JOE RUFFIN

Joe Ruffin (on right) with Mike Conner

In the world of light rail what can I say, it’s just like the rest of TriMet in disarray. It’s not like upper management has not screwed over the Union employees and the public enough. As all of us, the little people (Union Employees) deal with incompetent managers and supervisors that like ignoring their own SOPs’ and the working wage agreement; due to unlawful terminations, suspensions, work practices and contracting out.
As for the public sector, they are enduring TriMet fare hikes along with service cuts as Neil and his 70
TriMet executive, managers and other non-union employees receive BIG raises. It’s amazing the extent of what management will do to cover their tracks so no one can see how screwed up they really are. As the union members struggle to keep up with running repairs and preventive maintenance due to lack of parts and poor management decisions. This is on behalf of TriMet for not recognizing the growth and cost of maintaining a Light Rail system. Why did TriMet wait so long to fill maintenance positions? It’s not like they did not know that the system was expanding and they know it takes three to four years to properly prepare personnel for light rail maintenance positions. So why do we only have one MOW trainer? For the growth, size and retirement of future MOW (Maintenance of Way) employees, yet with two more trainers it is going to be a struggle for that department to keep up with the training of apprentices’ and reoccurring training of the current work force. Re-occurring training LOL!! What’s that? Ok I know that was a bad joke.