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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION|AFL-CIO/CLC NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 ATU FIGHTS TO KEEP TRANSIT PUBLIC IN ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS LAWRENCE J. HANLEY International President JAVIER M. PEREZ, JR. International Executive Vice President NEWSBRIEFS OSCAR OWENS International Secretary-Treasurer Wrong to make NJ commuters pay for Gateway Tunnel Businesses not NJ Transit commuters should shoulder the tax INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS burden to pay for the new Gateway Tunnel – a rail tunnel under RICHARD M. MURPHY the Hudson River to link NYC and New Jersey - that is critical to Newburyport, MA – [email protected] national security and economic vitality of the region. “As Governor JANIS M. BORCHARDT Christie is leaving office, he is taking one more shot at NJ Transit Madison, WI – [email protected] commuters with another round of huge fare increases to pay for PAUL BOWEN Canton, MI – [email protected] the tunnel,” says Chair of the ATU NJ State Council Ray Greaves. KENNETH R. KIRK NJ commuters already pay the highest fares in the country and Lancaster, TX – [email protected] have already had two fare increases since 2010. “We call on the governor and legislators to MARCELLUS BARNES find a way to tax the businesses who will reap the rewards of a new tunnel,” says International Flossmore, IL – [email protected] President Larry Hanley. RAY RIVERA Lilburn, GA – [email protected] YVETTE TRUJILLO Staying safe on the job in winter weather Thornton, CO – [email protected] Winter is in high gear with snow and cold temperatures in GARY JOHNSON, SR. many areas across North America. Many members are facing Cleveland, OH – [email protected] dangerous cold conditions on the job. ATU International has ROBIN WEST Halifax, NS – [email protected] created a “Cold Weather Safety” bulletin to offer advice to protect yourself in freezing temperatures, how to identify cold JOHN COSTA Kenilworth, NJ – [email protected] injuries and other tips. This bulletin can be downloaded at CHUCK WATSON http://bit.ly/2kUaGR4 and printed by most computers. We Syracuse, NY – [email protected] encourage you to share this with your fellow brothers and sisters CLAUDIA HUDSON throughout the winter to stay safe. Oakland, CA – [email protected] BRUCE HAMILTON New York, NY – [email protected] ATU Safety SWAT Team gears up at training MICHELLE SOMMERS An International Safety “SWAT” Team took part in an innovative Brooklyn Park, MN – [email protected] training at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center to prepare to JAMES LINDSAY Santa Clarita, CA – [email protected] conduct safety audits at ATU properties. The “SWAT” team will be working in concert with Locals to identify workplace problems that EMANUELE (MANNY) SFORZA Toronto, ON – [email protected] threaten the well-being of our members. This is the next phase of JOHN CALLAHAN the union-wide Workstation Initiative campaign to fight for healthy, Winnipeg, MB – [email protected] safe and secure work environments. INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES DENNIS ANTONELLIS Spokane, WA – [email protected] INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS EMERITUS STEPHAN MACDOUGALL Boston, MA – [email protected] International President Jim La Sala, ret. ANTHONY GARLAND International President Warren George, ret. Washington, DC – [email protected] ANTONETTE BRYANT International Executive Vice President Ellis Franklin, ret. Oakland, CA – [email protected] International Executive Vice President Mike Siano, ret. SESIL RUBAIN New Carrollton, MD – [email protected] Subscription: USA and Canada, $5 a year. Single copy: 50 cents. All others: $10 a year. Published bimonthly by the CURTIS HOWARD Amalgamated Transit Union, Editor: Shawn Perry, Designer: Paul A. Fitzgerald. Editorial Office: 10000 New Hampshire Atlanta, GA – [email protected] Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20903. Tel: 1-301-431-7100 . Please send all requests for address changes to the ATU Registry Dept. ISSN: 0019-3291. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40033361.RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ATU CANADA CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: APC Postal Logistics, LLC, PO Box 503, RPO, West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6. PAUL THORP Brampton, ON – [email protected] IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 3 NOV/DEC 2017 CONTENT Vol. 126, No. 6 11 Has your Local passed the resolution to fix the bus driver workstation? 12 International Executive Vice President’s Message: Where will we end up? 13 International Secretary-Treasurer’s Message: ‘We demand this fraud be stopped’ 14 Shooting of St. Louis bus driver spurs Local demand for better security ATU FIGHTS TO KEEP PUBLIC TRANSIT 6 Transit investment can help close racial job gap PUBLIC IN ONTARIO 15 More than 130 Locals pass resolution to fix the bus driver workstation 22 Gainesville Local weighs in on coming driverless shuttle Largest North American bus maker to develop electric, autonomous technology 23 Twin Cities Local ratifies contract, averts Super Bowl strike 24 Local strikes deal for labor peace for FIGHTING FOR WORKERS 16 streetcar workers YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW Organizing Win in Milwaukee 2 International Officers & 25 Winnipeg Local: Use smaller buses or Uber- General Executive Board like apps instead of cutting service News Briefs Win an ATU jacket like Raymond Vandervort, 3 Index Page 1145-Binghamton, NY 4 Canadian Agenda: Canada, Ontario invest in 26 Mississauga Local pushing to ‘Keep Transit Ottawa Region public transit Public’ with LRT 5 ATU hits Parliament Hill to push for safer ATU condemns NYC Port Authority bombing, bus workstations mass transit security critical 8 Nation observes Day of Remembrance, 27 Punched, spit on, hit with objects: Edmonton Action on Violence against Women bus drivers regularly face violence on the job City to make up transit budget cuts with 28 Translations (Spanish) increased parking fees 31 In Memoriam 9 Reps. Brown and Local 689 propose bill to make the Metro safer, more affordable 32 Reminder: ATU headquarters has moved Uber has no place in International Association of Public Transport 10 International President’s Message: ‘Our survival will be found in our solidarity… or not’ IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 3 Canadian Agenda Canada, Ontario invest in Ottawa Region public transit The governments of Canada and Ontario are making investments that will help create well-paying jobs and grow the middle class now while building a strong foundation for a sustainable economic future. MP Anita Vandenbeld, on behalf of the Amarjeet Sohi, 569-Edmonton, AB, minister of infrastructure and communities; Bob Chiarelli, Ontario minister of infrastructure; and Mark Taylor, deputy mayor of the City of Ottawa, have announced two new projects funded through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) that will benefit the residents of Ottawa. The announcement marks a significant milestone with the is providing more than $28,000 and the Township of recent delivery of new double decker buses also funded Russell will provide the balance of funding. through PTIF. New high capacity buses Garage improvements Also in Ottawa are some of the 17 new high-capacity Improvements will be made to OC Transpo’s Pinecrest buses that have been purchased to expand the OC Garage that consist of repairing the aged concrete in Transpo fleet and provide additional service capacity in the bus bay and upgrading the sidewalks and asphalt growing areas of the city, including Orléans, Barrhaven in the yard. Across town, a new multi-use pathway will and Kanata. The new double-decker buses, funded be built to link OC Transpo’s St-Laurent Station to through PTIF, will increase capacity by approximately the commercial district on the east side of St-Laurent 950,000 additional customer-trips each year. Boulevard. The federal government is contributing more than $800,000 for these two projects, and the City These investments are part of an agreement between of Ottawa will provide the balance of funding. Canada and Ontario for the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. v In addition, a project to upgrade a park and ride station in Russell has also been approved. Not only will the existing park and ride station be moved to a new, more convenient and accessible location, but it will offer ample parking and a bus shelter. The federal government 4 November/December 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 5 ATU hits Parliament Hill to push for safer bus workstations More than 40 members from across Canada descended on Parliament Hill to meet with federal legislators to raise awareness on serious bus workstation design flaws and safety concerns that are endangering bus operators and pedestrians alike. Prior to the meetings, the members took part in an innovative ATU training to prepare for their meetings with the elected officials from their communities. This Fall, the ATU has been engaged in a union-wide Workstation Initiative Campaign to stop bus blind spot ATU leaders with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities deaths, assaults on bus drivers, poor seats, and dangerous and Local 569-Edmonton, AB member Amarjeet Sohi. fumes. More than 130 Locals have passed the “Resolution to End Fatalities and Injuries Resulting from Poor Transit Bus Design” at their Local union meetings. unnecessarily! We need commitments for financial resources to redesign new buses and to retrofit suitable changes to older buses.” Driver blind spots, assaults on drivers on agenda Among the key legislators ATU met with were MP Judy Sgro and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and One of the key safety concerns addressed at the meetings Local 569-Edmonton, AB member Amarjeet Sohi. MP was dangerous blind spots due to huge side mirrors and Sgro was so moved by the meetings especially on the driver the massive “A” pillars on the left side of the windshield blind spots that she sent a letter to provincial politicians which obstruct a driver’s view of up to 13 pedestrians in about her meeting and calling for changes to current buses a crosswalk. Also on the agenda was violence against to address this problem.

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