fare hikes this summer.”Simply No Other OptionUnder current law, the majority of transit systems do not have theflexibility to use their federal funds for operating assistance. Therefore,while many agencies have purchased new buses, they do not have theability to put such vehicles into service. Federal operating assistance isneeded to help keep the buses rolling in our communities. For manytransit-dependent people, especially seniors and people with disabilities,there is simply no other option.With concern over the national debt increasing, passing the bill willbe an uphill battle. ATU ran radio ads in several states over the trafficcloggedMemorial Day weekend urging Republican senators to supportthe legislation.The ads drew a link between heavy traffic and air pollution and urgedthe public to support transit operating aid. ATU members are highlyencouraged to contact their senators and urge them to cosponsor the PublicTransportation Preservation Act of 2010, Senate Bill Number 3412.Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-CT, has workedclosely with the ATU in introducing theemergency operating assistance legislation.The bill could fill nationwide gaps in transitoperating funding.Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, spoke at the ATU-CTAA rally in March advocating his own billwhich would provide transit properties withthe flexibility to use a portion of their federalsupport for operating expenses.Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, center, one ofthe co-sponsors of the emergency operatingassistance legislation, met with the New Yorkdelegation to the ATU Legislative Conferencein March.One of the co-sponsors of the emergencyoperating assistance bill, Sen. KirstenGillibrand, D-NY, met with the New Yorkdelegates to the ATU Legislative Conferencein March.10 IN TRANSIT www.atu.org

Canadian Agendahow do you get to ‘transit city?’Public transit continues to be a hot topic in urban Canada, and theATU is a central player in that discussion. The hottest rhetoric iscoming out of Toronto, where the never-ending debate on transit planningand funding has become a factor in the mayoral race.The issue took center stage in late April when the Ontario governmentdecided to cut promised funding for provincial transit improvements by$4 billion. This would have an adverse effect on Toronto’s “Transit City”program which envisions the municipality as a model of urban mobility.Retiring Mayor David Miller was furious, and in a letter written toOntario’s Premier Dalton McGuinty, he insisted, “The plan for Transit Citythat the premier envisioned is not what Metrolinx (the province’s transitplanning arm) is going to build.” Miller said the premier and province neededto go back to the original plan, or the entire project could be in jeopardy.ATU Canadian Director Robin West also responded, April 29,asserting, “The Ontario provincial government’s decision to cancelpreviously promised funding for public transit is shortsighted and foolish.These cuts will have a negative impact on transit systems throughoutOntario.”The Canadian Council urged the provincial government to reinstatefunding levels for public transit immediately.A Compromise?Backroom talks between the TTC, the province and Metrolinx ensued,resulting in a rough compromise: Much of the original Transit City planwould be completed within 10 years (instead of eight).But, the mayor was not appeased. He contended that everything after2015 might as well have been unfunded because the promised moneywasn’t there yet. And so, he warned, the province was effectively denyingtransit to the inner suburbs which need it most:“It is not honest to say to Torontonians that the Finch and ScarboroughRT are going to go ahead when there isn’t a funding commitment forit. That is the fact,” Miller said. “There’s no money for those lines. Andthose lines are essential.“All the money on offer will do is build part of an Eglinton LRT. That’sall. So you’ll get essentially a subway from Leaside to Forest Hill, . . . butpeople in Jane-Finch, Rexdale and Scarborough, particularly Scarborough,are not going to get the transportation they need,” Miller declared.Metrolinx President Rob Prichard argues that’s not the case, andthat Metrolinx is investing too much money up front not to make theseprojects a reality.MoneyWhatever the outcome, Ottawa’s budget shortfall is bedevillingprovincial transit planning just as surely as state and local deficits arecrippling American transit systems.All of this is happening against the backdrop of a Toronto mayoralcampaign, and candidates have felt compelled to advance their own transitplans prior to the election. The obvious problem for each candidate is tocome up with a credible way of funding transit in Toronto.Solutions?Two candidates say they’re open to letting Metrolinx take over allor part of the TTC, thus passing that expense on to an external publicagency. But that plan has met with strong opposition from those whobelieve that Toronto transit must remain under Toronto’s control.Congestion taxes and road tolls have also been suggested as a wayof funding transit, getting people out of their cars and improving theenvironment. But, taxes and tolls are about as popular in Canada as theyare in the United States.‘Ad Hocery’While the search for a workable transit solution continues, a certainamount of frustration is building among the nation’s mayors whowould like to see a little more orderly process developed with regard toinfrastructure projects.“It’s time for a clearer picture of who does what for cities. Rightnow, we have an ‘ad hocery’ – a little bit of this, and a little bit of that,”Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion said. “We need an agreement rightnow to determine the responsibilities of the three levels of governmentand how they will be financed.Such an agreement would be a historic accomplishment for Canada’smunicipalities. It could lead to the development of stable, long-termfunding sources for Canada’s transit systems – something needed in bothof our countries.www.atu.org MAY / JUNE 2010 11

21st Annual Latino Caucus ConferenceSeptember 25, 2010 • Disney’s Contemporary Resort • Lake Buena Vista, FLLOCATIONDisney’s Contemporary Resort4600 North World DriveLake Buena Vista, FL 32830(407) 824-3869ROOM RATES$185.00, plus (12.5% tax) Room block is under“Amalgamated Transit Union”Reservations must be made by August 9, 2010CONFERENCEREGISTRATIONMembers & associate members:$100.00 registration due by September 1, 2010Late registration $125.00For more information, please visit the ATU Latino Caucus website at www.atulc.org.Questions?Please call Latino Caucus Recording Secretary Corina DeLaTorre at (916) 955-0078 or Treasurer David Benavides at (210) 924-9718.BECOME A BOOSTERWe would like to invite you to consider signing up as a Latino Caucus Booster in this year’s souvenir ad journal. This is a $5.00 (US currency only) donation tothe Latino Caucus, which would put your name, and local and/or LC chapter in the 2010 ad journal as a show of support and encouragement. Publication cut-offdate is August 15, 2010. Proceeds will go toward offsetting the costs of an exciting and successful conference, and allow us to keep our registration costs lowto better enable participation from members at large.Chicago Local to Hold Golf Outing, Scholarship Dinner/DanceATU Local 308-Chicago, IL, will hold a GolfOuting and Scholarship Dinner/Dance, onAugust 14. The Golfing will start at 8:00 am witha shotgun format. There will be a continentalbreakfast served and a “mulligan lunch.” Thiswill all take place at Tamarack Golf Course inNaperville.The golf outing will be followed by a dinner/dance, starting at 6:00 pm with an hour-long openbar and appetizers. Dinner will be from 7:00 –8:00 pm, followed by another hour-long open bar.Local 308 will award three scholarships at theevent:First Place: $2,500.00Second Place: $1,750.00Third Place: $1,000.00.For information on the scholarship and how toparticipate call the union office at 312-782-4665and get an application.Accommodations have been arranged at theHoliday Inn Select in Naperville for $69.00and/or $79.00 per night for either Friday, August13, and/or Saturday, August 14. A hospitalityRoom will be provided.Prices for the event are as follows:Dinner dance only$65.00 per person/$130.00 per coupleGolf/Diner package$175.00 per personTicket availability is limited. Join Local 308 fora night filled with surprises. For more informationcontact: Local 308 at 312-782-4665, and ask forOffice Manager Dianne Jones, or Local PresidentRobert Kelly.12 IN TRANSIT www.atu.org

George: Transit Jobs Are Green JobsInternational President Addresses ‘Green Jobs, Good Jobs Conference’International President Warren S. George addressed the Green Jobs, GoodJobs National Conference in Washington, DC, on May 4. The ATU is amember of Blue-Green Alliance which sponsored the conference attendedby union members, environmentalists, business leaders, lawmakers andadministration officials to map out a path to “a green economy that createsgood jobs, reduces global warming and preserves America’s economic andenvironmental security.”International President George made the case for mass transportationas a crucial part of the effort to clean up the environment and create jobs.Bus and subway operators, mechanics, track workers and their colleaguesperform green jobs, he said.“Public transit annually saves 1.4 billion gallons of oil by taking carsoff the road,” George stated, adding, “One motorcoach is six times morefuel-efficient than passenger cars.”The international president also pointed out that every $1 billion spenton public transportation creates 60,000 new jobs. He called on Congressto quickly pass climate change legislation that includes substantialinvestment in mass transit.Trumka: Mass Transit a KeyAFL-CIO President Richard Trumka also addressed the conference,and echoed George’s sentiments, asserting that one of the key elements ofcreating a green economy would be building “green jobs/energy saving,centers on mass transit and high speed rail.“Our nation’s subways, light rail and commuter rail lines are in urgentneed of repair and expansion,” he said.With the oil platform explosion that killed 11 workers spilling millionsof barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico as a sobering background, Trumkatold the delegates, “Never before has the need been so urgent to produceclean energy, to use energy more efficiently to prevent climate changeand to protect our natural environment.“And not since the Great Depression have so many Americans needednew and better jobs with secure benefits and promising futures – jobsthat can’t be off-shored, downsized or downgraded into temporary orpart-time positions.”Trumka said it’s time to “put to rest, once and for all the false choicebetween good jobs and clean air and water.”Pelosi: Future Prosperity Depends on Green JobsSpeaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also spoke to the conferencedeclaring that the future prosperity of the country depends on our abilityto create good, green jobs and clean energy. Speaking at the openingplenary she said clean energy jobs are one way to put people back to workand address the problem of chronic unemployment.“We must train the next generation of workers in the good-payingjobs of the 21st century. And clean energy jobs are one way to do justInternational President Warren S. George: “Public transit annually saves 1.4 billion gallons ofoil by taking cars off the road. One motorcoach is six times more fuel-efficient than passenger cars.”that,” she said, “We know our recovery and our prosperity depend onmaking the United States first in clean energy. For our economy and ourworkers, America must be first.”Solis: Workers Most Valuable AssetU.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis told participants that “while thesteps we have taken over the past year have begun to put the economyback on the right track, we still have a lot of work to do.” Together wemust “invest, innovate, and act” to restart our economy.“Our workers are our nation’s most valuable asset,” Solis stated, “andit is critical that as we invest in clean energy jobs, we ensure they aregood jobs for everyone.”Environment AND ENERgy BILL BlocKED by FILIBUsTERMuch of the effort at the conference was meant to push the Senate intodebating and voting on the environment and energy bill. The measuredesigned to cut carbon emissions that lead to global warming whileencouraging energy development – including traditional sources such asoil and coal and alternatives such as wind, geothermal and solar. The billis part of labor’s five-point platform to restore “an economy that makesthings.” It’s also a top Obama administration goal.But the measure has hit, as usual, a planned Republican filibuster inthe Senate, plus strong opposition from the coal and oil industries. Andthe massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico forced Obama to reconsiderone key section of the bill, encouraging offshore oil drilling.Those problems didn’t dissuade the union leaders or their allies.“Working together with the Blue-Green Alliance, we can rebuildAmerica’s middle class,” said Laborers President Terry O’Sullivan, one ina parade of union speakers, including Steelworkers President Leo Gerard,Communications Workers President Larry Cohen, Utility WorkersPresident Mike Langford and Chief of Staff Stewart Acuff.www.atu.org MAY / JUNE 2010 13

In MemoriamDeath Benefits Awarded March 1, 2010 - April 30, 20101- MEMBERs AT LARgEGEORGE A CRYEDORIS E CUSICKEDWIN F KELLISONARDEN H LUKECHARLES E MC COYWAYNE B PETERSJAMES EMERY RYANGEORGE E SUTTON22- WORcEsTER, MAEDWARD E RYAN JR26- DETROIT, MIJAMES ASHLEYEDWARD J MALINOWSKI85- PITTsBURgH, PAJOHN BAXTERDOMINIC CHIAVERINIPAUL G FOBESJOHN C HERRINGTONFRANK T KINCHLAWRENCE M MCCARTHYWALTER J MCDERMITTREGIS MOZICKROBERT F MULIGHOWARD E ORGANJAMES W PRINKEY JRJAMES ROWLAND JRKENNETH SCHUCHERT SRROBERT STANCELJACK W STEPHENSONWALTER W WEIMANNLYNN WRIGHT107- HAMILTON, ONDONALD G SHEPHERD113- TORONTO, ONJAMES J A ALLANHERBERT BAKERKENNETH EDWARD BISHOPLUIGI BRUSATINFEDERICO CARECORRADO CRESPIGEORGE CULLKENNETH DAVISFREDERICK W DEACONWILLIAM DUNLOPRONALD L FAVAKENNETH H FLOWERSGEORGE R GRANDISONGEORGE GLENN HARDINGNORMAN LEONARD HESLOPFREDERICK HORNCASTLELEWIS J IRELANDANGELO ITALIANOPATRICK J KINNEYPHILIP MARCOTTEWILLIAM MARTINNEIL MASTERSONWILLIAM H MC CULLOUGHRAFFAELE MELITOLUIGI MONACOTHOMAS W PEARSONGEORGE SCHLEI JRFRED SWITZERVINCENT TARANTINOKENNETH THOMPSONWILLIAM JOHN WELSHARTHUR G WILLIAMSROBESON WILLIAMSFREDERICK W WOODALL164- WILKEs-BARRE, PATHOMAS L KOSHINSKI192- OAKLAND, cAGUNELDA E EIRISHROBERT J GARDINIERGEORGE R MESPELLIRICHARD H RUDEELLSWORTH L YOUNG241- cHIcAgO, ILMICHAEL ATKINSEUGENE J BRACHCARL A BROWNHERDISENE CHILLISCHARLES DAVISGUILLERMO DELRIOWILLIE J ESPERNANCY E FREEMANRAY S HELMANNIE HILLANDREW HOWARDRONALD JACKSONEDWARD J KAMINSKIJOHN W KNIGHTENJOHNNIE M LYNCHROBERT E MARTINCLEOPHUS MCGEEMARTIN M MORRISONDANIEL F NONCEKTYRONE PEPPERSLONNIE PERRYMAN JRKATHERINE S ROBINSONOLLIE T RODGERS JRFELIX RODRIGUEZJACK SCURTEBRIAN THOMASRALPH N VOLGARINOALEX WATSON JRSEFTON L WILLIAMSON256- sAcRAMENTO, cADELBERT L WAITE265- sAN JOsE, cAVINCENT L BREONMICHAEL F BROWNDAN W HARRISROBERT DWAIN HUNTSALVADOR D MEDINALARRY D RUSSELLJOHN S SHAHEEDWILLIAM M VARGAS SR268- cLEVELAND, OHHATTIE GORDANJOSEPH MILLER JR279- OTTAWA, ONFROOGH MOTTAGHIAMBROSE PAQUETTEPATRICK J SUMMERS281- NEW HAVEN, cTAQUILA VINCENT DELL282- ROcHEsTER, NYFREDERICK C BODE IIROBERT J SARDIS308- cHIcAgO, ILMAUDE B LAMBERTELWOOD LATHAMFREDERICK MC COLLOUGHRAMON NUNOCHRISTINE PEEBLESJAMILLAH R SIMMSBERNARD TOWNSENDDONALD WHITE425- HARTFORD, cTARTHUR E WOOD448- sPRINgFIELD, MAKENNETH B CHAPIN JR508- HALIFAX, NsSTEVE Z CSEHJOHN HENRY PAW569- EDMONTON, ABLESTER O JOHNSON583- cALgARY, ABVERNON A GRAHAMEDWARD L HARWOODDAVID LADOUCEURCHATENDRA N SHARMA587- sEATTLE, WAJAY N BREENMICHAEL S BUCHANANEDWARD E COWARTFRANK C ENGDAHLJAMES E PATTERSON588- REgINA, sKERVIN DARRELL WRIGHT589- BOsTON, MAGARY P BUBLUSKIBERTHA M CLINESMARCELLO A ELICONEFRANCIS X GOULETWILLIAM J HARDYRALPH S HOUSEUGO L IANNETTIWILLIAM J IRVINEJOSEPH P LOSILAMONT MC LAUGHLINGEORGE F MURPHYBARBARA A ROGOWSKIKEVIN M WALSH591- HULL, PqJASMIN RIVESTPASCAL VILLENEUVE618- PROVIDENcE, RIJOHN W O’BRIEN627- cINcINNATI, OHCHARLES M GUSSETTFRANCIS C SPEECE689- WAsHINgTON, DcALEX BERGERJAMES DONOVAN BUSHWILLIAM E CLIFFORDKENNETH DARBYAUDLEY L ELCOCKJEFFREY G GARRARDTHERESA M GARYNORMAN EARL GOODWINLEWIS GUIDO JRJOHN T HUFFIRA EDWARD JOHNSONRAYMOND FRANK KROK SRTHOMAS J LAVEZZOTHEODORE MARTINEUGENE F NEALSUNG D OHJORDAN PINKNEYWILLIAM SEXTON JRERIC E TOATLEYVELCIE K WALSH690- FITcHBURg, MAEDITH M MAGUY694- sAN ANTONIO, TXARTHUR BOBBY THOMASANTONIO J VALDEZ697- TOLEDO, OHFRED L HADDAD JRCHARLES F SMITH713- MEMPHIs, TNPORTRIS O DAVISBRIGETTE M RAGLAND726- sTATEN IsLAND, NYANTHONY MILONEMICHAEL PERROTTIALTON TEW732- ATLANTA, gAEVERETT D CHILDERSRONALD J DURHAMJOHN THOMAS JOINER757- PORTLAND, ORJAMES D ALLREDHOWARD P GLIDDENRICHARD M KOEPERKENNETH A PALMBLADRICHARD R PETERSENJUDITH A TALLON788- sT. LOUIs, MOHENRY R BELLERKENNETH J BURGERGAIL CONWAYHARVEY G FELTONGLORIA J HEINTZLUKE JONES JRSHARON K NICHOLSONWILLIAM F SENTERWALTER SPIER819- NEWARK, NJCARLTON Q FARRARJOSEPH W HOLLANDJAYSON J RIVERAWILLIAM SCOTT822- PATERsON, NJLEWIS GLADSTONE824- NEW BRUNsWIcK, NJJOSEPH SAVARESE825- ORADELL, NJFERNANDO COMASGEORGE SANDOR846- sT. cATHARINEs, ONFREDRICK SCOTT NEWMAN880- cAMDEN, NJEDWARD J MAHANWANDA TOMLINSON998- MILWAUKEE, WICALVIN BELLGLENN D DASHNERBART G FREEDMANDENNIS W JOHANNESMICHAEL L LUNOWAGUNTER H SCHULTEFRED P THIELFRANCIS M WORDEN1001- DENVER, cOVAUGHN T GRIFFIN1005- MINNEAPOLIs& sT. PAUL, MNWILLIAM A GIOSSIWALLACE S MOENJOHN S TRUHLERELI L WYLIE1037- NEW BEDFORD, MAGALEN R REYNOLDS1056- FLUsHINg, NYPHILIP F CASCIOLAGEORGE FOSTERIRVING L GAINERLOUIS HELLERSOL KABINOFFRICHARD J PILLAARTHUR UTLEY JRTHEODORE WAGENBLAST1181- NEW YORK, NYPATRICIA ARDIGERALD ARMANDJAMES CAMERONFRANK CARUTIDAVID COLLINSFRANK D’AVINOSALVATORE FICARROTTAMARGUERITE FISHLEINDONALD J FOPEANOLEONARD GANGIMARIA C GONZALEZCOSIMO IZZOJOHN E KEATINGARTHUR F LEUCKBARTOLO MOLETAJOSEPHINE MURPHYCARMELA PACELLOLOUIS PACHECOROSE POLITOHELEN PROFOUSCHARLES PUGLISSIROSE M SPERANZAVINCENT TAVOLINECONNIE VIENTO1220- RIcHMOND, VAELNOR C MORRIS1225- sAN FRANcIscO, cAALSEY P ASTON1229- sT JOHN, NBJOHN W REID1277- LOs ANgELEs, cARYAN GRANADOSJAMES D MC KINNEYJAN S MOSSEMBEKKERTY V NGUYENROBERT C WILLIAMS1300- BALTIMORE, MDROY E LAUCK JRJIMMY R PEARCEMARGARET WALKER1309- sAN DIEgO, cAFREDDIE A BUCHANANPATRICIA HUNTERDONALD R RESCHI L SMITH1321- ALBANY & TROY, NYRUTH H MURPHYNICHOLAS TATEOERNEST L WILSON1336- BRIDgEPORT, cTDONALD VINSONJOANN WIERZBICKI1338- DALLAs, TXJACK D HOLMANGLENN MATHIS1342- BUFFALO, NYMARK F BRONOWSKIGARY E CHIZRICHARD CHROSTOWSKIGARY A ERWINFRANK S SPARACINO1360- TOPEKA, KsFELIX R GONZALES1374- cALgARY, ABRUSSELL R DEGGRONALD T GALNAFLORENT A JOUBERTLAURENCE G LACHAPELLEJOSEPH LEVISJOHN WOODROW OSLANDDELBERT C PERRYADRIANUS VAN BEERS1385- DAYTON, OHLOUIS L ELLIOTTEDSEL WAKO FORDLEONARD HOWARD1433- PHOENIX, AZRICHARD L SCHIMMEL1462- sT. JOHN’s, NFLESTER SNELGROVE1499- MUNcIE, INFRANK CRABTREE1505- WINNIPEg, MBHARVEY C NICHOLSMARK A TYNES1565- cHAPEL HILL, NcGARLAND R SAWYER1572- MIssIssAUgA, ONCLARENCE BASSETT1576- LYNNWOOD, WAANNA BROWNJAMES A JOHNSON1579- gAINEsVILLE, FLBRENT S ARINSON1587- TORONTO, ONGEORGE J COOPERROGER S PERRIE1591- BROWARD cOUNTY, FLLISA ROSE MARKAJANI1700- cHIcAgO, ILDAVID ALEXANDERLOUIS LINZY HUDSONHAROLD W LE FURGEWILLIAM B LEEJAMES E MC FARLAND1738- LATROBE, PALOUIS J DOWLINGwww.atu.org MAY / JUNE 2010 15

Amalgamated Transit UnionAFL-CIO/CLC5025 Wisconsin Ave., NWWashington, D.C. 20016www.atu.orgNON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGEPAIDWASHINGTON, D.C.PERMIT NO. 2656PRINTED IN U.s.A.WorkingTo Secure Our FutureTHE FIFTY-sIXTH INTERNATIONAL cONVENTION OF THE AMALgAMATED TRANsIT UNION • sEPTEMBER 26 – OcTOBER 1, 2010THE CONVENTION CENTER AT DISNEY’S CONTEMPORARY RESORT • LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA2010 convention Delegate & guest checklistDELEgATEs: BE cERTAIN YOUR cREDENTIALs ARE IN ORDERElected delegates should receive the duplicate copy of their credential certificatefrom their local union. Remember to bring that duplicate copy with you to Florida.Without it you will have to appear before the Credentials Committee in order to beseated at the Convention.REgIsTER FOR THE 56TH INTERNATIONAL cONVENTIONPlease complete your convention registration form as soon as possible and return itto your local union for submission to the International office with registration fees.The cost for each delegate and guest is $175 ($50 for guests age 12 and under).BOOK YOUR HOTEL REsERVATIONBook your convention hotel reservation for Disney’s Contemporary Resort orDisney’s Polynesian Resort. (Details at right.)VIsIT THE cONVENTION WEBsITE FOR THE LATEsT DETAILs AND UPDATEs!You can find almost anything you need to know about the convention on the Fifty-SixthConvention website at www.atu2010.org.HOTEL REsERVATIONsDelegates and guests will need to reserve ahotel room at Disney’s contemporary Resortor Disney’s Polynesian Resort by calling Disneyat 1-407-824-3869, or by using the online link forreservations located on the Convention website,accessible through the home page at www.atu.org.The deadline for booking Disney hotel reservationsis Friday, August 9, 2010.ROOM RATEsThe room rate at either Disney resort is $185 pernight, plus 12.5%, tax. Disney will require a onenightroom deposit with your reservation. Theserates exclude meals, telephone calls, movies,etc., which are extra; however, Disney is providingcomplimentary in-room internet access to all guestrooms in the ATU room block. Check with Disneyfor current cancellation policy.