Trimess

Saturday, July 14, 2012

OPAL'S JONATHAN OSTER CALLS ON TRIMET TO COME CLEAN

The public was led to believe all through the budget decision process that $5M of the $20M (eventually $19M) Contingency set-aside was to cover the potential adverse ruling at this arbitration decision. Now TriMet states that had the decision been adverse to the agency, it would have had to make additional cuts to service and potential raise fares again to cover the loss. OPAL and Bus Riders Unite continue to ask TriMet for greater transparency and accountability in its decision-making, and to come clean with its extra conservative contingency cushion and budget shortfall projections. Only last week we learned that the Federal Surface Transportation bill, MAP-21, signed by President Obama, maintains current federal funding levels, despite TriMet’s stale prediction of a projected loss of $4M. We call on TriMet to immediately initiate plans to invest these savings back into service so we can get our region moving again and connect our transit riders to the opportunities they sorely need.”
Source:http://portlandafoot.org/2012/07/trimet-wins-arbitration-battle-against-union/

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Questions:

1. What is the next plan of action by OPAL? Will they be at the next TriMet Board mtg?

2.Would like to know why the rail supervisor confirmed to have used excessive force on a juvenile is still working & Hendren was faced with a termination action.

3. Will ATU be doing a media briefing regarding the Gaba decision?

Cameron Johnson said...

1. From the looks of it, we'll be talking about the BS that happened last time and what this should mean for the contingency fund.. it'll be talked about on the 17th.

2. If there are two things TriMet and their management hate more than anyone, it's teens and their drivers.

3. Neither my jurisdiction or an opportunity to make a snarky comment.

Al M said...

I'm sure we will be hearing from the union but there is not much that can be done. (I'd be in favor of rolling sickouts/wildcat action)

BUT Mcfarlane was right about one thing-THERE IS VERY SOLIDARITY IN THE RANKS OF THE BUS DRIVERS-