October2012

Inside

News from Transport Workers Union Local 234                                                                        October 2012  

OntheMoveWHAT’SATSTAKEINTHISELECTION?JohnJohnson,Jr,PresidentTWULocal234

ThisNovemberwefaceastarkchoiceatthepolls.Republicans,ledbytheRomney‐Ryanticket,will,ifelected,seeknationalrighttoworklegislationandarollbackofcollectivebargaining.Medicare,Medicaidandotherprogramsareintheircrosshairs.Fundingfortransportation,includingmasstransit,wouldbefurtherslashed.Meanwhile,atthetopoftheiragendaaremoretaxbreaksforcorporationsandthesuperrichandfurtherderegulationtogiveWallStreetevenmorepower.

DivideandConquerTosellthistoxicbrewtoworkingpeople,Romneyhasresortedtotheoldesttacticintheirplaybook–divideandconquer.Codedappealstorace,asinRomney’sfalsechargesabouttheObamaadministrationsuspendingworkrequirementsforwelfareorhis“innocent”jokeaboutObama’sbirthcerti icate,areattheheartofhiscampaign.InPAandotherstatesRepublicanshavepassedvotersuppressionlegislationintheformofIDlawsaimedatdisenfranchisingminorityvoters,theelderlyandtheyoung.

Wehaveto ightbackagainsttheseattacksandweare.We’vejoinedwithMyRight,MyVote,formedavoterregistration/IDeducationcoalitionwiththeCWAandNAACPandparticipatedinWorkersVoicelaborwalksfromourunionhallwiththeAFL‐CIOandnumerousothergroups.We’vewalkedanddemonstratedwithgroupslikeFightforPhillytobringtolighttheRomney‐Ryaneconomic“disaster”planforAmericaandwithTWUmembersbothhereandfromaroundtheregion,stoodwithworkersattheWorkersStandforAmericarally.

Justaswearecommittedto ightingagainsttheviolationofourrightsbySEPTAmanagementwheneverandwhereveritoccursaroundtheproperty,wearecommittedto ightingfortherightsofworkingpeople,familiesandthe99%wheneverandwhereverwecan.

OntheMoveisnowproducedbi‐monthlyandmailedtoallmembers.Moreinformationisavailableonourwebsite:.www.twu234.org.We’realsoonFacebook,allpartofacommitmenttoawellinformedandengagedmembership.

Calltheof ice,(215)972‐4140,togetactiveinyourunion

LutherFindsNewDiggs

DeathMirrorsHavetoGo

MVWorkersVotetoJoinTWU

FightAgainstTransitViolence

TWU234PresidentJohnJohnsonatdemonstrationincentercity

Philadelphia“MyRight,MyVote”Coalitionandvoterregistrationdrive

 

 

 

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Top5ThingsYouNeedtoKnowThisElection

1) Makesureyourregistrationisuptodate–ifyou’vechangedyourname,haven’tvotedinlastfouryears;

2) Findoutwhereyourpollingplaceis–in2010manypollingplacesweremovedandbecauseanumberofvotersdidn’tknowwherethenewplacewas,theydidn’tvote.Findoutwhereyourpollingisgotowww.votespa.com andclickonFindOutNowunderWhereisMyPollingPlace?

3) Voteearly–makeitthestartofyourdaysothatifanythingunplannedhappensduringtheday,youwon’tbepreventedfromcastingyourballot

4) MakesureyouhaveavalidID–It’salwaysgoodtohaveavalidIDtovote.

5) Ifchallengedatthepollingplace,don’tgetmad‐gethelpandgetprepared–thereisajudgeofelectionsateachpollingplaceandpartoftheirjobistoensurethatelectionrulesarefollowed.Seekthemoutifyouhaveanyquestions,problemsorconcerns.ForhelpcontactthewatchdoggroupTheCommitteeofSeventyat(215)557‐3600

OnSaturdaySeptember15,2012,TWU234hostedthe irstoftwoWorkersVoicevoterregistrationwalksfromtheunionhall.ThePhiladelphiaCouncilof theAFL‐CIOsponsored thewalks,joinedbyareaunionsandactivistgroups.Nearly50peoplehitthestreets,knockingondoors,intheongoingefforttoregisternewvotersandeducatenewandcurrentvotersonthePAvoterID law. Even though the ID law was overturned, Local 234boostedtheregistrationofnewvoters.

Of icersandstaffreceivedtrainingonvoterregistrationbyNAACPDirectorofCivicEngagementJohnJordan.

TWULocal234alongwithAFL‐CIO,CommunicationsWorkersofAmerica,ACTIONUNITED,NAACPandFightForPhillyatrecentrallyagainsttheVoterIDlaw.

TWU/CWA/NAACP form a coali on to register new

voters and educate new and current voters.

 

 

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SecondBillofRightsOnAugust11,2012Local234leadacontingentofTWUmembersattheWorkersStandforAmericaRallyheldontheBenFranklinParkwayinPhiladelphia.TheRallyfocusedonaSecondBillofRights‐TheWorkersBillofRights(seeboxbelow).OrganizerssaidtheywouldrequirethatthosewhoseekthesupportofLaborbothsignontothebilland ightforthesebasicrights.

T S B R

TheRighttoFullEmploymentandaLivingWage

TheRighttoFullParticipationintheElectoralProcess

TheRighttoaVoiceatWork

TheRighttoaQualityEducation

TheRighttoaSecure,HealthyFuture

Formoreinformationgotowww.WorkersStandforAmerica.com

Clockwise:First ivesignersofthe2ndBillofRights–representingthe iverightsoutlinedinthebill;TWULocal100and234membersatrally;membersandfriendsgatheringatunionhallbeforerally;Local234marchinguptheparkwaytojointherally.

VictoryatMVTransportation:Local234WelcomesNewMembersOnMay4,2012,Paratransitdrivers,aidesandutilityworkersatMVTransitvotedoverwhelmingtoberepresentedbyLocal234.ManyoftheworkersareformeremployeesoftheEdensCorp.EdenslosttheircontractworkwithSEPTAinMay2011andshutdownoperationsinJuly2011.Local234forcedEdenstogiveseverancepayandallaccruedvacationandpersonaltimetothe168unionmemberslosingtheirjobs.

OnceLocal234learnedthatMVTransitinNortheastPhiladelphiawouldbehiringmanyoftheworkersandwererequiringthemtojointheUIU,thelocalswungintoaction.Local234 iledan

unfairlaborpracticechargewiththeNationalLaborRelationsBoard.

InnovativeOrganizingDrivePaysOff

Local234also iledarepresentationpetitionseekinganelectionthatwouldallowMVemployeestochoosewhowouldberepresentingthem.TheunionlaunchedanorganizingcampaignthatincludedapersonalmessagefromthePresident,phonecallstoeachMVemployeeandseveralhandouts.Ontheveryhotelectionday,thelocalhandedoutcoldbottlesofwaterwithVoteLocal234labels.Local234wasvictorious,97to76.Almost300workerscameundertheTWUumbrella.

TheUIUchallengedtheelectionresults.OnAugust16,2012,JudgeMichaelRosasdecidedthatMVshouldhavestoppedrecognizingtheUIUJuly29,2011,thatithaddeniednewhirestherighttochoosetheirrepresentativesandthatMVshouldreimburseall297employeesforapproximatelyoneyear’sworthofunionduesithadcollected.

The ightnowistowintheworkersanewcontract.Withthesameenergyshownintherepresentationight,Local234will ightlikehelltogainagoodcontractforMVtransitworkers.

New MV Sec on Officers, from le , Cheryl Bea y (Chairperson), Leon Tann (Vice‐Chairman) and Colleen Holloman (Recording Secretary) take their oath. 

President John Johnson Jr. addresses new MV Transit TWU members. 

 

 

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TheRoute234softballteamtraveledtoNewYorkandtookonanAllStarTWU100teamattheirMemberAppreciationDayfestivities.Despiteavalianteffortinthelast3inningsourteamlost27‐8(nope,notatypo).ThetwobusloadsofmembersenjoyedtheConeyIslandbeachandthehospitalityofourbrothersandsistersinNewYork.Wearehopingtomakeitahomeandhomeseries,so...nextyearinPhilly!

Local100PresidentJohnSamuelsonandLocal234PresidentJohnJohnsonJr.Join the Fun! 

 

 

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DeathMirrors:DangerousbyDesignSEPTAbusesareequippedwithRoscobrandmirrorsthathavealargerectangulardesign,measuring14½by10½inches.Theirsizecoupledwiththeirplacementonthebuscausesablindspot.Pedestriansareoftenfullyhiddenfromtheoperatorsview.Theresulthasbeenalargernumberofaccidentssincethesevehicleswereputinservice.SEPTAdeniesthereisablindspotbyusingtheterm“temporaryobstruction.”Operators,theycontend,caneliminateitby“rockingandrolling”and“bendingoverandrisingup”intheseattoseeover,aroundandunderthemirrorandbetweenthemirrorandthebusframe.Governmentagencies,includingPennDOT,USDOTandtheNTSB,allrecognizetheexistenceoftheblindspot.Instead,SEPTAhaschosentoblameanddischargeoperators.Theycaneasilyfollowtheleadofothertransitagenciesandeithermoveorreplacethemirrors.AtransitagencyinCanadarecentlypurchasedthesametypeofarticulatedbusesSEPTAcurrentlyhas.Insteadofthemirrorsboltednearthebaseofthewindow,theyhangdownfromthetop.Thisreducesoreliminatestheblindspot,especiallyinrelationtopedestrianswhoarenolongerfullyhiddenbehindthemirrors.

TWULocal234hasdemandedthatSEPTAfollowtheleadofothertransitagenciesandexperts.TheunionisfocusedonreducingthenumberofknockdownaccidentsThecostofmovingorreplacingthemirrorsislessthanthecostofafatalityoraworkerlosingtheirjob.Ourcontractsays“thesafetyofitsemployeesandtheridingpublicisofparamountimportancetothesuccessfulaccomplishmentofthemissionofprovidingtransitservicetothecitizensoftheregion.”SEPTAmanagementhasalegalandmoralobligationtogetridoftheDeathMirrors.

LutherGetsNewDiggsSEPTA Assistant General Manager of OperationsLutherDiggsleftSEPTAonJuly31,2012.TheysaidDiggs“isretiring”at61,butwesuspectthatLuthermayhavebeenhelpedout thedoorby JoeCasey’sbootonhisbackside.

Diggs may have becomeexpendable due to his inability“tomanage”Local234.Diggshadwell‐deserved reputation forbeing “a control freak” whoprized loyalty above all. Hesystematically installed “hispeople” as managers of thedepartments under his

command. One of those departments is laborrelations.Butunderhistighthand,ithasnotbeenagood year for SEPTA’s labor relations of ice. Local234 has taken several initiatives that have givenSEPTAablackeye.

1.Facedwithanepidemicofassaultsonoperators,Diggs responded with sensitivity training foroperators, failing to address the real cause ofassaults and ight for stringent penalties againstthosewhoassaultus.

2.TheRoscomirrorsontheNewFlyerbusesplayamajor role in a growing number of pedestrianknockdowns.OnceagainDiggschosetoblameandireoperatorsinsteadofworkingforrealsolutions.

3. The M‐4 trucks debacle was anotherembarrassment.SEPTAtriedtosub‐contractrepairworkonthetrucks,sendingtheworktoaplant inPlattsburgh. By iling an injunction Local 234wasabletopreventSEPTAfromremovingjobsfromourarea in themiddleof aneconomicdepression andusingmuch‐neededfederalfundingtodoit.

SEPTAwilldenythatDiggs’laborrelationsfailureshadanythingtodowithhis“retirement.”Butweknowthat,thankstotheeffortsofLocal234,hispolicieswereexposedfortheharmanddamagetheydid.

MeetTWUmemberMicheleFletcherAfterstartingasabusoperatoratSouthern,MicheletransferredtoMCD,workingat69thStreet.Quicklyrealizingthatthebuswasnotforher,Micheleishappydoingajobthatgiveshertheworkhourssheneedstospendthetimewithherfamilythatshewants.

Roscoemirrorblindspotobstructsviewofperson.

TWU UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!

 

 

On the Move         Voice of TWU Local 234 500 N. 2nd St. Philadelphia, 19123 

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Finding Solu ons . . . Together! TWU Local 234 President John Johnson Jr is visi ng each transporta on loca on around the system over the coming weeks, holding Town Hall Mee ngs with operators to talk about and hear our sugges ons and ideas about what we need to feel and be safe while opera ng SEPTA’s buses, trolleys and trains. (A special Town Hall Mee ng will be held at the Union Hall for cashiers.)  

One Ques on! One Agenda! Think about what it is you need to help you. One of the commitments of the leadership of Local 234 is to include everyone in the solu ons  ‐ not just what the union hall can do for us, but what we can do together.  

Our Safety . . . What It Takes, What We Want! 

TWU United‐Invincible 

www.twu234.org