Trimess

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

The Trimet/ATU contract which was sent to members

The entire contract just 'appeared' at my doorstep today and as far as I know its the real thing.
This is how it affects me specifically, a retired union employee and my spouse.

I can make one of three selections for my promised health.

1-The current plan that was imposed after the last arbitration by Mr Gaba but it will cost me $178/mo and provide me with 90%/10% coverage under Blue Cross. I was under the impression that the difference in monthly premium between the 90 and 80 coverage was several hundred dollars, according to this contract the difference is only $100/mo. (which is a lot when you have a small pension)

2-I can choose the 80%/20% coverage with Blue cross and that will cost me $78.32/mo (which is what Trimet wanted in the first place)

3-"high deductible plan" not really certain as to what this is but I don't want it.

Remember we had full medical coverage before these cuts started.
We have had significant give backs since Mcfarlane started his union busting.

The rest of the contract doesn't affect me so I have no opinion one way or the other.

Trimet  strong armed the union proposing 224 'negative financial impacts' changes but apparently Trimet 'withdrew all but a few' when it got its way on the 80/20 insurance.
Remember Trimet packed the last contract with all sorts of illegal things (including trying to make employees pay them back for past health insurance) knowing full well that its 'all or nothing' arbitration in this silly state of Orygon. 
When Gaba sided with Trimet he was obviously disgusted that Trimet  had packed that contract with things that were illegal and he said as much in his decision.

What do I  think now that I have seen the whole thing?

NO OPINION EITHER YES OR NO

Trimet is finally going to give us back the money it stole from employees including the $3.6 million January 2011/August 2012(and they defied 2 court orders using our tax money to tie it up in appeals) , $500k from all of 2011, and $425k from Jan1, 2013-Oct 31 2014

Do I trust Trimet to keep its word? Of course not!
They will be back next year for more givebacks as detailed by Dave Auxier in his presentations to the board in which he stated Trimet will reduce OPEB by 50% one arbitration at a time.

The Trimet executives as a group have proven to be very proficient liars and manipulators, I expect more of the same unless they get a whole new management in there. 
(If Kitzhaber wins nothing will change)

The executives probably figured out that the public is starting to catch on that they are liars and thieves, putting this behind them will give them more of a chance to get people to believe all that pro-trimet propaganda they foist on the public.

Positive public perception about Trimet has PLUNGED from 77% to 66% (I'm sure its even worse than that) and the executives have grandiose plans they want to implement which will be impossible if they lose public support. 
Will things get better at Trimet when this is behind everyone?
They can't get much worse. 
The life of a Trimet bus driver is pretty harsh, Trimet needs to figure out some way to make that place a 'kinder and gentler' work environment.
Good luck to all the current employees, I am SO GLAD to be gone from there.

(the pages are numbered correctly but out of order in the folder)

5 comments:

Jason McHuff said...

Note that at least in the one previously posted, your retirement benefits depend on your hire date, not your retirement date.

Al M said...

And what this whole mess shows is that secrecy is stupid and counterproductive

Unknown said...

Ditto, Al
HB

Goonies said...

what's our raise going to be? Did Bruce lie? does the contract that showed up on your door step match the one leaked?

Unknown said...

if you get a raise, it'll be 3% "but" its the 3% that they've already taken in premium cost.
HB