Henry B

Mr. Hunt

In our last communication (about 2 months ago), this was your last comments, “our citation to particulates and equipment below indicate that you are asserting that operators are being exposed to pollution, in addition to be forced to drive dirty buses.

The Union is preparing an operator-based campaign on the dirty bus issue. The Union has filed health and safety claims with OSHA. That agency requires us to specifically identify the bus number and the witness willing to testify as to the problem on that specific bus. Kindly provide that information so that we can investigate and pursue the pollution issue further.”  Thus far “we” have heard nothing about “any” actions “you” are (were) taking.  Truly disappointing, again and again we are let down by the inaction of leadership.  As colder weather is coming “we” can no longer properly ventilate our equipment.  We will now be exposed to higher levels of germs and bacteria.  “We are still looking for leadership”!

On another note, since you are out of touch with “us”, there is something you and the executive board needs to know.  The escalation, of disciplinary action.  Mainly by SIP, Trimet is now using them to gain guaranteed disciplinary action.  In the past they said that they were going to do away with this program, but I guess not.  This SIP was given straight to the operator personally.  I will give you their thoughts on this then I will write what the SIP was against them (they had put this out for all to see).  They wrote:

What you are about to read when you leave this page maybe alarming however; many may say, “it’s nothing new”. I was given this SIP personally and NOT thru the mail channel (due to it being extremely inflammatory) which I appreciated.

Our First Amendment guaranteed us certain inalienable rights with one being, the right to freedom of speech which means; one have the right to verbalize his/her displeasure AS LONG as their opinions and speech is not of inflammatory nature with intent to inflict harm using malicious words upon others.

I will not state this blk. Man’s race, oops! I think you can come to your own conclusions after reading his statement however; I will tell you he is 5’6”-7”, late 40’s early 50’s.

He boarded at 79^th/Holgate (library) destination, 23^rd/Thurman st. (library); he was dressed to look as if trying to be a middle aged hip-hopper, cap spun backwards, baggy jeans, shirt tail out with sweat shirt over shirt.  We had previous dialogue which was friendly, but when I greeted him Saturday afternoon “how you doing “OP” meaning “Ole playa”, he marched to the rear of the bus without speaking heading for the library at 23/Thurman which is where he launched this E-mail since library internet time is limited to 1 hour.

Did he past the point of no return in his assault, attack and even character assassination?

There is nothing that was said or done that facilitated this kind of verbiage towards the operator.  I was told not to take this personally so, I’m sharing this with you.

The anger/rage and rant displayed by this rider (albeit print), should have NEVER left customer service!

This is the rant/rage this union “brother” was talking about (all of which was marked Primary Action Required):

This person felt that the operator was not being professional by referring to the passenger with gang title verbiage.

SATURDAY (10.15.11)@2:20 PM. I BOARDED THE #17/LINE#2723-HOLGATE FROM SE 79^TH.AVE FROM THE HOLGATE LIBRARY, AS I ENTERED THE BUS THERE WAS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE AROUND 50+ 6’1, 220LBS. VERY DARK SKINNED, WEARING SMALL LENSED READING GLASSES, SHAVED HEAD, CALLED ME A NAME THAT I DID NOT APPRECIATED, WHEN I ASKED WHAT HE SAID, HE DID NOT REPLY. MY NAME ISJXXXX MXX AND NOT “BG”, NAME LIKE THIS CAN CREATE SOME PROBLEMS WHEN GANG MEMBERS OR STREET PARTIES ASSUME YOU ARE SOME ONE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR GROUPS OR THINGK YOU ARE AFILIATED WITH SOME FORM OF GANGS, I DON’T LIKE THESE TYPES OF COMMENTS AND HOPE THAT THIS COMPANY/TRI-MET WILL CONFRONTED THIS DUMB AS BLACK MAN WHOM HAS ENTERED INTO SOCIETY WITH A JOB AND DON’T UNDER STAND HOW TO CONDUCT HIMSELF IN PUBLIC AND ON THE JOB, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF PERSON THAT ARE A VERY EMBARASSMENT TO OUR RACE AND SHOULD BE LIVING OUT ON A PLANTATION AWAY FROM CITY PEOPLE HE. DOES DESERVE TO BE DRIVING A VITY BUS OF REPRESENTING TRI-MET TRANSIT SERVIRICES AND LOTS OF TIME WHEN MATTERS LIKE THIS OCCUR AND COMPANIES FIRE THESE TYPES OF NASTY STUPID BLACKS THEY ALWAYS SAY THEY ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED BY CACAUSIAN AND THAT THE SYSTEM DON’T WANT THEM WORKING FOR THE COMPANY.  HE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THESES JACK ASSES THAT DON’T DESERVE A OPPORTUNITY IN LIFE.  LUST LET THEM FALL THRU THE CRACKS AND WALK PAST THEM.  HOPE SOMEONE TELL THIS STUPID ASS MAN TO KEEP HIS BLACK MOUTH CLOSED AND I AM NOT IMPRESSED OVER HIS FOOLISH COMMENTS. THINKS.

Since you wrote about  this type of problem back in September 2, 2011 “Trimet and Race - The Back Story” on the ATU web page.  What has the leadership done to make sure “we” are protected from things like this?  “We” continue to get trampled on, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO LEAD “US”.

Henry.