OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION|AFL-CIO/CLC SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 Exposing safety culture neglect in public transit 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 JIC Locals gather for collaborative training Halifax, NS – [email protected] More than 30 Locals from across the U.S. and Canada gathered at the Tommy Douglas Conference JOHN COSTA Center for an innovative Joint Industry Council training. The attendees heard from experts and staff Kenilworth, NJ – [email protected] on the new realities of bargaining and campaigning against large, deep-pocketed multinational CHUCK WATSON employers. The training included a comprehensive understanding of the RFP process, a breakdown Syracuse, NY – [email protected] of the revenue agreement, negotiations, strategies for building strength within our Locals, and CLAUDIA HUDSON Oakland, CA – [email protected] planning for organizing campaigns. The Locals also exchanged ideas and experiences in dealing with these companies that will change our strategic approach for bargaining contracts. BRUCE HAMILTON New York, NY – [email protected] MICHELLE SOMMERS NY voters reject ballot proposal Brooklyn Park, MN – [email protected] on constitutional convention JAMES LINDSAY ATU Locals across the state of New York joined organized labor and Santa Clarita, CA – [email protected] allies across the state to declare victory as voters on November 7 EMANUELE (MANNY) SFORZA Toronto, ON – [email protected] soundly rejected the anti-worker ballot proposal to hold a constitutional JOHN CALLAHAN convention to amend the state’s constitution. The Locals waged an Winnipeg, MB – [email protected] aggressive campaign against the proposal which would have put important labor protections, pensions and other rights for New York workers on the chopping block. 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 SEPT/OCT 2017 CONTENT Vol. 126, No. 5 11 Workstation Initiative Phase II: Power tool and machine hazards, top list of maintenance worker safety concerns 12 38-year old OC Transpo bus operator starts on college basketball team BART fine confirms management culpability in 2013 track worker deaths 13 Small businesses launch SOS for Metro 9 Report urges TransLink to run HandyDART WORKSTATION INITIATIVE PHASE II: ATU SAFETY as a public service ‘SWAT’ TEAMS, LOCALS TO PERFORM SAFETY AUDITS 14 ATU applauds introduction of Driver Fatigue Prevention Act 20 Regina Local sets course for city’s safe workplaces 21 Erie woman credits EMTA bus driver with saving her life St. Paul man honors mother with bus farewell tour 22 Local 583 member, longest serving City of FIGHTING FOR WORKERS 15 Calgary employee, dies at 80 YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW Kelowna, BC, Local pushes for better protections for operators 2 International Officers & General Executive Board 23 Connecticut Locals rally for safer workstations News Briefs 24 All-door bus boarding could improve safety and service 3 Index Page 25 Bus operator shortages concern Cincinnati 4 Canadian Agenda: Canadians to benefit and Guelph Locals from more sustainable transit options 26 Winnipeg Local warns that re-opening 5 International President’s Message: intersection dangerous for pedestrians Time to speak up! Peterborough Local ratifies strong contract 6 International Executive Vice President’s Message: ‘High tech’ needs ‘high touch’ to 27 Guelph, ON, transit workers ratify be successful strong contract 7 International Secretary-Treasurer’s CLC takes on mental health in the workplace Message: Reports of unions’ demise have 28 Translations (French) been greatly exaggerated 31 In Memoriam 8 ATU Canada & allies rally to demand transit be kept in public hands 32 Stay connected for a chance to win an ATU jacket Local 113 demands safety audits 10 Workstation Initiative Phase II: Station attendant issues to be examined during safety audits IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 3 Canadian Agenda Canadians to benefit from more sustainable transit options Manitoba and the Canadian government are investing in The projects announced will support the growth of Toronto’s public infrastructure to ensure Manitobans have modern public transit system while other improvements will make and reliable transit systems that meet local needs and lay getting across the city easier, faster and safer for transit riders. the foundation for sustainable economic growth. Union Station will see many improvements, including signage and wayfinding, lighting and security. Manitoba to receive $21.6 million These investments are part of an agreement between Canada and Ontario for the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. for transit Amarjeet Sohi, minister of infrastructure and communities and a member of Local 569-Edmonton, AB, joined Jeff Quick facts Wharton, minister of municipal relations and mayor of Winnipeg, to announce federal-provincial funding of more • The Government of Canada will invest more than than $21.6 million for five public transit projects. $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade “The Government of Canada is making strategic and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and infrastructure investments to improve Manitobans’ quality northern communities. of life while supporting economic development and middle • $25.3 billion of this funding will support public class job creation,” said Sohi in pointing out that the funding transit projects, including $5 billion that will will increase the safety and efficiency of the transit networks be available for investment through the Canada people rely on daily. Infrastructure Bank. Over the next 12 years the Canadian government will invest • The Government of Ontario is making the largest $25.3 billion in funding to support public transit projects, infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, including $5 billion that will be available for investment public transit, roads and bridges, and water and through the Canada Infrastructure Bank. wastewater infrastructure in the province’s history – more than $190 billion in public infrastructure over 13 years, starting in 2014–15. To learn more Canadian government, Ontario invest about what’s happening in your community, go to in public transit Ontario.ca/BuildOn. The governments of Canada and Ontario have announced • Since 2004, the Government of Ontario has approval of 11 new projects that will benefit Toronto under committed more than $3.7 billion to municipalities the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). The federal across the province through the provincial gas government is providing more than $30 million, and the tax program. This funding supports municipal City of Toronto will provide the balance of funding. transit systems. v 4 September/October 2017 | IN TRANSIT IN TRANSIT | www.atu.org 5 LARRY HANLEY, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Time to Speak Up! My thanks go out to all the Local Unions working through Fighting privatization the Workstation Initiative resolution to get our industry to We are running well-oiled campaigns to challenge efforts to produce a safer, healthier, more secure bus driver workstation. privatize transit in Ontario, and Washington, DC. In this issue, we resume our efforts to bring attention to the safety issues of other ATU workers, as well. Let me be clear. Privatization is about lower wages, no pensions, less health care and inferior transit. We at the International can help Locals that want to fight, but Local officers must involve their members in the fight in order to win. And, also, if members don’t engage riders, it’s a lot harder to win. Working people need to remember that it’s not just in paying dues that we strengthen our Union. It’s in building our presence in the community, and getting riders to actively support us that these fights are won. If you, like me, are sick of politicians of both parties selling you out, there is something you can