United States Version PDF - Amalgamated Transit Union

JAN/ FEB2 0 1 1www.atu.orgOfficial Journal of the Amalgamated Transit UnionAFL-CIO/CLCATU MEMBERSJOIN THE FIGHTINSIDE THIS ISSUE:Which Side Are You On?Obama Proposes Doubling Transit Budget,Would Allow Some Operating AidPeterborough Local Fights Cutsand Wins – for Now

LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENTWhich SideAre You On?In 1931, Florence Reece, the wife of a union organizerfor the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, KY,wrote the song that defines the fight for workers today, notonly in Canada and the United States, but all over the world:“Which side are you on, boys? Which side are you on?”Some politicians are right out there. Naked. In Wisconsin,Ohio, Iowa, Florida and 15 other states, they are leadingthe battle against us to take away American workers’salaries, pensions and benefits. Make no mistake aboutit, when they are done scapegoating public workers theywill come for the unions in the private sector. Then theywill come after Social Security. They are already saying it.Private sector working Americans are already reelingfrom decades of political deals that sold out the Americanindustrial heartland.Other political leaders, our “friends” are mysteriouslysilent or muted at best in defending workers. We mustmake them answer the question in Mrs. Reece’s song.And from Cairo to Cleveland, from Detroit andPeterborough to Madison and New London throughoutthe United States and Canada working people, joined bystudents are saying enough is enough. In this issue youwill read the stories of an ATU that is in the trenches andon the front lines of the struggle.The economic depression we are now in can be resolvedin many ways. Unlike the one in 1929, the bankers aretrying to resolve today’s crisis by making average people,not the banks go broke. They are tearing up the fundamentalsocial agreements that have held our countries togetherthroughout the last 100 years.And the layoffs of ATU members have continued overthe last few months. In New York 500 paratransit workersfaced layoffs as we went to press. In Pittsburgh 200 are slatedto lose their jobs in March and in Cincinnati, the city raidedthe transit budget resulting in 40 or more layoffs there.In the last six weeks we have engaged in battles inChicago, Peterborough, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Pittsburghand Toronto. In other cities we are fighting court battles,like in Washington, DC, where an arbitrator’s contractaward has been tied up in court for more than a year.All of these struggles have one common thread: Theyare part of a concerted effort to deprive working people oftheir livelihoods.The ATU is Fighting Back!We have created an entire new department in the ATUfor Field Mobilization, the purpose of which is to helpyour local union get our members up and fighting. If youhave a struggle in your city let me assure you that we willbe there with you, as we are now in many cities.We are fighting multi-national corporations like Veolia andFirst Group in both the U.S. and Canada.Make no mistake about it, this is a fight for your rightto earn a living and the fight against us is being sponsoredby billionaires and multi-national corporations.Many of the people including the politicians who supportthis economic war on North Americans are flag-waving phonieswho use patriotism as a weapon to subdue us and to spend ourblood and treasure on useless wars. Then, after squandering ournational wealth, they tell us our way of life is “unsustainable.”They Are the TraitorsThey are the traitors who have shipped our jobs to othercontinents and someone needs to say it. There is no longera way to argue as some Democrats do on cable news showsthat “workers need to take a haircut.”Not while they continue to cut taxes for billionaireswho can well afford to pay them. One honest billionaire,Warren Buffett, among the world’s richest men said it best:“There is a class war in America, and my class is winning.”The sleeping giant that is the working class is wakingup. We will now fight back. Join us on the barricades, if youknow the answer, which side are you on?IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 3

BOB BAKER, INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTA Tale ofTwo CitiesWashington, DCFirst, we have Washington DC, and the state of theunion address minus public transportation:As I sat in my hotel room in St. John’s, NL, watchingthe president report on the state of the union (just afterone of the worst elections we’ve seen in several decades)I was amazed – not once did he mention mass transit.Did his administration forget where he came from? I’dbe willing to bet our laid-off members in Chicago wouldremind him.Does anyone realize that if our public transit systemsdo not function with the needed personnel to run andmaintain them, our cities are doomed?Hasn’t it occurred to anyone in the administration thatif we don’t keep decent citizens working and make surethey can to get to work, fewer and fewer will be able topay taxes and keep the wheels of government running?I’m not an Obama-basher, and I’m not opposed tohigh-speed rail, but I really have to wonder if anyone ingovernment is paying any attention to the real mobilityneeds of the U.S. anymore.The passengers we transport in the U.S. are the backboneof the nation. They deserve better. So, somebody pleasetell that to Washington…Wait! That’s the article I wrote before the president’sbudget was released. WOW, what a turnaround in such ashort time. Due to the tremendous work our officers andmembers in Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Olympia,San Diego, Washington, DC, and other sites andcommunities have done in the last month the messageis finally hitting our politicians. President Obama justreleased a good budget for transit in the United States,but now we have to continue to work very hard to driveit home.These same cities and a lot of others including severalstates are under a strong attack concerning their collectivebargaining rights and their very existence. Some very outof-touchand anti-union governors are trying to destroythe labor movement.We have to stop them now and make sure we carry onthe fight for several months and, in fact, years to undo thedamage in the last election. We have to do everything wecan to defend our members, police officers, fire personneland others who have spent their entire career SAVINGLIVES, while these politicians want to take away theirLIFE SAVINGS!St. John’s, NLNow, let’s talk about the other city, St. John’s, NL:The city was determined to make some big changes intheir contract and they did not care about the welfare ofour members.The local union committee, however, refused to give in.As long as the city wanted to take anything away, the fightwould continue. Fortunately, the end result was that ourmembers were well compensated and the city did not guttheir contract.I was so impressed with the resolve and solidarity of theSt. John’s strikers. The sacrifices they made will result inimmeasurable benefits for other cities that will come underattack in Canada and the United States.The problem in St. John’s is the same as it has been inWashington, DC – no one in government seems to careabout working men and women. The people who make thedecisions so often appear to be blind to the mobility needsof our cities.— Continued on to page 254 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

www.atu.orgJAN/FEB2 0 1 1Vol. 120, No. 12 International Officers & General Executive Board2011 Upcoming Training, Conferences & Caucuses3 International President’s MessageWhich Side Are You On?4 International Executive Vice President’s MessageA Tale of Two Cities5 International Secretary-Treasurer’s MessageOperating Assistance: The Time is Now6 Index Page7 President Proposes Doubling Transit BudgetIncludes Some Emergency Operating Assistance8 ATU Fights Transit Cuts, Attacks on StatePublic Service Workers9 Peterborough Local Fights Cuts and Wins,Gears Up for Next Year10 Mass Transit Becomes Major Issue in Chicago Elections11 AC Transit Riders Fight for their Right to Ride -55 Years After Montgomery12 ATU Flashback: Popular Anti-Public Worker TacticUsed Against Twin Cities Local 6 Years Ago13 Phoenix Members Battle VeoliaConcession Demands15 Members Speak Out: SEAT Plans LayoffsWhile Hiring More Managers18 Hanley Appoints Two NewInternational Representatives20 Cincinnati Metro Workers Fight for RejectedFact-Finder’s Agreement21 Union Songstress Ann Feeney, Supported 1990Greyhound Strikers, Fights Cancer, Needs Help22 Solidarity Sustains Members During St. John’s Strike23 GEB Takes Key Steps to Address Transit Crisis,Support Locals27 Local President to Be Honored as DC’sOutstanding Trade Unionist of 201028 Report Shows Health Care Law Means Big Savingsto Families29 100 Years Ago: Amalgamated Not an“Institution that Can Stand Still”30 In Memoriam31 Black Caucus Ad32 Canadian Agenda: The Message is Clear:We Are One ATUTransit Workers Fight to Prevent Hardship’ to Riders14The Shameful Attack on Public Employees16Legislative Report: Getting Hit From All Sides24Transit and Smart Growth26NOTE: French Canadian and Spanish translations normally included withIn Transit magazine can be found on the In Transit page at www.atu.org6 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

President ProposesDoublingTransit BudgetIncludes Some EmergencyOperating AssistanceAP Photo/Pablo Martinez MonsivaisPresident Obama proposed a newtransportation authorization billon February 14, which woulddramatically increase U.S. investmentin mass transit over the next six years.The Department of Transportationbudget includes a 127% increase –to $119 billion over six years – infunding for transit, and even moresignificantly, allows transit authorities(in urbanized areas of 200,000 ormore in population) to temporarilyuse formula funds to cover operatingcosts in limited circumstances.The budget also prioritizes projectsthat rebuild and rehabilitate existingtransit systems, and includes animportant new transit safety program.‘We Moved the Ball Forward’Commenting on the president’sproposal, International PresidentLarry Hanley told ATU members,“Thanks to the work that you aredoing to raise the profile of thetransit crisis, the president’s transitbudget is reason to celebrate. TheObama Administration called fornearly doubling the size of thefederal transit program, up to $22billion in 2012.“And most importantly, thepresident called for changes in thelaw that would allow federal transitfunds to be used for operatingassistance during the economic crisis.Our voices are being heard.“Thanks to you,” he declared, “wemoved the ball forward significantly.”Consideration of the bill will beginin the House of Representatives wheremany in the new GOP majority willfight the administration’s forwardlookingplan.Letter to the PresidentThe announcement came on theheels of a February 10 letter fromInternational President Larry Hanleyurging the president to greatlyincrease mass transit spending andto include operating assistance in histransportation authorization proposal.Hanley wrote, in part:“…I am urging you to immediatelycall for funding to address the currentmobility crisis that is spreading acrossAmerica.“We respectfully ask the Administrationto provide operating assistance for U.S.transit systems as part of your Fiscal Year(FY) 2012 budget.“The 10% of unemployed Americansincludes a substantial number of transitdependentindividuals who simplycannot get to work. …“We are simply looking for flexibilitywith respect to the use of such funds, andwe have built a large coalition consistingof transit advocates, communityorganizers, environmentalists, laborrepresentatives, and others who are readyto fight to put critical service back onthe streets. …”IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 7

The ATU mobilized its members in cities across theUnited States and Canada to do battle on two fronts in thewar against workers and the middle class.With the support of the newly-formed ATU FieldMobilization Department members in Chicago, IL;Peterborough, ON; Pittsburgh, PA; Cincinnati, OH;Phoenix, AZ; and New London, CT; took the initiative tobring together coalitions of Labor, transit advocacy,religious, and civil rights groups to fight proposals to cuttransit jobs and service in their areas.In Columbus, OH; and Madison, WI; members fortifiedthe throngs of citizens protesting legislative attemptsin their states to strip public service workers of theircollective bargaining rights and bust their unions.Above are just a few of the many photos which havebeen pouring in to international headquarters from theseevents. Check out www.atu.org for more informationand photos.8 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

PETERBOROUGH LOCAL FIGHTSCUTS AND WINS, GEARS UPFOR NEXT YEARtook place in a larger auditorium, andthat hall was filled to overflowing with450 angry passengers.What was most gratifying to Sagerwas the diversity of people who cameto the council meetings. Seniors,disabled, students and many othersas well as ATU members voiced theirconcerns.Backed by a formidable coalition, Local 1320 President Gary Sager addresses thePeterborough, ON, city council in the local’s successful campaign to stop planned transit cuts.What can members of a smalllocal do when they learnthrough the media that there are goingto be big cuts in their transit budget,and they have just two weeks to tryand stop it? Actually, quite a lot.This was the question facing Local1320-Peterborough, ON, when theylearned earlier this year that theirnewly-elected mayor planned to cut$422,000 out of the city’s transitappropriation, which would mostlikely cause job losses and service cuts.“We had less than two weeks toreact,” related Local 1320 PresidentGary Sager, “But we showed thatwhen there’s a need for a fight, even asmall local can be successful if it’s notafraid to have a scrap.”Alternate Suggestions, NewspaperAds, and a CoalitionThe local held a special meeting anddecided on a course of action. First,they tried to suggest other ways thetransit department could save money,but the only thing the city councilwould consider was service cuts.The local then took out half-pageads in the city newspapers outliningthe announced service cuts andtheir impact on the public. The adsincluded the names, office phonenumbers, and office email addresses ofevery member of the city council.Next, a committee was formed tofind allies in the community includingMothers Against Drunk Driving.MADD objected to a plan to cut offSaturday service in this university andcommunity college town at 6:40 pm.MADD thought it was particularlydangerous to stop providing bus servicefor the students who would be returninghome after a night of drinking. Strongand determined university and collegestudents also took up the cause andvoiced their support.The local mobilized its membersand its coalition to attend the meetingof the city council set to consider thebudget cuts. Over 250 people showedup for the meeting in a room with nomore than 40 seats. A second meetingUltimately the council decided toincrease taxes by $7.35 per householdto provide full service throughout2011.“It was nice for the little guy to winone for a change,” said Sager. “It’s avictory for the public who swampedcity council members with phonecalls and emails. The public and themedia vigilantly questioned andcriticized the need for service cuts andthe mayor’s initial refusal to declare apecuniary self-interest despite owninga local cab company.”‘Never Again!’Nevertheless, the mayor has statedthat he intends to make budget cutsin 2012. There will be a preliminarytransit review in March, but this time,the local will be prepared.The members voted to assessthemselves to create a defense fundwhich will cover expenses relatedto fighting this next attempt to cutservice.“We won the first battle,” saidSager, “but it could be like a war withmany battles for the next four years(the length of the new mayor’s term).We weren’t prepared the first time –never again!”IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 9

MASS TRANSIT BECOMES MAJOR ISSUEIN CHICAGO ELECTIONSMass transit became a majorissue in the recently completedmayoral and aldermanic electionsin Chicago, and the ATU playeda big part in making that happen.As a result, the man who won themayor’s race, Rahm Emanuel, andother candidates made their positionknown on an issue of vital importanceto commuters in the Windy City,undoubtedly catching the attentionof another Chicago native currentlyliving in the White House.Transit surfaced as an issue after theATU released the results of a poll of500 likely Chicago voters during aJanuary 27 news conference in frontof the Chicago Tribune offices wherethe candidates were having a debate.The news conference was sponsoredby the “Keep Chicago Moving”coalition of Labor, transit, religious,civil rights and other groups broughttogether by the Union.Most Think Bus Cuts a Bad IdeaThe ATU poll revealed:• A third of the poll respondentsthought that Chicago busservice had become worse in theprevious year• A quarter of them regularly reliedon mass transit• Half of them lived in householdsin which people regularly rely onmass transit.• Most thought transit job andservice cuts taken in the past yearwere a bad idea even if they didn’tuse transit.• 78% agreed that it was foolish toappropriate money to buy newtransit vehicles without providingany support for the wages ofthose who operate those vehicles.• 68% agreed that it was patrioticand good for America to reduce itsdependence on foreign oil by usingas much mass transit as possible.The ResponseCandidates were forced to respondto the issue after the poll was pickedup by media outlets. The publicationIn These Times outlined the coalition’slarger goal of focusing attention on theChicago campaign in order to “leveragechanges in federal policy and budgetingfor mass transit nationwide.”In a January 17 article entitled “Poll:Transit is a Major Mayoral Issue” thewebsite Progress Illinois declared, “…thecandidate who offers solutions for thedoomsday-riddled CTA may be ableto garner significant votes for herselfor himself. To date, the six remainingmayoral candidates have not eventried to do this.” The article includeda link to the ATU website wherereaders could download the poll results.The Tribune provided a similar critiquethe same day under the headline “Transitis a sleeper issue in race for Chicagomayor,” noting, “Transportationissues are not raised on the candidates’campaign web pages, and no one has puttogether a position paper.”Not Just a Chicago ProblemThe paper quoted InternationalPresident Larry Hanley saying, “Thisis not just a Chicago crisis. In thelast few years nationally, we’ve seen acrush of new riders but also some ofthe deepest service cuts and highestincreases in fares in the last 50 years.”On January 23, front-runner Emanuelresponded to the media attention byreleasing the list of projects he wouldundertake to rebuild the ancient CTAsystem. But ATU’s Chicago localsrightly criticized the plan which woulddo nothing to solve the deficit in thesystem’s operating budget.Nevertheless, the transit issue gaineda much higher profile in the Chicagoelection and in the country at largethan it would have without the “KeepChicago Moving” campaign.On February 14, the presidentproposed his six-year transportationauthorization proposal which wouldmore than double mass transit spendingand allow federal money to be usedfor operating assistance in limitedcircumstances.10 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

AC Transit Riders Fightfor their Right to Ride –55 Years after MontgomeryBy Bob Allen and Marcy ReinFifty-five years to the month afterthe start of the Montgomerybus boycott, people of color can sitwherever they want on the bus – whenand if one arrives. Bus operators allover the country are slashing routes inresponse to deepening deficits. This lossof service denies people who dependon transit their civil rights in deep,daily, grinding, unmistakable ways.Bus riders in Oakland, CA, andthroughout western Alameda andContra Costa Counties in Californiahave lost nearly 15 percent of their ACTransit routes in 2010. Deeper cutswere forestalled by the drivers’ union,Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)Local 192, which refused to agreeto a new contract unless the agencypostponed further service reductionsfor at least three months.‘Heart throb of This City’“We are the heart throb of this city,”AC Transit driver Lorenzo Jacobssaid, speaking at a May 2010 publichearing against the cuts. “When youstart cutting service, you’re cuttingopportunities out there for people whoare doing whatever they’re doing intheir lives. When you cut lines, you’reaffecting people’s lives, their everydaylives,” he said.The service cuts directly impactOakland youth, who need AC Transit toget to school because the district doesn’trun yellow school buses; they hurtseniors and people with disabilities whocan’t drive, and low-income families whocan’t afford cars. Lack of mobility cutsoff opportunities for work and education,enforces inequality and persistentsegregation. African-Americans andLatinos are far less likely than whites toown cars. Nationally, around 62 percentof city bus riders are African Americanand Latino. Nearly 80% of AC Transitriders are people of color.Institutional ObstaclesBus riders and their allies who takeon this 21st century civil rights fightconfront institutional obstacles atevery turn. In their efforts to protectand expand service, they contendwith financing policies and decisionmakingstructures that are stackedagainst them, and they lack access tothe courts to seek redress. And fewpolitical leaders champion the needsof transit riders in general and busriders in particular.Funding priorities from the federalgovernment on down shortchangebus riders while favoring drivers andrail passengers. Eighty percent offederal transportation funding goesto highways, and only 20 percentgoes to transit. Virtually all of the$500 billion in the Federal SurfaceTransportation Authorization goesto capital costs versus supportingday-to-day operations of buses.On a regional level, the SanFrancisco Bay Area’s MetropolitanTransportation Commission (MTC)privileges costly expansions over coreurban operations. It consistently slightsbus operators in favor of rail servicessuch as CalTrain and BART that havea much higher proportion of white andwealthier riders. While AC Transit waslooking at a $56 million deficit, theMTC was working hard to help BARTfind an additional $70 million tobuild the Oakland Airport Connector(OAC) tram project. That $70 millionwas needed to replace federal stimulusfunds BART lost by failing to followproper civil rights guidelines when theyapproved the OAC.Structure DisenfranchisesThe structure of the MTC itselfdisenfranchises city-dwellers andpeople of color. The 19-membercommission controls transportationplanning and funding for ninecounties in the Bay Area. Becauseeach county gets two seats at most,residents in large urban counties –like Santa Clara, which includes the930,000-person city of San Jose – getfar less representation than smallerIN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 11

and less diverse counties like Napa,with its 135,000 people.Challenging the unfair distributionof transportation resources in courthas been much harder since a 2001Supreme Court decision barredindividuals from filing lawsuits overtransportation policies that havediscriminatory impacts on the basisof race, color or national origin.By taking away the “private right toaction,” the Alexander v. Sandovaldecision deprived transit activists of alegal tool that has played a key part incivil rights cases.After more than a year, themovement centered in Montgomerywon the legal end to Alabama’ssegregation laws. Today’stransportation justice advocates arepushing for civil rights in transiton many levels. Riders and drivershave joined forces to try to save busservice in dozens of cities around thecountry, as they are doing in the EastBay. These efforts should gain freshenergy with the inauguration of thenew national leadership of the ATU,which represents bus drivers in manyU.S. cities.Legal Challenges toDiscriminatory ChallengesA Bay Area coalition of civilrights, faith-based, community andenvironmental groups is pursuinglegal challenges to discriminatoryfunding. The non-profit lawfirm Public Advocates filed theadministrative complaint on behalfof Urban Habitat, TransForm andGenesis that cost BART the stimulusfunds for the OAC. In a follow-upcomplaint, they have charged MTCwith failing to ensure that agenciesand programs it funds are respectingcivil rights. In addition, PublicAdvocates has filed a class action suitagainst MTC’s funding practices,which is pending before the NinthCircuit Court of Appeals.Undaunted by the hostile climate inthe new Congress, the new nationalcoalition called “Transit Riders forPublic Transportation” (TRPT) aims toflip federal transit funding priorities andsecure legislation restoring individuals’right to sue over discriminatorytransit policies. TRPT draws togethergrassroots groups from all over thecountry who put transportation centralto the fight for civil rights, recognizingthat low-income communities andcommunities of color will remaintrapped in second-class status untilthe transportation system serveseveryone equally.Bob Allen is the Transportation JusticeProgram Director at Urban Habitat.Marcy Rein is a freelance writer andfrequent contributor to Race, Poverty &the Environment.ATU FlashbackPopular Anti-Public Worker Tactic Used AgainstTwin Cities Local 6 Years AgoSpeaking at the ATU LegislativeConference last March, AFL-CIOPresident Richard Trumka predictedthat public service workers were the nexttarget of the anti-union movement. Hisprediction was “dead-on.” Since theNovember elections, GOP governorsand state legislators have stoked theresentment of millions who no longerhave adequate retirement, health care,vacations, or wages and directed itagainst state government employees.Former Minnesota governor andpresumed presidential candidate, TimPawlenty, deserves a lot of “credit” forthis anti-union tactic. He used it in hisunsuccessful attempt to bust Local1005-Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN,during their 2004 strike in whichhealth care was a big issue.The governor had switched thefunding source for public transportationfrom property taxes to the general fundcausing a five percent drop the moneyavailable for transit. Nevertheless, heblamed the shortfall on ATU workers’“Cadillac” health plan.“How can we ask citizens to foot thebill for a health plan that is so muchbetter than anything they, themselves,have?” he asked.Local 1005 and the Twin Cities“Met Council” eventually arrived at acollective bargaining agreement, butthe “greedy public union membershave more than you have” narrative hasgained traction ever since.More than one commentator hasseen the current tactic as a ploy to placethe blame for state fiscal problemssquarely on the shoulders of publicemployees. It has the added benefitof distracting attention from the realculprits of the Great Recession – bigbanks and Wall Street.It is not surprising that Republicangovernors should do the bidding of themoneyed interests that paid for theircampaigns, yet it is terribly discouragingthat so many automatically accept theidea that public servants are to blamefor the nation’s fiscal woes.Jan/Feb 2011| IN TRANSIT

PHOENIX MEMBERS BATTLE VEOLIACONCESSION DEMANDSLocal 1433 in Phoenix, AZ, is battling the French-basedinternational company, Veolia, which among otherthings, wants to set up a two-tier wage system and cap sickday accruals. The contract expired in June, 2010.In an effort to provoke a strike, Veolia implemented thesick day accrual caps; the union filed a complaint withthe NLRB.‘Not Going to Be Steamrolled’Bob Bean, president of the local, said the members werenot going to be steamrolled by Veolia. “We are tired oftheir tactics. Rather than negotiate, they are trying to tieus up with frivolous court cases,” Bean said.One of those cases involved a chilling restriction onfree speech when a U.S. District Court judge signed anorder allowing Veolia access to the union’s computer harddrives after Veolia’s lawyers claimed that union officerswere the recipient of anonymous e-mails – allegedly sentby Veolia employees.“This company has no business running a transit system,”Bean said. Standing next to an antique fare box, Bean said“They worked pretty well in 1905.”Veolia has a knack for hiring powerful insiders aroundthe country, including, according to published reports,the girlfriend of Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.As investigations swirled around town, the mayor toldpolice his computer was stolen from his home. The thief,however, left the mayor’s wallet and checkbook behind.Bean said the local was planning to sponsor a contest, witha cash reward, asking the “perpetrator” to return the computerto the union which would then give it to the police.“We promise not to look at the hard drive,” Bean added.The contest was titled “Ten Places Where the Mayor’s LaptopMight Be” (not including at his girl friend’s house).“It was a made up story just so they could look at ourinner workings,” Bean added. “For all we know, they couldhave sent the emails to themselves.”In a move that shocked protectors of privacy, the judgealso signed an order allowing Veolia to subpoena thecomputers at a Marriott Hotel Business Center. The companyclaimed one of its employees used the Center to send theemails to the union.“This means that no one’s privacy is safe at a Marriott,”said Local 1433 Vice President Michael Cornelius. “Theyshould post a sign telling customers that their emailsmight be turned over to a French company.”‘No Business Running a Transit System’As contract talks drew near, Veolia gave away free ridesto 70,000 passengers on January 24.A computer glitch knocked out all the fare boxes and thecity lost more than $300,000 a day in uncollected fares.IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 13

TRANSIT WORKERSFight to PreventHardship’ to RidersLocal 85-Pittsburgh, PA, is fighting to prevent anunnecessary reduction in transit service. On January12, the Port Authority of Alleghany County gave finalapproval to a “temporary” 15% cut in transit service eventhough the governor has given the agency enough moneyin emergency funds to maintain full service until the endof the year.On January 28, Local President Patrick McMahonappeared before the Port Authority board, asking it todelay the cuts until hearings could be held in the affectedcommunities.“This process has moved too quickly and the voice ofthe public has not been heard,” McMahon testified. “Theaction taken by the board is not necessary and places toogreat a hardship on riders who depend on transit to get towork and go about their daily business,” McMahon said.‘Our Fight is Now!’In a letter to Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato,D, McMahon was even more direct: “The governor’sintention was to prevent cuts in transit services in 2011,giving the new governor and legislature six months to acton a transit funding formula that fairly and adequatelyprovides for public transit at current levels.14 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

“We believe our fight is now,” asserted McMahon, “Do notimpose further pain on transit riders and commuters by misusingthe funding the governor has delivered.”McMahon insists that the authority should “continue to operate(without reducing service) and leave the burden on Harrisburg(the state capital) to come up with a dedicated, reliable sourceof funding.“If the authority has to shut down,” he declares, “it will be onthe politicians in Harrisburg.”Adding insult to injury the agency has also approved a farehike and hundreds of layoffs, and plans another 10% service cutnext year.Pittsburgh Local 85 President Pat McMahon rallies a coalitionof transit advocates to fight planned cuts by the Port Authority ofAlleghany County. Copyright©, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2011,all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.Members SpeakOut: SEAT PlansLayoffs While HiringMore ManagersOn Wednesday, February23, ATU bus drivers andmembers of the communitymade their voices heard at theSEAT board meeting in NewLondon, CT. Even thoughthere are no immediate fundingcuts planned for transit, theboard is proposing layoffs thatwill hurt hard working families,as well as the community.Cutting back the workforceputs additional stress on currentdrivers, as well as weakening thepool of available workers in casesomeone is sick or on leave.Cliff Hughes, a member of Amalgamated Transit Union, chants“No More Cuts” during a rally in Mellon Square Park to protest thePort Authority’s plans to cut back regional public transit, February 25,2011 Copyright©, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2011, all rights reserved.Reprinted with permission.Meanwhile, the privatecompany First Transit, whichmanages the system, continuesto fill their ranks as they moveforward with plans to createthree more administrativepositions this year.IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 15

The ShamefulAttack onPublicEmployeesby Robert ReichIn 1968, 1,300 sanitation workersin Memphis went on strike. TheRev. Martin Luther King, Jr., cameto support them. That was wherehe lost his life. Eventually Memphisheard the grievances of its sanitationworkers. And in subsequent yearsmillions of public employees acrossthe nation have benefited from the jobprotections they’ve earned.But now the right is going afterpublic employees.Public servants are convenientscapegoats. Republicans would ratherdeflect attention from corporateexecutive pay that continues to riseas corporate profits soar, even ascorporations refuse to hire moreworkers. They don’t want stories aboutWall Street bonuses, now higher thanbefore taxpayers bailed out the Street.And they’d like to avoid a spotlight onthe billions raked in by hedge-fundand private-equity managers whoseincome is treated as capital gains andsubject to only a 15 percent tax, dueto a loophole in the tax laws designedspecifically for them.It’s far more convenient to go afterpeople who are doing the public’s work- sanitation workers, police officers,fire fighters, teachers, social workers,federal employees – to call them“faceless bureaucrats” and portraythem as hooligans who are makingoff with your money and cripplingfederal and state budgets. The storyfits better with the Republican’s BigLie that our problems are due to agovernment that’s too big.Above all, Republicans don’t wantto have to justify continued tax cutsfor the rich. As quietly as possible,they want to make them permanent.But the right’s argument is shotthroughwith bad data, twistedevidence, and unsupported assertions.They say public employees earnfar more than private-sector workers.That’s untrue when you take accountof level of education. Matched byeducation, public sector workersactually earn less than their privatesectorcounterparts.Apples to OrangesThe Republican trick is to compareapples with oranges — the averagewage of public employees with theaverage wage of all private-sectoremployees. But only 23 percent ofprivate-sector employees have collegedegrees; 48 percent of governmentworkers do. Teachers, social workers,public lawyers who bring companiesto justice, government accountantswho try to make sure money is spentas it should be - all need at least fouryears of college.16 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

HANLEY APPOINTS TWO NEWINTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVESClaudia Hudson, rallying in solidarityat a transportation justice rally. ©2010Urban Habitat/Christine Joy FerrerHanley NamesOutspoken LocalPresident InternationalRepresentativeInternational President Larry Hanleyhas appointed Oakland, CA, Local192 President Claudia Hudsonto serve as an ATU internationalrepresentative. Hudson, who washired as a bus operator for AC Transitin 1979, says that she has alwaysbeen a “fighter for justice” who hasnever hesitated to speak out aboutany matter that concerned her.She made that quite clear shortlyafter joining the local when she askeda question about a proposed contractand got an answer that didn’t matchthe actual language she was holdingin her hand. “That’s not what it sayshere!” she insisted, and she decidedthen and there to go to union meetingsand find out what was really going on.OutspokenHer outspokenness caught theattention of fellow members whoasked her to run for shop steward fortheir garage in 1989. She was electedand served two terms in that office.In 1992, the local president put heron the local’s negotiating committeewhere she gained valuable experienceat the bargaining table.In 1996, then-Local 192 PresidentChristine Zook, asked Hudson tojoin her ticket as a candidate for localvice president. Hudson served as vicepresident for nine years.Hudson was elected president ofthe local in January 2009. Duringher term as president she struggledwith AC Transit which imposed acontract on her local that wouldhave effectively stripped the membersof their bargaining rights and bustthe union.But, in typical style Hudsonsued and won every decision up toand including the appellate court,overturning the imposed contract.An arbitrator finally crafted anagreement that imposed some wageconcessions on the local, but whichfully preserved their collectivebargaining rights.Putting the ‘U’ Back in UnionWhen asked what she’s lookingforward to, Hudson enthusiasticallyresponds, “I am literally lookingforward to putting the ‘U’ back inUnion.” Too many union members,she explains, let their officers do allthe work even though the membersshould be “our army.”Hudson believes that if moremembers were active they would bebetter informed, and that the labormovement would be “way ahead” ofwhere it is today.For herself, Hudson, who grew uppoor and had two children by thetime she was 21, is grateful that theATU gave her the opportunity to raiseher children and “afford them theopportunities” she didn’t have.She also believes that the Unionallowed her to have a “voice” and thatit protected that voice, which she says,“gave me even greater strength.”She is looking forward to herwork as international representative.“Anything I’m asked to do, I’m willingto do,” she declares. Hearing her,there is no doubt that this outspokenwoman means what she says.Hanley AppointsInternational Rep fromBoston Carmen’s UnionInternational President Larry Hanleyhas appointed the former presidentof Local 589 (the Boston Carmen’sUnion) Stephan MacDougall asan international representative.Having started his career at theage of 24 as a bus operator anda streetcar “motorperson” for theMassachusetts Bay Transit Authorityin 1986, MacDougall realized that heenjoyed the job which he saw as apublic service.MacDougall’s involvement in theCarmen’s Union stepped up in the1990’s, when the MBTA attemptedto privatize the system. He became awilling soldier in the many battles thelocal fought in its successful campaignto protect and preserve public transitin Boston.18 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

Stephan MacDougall at the2010 International ConventionIn 1995, MacDougall was electedbarn captain (shop steward). Threeyears later he was elected vicepresident and served as a full timeunion officer in that capacity for thenext three years.In 2001, MacDougall was electedpresident of the Carmen’s Union. Hewas re-elected for two more threeyearterms.‘Called’ to the WorkLike most local presidents,MacDougall faced many challengesduring his nine-years at the wheel ofthe local. Many of his battles, he says,were fought over pensions, health care,and changing technology.And when he’s asked why wouldanybody want a to be a unionpresident in a tough town like Boston,or an international rep for that matter,he says he thinks that, like people inother vocations, local officers arewilling to endure lots of criticism fromall sides because they feel “called” todo the work.‘Ask not…’In spite of all of the former localpresident’s accomplishments, he maybe best remembered by ATU localofficers for the remarkable speechhe delivered in his classic Bostonaccent from the floor of the 2004International Convention duringwhich he quoted much of John F.Kennedy’s inaugural address verbatim.A Real CareerFor MacDougall, ATU membershiphas meant economic security in anoccupation in which he has been ableto have a real career. It has also allowedhim to have sick leave, vacation time,and other benefits which have givenhim and his family a better qualityof-life.And all of this, he remindsyou, is made possible by a collectivebargaining agreement.This is the message he’ll bringto his work as an internationalrepresentative, and maybe, if you’relucky, he’ll let you hear some of thatKennedy speech.MacDougall currently lives inBrookline, MA, with his wife Mai,their nine-year-old twin boys,Matthew and Michael, and six-yearoldStephan, Jr.WHAT’S HAPPENING?There’s a big wide world out there, and it’s tough to keep up with all theevents which can affect your profession and your livelihood. One of the easiestways to stay informed is to go to your union’s website: www.atu.org. Thereyou’ll find the latest news about the ATU, mass transit, and Labor which willput you ahead of the curve in your knowledge of the issues which are mostimportant to you, your family, and your co-workers.Don’t stay in the dark! Find out what’s going on.Check in with www.atu.org, often.IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 19

CINCINNATI METRO WORKERS FIGHT FORREJECTED FACT-FINDER’S AGREEMENTMembers of Local 627-Cincinnati, OH, are fightingto get the Southwest Ohio Regional TransitAuthority (SORTA) to accept a fact-finder’s report thatwould increase their wages and limit hikes in their heathinsurance premiums. But, SORTA says the fact-finder’splan costs too much.Local President Mark Bennett counters that the factfinder’srecommendation “costs too much” because citycouncil politicians recently took $2.4 million from theirdedicated transit fund, and used it for other purposes.SORTA responded by creating the usual panic in thepress – claiming that Metro would be forced to eliminateSunday service, cut Saturday service by 38%, and layoff44 drivers and 13 mechanics to pay for the fact-finder’scontract. Bennett challenges the agency’s assumptions,and asks why, in a period of fiscal austerity, Metro hasemployed eight new managers, and plans to hire 10 more.Health CareNo one denies that health care is a big part of theproblem. But, Local 627 has already saved the agency27% in premiums by switching to an HSA plan this year.Nevertheless, the agency still wants workers to pay $234more per month for family coverage.Planning for coalition activities in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati got underway at international headquarters in Washington, DC, onFebruary 7. Sitting around the table from back left are Cincinnati Local 627 activist Tyrone Patrick, Field Representative Marvin Bing,Assistant to the Director of Training and Field Mobilization Cassady Fendlay, Pittsburgh Local 85 President Pat McMahon,International President Larry Hanley, Local 85 Steward Bryon Shane; Local 85 Recording Secretary Mike Harms, InternationalExecutive Vice President Bob Baker, Cincinnati Local 627 activist April Cruse, Director of Training & Field Mobilization Chris Zook,Cincinnati Local 627 President Mark Bennett, Director of Government Affairs Jeff Rosenberg (back to camera), and (not pictured)International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens.20 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

Union Songstress Ann Feeney,Supported 1990 Greyhound Strikers,Fights Cancer, Needs Helpby Karen Newman, former president of Local 398-Boise, ID. She currently works for theTransportation Learning Center in Silver Spring, MD.Union members have all heardfired-up speeches about havingunionism in their veins. Anne Feeney,also known as “the Union Maid,”really does. Her grandfather WilliamPatrick Feeney started working inthe Pennsylvania coal mines as a 14year-old Irish immigrant late in the1800s. As an adult, he became anaccomplished violin player, a miner,and union organizer.Anne has carried on her grandfather’stradition. As a labor folksinger on thefrontlines of labor disputes in 42 states,Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Swedenand Denmark, she has been a lifelongadvocate of labor culture.“CEO Fred Currey makes600 grand a year.Now he’s crying poverty,but one thing sure is clear.He’s out to bust our union,but that can never be.Now’s the time for us toshow some solidarity!”She is an accomplished performerand award-winning songwriter.Several of her classic labor anthemshave been recorded by well-knownartists including the legendary Peter,Paul, and MaryGood News/Bad NewsRecent good news came from heroncologist; Anne is cancer-free – fornow. If she stays that way for twoyears, there is a good chance that shewill live out her normal life span.The bad news, she will not be able towork during that time. The chemotherapyand radiation treatments, as well as aseries of related complications, haveleft this union maid weak and short ofbreath for the indefinite future.Raised Money for ATUGreyhound StrikersWhen asked if she had ever beeninvolved with any ATU struggles, Annelaughed, and recounted a memoryfrom the 1990 Greyhound strike. Sheremembers driving her old stationwagon along a narrow, winding, stretchof the Pennsylvania Turnpike.“I was quickly approaching aheavily loaded coal truck driving 30MPH with emergency flashers in theright lane,” she said, “when I saw aGreyhound bus with a scab driverin my rearview mirror. I pulled intothe left lane and slowed down to 30MPH too. And I stayed there fornearly forty miles.”She also supported the strike ona professional level, organizing afundraising concert for the strikingdrivers, and writing a song for the strike:‘Sidelined’Last summer Anne’s hectic tourschedule came to a sudden halt whenher newsletter announced, “On August10, 2010, I was diagnosed with smallcell lung cancer. I have a 20% chanceof surviving this.“In the meantime, I’m sidelined athome and unable to work. I’ve gotsome health insurance, so many of mymedical expenses are covered. Still, ifyou’re in a position to send some $$my way, I could sure use it. It’s scarybeing out of work.”Folks from around the world whohave been touched by her talent andgenerosity have responded. “It is sogratifying to see my life’s work validatedby the generosity of so many people.I have received thousands of cards,emails, and phone calls...,” she says.Ann Feeney, seen here with Peter, Pauland Mary’s Peter Yarrow, will be missedon the picket line for a while as sherecovers from cancer.During the past four decades Annehas raised hundreds of thousands ofdollars for locked out and strikingworkers. One thing she has neverraised funds for is her own sick leaveor healthcare. If you’re able to helpthere are three options:ny Send a check directly to:Anne Feeney, 2240 Milligan Ave.Pittsburgh, PA 15218ny Visit her website and donatevia Pay Pal at:www.annefeeney.com/ny Buy her CDs at:www.cdbaby.com/cd/annefeeneyIN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 21

SOLIDARITY SUSTAINS MEMBERSDURING ST. JOHN’S STRIKEtransit agencies during strikes: “We’renot being greedy or selfish - we’re justtrying to continue to hang on to whatwe have. We want to get back on theroad. As far as I’m concerned, the lastoffer we gave them was a fair offer.”Finally, the negotiators came to anagreement which was ratified by St.John’s members on January 27. Nodetails of the agreement were availableat press time.Members of Local 1462 in St. John’s, NL, take their case to the streets.The members of Local 1462ratified a new contract with thecity of St. John’s, NL, January 27,ending a three-month strike.About 100 ATU Metrobus workerswent on strike November 4, 2010,over the city’s demand that newemployees pay half of the cost of theirbenefit package – dramatically morethan current workers pay.“We had very strong membershipsupport.” said Local President PaulChurchill. “97% voted to go onstrike and stuck with it for almost 13weeks.”“Solidarity,” he declared, “was thevictor” in this strike.War of WordsThe war of words continued overseveral weeks as the transit commissionremained inflexible in the face of newproposals from the ATU.One of the reasons for the city’sintransigence was a $5 million deficitwhich it was facing in 2011. Churchillconfronted that issue directly insisting,“…the $5 million, they can’t settle thaton the backs of 100 people.”The strike dragged on throughDecember, and as the holidaysapproached, impatient commutersstarted holding demonstrations to putpressure on both sides to come to anagreement.The St. John’s strikers are just thelatest example of the courage andsolidarity that is so often shown whenour members are involved in strikesor job actions. Their example is aninspiration to the entire Union.Students marched to the Metrobus picketline in St. John’s on November 12, 2010.Many of them held placards calling formore funding for the city-owned service.Reacting to the public discussionof his members’ work benefits duringthe strike, Churchill, on December 9,challenged transit managers to revealtheir own.“I’d like for them to put in publictheir benefit package at this time,”Churchill said, “They got no problemstalking about ours.”Hopes were dashed just beforeChristmas when a new round of talksmoderated by a conciliator broke offwith no agreement. ATU continued tooffer new proposals which the transitcommission refused to take seriously.As the strike entered its 11 th weekChurchill publicly addressed acommon criticism hurled at unions byJoe Gibbons/The TelegramStriking Metrobus Transit employee TrevorKennedy stokes the fire barrel on the picketline at Metrobus.22 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

ACTIONS OF THE GENERAL EXECUTIVE BOARDGEB Takes Key Steps to AddressTransit Crisis, Support LocalsAt the December special meetingof the ATU General ExecutiveBoard, the GEB, after full discussionand debate, took action to strengthenour locals, protect our Union andmost significantly broaden supportfor transit in the cities in which welive and work.Motions were approved to:1. Develop strong communitybasedcoalitions uniting ourlocals and members with ourriders, community-based transitadvocates, faith-based supportersand other labor allies to protectservices, oppose layoffs, stopdestructive privatization andcontracting-out, and fight forincreased transit funding.2. Implement special fundingmeasures at the internationaland local level to support theseactivities by:• Returning and matching100% of a local’s ATU-COPE dollars raised in2011 above its 2010 levels(while continuing the policyof returning up to 50%in COPE funds for stateand local races) to supportenhanced coalition buildingand community-basedcampaigns.• Providing staff support,training, communications,contacts, research, polling,membership outreachassistance and other technicalassistance to advance theCOPE fundraising and theformation and expansion ofcommunity coalitions.3. To strengthen our locals’ abilityto respond to funding cuts,privatization threats, job loss,and to enhance our organizing,political and legislative goals weare moving to:• Redirect resources toaggressively pursue communitybasedcampaigns withadvocates and activists whoshare our goals.• Establish a new Departmentof Field Mobilization Trainingprogram and work directly withlocal unions (in coordinationwith the ATU’s Departmentof Strategic Campaigns andResearch) to strengthenlocal organizing, legislativeand political activities andcommunity support.• Roll out an aggressivecommunications programto get our message – “theATU story” – out, and toreseat and reposition ourUnion’s image in the mediaas a fighter for better, safer,and more secure services,improved mobility andaccess for low wage workers,seniors, the disabled, andas advocates for good jobs,employment training and theenvironment.• Provide advanced trainingon coalition building andleadership as part of ourinternational and regionaleducation programs in bothCanada and the UnitedStates, and throughour constituency groupconferences – the Latino,Black, and Women’scaucuses.• Ensure greater accountabilityand reporting by our officersand staff.• Eliminate wasteful,unnecessary and ineffectivespending.IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 23

LEGISLATIVE REPORTgetting hitfrom all sides“If they want to strike, they should befired,” he said. “I really don’t favor theright to strike by any public employee.They’ve got good jobs, they’ve gothigh pay; they get good benefits,a great retirement. What are theystriking for?”— Ohio Governor John KasichThe 2011 legislative session hasbegun in most states, and it didnot take long for the hammer to bedropped on organized labor. Newgovernors and state legislators, usingthe endless recession as an excuse, aretargeting public employees’ rights andbenefits like never before.Gutting Long-StandingLabor LawsThe new Republican governor ofOhio, John Kasich, wasted no time.“If they want to strike, they shouldbe fired,” he said. “I really don’t favorthe right to strike by any publicemployee. They’ve got good jobs,they’ve got high pay, they get goodbenefits, a great retirement. Whatare they striking for?” Nearby, thenew governor of Wisconsin recentlyraised the prospect of guttingcollective-bargaining laws or evendecertifying public-sector unions.So-called right to work legislation iscirculating in almost every state. Thesebills weaken unions and collectivebargaining by allowing workers topay nothing and get all the benefitsof union membership. Right to worklaws say unions must represent alleligible employees, whether they paydues or not. This forces unions to usetheir time and members’ dues moneyto provide union benefits to free riderswho are not willing to pay their fairshare. Other states are considering“paycheck protection” bills, prohibitingpublic employees from having apayroll deduction to a political actioncommittee or for dues for membershiporganizations that use funds forpolitical activities.24 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

While it is not uncommon to seehundreds of bills introduced across thestates to weaken unions and workers’rights, the 2010 elections opened thedoor to the real possibility of some ofthese bills becoming law. Many states,such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania,and Wisconsin are now overwhelminglycontrolled by conservative electedofficials in both the governor’s mansionas well as the statehouse. Even workersin union-dense Michigan are feelingthe heat.Keep Your Hand on Your WalletPublic employee pensions are beingtargeted everywhere. Even in stateswhere unions have historically beenstrong – like California, New York,and New Jersey – liberal politicalleaders are demanding concessions,threatening to take away rights andbenefits that workers have spenta lifetime working toward. RahmEmanuel, the winning Democraticcandidate for Mayor of Chicago,has told labor leaders that he favorsreducing pension benefits for the city’sexisting work force and not just fornew hires. Governor Andrew Cuomo,D-NY, is reportedly consideringreducing the state workforce by upto 15,000 workers in his budget, thelargest cut to the government payrollin recent years. Business and real estateexecutives intend to raise $10 millionin the coming weeks in support ofthe new governor’s coming battlewith unions over wages and pensions.Remarkably, the business leaders havefound an ally from organized labor –the Building and Construction TradesCouncil of Greater New York. So yes,we are getting hit from all sides.Bankrupt States?The new governors are alsoattempting to come up with a newweapon on the pension issue that isfrightening to say the least. Some areworking behind the scenes to find away to let states declare bankruptcyto get out from under crushing debts,including the pensions they havepromised to retired public workers.It is “all hands on deck” time acrossAmerica for working families. Areyou ready to fight for what you andyour predecessors have earned? If so,contact your local union leadershiptoday and see how you can help yourstate AFL-CIO federation convinceelected officials that while statescertainly have financial issues, publicemployees and their benefits were notthe cause.BOB BAKER, INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTContinued from page 4What was the real cost of this striketo this small city and who’s makingthe decisions?Whether the decisions are madein Washington DC, for 300 millionpeople, or in St. Johns, NL, for severalhundred thousand, there shouldbe someone in government whoappreciates the contributions ATUmembers make to their communityand who understands the mobilityneeds of our nations.It’s a good thing ATU membershave the vision and the guts to standup for the passengers and the futureof mass transit. Now we have to getthe politicians to stand up with us.By the way, the folks at the St.John’s local wanted me to express theirgratitude for all of the expressionsof support that were sent to themduring their strike. They were greatlyappreciated.Also, I’d like to take this opportunityto note the passing of my life-longfriend, Jerry Parker, 627-Cincinnati,OH, who left us in January. Jerrywas employed by the transit authorityafter he lost his railroad job years ago.He was a hard worker who never lostsight of how important his union wasin providing job security and protectinghis wages and benefits.Teresa and I offer our sincerecondolences to Jerry’s wife, Shirley, andhis children Gary and Heather.IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 25

Transit and Smart GrowthGood for Union Members (and Everyone Else!)by Greg LeRoyMost union members understandWal-Mart threatens thelivelihoods of Food & CommercialWorkers. Some would say that bigboxretail and suburban sprawl arebad for transit workers and ridersbecause they take jobs far away fromtransit routes.But the truth is, suburban sprawlis bad news for union members,across the board. If you map unionjobs, you will see that as jobs thinout, they deunionize. And when jobssprawl out, the loss of tax base hurtsneighborhoods where most unionmembers live.What is sprawl? It’s the oppositeof transit: it forces everyone to doeverything by car. It means lowdensity and a lack of mixed use(for example, no apartments abovestores). It means job growth in newersuburbs but job loss in inner citiesand older suburbs.Forcing people to drive everywheremeans more traffic congestion andair pollution and the rapid loss offarms and open space. It bleeds theurban tax base for infrastructureand services, including transit.Since many suburbs lack affordablehousing and many new jobs arefar beyond transit, sprawl trapsurban workers with unemploymentand poverty.The Solution? Smart Growth!It doesn’t have to be this way. Sprawlis caused by public policies that can26 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

e reversed, and a large, diverse movement for smart growth hastaken root. Groups like Smart Growth America and Transportationfor America include hundreds of environmental, pro-transit,bicyclist, pedestrian, senior citizen, public health, and pro-citygroups. More recently, dozens of civil rights, environmental justiceand minority development groups have also joined.The need for good public transportation unites all of thesegroups. Environmentalists want commuters to have transportationchoice because getting people out of their cars is the onlyway U.S. tailpipe emissions will ever decline. Groups like theAARP want seniors to be able to age in place with safe mobilityoptions like walking and transit. The American Public HealthAssociation cites studies linking sprawl to obesity and diabetesand says Americans should use cars less. National security expertssay the United States is far too dependent on imported oil. Antipovertyadvocates say families who can’t afford to own a car—disproportionately people of color—can only compete for jobsif transit links them to job sites.Urban Density: Good for Union DensityOrganized labor shares a self-interest in smart growth. In 2000in Chicago and in 2004 in Philadelphia, Good Jobs First mappedthe geography of major unionized industries. In both cases,we found that as jobs thin out—in groceries, manufacturing,health care, hospitality, and building services—the rate ofunionization declines, often sharply. Interviews with public-sectorand Building Trades leaders revealed similar patterns.We also found that sprawl harms union members ashomeowners, undermining the tax base and schools of older areaswhere most union members live. Finally, we showed the antiworkingfamilies voting records of suburban elected officials, andhow they gain more seats every 10 years as sprawl marches on.In 2001, the national AFL-CIO passed a convention resolutiondenouncing sprawl.By strengthening transit, we create good union jobs. We bringjobs back to downtowns where hotels and janitorial jobs areunionized. We strengthen unionized hospitals and factories.We clean up brownfields and create more work for the BuildingTrades and the factory workers who build transit vehicles. Westrengthen the tax base for schools, transit and other public services.Transit benefits the environment, public health, seniors,national security and working families. As advocates for transit,ATU members are truly coalition-building for the angels.Local President toBe Honored as DC’sOutstanding TradeUnionist of 2010The AFL-CIO Metro (DC)Washington Council will honorLocal 689 President JackieJeter, as the 2010 JC TurnerOutstanding Trade Unionist ofthe Year at this year’s “Eveningwith Labor,” on March 12. “Inaddition to visibly and vocallyleading her own local unionduring very tough times,” saysMetro Council President JoshWilliams, “Jackie’s been a strongsupporter of the political,legislative and communityservices activities of the MetroWashington Council andCommunity Services Agency,supporting all of the CSAfundraisers as well as theEmergency Assistance Fund.”Greg LeRoy directs Good Jobs FirstLearn more at www.goodjobsfirst.org/smart-growth-working-familiesIN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 27

Report Shows Health Care Law MeansBig Savingsto FamiliesBy 2014, the new health carereform law will mean thousandsof dollars in health insurancepremium savings and out-of-pockethealth care costs for working familiesand small businesses, finds a newreport from the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services (HHS).Higher Premiums, Fewer ChoicesWithout Health Care LawSays HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:“For too long, skyrocketing healthcare costs have made it hard forbusinesses to provide coverage foremployees and have made it difficultfor families to afford coverage….The report shows that the healthcare law will bring major savings forfamilies as it begins to take shape.Without the Affordable Care Act,consumers and businesses would facehigher premiums, fewer insurancechoices, and rapidly rising healthcare costs.”From 1999 to 2009, premiumsmore than doubled, rising by morethan $7,500 for the average familythat gets insurance through anemployer. The high cost of healthcare made it difficult for many smallbusinesses to offer insurance to theirworkers. The percentage of smallemployers offering health insurancedropped from 65 percent to 59percent between 1999 and 2009.Middle-Class Families CouldSave $2,300 per YearThe report finds that, compared to whatthey would have paid without the law:Middle-class families purchasingprivate insurance in the new statebasedHealth Insurance Exchangescould save as much as $2,300 peryear in 2014.Tax credits provided by theAffordable Care Act will lead toeven greater savings. For example,in 2014, a family of four with anincome of $33,525 could save asmuch as $14,900 per year since theyalso will qualify for tax credits andreduced cost sharing.In 2014, small businesses, onaverage, could save up to $350 perfamily policy and many may beeligible for tax credits of up to 50percent of their premiums.The tax credits are already availableto small businesses and cover 35percent of their premiums. Forexample, a firm with 10 workerswho earn an average of $20,000annually could currently receivecredits of $35,000 annually. Thesetax credits could save small businesses$6 billion in 2010 and 2011.All businesses will likely see lowerpremiums of $2,000 per family by2019, which could generate millionsof dollars in savings.Families, Small Businesses HardHit Without LawCongressional and state Republicanlawmakers have vowed to repealthe Affordable Care Act. Earlier thismonth, the new House majoritypassed a repeal bill and several statesattorneys general have filed suitsagainst the new health care reformlaw. If those attempts are successful,Sebelius says, families and smallbusiness owners will be hard hit in thepocketbook by higher premiums andother health care costs.To read the full report go to:http://www.healthcare.gov/center/reports/premiums01282011a.pdf28 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

100 YEARS AGOAmalgamated Not an “Institutionthat Can Stand Still”The following was written by W.D. Mahon, the first international president of theATU, and published in the January 1911 Motorman & Conductor (precursor tothe In Transit):With December 31, 1910, thereterminates a year in the lifeof the street and electric railwayemployes’ association that takes itsplace among the most progressive ofher years of existence. Without fearof serious criticism, some may referto 1910 as the year of the greatestprogress.However, that may be, it must beremembered that the organizationis one that must progress or developto maintain. It is not an institutionthat can stand still. Constantprogressive energy must be applied,and every previous year has been, inits turn, equally important in a wayin building a foundation upon whichthe gratifying history of 1910 hasbeen built.Without its previous well fortifiedposition and without its magnitudeand power and its well devised policieson January 1, 1910, the history forthe year might otherwise be writtenand not so glow as a special tribute tothe officers and members who havetaken part in the year’s events.The prime incentive that led tothe institution of the street andelectric railway employe’s associationwas the hope of progress inspiredby a confidence in unity of effort.Improved wages and workingconditions and an advanced standardof employment is what organizationholds out as an appeal for existence…Whether the year 1910 comprisesa period of greater or less progressthan any other year in the history ofthe organization or not, it abounds inmany and most brilliant illustrationsof the good that the movementhas brought to the members and ofits advantage in an industrial wayand socially.No one will contradict that aman is worth more to himself, tohis family and to the commercialinterests of the community in whichhe lives when he received 25 centsper hour for his work than when hereceives a less rate of wage. Thus, noone will take issue with the assertionthat improvement comes with andan advantage lies in the elevationof the wage standard and that theimprovement and advantage is farreaching.And, later in that same issue, Mahonwrote:The Morning Press of the countryon December 21 st almost went into aconniption fit over what they termedthe “foolish action” of the MilwaukeeCity Council. So important did thisaction seem that they gave it noticeon the front page with glaringheadlines: “Socialists pass a worthlesslaw.” Then they went on to tellhow the Socialist City Council ofMilwaukee had passed a “silly andunconstitutional” measure allowingthe washerwomen of that city touse city water free of charge, andthey characterized it as an absolutelyunconstitutional law…If it had been the Congress of theGeneral Government passing an actto indemnify the Pacific or someother railroad company to financeand build a railroad, it would havebeen considered strictly legal.If it had been Congress passing aship subsidy bill to indemnify theship building and transportationbarons of the country, that wouldhave been worthy, and strictly lawful.Had it been some city councilgranting free taxes and free water tosome great manufacturing plant inorder that they could get into themunicipality and extort from Labor,that would have been perfectlyconstitutional…But when it comes to relieving thepoor and distressed washerwomenwho have to struggle and labor earlyand late in order to support andfeed a houseful of hungry orphanchildren, it is a silly and foolish actand absolutely “unconstitutional.”In my opinion the Milwaukee CityCouncil is to be congratulated…In the name of humanity, will thetime ever come when the intelligentpeople and the supposed intelligentpress of the country will wake upand set aside that old musty and sillynotion of constitutionality when itcomes to the doing of that which isright and for improving and betteringthe conditions of people?”IN TRANSIT | Jan/Feb 2011 29

In MemoriamDeath Benefits Awarded November 1, 2010 - December 31, 20101 - MEMBERS AT LARGEDONALD R BILLLEONA M ELLISLEVERNE E ERICKSONJAMES H TANNER26 - DETROIT, MIRICHARD A GARDZINSKI85 - PITTSBURGH, PAMARY E HESTERWILLIAM H JOHNSTONEDWARD A KELLERWILLIAM E LINDCARL MARTINELLIJOHN T O’CONNORGEORGE J OGILVIEBRUCE T WHITNER107 - HAMILTON, ONWILLIAM REID113 - TORONTO, ONGEORGE ALLENJOSEPH BARKERBENJAMIN J BOOTHBERTRAM C CHAMBERLAINHAROLD CUTCHEONJOHN FERRIERRAYMOND GRIFFINDIETER P GUSEALBERT JOSEPH HOWARDHAROLD WILLIAM JACKHOWARD J KITCHENWILLIAM MC GUIGANKEITH A NEILSONCHARLIE EDMUND NORTHMICHAEL S OAKLEYJOHN ROBINSONCARL CECIL WELCHLEONARD F WOOLLACOTT241 - CHICAGO, ILWILLIE F BURTONDONALD E CRANDALLIRA L DAVISJOHN W DOYLE JRDENNIS DUNAJRAY D HARDINEDWARD R JOLLEYKENNETH D MC DONALDLAUDELIANO PENAJOSEPH V PERNICEANGEL RAMIREZEDDIE M RANDALL JRWILLIAM SMITHROSIE L STARKSALFRED H TAYLOR265 - SAN JOSE, CAEDDIE R APOSTOLJOHN C ESCOBARGEORGE T SMITH268 - CLEVELAND, OHHAROLD ALBERT ROTH279 - OTTAWA, ONJOHN R BARRIEWILFRID ST AUBIN282 - ROCHESTER, NYISAIAH BLANDINGFRANKLIN I QUINE308 - CHICAGO, ILROBERT L BROWNWILLARD DOUGLASWILLIAM G JONESALBERT C MC GARYCHESTER S PODUMISROBERT P POTRZEBAVERNON LEE ROBINSON448 - SPRINGFIELD, MAARIS D MACK508 - HALIFAX, NSJOANNE KYLE519 - LA CROSSE, WILA VERNE F STANKEY583 - CALGARY, ABABRAHAM C TENBRINKLESLIE YOUNG587 - SEATTLE, WARALPH M ESKENAZIGLEN E HENDERSONLORI E MC INNISRANDY A STEVENSONRAYMOND A WAUTLET588 - REGINA, SKFLO SMITH589 - BOSTON, MAANTHONY J DONAHUEROBERT F DOUCETTESALEEM HAMWEYSTEVEN R KELLYVINCENT F MC ADAMJOSEPH A MC CONNONTHOMAS J MEADEPRICILLA M NEWTONEDWARD D PECCE689 - WASHINGTON, DCALBERT DUBOSEDAVID D GALEJEAN INNOCENTBURTON W LEWIS JRWARREN H REDDISHNORMAN D SIMMSDAVID A SPRIGGS697 - TOLEDO, OHDAVID J FARRELLBOBBY L LUCAS713 - MEMPHIS, TNWILLIE T HOLLIMANJAMES T WEBB725 - BIRMINGHAM, ALVERLON DELNOR WHITE726 - STATEN ISLAND, NYTHOMAS D CAMPBELLJOHN O’BRIENSTEPHEN SPANO732 - ATLANTA, GAEDWARD J JUDGEJOSEPH D MAPLES741 - LONDON, ONRICHARD ROSS MARTINDOUGLAS C WISEMAN757 - PORTLAND, ORGARY C HOWETERRENCE G LE DOUXFRASER A OSTELLMARY J PETERSENBOBBY L SCARBOROUGHGLENN R SIEFKERWALTER T STORMSTERRY D THADENRICHARD E TURNAGE758 - TACOMA, WACAROL A BRIGGINS788 - ST. LOUIS, MOAMBROSE BOMMARITOJOHNNY J ENNISALAN H FINKLESTEINMARY F MC FARLANDDALE R NOWACKAUDREY J WOMACK819 - NEWARK, NJJOHN DANIELSVIRGINIA HENCOSKIJESTINE LUCASFRANKLIN W VAN NESSANTHONY VERDERAME824 - NEW BRUNSWICK, NJTIMOTHY M GRACZYKJOSEPH POULAS825 - ORADELL, NJGEORGE AXBERGVIRGINIA JONES878 - EVANSVILLE, INDANNY FELLER880 - CAMDEN, NJJOSEPH HAGERTHOMAS ROWAN998 - MILWAUKEE, WILARRY LUKITSCHALBERT PERRYCHARLES F PHILBERT1005 - MINNEAPOLIS& ST. PAUL, MNJASON DERODONALD E HANSENLE ROY R OLSON1015 - SPOKANE, WACHARLES D LAIRDRODNEY WAYNE MORGANJOSEPH A PERLONGO1179 - NEW YORK, NYJOHN SANTERAMO1181 - NEW YORK, NYANGEL ALICEAWILLIAM E DONNENFELDMILDRED INGHILLERICHESTER H RECKHOWCARL TRIANO JR1195 - HARRISBURG, PAMARTIN C DELLINGER1225 - SAN FRANCISCO, CAJESSE JAMES MEADOWS1229 - ST JOHN, NBKENNETH RICHARD WHITE1277 - LOS ANGELES, CAROBERT LEE ASHFORD1287 - KANSAS CITY, MOWARREN D CRISMAN1300 - BALTIMORE, MDERNEST E BRAUCKHOFFJOHN H DURANTLESTER W JONESSTERLING O PALMERGEORGE RIEGEL1338 - DALLAS, TXWINFRED GRANT1342 - BUFFALO, NYEUGENIA E BEASER1395 - PENSACOLA, FLJOHNNIE PAIGE1505 - WINNIPEG, MBEDGAR ALBERT CHAZEMAX HORBAS1564 - DETROIT, MIZENON M KUPRASZEWICZ1572 - MISSISSAUGA, ONSTEWART T HOWSER1575 - SAN RAFAEL, CASTEWART HALBERSMA1576 - LYNNWOOD, WAJOHN P ELLIS1595 - PITTSBURGH, PALOUIS LEONZIO1700 - CHICAGO, ILFRED M HINESJOSEPH T LENZSHELBY E PARKER1704 - SAN BERNARDINO, CALAWRENCE KESTERSAM THURGOOD1738 - LATROBE, PAPETER A MC LAUGHLIN1764 - WASHINGTON, DCNORMAN H FRINK30 Jan/Feb 2011 | IN TRANSIT

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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.THE MESSAGE IS CLEARWE ARE ONE ATUNew International Officers Hold Special Meeting for all Canadian PresidentsInternational President Larry Hanleyand Executive Vice President BobBaker convened a meeting in Ottawa,ON, of all Canadian local presidents onJanuary 21 and 22, to discuss importantissues in Canada as well as the new agendain the ATU international office.This was a historic occasion and anopportunity to bring Canadian localstogether. The conference was joined byInternational President Emeritus JimLaSala who urged the local officers to sticktogether and face the coming battles fororganized labor as a united union.There were some local officers whohad concerns about Canadian Councilinternal governance issues. Those issueswere aired fully and addressed.Getting Our Message OutPrimary issues raised included makingthe ATU more effective in getting itsmessage out and establishing a “brand”throughout Canada so that it can organizemore members into the Union.Local officers voiced concerns aboutthe need for more training and IP Hanleystressed his intention to develop a morecoherent legislative program in Canada,including an annual legislative conferencefor Canadian local unions.André Cornellier RememberedThe conference was honored to be joinedby the family of late Ottawa Local 279President André Cornellier. During themeeting IPE Jim LaSala, a longtime closefriend of André presented his wife Lisette,and the Cornellier family with the manydonations received from ATU locals andofficers to ease their financial burden.In September, André had traveledto the International Convention inOrlando, FL, despite his terminal illness,and unfortunately had to be hospitalizedbefore the proceedings adjourned.An outpouring of support, both moraland financial came when newly-electedInternational President Hanley askedthe delegates for permission to assist intransporting André to a Canadian hospital.Many delegates rose to pledge funds.Hanley thanked André’s family, notonly for joining the ATU family at theconference but also for sharing him withus for so many years while he led Local 279.André Cornellier died on January 15.