Brothers and Sisters, the situation with the Transit Authority has increasingly gotten worse. I find it incomprehensible

that this company and its managers have put there workforce in harms way, with the continued efforts to erode schedules which in turn affects safety on the routes.                          The economy continues to be the springboard to justify the cuts to service and the workforce. What the news papers won’t tell you, is that the MTA is holding on to stimulus money that could easily be diverted to their operational budget which would avoid the mentioned lay-offs and service cuts.

Obviously economics is playing a vital role in the things to come. It’s imperative that as a labor organization we support issues that are beneficial to the economy, which in turn would benefit our issues.

Social issues and labor issues are one in the same.

I have been around for going on 16 years, and the way I see things, the transit authority is gearing up to push the envelope further and further at all angles of our defenses. The immediate problem that I see, is our lack of unity. We as a Union need to do some serious sole searching and rediscover our true power. Days in the red-book and other benefits were fought for, the problem is that many of our own people feel a sense of entitlement with out actually understanding the sweat and tears  that went into past struggles. We are faced with new problems, mostly associated with new technology, but it doesn’t end there, the issues that we fought over in the past has become a renewed fight. Management and other anti union companies have initiated war through various means. We as a people have to reeducate ourselves on the issues that affect us and get involved. I can’t  stress this enough. Where one hears something benign another hears genuine threats, I’m here to tell you that our very well being is being threatened.

Recently Richard Davis and myself took the issue of the pick to arbitration, the arbitrator ruled with the authority. This is a direct attack on our seniority. Obviously there are rules and then there is what people do. This decision was an absolute violation of our pick practices. Right now setting cars on fire doesn’t seem like a bad idea, even though those words will probably be taken out of context, I really could care less. The important thing is to understand that we need to act like a union! The membership is the heart and sole of any union and together we can make a difference in all things.

The Cell Phone Issue

The cell phone issue has become such serious concern that if caught 3 times, you won’t be able to operate a bus anymore. The problem that I have with the whole issue, is why would any of us put ourselves at risk? That doesn’t make any sense, we are talking about the very jobs that feed our families!

Chronic Absenteeism

The Authority has been sending 21-day letters to many of our members whose attendance record the Authority deems unsatisfactory. This letter gives members the opportunity to submit medical documentation to show that they are suffering from a verifiable chronic medical condition. That information may lead the Authority not to file disciplinary charges against the member for chronic absenteeism. If you have received this type of letter, you must get a doctors note with the doctors letterhead informing the Authority that your condition if any is chronic and is also FMLA qualifying. In recent months, the Authority’s labor cost control has pushed the envelope on these issues. I believe that in some cases it is obvious and self explanatory why a member became chronic. The question is why should the member have to resubmit documentation on a broken limb or anything else that has kept an employee out for a long period of time. In some of the cases where the Authority is asking for more documentation, I believe to be harassment. It is obvious to me that many in management feel the need to justify their positions because of the economic fallout, but why should it be on the backs of individuals who are evidently sick for long term? Theses individuals in management hide in shame, and as always use the term my hands are tide. These individuals are full of shit!