OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION|AFL-CIO/CLC
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 ONE ATU! INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS LAWRENCE J. HANLEY International President JAVIER M. PEREZ, JR. International Executive Vice President NEWSBRIEFS OSCAR OWENS International Secretary-Treasurer INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS RICHARD M. MURPHY Newburyport, MA – [email protected] JANIS M. BORCHARDT Madison, WI – [email protected] PAUL BOWEN Canton, MI – [email protected] KENNETH R. KIRK Lancaster, TX – [email protected] MARCELLUS BARNES Flossmore, IL – [email protected] RAY RIVERA Lilburn, GA – [email protected] YVETTE TRUJILLO Thornton, CO – [email protected] GARY JOHNSON, SR. Cleveland, OH – [email protected] ROBIN WEST Halifax, NS – [email protected] ATU International would like to thank Local 589-Boston, MA for generously donating the above JOHN COSTA plaque of Tommy Douglas. It is displayed in the lobby of the Tommy Douglas Conference Kenilworth, NJ – [email protected] Center. Next time you are at the Center be sure to take a few minutes to check out the plaque. CHUCK WATSON Syracuse, NY – [email protected] CLAUDIA HUDSON Local 591-Hull, QC members picket as Oakland, CA – [email protected] negotiations founder BRUCE HAMILTON New York, NY – [email protected] Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) workers have been MICHELLE SOMMERS working-to-rule, refusing overtime hours and reporting buses for Brooklyn Park, MN – [email protected] repairs as contract talks have stalled. Local 591-Hull, QC, has been JAMES LINDSAY working without a contract since December 2014. The outstanding Santa Clarita, CA – [email protected] issues are overtime and retirement pay. Both sides are in the midst EMANUELE (MANNY) SFORZA of a series of negotiations under a federally appointed mediator. Toronto, ON – [email protected] INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES DENNIS ANTONELLIS Spokane, WA – [email protected] STEPHAN MACDOUGALL INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS EMERITUS Boston, MA – [email protected] ANTHONY GARLAND International President Jim La Sala, ret. Washington, DC – [email protected] International President Warren George, ret. ANTONETTE BRYANT Oakland, CA – [email protected] International Executive Vice President Ellis Franklin, ret. SESIL RUBAIN International Executive Vice President Mike Siano, ret. New Carrollton, MD – [email protected]
CURTIS HOWARD Subscription: USA and Canada, $5 a year. Single copy: 50 cents. All others: $10 a year. Published bimonthly by the Atlanta, GA – [email protected] Amalgamated Transit Union, Editor: Shawn Perry, Designer: Paul A. Fitzgerald. Editorial Office: 10000 New Hampshire 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 JAN/FEB 2017 CONTENT Vol. 126, No. 1
9 ATU women leading labor councils coast-to-coast DC Local fights back against WMATA scapegoating 10 Winnipeg members mourn brother stabbed to death on job
ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT CANADIAN LOCALS COME TO THE 8 DEFENCE OF TORONTO MEMBERS 12 The most difficult job in the world - Transit work routinely rated as one of the least healthy occupations 15 A safe and secure workplace - a matter of life and death 16 Driver assault 18 Death by design - Lack of safety regulations and criminal negligence 19 The air we breath - ‘Warning: Toxic Fumes!’ 20 Neglect of maintenance a danger to everyone 22 Bathroom breaks become issue as computers take over scheduling 24 Operators suffer higher rates of THE MOST DIFFICULT JOB IN THE WORLD 12 stress, depression 25 Coping with PTSD 2 International Officers & 26 EM active seats hold promise of reducing General Executive Board musculoskeletal disorders News Briefs 27 The union raiding game - no game 3 Index Page What is union raiding? 4 Toronto Local Executive Board votes 28 Unifor has long history of raiding, negotiating ‘no confidence’ in Bob Kinnear lower wages, pensions 5 International President’s Message: 29 Translations (Spanish) Join ATU’s campaign for health and safety 31 In Memoriam 6 International Executive Vice President’s 32 ATU Online Training Videos Message: We were made for these times 7 International Secretary-Treasurer’s Message: Trump supports bill to undermine workers who supported him
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 3 Toronto Local Executive Board votes ‘no confidence’ in Bob Kinnear MOTION AGAINST LOCAL PRESIDENT COMES AMID CALLS FOR HIS RESIGNATION
Prior to the Board’s vote, International Vice President Manny Sforza, who had been acting as trustee prior to the injunction, declared that the court decision “to reinstate Bob Kinnear undermines a long history of union democracy in the province. As Bob Kinnear seeks to exert total control over the 95 per cent of elected local officers who he admitted deceiving, Local 113 members and the issues they care about will suffer….”
Other motions executive board members passed demanded that Kinnear withdraw his request to the Court to sue “as a representative of the Local and/or its members” and that Local 113 be responsible for any damages arising from his lawsuit over the trusteeship. The executive board also approved a motion of no-confidence against two elected officers who worked alongside Bob Kinnear to disaffiliate Local 113. The elected executive board members of Local113 - Toronto, ON, have unanimously condemned the recent Local 113’s executive board is composed of 15 elected actions of renegade Local President Bob Kinnear who representatives following two recent resignations. All but conspired to disaffiliate the Local from ATU. three members attended the emergency session.
Following the unanimous approval of a motion for Bob Kinnear and his allies to cease and desist directing or ‘Empire building’ assisting any campaign to take Local 113 members out of ATU, the executive board, further rebuked Kinnear by “This is an empire building exercise by Bob Kinnear and unanimously approving a no-confidence motion. Jerry Dias (Unifor) and has nothing to do with the interests of public transit workers in Toronto,” IVP Sforza said after the court ruling.
Board opposes all efforts to decertify, “In recent weeks, ATU received overwhelming support disaffiliate, or raid Local from the vast majority of Local 113’s elected officers, stewards and members. ATU is dedicated solely to After the Ontario Superior Court of Justice announced transit workers and we will continue to fight in the best its decision enjoining the trusteeship of Local 113, the interest of the hardworking women and men who move executive board also unanimously demanded that Kinnear Toronto.” v immediately withdraw his request to the Canadian Labour Congress seeking justification for a disaffiliation vote.
The executive board, elected by nearly 11,000 TTC workers, went on record opposing all efforts to decertify, disaffiliate or raid Local 113.
4 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 5 LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
Join ATU’s campaign for health and safety
This issue ofIn Transit covers a litany of safety issues that says Anne Feeney the labor singer. That’s right – but nobody affect transit and school bus workers. From the day we will save us if we won’t save ourselves. Let’s get to work. start working in the industry, repairing or driving vehicles, working in stations or cleaning, our bodies are exposed to In 2013 we created a Health and Safety unit here at the a plethora of hazards. International Union. It’s work is well known to local officers. I want you to know that we are working every day The International Union, working with and through the to make our jobs healthier, safer and more satisfying. Locals is doing more than ever to keep us healthy. This issue explores everything from engineered blind spots that are killing pedestrians and ruining drivers lives and careers, Join us to smoke that is coming into your bus right from the rear We need Local Unions and members to join us in hearing exhaust. Smell those fumes?? that call. We can fix this, but we need a complete re-work We talk about the ergonomics of your driver’s seat, of the driver’s work station so that riders cannot reach neglectful maintenance, bathroom breaks, track safety, us, but which also has a shield that is comfortable for coping with depression and PTSD. the driver. They have them in Europe. (see page15). Join our campaign to demand new workstations now! Ask at your union meeting if your Local has signed on to the Death in Winnipeg campaign! v On February 14, in Winnipeg, MB, ATU member and bus driver Irvine J. Fraser was stabbed to death by a young passenger. This again calls us to demand that our agencies do everything possible to stop transit worker assaults.
In maintenance departments, many ATU mechanics and cleaners still work in terrible conditions. The death of Local 568 mechanic Jake Schwab reminds us that it’s not only drivers who face deadly hazards in transit. Our Pennsylvania members are working on a campaign to get a safety law passed.
Honoring Jake All PA members are urged to ask their local officers how each of us can do a little bit to save our members and honor Jake. “We all come to work here –we don’t come to die,”
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 5 JAVIER PEREZ, JR., INTERNATIONAL EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT
We were made for these times
I’ve had numerous calls, emails and face-to-face Democrats.” How long will the resistance be sustained? conversations with concerned members since the Remember the short-lived Occupy movement? What inauguration of President Trump. Some express anger, will it take to move people to sustained action? despair, and disbelief; others say, “It’s about time!” We’ve seen commentators, bloggers and tweeters fan the flames of controversy on the Right, and the Left. Driving justice Anyone, today, can produce a podcast, write a blog, post I believe, however, that a growing number of people are something on Facebook, or create a website to promote deciding to resist an increasingly repressive government his or her version of news – regardless of its accuracy. in the U.S. ATU and the labor movement will be an active component of that resistance. And that is having an ever greater impact on our nations as people get their news from social media and cable We are a Union that makes things happen. We are a networks. Union driving justice. We are a Union that has been in the trenches fighting for the rights of our members and Think about the political slogans: “Make America Great working families. Again”, “Stronger Together”, and “Change We Can Believe In”. How many were more than four or five And, as someone recently posted on the internet, “We words long? were made for these times.” This “dumbing-down” of civic discourse has turned So we must add our voice, time, and talents to those that off many who are starting to believe that nothing can are crying for justice in our countries and around the be done. Discouraged, they have given up on the world. Indeed, we must lead the way. political process. I urge you as a member of this great International Union to get involved. Call your local union office, volunteer, Sick of both US parties attend a meeting, and work with your co-workers and allies to shape a more desirable future for us all. v Believe it or not President Trump has tapped into, and exploited the anger and frustration that the labor movement has been talking about for decades. Citizens say they are sick of a government led by either Democrats Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the or Republicans who make no attempt to bring the nation latest ATU news. together in pursuit of common goals. Recently we have seen rallies in Washington, DC, throughout the U.S., and in countries across the world calling for resistance to the Right-Wing slogans that are becoming public policy through executive order. The Washington Post recently opined, “A restive, active and aggressive base is a gift – and a challenge – for
6 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 7 OSCAR OWENS, INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER Trump supports bill to undermine workers who supported him
I’m writing this at the end of the fourth week of Donald A dangerous assumption Trump’s presidency – and I don’t have to tell you what It’s hard to square Trump’s promise to advance American a tumultuous four weeks it has been. Those of us old workers’ economic prospects with his announced support enough to remember, haven’t seen this much turmoil of this plan to destroy the one thing that improves wages, since Vietnam and Watergate dominated headlines benefits, and working conditions. around the world. Of course, contradictions like that typify this administration, You’ve got to hand it to the president, he really knows and no one really knows what this president will do until how to dominate the news. The media feels duty bound he does it. to seriously discuss at length anything he says – no matter how ill-informed or outrageous – providing cover for the That may be why informed union members who cheered Republican majority in Congress to do whatever they Trump’s election have been so quiet – believing that, in want – or so they think. seeming accord with his campaign position, he will change his mind and use his influence to block passage of, or veto Representative Joe Wilson, R-SC, has introduced a the bill. national right-to-work (RTW) law that the GOP has wanted to pass for decades. And, now, with control of That, however, would be a dangerous assumption. It is much both houses of Congress and the White House, as a recent more likely that Trump will go along with Congressional Village Voice headline says, “Union-busting Republicans Republicans, as he says he will, and support the bill. [are Licking] Their Lips at the Possibility of a Federal And when it becomes obvious that Donald Trump is really Right-to-Work Law.” President Trump says he supports no friend of workers; when wages go down instead of up, I the bill. hope that the union members who were misled into voting for Donald Trump last year will join us in fighting this union-busting legislation. v A coup d’état The Republicans’ goal, as International President Larry Hanley says, is “to disable the only movement of Please visit www.atu.org for more information and the working people in America so that corporations can latest ATU news. come in and exploit them… It is a coup d’état against working people.”
Ordinarily this would be pretty big news, but the media frenzy created by the president’s daily circus blots out most of the coverage you would expect of a proposal to fundamentally change federal labor law.
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 7 Locals from across Canada come to the defence of Toronto members
Locals from across Canada came to the defence of the fact that Brother Kinnear, and I say “brother” in a very the members of Local 113-Toronto, ON, at a news loose term, is trying to paint a picture of Canada against the conference in the wake of rogue Local President Bob United States, and it’s just not a true picture…. Kinnear’s unilateral attempt to take members out of the “It’s a sad day, but the good thing is that we are standing here Union in February. proud, and I want to send a message to our brothers and sisters who we share a border with Local 113. And I want you to know that 1582 has your side along with every Local in Canada, and every Local in the United States, and at the end of this we will be standing tall.” Manny Sforza, international vice president: “We’re here to protect the interest of our members. We have support, not just here, but as you can see, across this great country. “One person does not make a union. Bob Kinnear walked away from us. He can do whatever he wants, but he does not represent us. “Bob Kinnear made a decision in his own interest to leave the Here are some of the comments made at the event: union, but we’re here standing for your best interest – which Paul Thorp, president of ATU Canada: “I put out a call is to stay with ATU. Our brothers and sisters are invested in to my brothers and sisters,” he said, “and the response was the issues that matter most to transit workers. That’s our only overwhelming. They didn’t hesitate to get on planes, trains, focus. and cars to come to represent the ATU Local that they love. “Transit workers: ATU is all of us. We are transit workers. “We have people here from Saskatoon; we have people here We’ve stood together in solidarity for 120 years.” v from Regina; we have people here from Ontario; we have people here from Edmonton.” “They want people to understand that this is never about an ‘American takeover.’ This has been about one person’s bid to tear an organization down for their own self-gain. And it bothers me. It hurts me that this person who professed his love for this organization has the audacity to say the things that have been said.” Local President Margaret Gilbert, 1582-Niagara Falls, ON: “I love this union. I love the members that I work with, and I love my job as a bus driver for over 20 years. ATU has been there for me for every thing we have asked them for… They’ve been there financially and every way we’ve needed. These people mean a lot to me, and I’m proud to be here.” Jack Jackson, 1572-Mississauga, ON: “It was my pleasure to stand here today and express the concern that I have and
8 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 25 ATU women leading labor councils coast-to-coast
From coast-to-coast ATU Locals across North America have a long history of fighting for the rights of not only ATU members, but all workers and their families in their communities. Now, two of our local presidents are taking bigger roles.
Jackie Jeter On the East Coast, Local President Jackie Jeter, 689- Washington, DC, has taken the reins of the 200-member Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, becoming the first woman to head this organization.
Jeter said about her election, “I’m looking forward to “There is no greater honor than to serve the working class. working with all our stakeholders, our executive director, Although, organized labor is 11 percent of the workforce, we officers, board members, and our vibrant network of allies are the cornerstone of workers. We are strong, resilient and to continue to make a real difference for working people more relevant than ever in today’s Trump era,” said Williams. in our region.” These two great ATU leaders are leading the way and working families can rest assured they are in good hands. v Yvonne Williams And on the West Coast, Local President Yvonne Williams, 192- Oakland, CA, was elected as president of the Alameda County Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
DC Local fights back against WMATA scapegoating
Local 689-Washington, DC, is fighting back against the The facts and record show that it was the very systems that misinformation spread by the Washington Metropolitan management put in place and the “hush hush” culture Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) scapegoating its it maintained which led to safety failures at WMATA, members for safety violations that are really the fault of bad including the L’Enfant Plaza fire in 2015, which resulted in management. one death and several passenger injuries, and the East Falls Church derailment in July 2016. WMATA has fired a large number of track walkers alleging that they falsified track inspection records when they were Local 689 is fighting for reinstatement of the fired track in fact performing their jobs under supervision and in the walkers, and continuing its campaign for the establishment way WMATA trained them. of an authentic safety culture at Washington’s Metro. v By contrast, where WMATA failed, Local 689 assembled the expertise to examine the situation and the record.
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 9 Winnipeg members mourn brother stabbed to death on job
“My fellow brother was murdered for doing his job last night, that’s all I know.” That’s how one operator reacted, reflecting the grief and frustration of his fellow transit ‘Senseless’ workers upon learning of the murder of Irvine “Jubal” Fraser, 1505-Winnipeg, MB, on his bus at 2 a.m., February Upon hearing the news, International President Larry 14. Brother Fraser is the first Winnipeg driver ever killed Hanley ordered the flags at ATU’s Tommy Douglas on the job. Conference Center lowered to “half-mast,” and issued a statement saying, “I want to express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of our fallen brother Irvine “Jubal” Fraser as a result of a senseless act of violence while doing his job serving the public. And, our thoughts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters of Local 1505 as they deal with this terrible tragedy.” Fraser had just reached the end of his route at the University of Manitoba when he went to the back of his bus to wake a lone sleeping rider.
Operators Nelson Giesbrecht and Jody Prokipchuk joined other Local Police who saw the security camera video of the incident 1505-Winnipeg, MB, drivers to mourn the loss of fellow operator say that the suspect followed Fraser to the front of the bus, Jubal Fraser who died February 14, when he was stabbed by a saying he didn’t want to leave. “He was asked many, many passenger at the end of his run. times to exit the bus,” police say until Fraser physically escorted the man off. A 22-year-old suspect was arrested later that day and “A scuffle ensued – a physical altercation – and it ended up charged with second degree murder. outside the bus,” says Local President John Callahan.
10 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 11 “Sadly, things just escalated from that point,” says a police statutory holiday while she was driving the bus,” said Local spokesman. Fraser was stabbed multiple times in the upper President Scott Lovell, 1722-Kelowna, BC. body. “Even with the efforts of emergency personnel, he The problem began when a young man boarded the bus couldn’t be saved,” he added. without showing his pass. The man became agitated when A spokesperson for the University of Manitoba, said, the driver asked to see his pass. “Transit drivers provide such an invaluable service for the university day in and day out and we all need to work “A couple minutes go by, and the guy still didn’t show together to ensure they all have their safety guaranteed anything, says Lovell, “then he says, ‘l’m going to punch for them.” you,’ and he punches her in the head while she’s driving the bus, with passengers on it. “Somehow she managed to pull the bus over safely and Fraser and wife recently lost daughter then he reached across her, stepped on her and crawled out Callahan spoke to Fraser’s wife, who was distraught and her window. She has the boot print on her to prove it.” A still recovering from the recent death of a daughter. She and suspect has yet to be apprehended. Fraser were raising their granddaughter together and Fraser was considering retiring as early as next year, Callahan said. ‘Traumatic’ “I don’t want Irvine’s death to be in vain,” says Callahan, “It’s just surreal to think that you can lose your life... just Lovell says it was a traumatic situation, not just for the driving a bus. We’ve talked about driver security for a long driver but also all the passengers who were careening along time and we always worried about this – the worst-case at highway speed when the incident occurred. scenario – and it’s actually happened.” “I am stunned and so proud of her that she was able to carry herself and the bus after being cold-cocked in the head,” he said. “Can you imagine what would have ‘This is just a guy doing his job’ happened if he’d knocked her out?” The tragedy in Winnipeg has reignited alarm among “These assaults are not stopping,” he says. “How many bus operators and the public about the potential for violence drivers need to be killed before you change things for drivers?” on Winnipeg transit. “This is just a guy doing his job and you should not end up dead at the end of your shift,” says Callahan. “It’s tragic and we need to really have dialogue on things that can be done to protect these working men and women.”
Local President John Callahan, 1505-Winnipeg and ATU Canada President Paul Thorp
Hanley called for action to address this growing problem of attacks on bus drivers. “Transit workers cannot go to their job, and passengers cannot travel on public transportation in fear of being attacked and assaulted. ATU demands Kelowna driver ‘cold-cocked’ that transit agencies and government officials bring the on highway same sense of regret that they will display in the public Violence also broke out on an express Highway 97 bus in mourning of this tragic, unnecessary death of our brother the Central Okanagan hours earlier when, “One of our to the ongoing discussion about preventing these attacks female bus drivers was assaulted… during the family day from occurring.” v
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 11 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT The most difficult job in the world TRANSIT WORK ROUTINELY RATED AS ONE OF THE LEAST HEALTHY OCCUPATIONS
No matter where you are or what you do, it isn’t easy being adequate time for bathroom breaks, barriers that protect a transit worker. Whether in Canada or the United States, you operators from assault, action to clean the air we breath, endure some of the highest rates of illness of any occupation. and equipment to reduce the jarring vibration drivers Whether you work as a metropolitan or over-the-road bus experience on the road. driver; a rail operator, school bus driver, or attendant; a paratransit or ferry operator; a mechanic, or any other kind In 2015, the Union was also successful in having of maintenance worker, you have one of the most difficult language included in the U.S. Fixing America’s Surface and responsible jobs on the planet. Transportation (FAST) Act requiring the federal government to study and issue new rules concerning driver assault; to This issue ofIn Transit is devoted to the health and safety conduct a federal review of blind spots on buses, and on problems that afflict transit workers. We present this the time and access provided operators to use restroom information in the hope that increased awareness will lead facilities. to healthful changes in members’ lives, and in the contracts negotiated to protect them from illness and injury. Absenteeism ATU working for health, safety Transit managements continually complain about transit In 2015, our Canadian members successfully passed Bill workers’ high rate of absenteeism, yet they rarely take an S-221, which amended the Canadian Criminal Code to honest look at the reasons behind the numbers. permit judges to give longer sentences to those convicted of The median number of days away from work because of assaulting transit workers. a workplace injury or illness reported to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) “for bus drivers in state and local government was 20 days in 2011, 22 days in 2012, and 18 days in 2013 – over twice as long as the median of nine days for all state and local government workers, unchanged from 2011 to 2013.
“Although only eight percent of injury and illnesses cases with days away from work were the result of violent events in 2011, they were the most severe – requiring a median of 64 days away from work in 2011. Alternatively, in 2012, the event categories – falls, slips, and trips, and overexertion and bodily reaction – both had a median of 47 days away from work. In 2013, the most severe event leading to days away from work was exposure to harmful substances or environments, with 65 median days away from work.”
In addition, Locals in Canada and the United States have been pressing for route scheduling that provides
12 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 13 Violent incidents In 2015, BLS reported that “Among violent events leading to injuries or illnesses to bus drivers from 2011 to 2013, the majority of cases resulted in traumatic injuries and disorders. Traumatic injuries include sprains, strains, tears, surface wounds, bruises, and contusions.
“In 2011, nearly 19 percent of violent event cases resulted in mental disorders or syndromes, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Workers suffering from mental disorders or syndromes experienced a median of four days away from work in 2011.
“In 2012, 11 percent of violent events led to a mental disorder or syndrome, which caused affected workers to miss a median of 32 days of work. In 2013, fewer injuries and illnesses occurred from violent events than in 2012, High risk and of those cases, 20 cases, or seven percent, resulted in a mental disorder.” According to a 2011 report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) transit work is one of the top three jobs in which workers face the highest risk of contracting 10 common diseases. Fatal injuries
Alarmingly, NIOSH found that 41.5% of transit workers The BLS reported that “since 2003, the number of fatal had hypertension (high blood pressure) which can lead to injuries in urban transit systems has fluctuated, never falling heart attacks and strokes, compared to 27.6% for all the below eight fatal injuries annually and spiking to 13 fatal injuries in both 2004 and 2005. workers studied.
For a range of chronic diseases such as low back pain, asthma, depression, and diabetes (see graphic, above), drivers’ rates were 120% higher than the average of all other workers studied.
A sedentary job Long periods of sitting is one of the culprits contributing to bus driver health problems, according to a 2016 study published by Loughborough University in England. The British researchers determined that bus drivers were sedentary for more than 12 hours a day on workdays and nearly nine hours a day on non-workdays. “Of all fatal injuries in the urban transit systems industry, During workdays, the drivers sat for up to three hours 60 percent (or 49 cases) resulted from transportation longer than the office workers in the study. Nearly three- accidents. Also, 28 of the 49 fatal injuries precipitated by quarters of the bus drivers studied were overweight or a transportation accident were not highway collisions but obese. Overall, transportation workers had the lowest were cases in which the worker was struck by a vehicle in “well-being” scores of the occupations studied by the a parking lot or non-roadway. The second most common Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index in 2012. cause of a fatal work injury, with 17 percent, was the assaults and violent acts category. Falls accounted for 10 percent, or eight cases, of fatal workplace injuries in urban transit systems.”
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 13 Maintenance Recent tragedies such as the November 2014 accident that killed mechanic Jake Schwab, 568-Erie, PA, have drawn attention to the unsafe conditions at garages across the U.S. and Canada. Brother Schwab died after the engine he was working on exploded in his face. The 27-year veteran Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority mechanic was working with the wrong tools on an unfamiliar bus from another agency in a garage that workers said had no safety culture. This prompted the introduction of the Jake Schwab Worker’s Safety Bill in the Pennsylvania legislature that would extend safety protections of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to the state’s public employees not currently covered by OSHA. Pennsylvania, however, has so far turned its back on these vulnerable employees. Aggressive safety culture is imperative Air pollution Safety culture should not be an option at any workplace – Air pollution is a constant plague in garages where old it is an important necessity that is too often given “short ventilation systems just don’t provide the amount of clean shrift.” fresh air required for a healthy work environment. This has been the case for years on many light rail systems The way air pollutants lead to asthma, lung cancer, and, in which little regard for the safety has led to the deaths of recently, heart disease is well known. But a new study track workers. published in January now claims that breathing polluted air Like much vilified government regulations, the safety rules over time can harm the brain, accelerating cognitive aging, in many workplaces sometimes seem silly, excessive, and and even increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other expensive until someone is seriously hurt or dies. forms of dementia. Lack of aggressively pursued, and continually updated Health and safety committees are supposed to address these safety procedures not only endangers transit workers, but issues at transit agencies. Unfortunately, too many of them their passengers as well. ATU will continue to fight for are inactive, or woefully ineffective, and some properties health and safety of its members. It’s actually the least transit don’t bother to have them at all. systems can do for their employees. v
FAST Act and Training One of the chief complaints of transit workers is that they don’t receive enough up-to-date training. Metro Magazine’s 2016 bus mechanic survey (see graph, right) reveals that a third of all of the transit agencies reporting said that they budgeted no money for mechanic training at all, and that only 47% provided 40 hours or less per year. No property responded that they provided over 80 hours of training per year. ATU successfully persuaded the U.S. Congress to insert a provision into the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act in 2015, that contains a long-overdue emphasis on transit workforce development for frontline employees.
14 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 15 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT A safe and secure workplace – a matter of life and death
The tragic murder of bus driver Irvine “Jubal” Fraser, 1505-Winnipeg, MB, in February highlights why immediate changes are needed in bus driver compartment design. It’s the employer’s obligation to provide a safe and secure workplace, but that standard is not being met across North America.
C
The typical North American design (B) looks like something out of “Mad Max.” The barrier (C) is an afterthought that cramps an operator’s movements, badly distorts vision, causes hazardous reflections, is too small to provide real A security, and visually defines the bus as a violent place.
Safe and comfortable driver’s workstations do exist, but they require a bit of competent engineering. A good example is the European bus (A). It has a comfortable arm rest when open. At the touch of a button the security window forcefully rises to block any attack. When closed, it does not block sightlines. Powered operation helps prevent rotator cuff and other injuries caused by the swinging or sliding motions required by the designs common in North America.
Reflections and distortions D There are, also, no reflections or distortions hampering In (D), you see another North American shield that is a the view. A/C and heating total failure. What is real in this driver’s view? Who will be are designed to supply blamed when the inevitable happens? fresh filtered air for thermal comfort and a healthful It will be the driver, who “clearly” did not scan the scene. environment. This is safety It also provides no real protection from incidents like the by design that protects assault that took the life of Irvine “Jubal” Fraser. v B security and health from the ground up.
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 15 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Driver assault
Almost 50 years ago, members of Locals 689-Washington, against unruly passengers. But for the most part operators DC, and 1300-Baltimore, MD, were killed during quietly endure the frustration and humiliation caused by robberies on their buses. The Locals’ members abusive riders. subsequently refused to go back to work until fare systems were installed that didn’t require them to carry large sums In fact, assaults such as cursing and spitting have become of cash. so commonplace that many operators don’t bother to report them. Not long after that, virtually all public transit agencies switched to exact fare systems, and attacks on operators subsided. Fare disputes Transit agencies and their drivers know that fare disputes Assault still chief health and instigate most of the battles between operators and safety concern passengers. As a result, many transit systems advise their employees not to confront a passenger who presents an That remained the case until the 1990s when attacks expired transfer, who doesn’t pay enough, or who pays no on bus drivers started increasing again. However, these fare at all. attacks were different. Now drivers were being assaulted because of fare disputes, the incomprehensible actions of Local presidents often assert that bus operators are not the mentally ill, or the malicious plans made to hurt a bus police. Not only is it not their job to enforce the law, it’s driver for no discernable reason. dangerous. Bus operators have been under siege ever since, and today, Despite efforts in both of our countries to counter this it is not at all unusual to hear about a driver being verbally disturbing trend, assaults continue. It remains the chief abused, spat upon, or beaten up on the job. Tragically, health and safety concern of bus operators throughout there have also been incidents in which members have Canada and the United States. been stabbed, shot, and even killed on their runs. Bus operators know they are particularly vulnerable to assault. Incredibly they have even been disciplined for Another attack in Edmonton leaving their seats to protect themselves and their riders from an assailant. Just days before this article was written a member of Local 569-Edmonton, AB, was punched, cut, and bitten in a vicious attack arising from a dispute over an expired transfer. The alleged assailant broke the door of the driver’s compartment during the attack and hit him in the face with its jagged edge. The driver was released from the hospital after receiving 10 – 15 stitches. This is the first time In Transit has reported that a barrier, which is meant to protect drivers, has been broken and used as a weapon in an assault.
Understandably, drivers experience intense emotions as a result of these attacks that will sometimes erupt in rage
16 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 17 ATU fighting to protect members that they pay a tax just to take a ride, when those with good jobs drive cars whenever and wherever they want. ATU Locals have fought to eliminate incidents like this through contract negotiations that have increased on-board police protection, installed emergency radio systems and What can be done? security cameras, and created retrofitted barriers on buses that should protect drivers from abusive and violent passengers. Driver assault has been characterized as “transit terrorism” and it certainly has that effect on drivers. The threat of physical harm is obvious. Less obvious is the continual stress that the threat creates, and the emotional scars that take longer to heal after an assault. Some properties have employee assistance programs which offer counseling to workers who have been assaulted. This is often more valuable to a victim of violence than he or she knows immediately after they are attacked. Yet, even with counseling, some drivers never drive a bus again.
Preventing assault before it starts In addition, ATU was successful in getting a provision making driver assault a felony added to the U.S. Patriot Act in The problem with most security devices is that they don’t 2001. And after a tireless, multi-year campaign by Canadian prevent attacks from happening in the first place. Assailants members, a law increasing penalties for driver assault (S-221) have so far paid little attention to the presence of security passed Parliament in 2014. cameras, and are probably unaware of the increased penalties for their crimes. But laws are only effective if they are enforced, and it has been a struggle to get jurisdictions to use these laws to prosecute Perhaps the most effective way of preventing driver assault is transit criminals. having transit police on most buses in a system. This, however, is very rare, given the cost of maintaining such a large force. Previously, drivers were reluctant to agree to the installation of security cameras and barriers on buses. Operators have A second, less well-known tactic, called “nonviolent crisis good reason to be suspicious that security camera video will intervention” puts the security burden on the driver be used for disciplinary purposes. And barriers can eliminate who employs strategies to defuse crisis situations. Local one of the things drivers find most enjoyable about their job 107-Hamilton, ON, has produced a video demonstrating – interaction with the public. techniques that anyone, regardless of strength or ability can use to protect themselves and their passengers. Go to: Barriers that are being put in place now often provide drivers https://youtu.be/h_CyNMNOuJE with the option of opening up at least part of their enclosure. Security cameras will soon be universal on all transit vehicles, ATU will continue to demand that agencies do all they can and local officers will have to be vigilant in making sure that to keep our members safe. It will take sustained effort, and these devises are not used to spy on employees. additional funding to get to the point where operators no longer have to do their jobs in fear every day. So, we will continue to fight for the safety of our members. We have no choice. v The economic challenge It has been observed that irrational attacks on our members increased greatly after the 2008 recession. It seemed that people were boarding buses with the sole purpose of attacking drivers. Most people in the transit industry were left scratching their heads, asking the question, “Why?” International President Larry Hanley thinks he has the answer. People who have been driven into poverty by economic forces beyond their control, are, he says, taking out their rage on uniformed drivers who, on top of everything else, demand
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 17 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Death by design LACK OF SAFETY REGULATIONS AND CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE
Tragically, large numbers of pedestrians and drivers continue to pay the price for unsafe bus designs. The two buses below were involved in recent pedestrian accidents. In both photos, drivers are at the wheel. We can’t see in and they can’t see out:
are on the left but there are a stunning number on the right as well. There is no possibility that these can all be overcome from the driver’s seat, There are easy solutions for all these, but in North America, Transit has historically been self- Fatal blind spots regulating for these kinds of issues. Cheap construction is the priority, with little meaningful attention paid to safety. For the driver of an MCI motor coach, (left) the police The results are unambiguous. With deregulation being a investigator immediately understood why a young woman political goal, this kind of hazard will increase as decision in Providence, RI, was killed in a crosswalk; the view from the left window is walled off by the left pillar and mirror. makers are further divorced from the costs of their actions. Police recommended against serious charges and the driver was put back to work. Easy Solutions and moral imperative Although ATU offered engineering solutions, the company did nothing and faced no criminal charges like the driver. In previous editions, we have shown that unobstructed vision is simple with an example from over a half-century ago - the In a Palm Springs bus (above, right), the blind spot aptly nicknamed “fishbowl” view. Today, specify a bus from measures 1.7 feet wide across the pillar/mirror and is only VanHoole as they did in Oakland, CA, and excellent driver 2.8 feet from the driver’s eyes. In this case, the agency vision can save dozens of lives per year. In contrast, look again also failed to move the mirror below the driver’s sight lines, at the common designs above and the grief they guarantee. despite ATU recommendations for a safe design. What would you call the next inevitable fatality caused by these blind spots, when management and manufacturers Danger on the right have solutions available? Needlessly costing even one life is At the right, we see the blind angles from above in a bus still tantamount to murder. v in use on our roads. The most frequently lethal problems
18 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 19 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT The air we breath ‘WARNING: TOXIC FUMES!’
Ever smell diesel fumes on your bus or leave work with a Solutions? headache, nausea, or cough? Passengers, the public and Like so many of the problems in transit, safety begins with employees are regularly exposed to toxic fumes on or near engineering and the solutions are obvious. Rational location buses. Grim proof has come from NIOSH (the National of intakes and exhausts is the bare minimum. Effective Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health), who found sealing of the engine compartment, as in cars, should be that bus drivers have nearly twice the normal rate of COPD, mandatory, but it is not. a progressive and terminal disorder of the lungs. The reasons are clear (unlike the air). Proper maintenance of the engines, diesel particulate filters, and heaters can also reduce the problem. Electric water heaters can completely eliminate that serious source of carcinogens and hazardous particulates. It is an engineering and procurement failure when passenger air intakes are in the dirtiest airstreams, sucking in diesel exhaust from behind at the top and road debris from below in the front.
A “fresh air” intake under the bus gathers dust and exhaust from Riders and employees deserve to breathe air as fresh and other vehicles on the road. well-filtered as what goes into the engine. That is the moral choice and the managerially competent one. No one Just behind the front bumper, and inches off our dusty is served by saving a few pennies on filters and good design roads, is a common intake for occupants, as seen above. when the cost is extreme rates of respiratory illness, cancer While the engine breathes extremely fresh air through and other diseases. roof intakes and filters that are 99.99% efficient, this filter Unsafe air quality is not only a problem on buses, it also for passengers and employees is only a bit of coarse wire plagues garages and rail facilities. All these cases have screen that won’t keep anything out aside from rodents, stray been allowed to persist because we lack meaningful dogs and sizeable chunks of debris. indoor air quality standards. Manufacturers and agencies have been free to save a few dollars in their budgets The other air intake for passengers is often too close to the while immorally forcing others to pay the real cost with engine exhaust. Toxic byproducts of “regeneration” in the their health and lost years of life. We need to continue diesel particulate filter also flow from this outlet. exposing these cynical decisions both to protect lives and prove that without strong unions, both the public and employees will be at substantially greater risk of Exhaust and soot serious harm. v Exhaust from the filthy diesel-fueled water heater, common in colder climates, also gets sucked into the “fresh air” inlet, under a typically leaky hatch covered by the back seat. In buses, heaters often leave piles of soot under the back bumper. That exhaust flows up and into the HVAC and leaks through firewalls.
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 19 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Neglect of maintenance a danger to everyone
Poor or neglected maintenance is a problem at many announced that it was going to release the results of its transit systems throughout North America. Maintenance audit, DDOT rushed to release its own, and the results of is one of the first areas to get cut when agencies cut their both were shocking – fully 95% of Circulator buses were budgets. And the problem has gotten worse as privatization unfit to be on the road. has become more prevalent endangering transit workers, passengers, and pedestrians, alike. Local 689’s proactive work was enough to push First Transit (the contract management of the system) to perform the The most recent examples that mirror the problems at maintenance that the buses had needed for some time. In transit agencies all over Canada and the U.S. have occurred the process, the DC government decided that Circulator in Washington, DC, where Locals 689 and 1764 have been drivers deserved wages comparable to their brothers and fighting to get their managements to adopt genuine safety sisters operating the Metro’s bus and subway system – an cultures for a long time. increase of $8.00 an hour!
Local decided to do their DC track tragedy own safety audit. There is another transit problem in Washington that can In the case of Local 1764’s Circulator drivers, sustained also be found on light rail and subway systems across our political pressure over time resulted in a great improvement countries. Track maintenance had been neglected for a long in maintenance as well as the wages of its members. time because of what has been called Metro’s “rush-rush” track program.
Washington, DC Circulator bus. 2006 DC Metrorail crash that killed a Local 689 member ATU drivers had known for a long time that the Circulator and eight others, and injuring 80. buses that operate in a loop throughout downtown Washington were not in good shape. They also knew that the District Department of Transportation had performed On Monday, June 22, 2006, at 4:57 p.m., Metro Train a safety audit of the fleet. But, despite the Local’s repeated 112, traveling south on the Red Line barreled into requests DDOT refused to release their findings. another stationary train that was waiting for the go- ahead to enter the Fort Totten Station in Washington, Frustrated, Local 689 members decided to perform DC. Operator Jeanice McMillan, 689, and eight their own safety audit in August 2015. When the Local others were killed and 80 injured in the crash that shook
20 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 21 the metropolitan area’s confidence in the light rail/ sections of track are closed for weeks at a time to perform subway system. the maintenance that had been deferred for so long. Four years later, on July 27, 2010, NTSB issued the final report on its investigation of the tragedy. It blamed a faulty track circuit – part of the system’s automatic control system – that failed to notify the moving train behind it that a train was there. Metro announced a series of actions that it would take to correct the problem that turned up in other parts of the system. But, despite continual calls by Local 689 for a real safety culture, Metro didn’t seem to learn its lesson. NTSB Chair Christopher Hart said, “When we did Fort Totten, we didn’t see safety anywhere. We didn’t see safety committees. We didn’t see safety reports to the board. We didn’t see safety culture as part of the equation That program continues today, with the grudging anywhere.” acceptance of commuters who are glad that Metro is finally addressing the problem. However, the Metro system has taken a “hit,” losing ridership and fare revenue from former patrons who have found more expensive, Smoke incidents lead to but quicker, easier, and maybe safer ways to work than Safe Track program Metro currently provides. Fifteen passengers and workers lost their lives between Track workers are at risk as well when safety lapses occur. the time of the Fort Totten crash and January 12, 2015, New safety procedures were instituted at two agencies when a passenger died in a smoke incident on the Yellow after track workers were struck and killed by a TTC train Line south of the L’Enfant Plaza Station. Metro, it in Toronto in 2012, and a BART train in 2013. turned out, was still trying complete work on the 2010 safety recommendations in 2015. ATU – almost always lone voice for safety Lack of proper maintenance is a “hidden” transit issue that doesn’t receive much attention until someone is hurt or killed. It threatens the safety of our members and their passengers, and undermines the confidence of riders that a transit system can deliver them where they need to go safely and on time. In almost every instance, ATU is the first, lone voice pushing agencies to do something. As we have painfully learned, it is a matter of life and death. v Still, Metro didn’t seem to take the DC Local’s calls for action seriously. Another, less serious smoke incident on March 16, 2016, convinced new General Manager Paul Wiedefeld to shutter the entire Metro system for emergency power cable inspections – and they found a lot of long ignored problems. It was only then that Metro really seemed to recognize that they had to take concerted action. Wiedefeld established a new Safe Track program in which large
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 21 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Bathroom breaks become issue as computers take over scheduling
On December 4, 2015, the U.S. Congress passed the Fixing said the Canadian Council, adding “this issue also engages America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The bill includes basic human dignity.” a provision ATU fought for, requiring a federal safety review of the time and access provided operators to use restrooms. 2012 Study The legislation was the latest success in an ATU campaign that began late in 2010, and continues today. In January 2012, the Transportation Learning Center published a study for Local 1005-Minneapolis/St. Paul, Prompted by ATU, the Transportation Learning Center MN, that found that inadequate bathroom breaks negatively convened the Bus Operator National Joint Training impact both Labor and management: Standards Committee in 2011, which adopted operator restroom use policies as a top priority. Failing to allow transit operators to use the restroom when needed can cause… an increase in agency health insurance premiums, Disciplined for using bathroom absenteeism, low worker morale and high turnover. To remain healthy and effective… In April 2012, a Local 1572-Mississauga, ON, member transit operators should have the ability and the was suspended for five days for taking a restroom break authority to use restroom facilities whenever during his run. The driver had to wait in line for seven they need to, without the stress of worrying minutes behind two other operators at the single washroom about maintaining their route schedule. provided, and spent another seven minutes in the restroom itself. A passenger complained, saying the driver failed to explain the holdup. 2014 Testimony At a 2014 hearing, International President Larry Hanley told the U.S. House Transportation Committee: “Tight computer-generated schedules and increased traffic congestion have created shifts in which no time is available to use the restroom. As a result, bus operators restrict their fluid intake, starving internal organs, leading to a whole host of health problems.”
Armed with the information the International was assembling, the Local filed a grievance, calling it an invasion of privacy to force a driver to reveal his physical condition. “This is a national issue which affects the health and safety of both our countrys’ bus drivers, and the public at large,”
22 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 23 Hanley also noted that recent studies found that the as a pastor, finds it immoral,” adding, “The fact that this is discomfort and stress of “holding it in” makes it more being negotiated at the bargaining table is absolutely absurd difficult to operate a vehicle safely. One study even found and an insult.” that not responding to an extreme urge to urinate affected attention and thinking equal to that of driving while impaired. Washington state fines King County Metro Availability Locals may sometime have recourse to the law if negotiations fail. In November 2014, as the result of a Operators are now speaking up – not only about having complaint by Local 587-Seattle, WA, King County Metro little or no time to use a restroom – but also about the lack Transit was ordered to pay a $3,500 fine for failing to of clean, safe facilities. provide bus drivers enough places – or time – to use the restroom. On February 9, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Local 241 operators (see picture, below) held a protest demanding that CTA build proper bathrooms along their routes, and do away with “port-a-potties.”
The portable toilets are “nasty, cold, dark, unsafe, and unsanitary” says Local President Tommy Sams. “Drivers decide not to relieve themselves, and even in a few cases they have resorted to wearing diapers.”
‘Absolute disrespect’ Local President Ken Franklin, 308-Chicago, IL, says, “Transit workers are of one the most likely groups of King County “did not provide transit operators with workers to be affected by restroom access. The CTA answers unrestricted access to bathroom facilities when needed to this by absolutely disrespecting us. My sisters and brothers relieve themselves,” said the citation. The property was also who operate our buses deserve better.” ordered to fix the problem.
Locals must still fight In December 2015, ATU produced the video, Bus Driver Bathroom Breaks are a Matter of Human Dignity and Decency, that asserts that bathroom breaks are a human right that should be acknowledged by all transit agencies. That was the same month theFAST Act was passed with a provision requiring the federal government to study the problem. CTA Bus Drivers hold protest to demand better bathroom conditions, Encouraging as the FAST Act study may be, Locals still February 9, in Chicago. – photo by WBBM/Mike Krauser need to fight for language in their collective bargaining agreements or pursue legal remedies to guarantee that their “The current portable bathrooms” says Sams, “don’t even members have the basic human right to use a clean and safe have running water or heat, and often the hand sanitizer restroom, and that those restrooms be reasonably available is empty or broken. This is an absolute disrespect to the whenever they need them. v workers...” Reverend C.J. Hawking who spoke at the protest, says that as a woman, she “finds the conditions to be outrageous and
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 23 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Operators suffer higher rates of stress, depression
Anyone who has driven up to 20 tons of metal loaded with Industries with the highest rates of depression precious human cargo through busy urban streets knows stress. It is a basic part of the job that most professional drivers cope with quite well. But every operator knows that the normal pressures of the job are just the beginning of what a driver has to worry about. In addition to avoiding preventable accidents, drivers live with the constant threat of assault, and the fear of accidentally hitting a pedestrian, impossibly tight schedules, lack of time for bathroom breaks, and unruly passengers. The ILO study recommendations to reduce the stress of bus drivers cover several main areas: “Timetables, shift schedules and the quality of break Stress takes a physical toll periods:… the main recommendations are: the organization All of these burdens can push the stress of a bus driver up of work for several consecutive days on the same shift to an unhealthy level. (rather than changing shifts every day), combined with the forward rotation of shifts (early shift. followed by day shift, Eric Jaffe, writing for CityLab for the Atlantic, in followed by late shift); the avoidance of split shifts; regular 2012, reports, “Half a century of medical research has assignments rather than day-to-day assignments; and the determined that the demands of driving a city bus result organization of two days off, rather than single days off, in a variety of physical (notably heart disease and back between blocks of working days. pain), mental (anxiety and depression), and behavioral “Social work environment and management style: (substance abuse) health problems. A British review of Supervisors and management should be trained in a this work from a few years ago concluded that ‘poor well- supportive style of leadership, which should include a being in drivers is part and parcel of the job.’” proper information flow and clear explanations as to why In Bus drivers: Occupational stress and stress prevention certain things are or are not possible. Possibilities should published by the International Labour Office (ILO) be provided for training and retraining, and special in Geneva, Professor M.A. J. Kompier writes, that facilities should be provided for older drivers and drivers numerous studies of bus drivers are fairly similar in their with health problems...” v conclusions as to the factors that create the stress that impact operators’ coping capacity. He observes, “Driving a bus was shown to be an occupation with high risks for health and wellbeing.
Depression All of this stress easily leads to depression. A 2014 study of 214,000 western Pennsylvanians found that driving a bus was the most stressful of all occupations (see graph, above).
24 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 25 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Coping with PTSD
In November 2013, a future president of the United States rewarded Darnell Barton, 1342-Buffalo, NY, with a check for $10,000 for preventing the suicide of a woman he noticed about to jump off a bridge while driving his route. Donald Trump wrote the driver saying: “Your quick thinking resulted in a life being saved and for that you should be rewarded.” In December, last year, in Guelph, ON, Operator Celine Renaud, 1189-Guelph, ON, noticed something wasn’t right with a young woman who boarded her bus. Renaud engaged the woman in conversation who said she wanted to kill herself. The driver radioed her supervisor and The new rules ensure that traumatized operators will have comforted the woman until help arrived. timely access to compensation and support services. Beyond compensation and counseling, Locals are asking for training to know what to do when these things happen. Many operators traumatized An incident at a Maryland Metro Station prompted Local by suicide attempts 689-Washington, DC, to call for a review of how the We hear these heart-warming stories about our members system responds to suicide. almost every week. But, we know that there are many It was on Christmas Day that Shop Steward Dion Baker more suicide attempts that happen in front of operators heard a desperate call from an operator reporting that don’t turn out well at all. that someone had just jumped in front of his train. Naturally, operator emotions run high when these gruesome The operator’s shock and heart wrenching pleas for help events unfold before their eyes. It’s not uncommon for were heard over the dispatch system. them to have “post traumatic stress disorder” (PTSD) – and The jumper was pulled from under the train and survived sometimes never operate a transit vehicle again. Perhaps, due to the quick action by the operator. But that didn’t even more drivers experience PTSD as the result of being mean the experience was over for the operator who may be assaulted, or witnessing an assault. plagued by the memory for a long time. A study of Montreal operators was conducted in 1996, to investigate the problem. The authors of Prevalence of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder in Bus Drivers found: Training • A little more than a third of bus drivers reported a “We’ve been pushing for more training for situations like traumatic event at work. this. They [Local 689 members] need more training and • Nine out of 100 drivers exposed to a traumatic more help,” says Baker. event at work suffered a PTSD. Training can be effective in preventing suicide says • Serious threats and assault constitute the majority Tim Jansen, a counselor who operates a local suicide of these events. prevention hotline. “If you learn to stop and just say ‘Hey, how’s it going?’,” he Workers compensation says, that can lead to them making different decisions.” Just as commuters are urged “if you see something, say something,” In 2016, the Province of Manitoba began providing workers Jansen encourages train riders to alert transit employees about compensation for all employees who miss work due to PTSD. people who may be troubled. v
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 25 ATU HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT EM active seats hold promise of reducing musculoskeletal disorders
They call it a musculoskeletal disorder, but most operators can affect exposure to whole body vibration. Research recognize it as the pain they endure because they are has shown that whole body vibration contributes to bus drivers. Efforts have been made over the years to musculoskeletal disorders and other negative health develop driver seats that reliably cushion drivers from the effects including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nervous pounding they receive while driving – something medical and urological disorders. researchers call “whole body vibration” (WBV). The study found that low-floor buses had less vibration on streets with speed bumps than high-floor buses. They also found that brand new air-suspension seats only reduced 10% of the floor vibration in buses.
Electromagnetically active technology The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, reported in 2015 on a new seat technology – electromagnetically (EM) active technology – that incorporates a microprocessor-controlled actuator to dampen vibration. The article recounted that EM technology reduced WBV exposures by 39-44% relative to the air-ride bus seat, depending upon subject weight and road type, but that “additional field research is needed… in a real-world bus environment.” Transit agencies have traditionally resisted spending money on new seats even when it has been clearly demonstrated that the cost of sick leave and workers These problems have been studied over the last 30 compensation is much greater than providing workers years, but significant improvements in seat design have with safer seats. been elusive. The U.S. Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported last October that musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 23% of all Stretching helps injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work for bus drivers in 2014. Exercise can help reduce the effects of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). A 2014 study, Effects of Self Stretching on Pain and Musculoskeletal Symptom of Bus Drivers, Whole body vibration found: Regular stretching exercise can reduce and prevent the symptoms of MSDS. Stretching is known to be an NIOSH explained the problem this way: Whole body effective and simple exercise which increases flexibility. vibration occurs as a vehicle travels over roads and the vibrations are transferred through the floor of the vehicle ATU will continue to press for ergonomic protections that or seat into the driver’s legs and spine. Vehicle design, will improve the health and wellbeing of our members on type of driver seat including suspension and seat cushions and off the job. v
26 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 27 The union raiding game – no game WHAT IS UNION RAIDING?
“Raiding” is the term given to describe the action of one movement. Established and time-tested union structures labour union trying to grab away the members of another. are frequently wrecked, membership unity is often It is thankfully rare, but when it does happen it is always destroyed, and the employer who waits on the sidelines highly controversial. As it should be. can take advantage and further divide the membership and weaken the union’s effectiveness. Among the several variants of the raiding virus, the current Kinnear-Unifor conspiracy isn’t difficult to diagnose. A desperate Kinnear promised Unifor the membership of Local 113. Unifor – seeing the chance to steal 10,000 union members – eagerly dove-in to pull off the job. A raid was born, and the reaction of the 113 membership to refuse to be sold like cattle has been an inspiring and authentic reflection of member unity in the face of attack.
Unifor a repeat offender The fundamental mission of every union is to build and The record is clear on Unifor, as it was with the CAW. Over protect the unity and rights of the membership, and represent and over again the leaders of this union have spoken about members in the face of ever present employer resistance and unity and democracy and then regularly abandoned those in a political environment where politicians come and go. principles in their destructive raiding attacks on other unions in Ontario and across Canada. Oceans of time and energy have been used up by the Canadian history of raiding Labour movement in Canada over the past 30 years, as labour is forced to deal with one reckless raiding assault The Canadian labour movement has been forced to after another launched by CAW – and now Unifor. settle the question of raiding a number of times over the decades, most recently to intervene and quell the raiding conduct of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and The Canadian experience with raiding now their successor union Unifor. The current “raid” by Unifor on Local 113-Toronto, ON, is one such version The labour movement in Canada has experienced several of this practice. periods of intensified raiding activity. Sometimes – but not always – the raid takes the course of As with most nations in the industrial world, Canada has an established labour relations process, as determined by suffered the loss of countless union members in numerous the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Raiders sometimes sectors over the past several decades. however ignore the legal rules and boundaries of the labour Good, well-paying jobs have been destroyed as a result relations process, because their underlying goal is to grab of unfair trade policies and automation, among other new dues paying members. causes. The formerly abundant unionized jobs in the manufacturing sector no longer exist, and the unions still concentrated in that sector – like Unifor – are suffering An inherently dangerous process large and ongoing membership losses. Raiding is an inherently dangerous process for the membership of the union being raided and the entire labour continued on page 28
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 27 Unifor has long history of raiding, negotiating lower wages, eliminating pensions
The agreements reached under Unifor are worse than Local 113’s deal with the TTC. Unifor’s deal has a grow-in twice as long, and wages for drivers are significantly less.” This is also true of their contracts in the auto industry. Local 113 has a two-year progression for most members, while Unifor has conceded to a 10-year progression in its contracts. The authors also point out: “The recent big three auto deals Unifor signed had big concessions to their pension plan for new hires. There is no reason to think that Unifor is better positioned to represent ATU members just because they are a Canadian union.” Unifor, the union attacking ATU Local 113-Toronto, ON, has a long history of raiding international unions by appealing to the dark side of nationalism. But those And what about Kinnear? appeals are simply a ploy to increase the size of their own union without doing the difficult work of new member The article asserts, “Kinnear is playing the old game of organizing. And Toronto would be just the beginning. bashing the U.S.-based international leadership, saying that Canadian union members are losing out.” The According to David Bush, Gerard Di Trolio, and Doug authors also note that, based on its own by-laws, Unifor Nesbitt writing in Rankandfile.ca, “There is no reason to think would most likely trustee the local of any of its local Unifor will stop at Local 113 because it has a long history of presidents who did what Kinnear did. raiding through its CAW roots. If they are successful they will go after every other ATU Local in the country.” There is also evidence that the Canadian Labour Congress had Unifor a gift to Trump, Tories threatened to remove no-raid protections against all ATU Locals in Canada as the dispute in Toronto heated up. Unifor “is trying to divide and weaken ATU and by extension attacking all international unions through nationalism.” they say. “This is a gift not just to Trump Unifor has no interest in public and the Republicans south of the border, but a gift to transit workers the Tories in Ontario who would be happy to take power when unions are paralyzed by leadership power games.” v Unifor has played this game before, with disastrous results. The authors say, “the CAW successfully raided the For a detailed and accurate account of the truth about the Vancouver local of the Independent Canadian Transit Union Local 113 Raid Attempt please go to http://rankandfile. representing Metro Vancouver public transit workers in 2000. ca/2017/02/23/bobs-back-atu-local-113-crisis-continues/
continued from page 27 been spent representing and defending existing members or reaching out to organize those workers Smaller, weaker, exhausted with no union protection were sadly squandered on the The CLC and the rest of the Canadian labour movement raiding free-for-all. The bottom line with the Unifor are well aware that after every period of raiding activity raid on Local 113 is that it is nothing more than an the unions and members of our movement have ended up attempt to resupply the depleted Unifor with 10,000 smaller, weaker, and often exhausted after battle. new union members. v Precious union time and resources that should have
28 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 29 Joignez-vous à la campagne de personne ne nous sauvera si nous ne nous sauvons pas nous-mêmes. Au travail! santé et sécurité du SUT En 2013, nous avons créé une unité Santé et sécurité ici, Cette édition de l’In Transit couvre une litanie d’enjeux au Syndicat international. Son travail est bien connu des qui touchent les travailleurs du transport en commun et dirigeants locaux. Je tiens à vous dire que nous travaillons les conducteurs de transport scolaire. À compter du jour tous les jours pour rendre nos emplois plus sains, plus où nous commençons à travailler dans cette industrie, à sécuritaires et plus gratifiants. réparer ou à conduire des véhicules, à travailler dans les stations ou à nettoyer, nos organismes sont exposés à une pléiade de risques. Joignez-vous à nous Le Syndicat international, de concert avec les sections Nous avons besoin des sections locales et de leurs membres locales, en fait plus que jamais pour nous garder en santé. pour répondre à cet appel. Nous pouvons corriger les Cette édition explore tout, des angles morts qui tuent des situations dangereuses, mais pour cela, nous devons piétons et ruinent la vie et la carrière du conducteur jusqu’à entièrement redessiner l’habitacle des conducteurs de la fumée qui pénètre dans l’habitacle en sortant du système façon à ce que les usagers ne puissent pas nous atteindre et d’échappement. Vous sentez ces vapeurs?? que cet écran soit confortable pour le conducteur. Ils sont Nous discutons de l’ergonomie de votre siège de conducteur, déjà utilisés en Europe (voir à la page 15). Joignez votre de l’entretien négligé, des pauses-toilette, de la sécurité voix à la nôtre dès maintenant pour exiger ces nouveaux sur la route, des problèmes liés à la dépression et au stress habitacles! Lors de votre prochaine réunion syndicale, post-traumatique. L’alimentation, l’exercice et la fatigue au n’hésitez pas à vous informer si votre section locale est volant sont également examinés. inscrite à la campagne!
Décès à Winnipeg Le 14 février, à Winnipeg (MB), le conducteur d’autobus et membre du SUT, Irvine J Fraser, a été poignardé à mort Des sections locales de tout le par un jeune passager. Ce triste évènement nous force Canada défendent les membres à exiger de nos agences qu’elles fassent tout ce qui est possible pour arrêter les agressions envers les travailleurs du de Toronto transport en commun. Des sections locales de partout au Canada se sont portés à la Dans le secteur de l’entretien, plusieurs mécaniciens et défense de la section locale 113 − Toronto, ON, lors d’une nettoyeurs du SUT travaillent toujours dans des conditions conférence de presse dénonçant la tentative unilatérale épouvantables. La mort du mécanicien Jake Schwab, de la de l’ancien président local, Bob Kinnear, de retirer des section locale 568, nous rappelle que ce ne sont pas que membres du syndicat en février dernier. les conducteurs qui font face à des dangers dans le secteur Voici quelques commentaires recueillis lors de l’évènement : du transport. Nos membres de la Pennsylvanie mènent actuellement une campagne visant à faire adopter une loi Paul Thorp, président de SUT Canada : « J’ai lancé un sur la sécurité. appel à mes frères et soeurs, et la réponse a été extraordinaire. Sans hésiter, ils sont montés à bord d’avions, de trains et de voitures pour venir représenter la section locale du SUT Honorer Jake qu’ils aiment. Tous nos membres de Pennsylvanie sont invités à demander Ils veulent que les gens comprennent qu’il ne s’agit pas à leurs dirigeants locaux comment chacun de nous peut ici d’une « prise de contrôle par les États-Unis ». Il s’agit contribuer à protéger nos membres et à honorer Jake. d’une seule personne dont l’intention est de démolir « Nous venons tous ici pour travailler − pas pour mourir », une organisation pour satisfaire ses propres intérêts. Et dit Anne Feeney, la chanteuse travailleuse. C’est vrai − mais cela m’affecte. Cela me blesse de voir cette personne, qui
IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 29 avait proclamé son amour pour notre organisation, avoir Travailleurs du transport en commun : le SUT, c’est l’audace de tenir de tels propos. » nous tous. Nous sommes des travailleurs du transport en commun et nous sommes solidaires depuis 120 ans. Margaret Gilbert, présidente de la section locale 1582 − Niagara Falls, ON : « J’adore ce syndicat. J’aime les Nous avons ici des gens venus de Saskatoon, des gens membres avec qui je travaille et j’aime mon travail de venus de Régina, des gens venus d’Ontario, des gens venus conductrice d’autobus, travail que je fais depuis plus de d’Edmonton. Sans poser de questions. 20 ans. Le SUT a été présent pour moi et a répondu à toutes les demandes que nous leur avons adressées... Ils nous ont « Paul, tu as besoin de quelque chose? » et « Nous serons appuyés financièrement et de toutes les façons dont nous là pour toi » ont été leur réponse. Ils ont compris que avions besoin. Ces gens comptent beaucoup pour moi et je lorsqu’on dit « un SUT », cela signifie que si vous attaquez suis fière d’être ici. » l’un d’entre nous, vous nous attaquez tous.
Jack Jackson, 1572 − Mississauga, ON : « C’est avec Aujourd’hui est un triste jour, car au lieu d’être ici à plaisir que je suis ici aujourd’hui pour exprimer mon discuter des enjeux auxquels font face nos travailleurs du inquiétude et le fait que notre frère Kinnear − et j’utilise transport en commun, nous parlons des intérêts d’un seul le terme « frère » dans son sens large − tente de peindre un homme qui a perdu ses élections lors de notre dernière portrait d’un Canada contre les États-Unis qui n’est pas un conférence internationale. La réalité est que le Syndicat portrait réel... international a mis de l’avant plusieurs d’initiatives pour défendre les travailleurs du transport en commun. Nous C’est une triste journée, mais ce qu’il y a de bien, c’est que sommes réellement les chefs de file de l’industrie. nous nous tenons fièrement debout et je tiens à envoyer un message à nos frères et soeurs du 113, avec qui nous Le président Hanley a mis en place des initiatives contre partageons la frontière. Je veux vous dire que le 1582 est les temps de trajet irréalistes, les agressions de conducteurs, de votre côté, de même que toutes les sections locales du les angles morts dans le cadre du travail, les pauses pour Canada et toutes les sections locales des États-Unis, et qu’à les toilettes; ce ne sont là que quelques-unes des initiatives la fin de cette tempête, nous serons debout et fiers. » que le Syndicat international a mises en place. Il ne l’a pas fait au Canada, il ne l’a pas fait aux États-Unis, mais à Manny Sforza, vice-président international : « Nous l’ensemble de l’Amérique du Nord. Ils n’ont jamais refusé sommes ici pour protéger les intérêts de nos membres. quoi que ce soit à une section locale canadienne. Nous avons l’appui non seulement de notre communauté, mais, comme vous pouvez le voir, de tout ce grand pays. Le président Hanley et le Syndicat international ont également mis en place des initiatives de formation afin Une seule personne ne fait pas un syndicat. Bob Kinnear que les petites sections locales n’aient pas à se rendre nous a laissé tomber. Il est libre de faire ce qu’il veut, mais à Washington pour recevoir leur formation. Elles ont il ne nous représente pas. maintenant accès à la formation sur vidéo.
Bob Kinnear a décidé de quitter le syndicat dans son propre intérêt, mais nous sommes ici pour défendre votre intérêt − celui de demeurer avec le SUT. Nos frères et soeurs s’investissent dans les enjeux qui importent le plus à nos travailleurs du transport en commun. C’est notre unique objectif.
30 January/February 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 31 DeathIn Benefits Memoriam Awarded November 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
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To better prepare all ATU members for the challenges and battles our Locals face, ATU International has launched new ATU Training Videos on the ATU website available to all members. These videos teach new strategies on how you can get involved with your Local, make your Local stronger, and build a more powerful ATU. All the videos are available at http://bit.ly/2lvQSmt. You can watch these videos anywhere and any time you want. Check them out today.