'Secret" union communications re:contract

I was on the fence about posting this since I  support the union in the battle against Trimet. But at the same time I have the same issues with ATU757 that I have with Trimet, namely SECRECY!
Both institutions operate in an unacceptable manner when it comes to keeping things hidden from the public and its members.
So here it goes....I took the names off the actual communicators so as to not embarrass any union member .

Jon Hunt Email: Thursday, May 15 2014 5:26:49 PM (Sent to: Bruce Hansen, Kevin Kinoshita, Mary Longoria, Jeff Ackerson, Shirley Block, Justin Bott, Steve Eckles, Anthony Forrester, Dave Harvey, Gary Hernandez, Shayne Jankersen, Dave Kay, Jody Molton, Joe Ruffin, Ken Richins, Carl Faddis, Charisse Wall, Scott Miller, Dan Martin, Sandy Guengerich.

Good Evening board members there is a lot more questions to be answered on how we move forward I’m there for call for a special executive board session 9 AM tomorrow morning. Pursuant to our bylaws section 8 of the executive board. I apologize for the late notice. However Given that Bruce will be out of town starting Saturday for the next two weeks I think it’s imparitive that we come together as a group. Please reply to all as to your vote on having the special meeting. In solidarity

Email Response to all from :

As I stated in my earlier email. Our position will be our third counteroffer. You should have the documents. We just now got an update from ERB. It is due next <x-apple-data-detectors://0> Thursday instead of Tuesday as we earlier calculated.

Email Response to all from :

Bruce,
It is important that the entire bargaining team comes together and talk about the arbitration process and issues on where we are at. Why can't we all get together and discuss our concerns. Members are asking what happens next.

Email Response to all from

This is my response to the email that was sent to the bargaining team of May 14th. I have had a chance to review this memo and our position with Mike Tedesco this morning. Mike's advice was clear. He believes that our initial position after the declaration of impasse from TriMet should be consistent with our last position in mediation. Mike explained that the interest arbitration process is lengthy and that a hearing before October 1st is unlikely. He also explained that up to two weeks prior to the arbitration date we can modify the position that we take before the arbitrator. He explained that there will be multiple bargaining attempts between now and then and from a strategic point of view, giving up our positions without similar concessions from TriMet would not be our best position.

Further, Mike stated that making new proposals at this point in the process that have never been made at the bargaining table could lead us to be charged with unfair labor practices. Let's remember that this is exactly what TriMet did in 2010 that led to successful unfair labor practices against them. In that case, TriMet presented new proposals that have never been given to us or bargained over.

Mike's advice is to simply hold to our current position for the time being, until TriMet bargains with us in good faith on all issues including health insurance and other economic issues.
At this point we will be following Mikes advice.

Email Response from

Please use this email as the official one as the other one had typos in the email address . Thanks and have a great weekend .

Email response from

To All,
I concur with the motion for a special executive board meeting. I am out of town at this time, however, I may be available via phone or skype.

Email Response from

So what is our position?

Email response from

Bruce,
The bargaining team needs to get together and sit down and figure this situation out.  That meeting should include Mike Tedesco and Ron Heintzman.  

Email response from

Bruce so we are all on she same page with the members will you provide a copy of our last position at the bargaining table, changes, status quo issues, etc. thanks

Response from

Question!  I have now heard 3 different time frames for before the "last best etc."  must be put forward to begin the process.  Randy says 7, Jon is thinking 10, and I have heard 14 days,  which is accurate?  Thanks 

Response from

Dave:  Good question. It is due next Tuesday.

Response from

As I stated in my earlier email. Our position will be our third counteroffer. You should have the documents. We just now got an update from ERB. It is due next Thursday instead of Tuesday as we earlier calculated.

Response from

Bruce,

I am hoping that we all can get together to strategize a course of action. Emailing the info out to all is great but we all need to be in the same room and brainstorm our future.

Response from S

I can make it.

New Email to all

Tom Reese was left off the initial email please use this one when responding to all.

Response from

Just to make sure we have everything straight when we talk to our members I think we should have an executive board session tomorrow.

Response from

See you at 9 am union hall tomorrow.

Response from

This does not seem to make to much sense so if someone could please explain why we need another meeting when the process was explained by Bruce, Mike, Jon & Ron. We have had the last proposal for over 6 weeks, did anyone read it? It is Our Proposal! I just have 2 concerns 1). Budget wise we may have more sessions of bargaining and we must be financially responsible there. 2) Transportation Officers have several meetings scheduled for tomorrow and grievance step II meeting set. So unless there is a serious reason we Must meet and I hope this can be explained timely I fail to see why we need to off set meetings with members.

Also For clarification is this for just the Executive Board or the Bargaining Team?? As I see the email string has changed to who this had been sent to.
Please clarify.
In Solidarity.

Response from

Jon,
I will be there at the 9am meeting

Response from

Good call Mary

Response from

To All
As people have stated here I have meetings scheduled out of the office and will not be attending nor will I approve Mark off. This msg is being sent to others not on the EBoard.
Bruce Hansen

Response from

Just my two cents,
I know this notice to a some of us may be restricted due to medical/dental appointment we may have made and need to keep. But as far as TriMet , we need to understand they are ripping our hearts out. So if you deem to go and sit with them rather than put together a face to face game plan. Then don't play the blame game when we get our asses kicked. That is just where we are headed. I sat today with an HR person who I won't mention their name today to find out the letter from Randy was written and sign on 05.02.14. All they had to do was put in the date and fax over to the union office. I also learned of two more of his team that is packing. So if anyone think we are ready by reading the email proposal's ,I have a bridge I can sell you very cheap. 8.5 billion and no medical. The problem we have is putting our differences aside and build the info we need to help the arbitrator side with us and not TriMet. Can we at least do that for the folks that voted us in our positions? I'll go one more to say I want my f- MEDICAL/PENSION. I fill I have earned it. I gave those fuckers the best years of my life and I am not going to sit still and be nice. I am not here to make friends. I'm here to get what is owed me one way or the other. See some of you at 9:00 AM of Friday.

Response from

Bruce can you please clarify? You're stating that you're not approving any of the wage committee members that are not executive board officers for a meeting concerning how we move forward into arbitration? With all the money that we've spent on consultants I can't think of any better money spent than the front-line elected officers! Respectfully.  Jonathan Hunt vice president

Response from

I will c u at 9 a

Response from

I am confused as to why we are not listening to the expert that we have hired to represent our members in this arbitration.  Does Tedesco need the bargaining team to meet?  And as Dan pointed out this string is including the e-board officers as a whole, that seems fiscally unnecessary.  I was not a part of the arbitration process in 2012 so I could be missing something?  Anyone that can clarify these issues please join in the conversation.  Thank you Shayne

Response from

I would just like clarification on our next moves, Bruce spent all day with Tedesco and Susan regarding the negotiations and an Ulp that is going to be filed. I myself just need clarification on what exactly our proposal was on the table and our next moves.  I have had calls from bargaining team members asking for clarification since randy stedman did a great job communicating on the next steps with all of our members.

Response from 

Good luck tomorrow my solo brothers and sisters.

Response from

To All, I concur with the motion for a special executive board meeting. I am out of town at this time, however, I may be available via phone or skype. 

Ken

Response from

Thank your Brother Ken, what again is my concerns and they are not getting answered. We just had EBoard on Monday, if ANYONE. Was not clear why was it not discussed? When we left mediation Mike spoke about what we would need to do, and as Mary pointed out Bruce was with Mike Tedesco and Susan all day, if there was something Mike, Susan or Bruce needed from the Bargaining team I would clearly have expected a call or email directing us to a meeting.

Is there an issue we need to Vote on? What is strange is those who have been through this process previously are clammering. I dont appreciate the threats or guilt when I ask for clarification and do not get it.

To pay Brother Carl or Ken to drive to portland for a meeting that as far as I can tell has no agenda is foolish. I understand frustration we all have a dog in the fight. But we have to be smart and not chew at our own pack.

Just frustrated. 

Response from 

I have never been through the process dan.

Response from

Yes

Email from

Executive board officers a special executive board meeting was convened today . In attendance was Sherly Block Joe Ruffin David Kay, Charisse Kevin Kinoshita, Carl Faddis Tom Reese ,Annie Tompte ,Charisse wall ,Sandy Guengerich by telephone and Ken Richins by telephone a motion was put forward and approved to delay the mailing of the letter from the Presidents desk until such time that Bruce can convene the entire executive board to explain his actions. It was further motioned and approved that no mass mailings rather by mail or electronic would be sent out until approved by the executive board . Once approved those mass mailings will bear the signature of all full time three officers. It is unfortunate schedules for some officers were unable to participate in today's meeting . However given the content of the letter and the liability it puts on the local it was necessary to proceed. All copies of this letter have been picked up and are not being distributed and is to be treated strictly confidential. I look forward to when the entire executive board can come together to discuss what is the best way to communicate to our entire membership and policies and procedures set up in the future. So that it limits the unions exposure to litigation.
In solidarity,

Response from

Mary,
I respectfully request a copy of the complete minutes from the Impromptu Executive Board Meeting on May 16, 2014 that was call by Vice President Jon Hunt on May 15, 2014.
Please remit As soon as possible.
Respectfully,

Response from 

As per the Bylaws, a complete record of minutes and attendees along with any votes and motions that were taken at the special executive board session on May 16, 2014,  that all executive board members, including the president of division 757  were invited to attend,  will be provided to the executive board at the next regular scheduled executive board meeting so everyone will see and hear and receive the same information, next executive board meeting is scheduled Monday June 9th, 2014, commencing at 8:30 am. See you then. If anyone is left off the  email please forward or contact myself and I will forward the email to them.
In solidarity

NOTES:

Point of Authority cited by Jon Hunt

ATU Local 757 Bylaws’ Section 8 :

Section 8 – Executive Board

The Executive Board shall consist of the President-Business Representative who shall act as chairman, the Vice President-Assistant Business Representative, the Financial Secretary-Treasurer/Recording Secretary, and the Executive Board Officers listed in Section 3.

It shall be the duty of the Line Officers to look after their respective subdivisions, handling all grievances, complaints, and other matters in their respective subdivisions. The Line Officers shall have full knowledge of all grievances and complaints and shall participate, if needed, in all steps of the grievance procedure with the President-Business Representative or a designee. Line Officers shall distribute all information received from the Financial Secretary-Treasurer/Recording Secretary to the members in their respective subdivisions.

The Executive Board shall meet when in the opinion of the officers it shall be considered necessary. Special board meetings may be called by a majority of the Executive Board or the President-Business Representative. They shall consider all grievances and complaints that may arise that the President-Business Representative cannot adjust with the employer and decide upon the proper course to pursue in dealing with them.

Members having a grievance shall present it in writing to the Executive Board and may appear before the Board to present their cases, it being understood that the Board meetings shall be executive sessions, except in cases where necessary to call members before it to hear their cases or complaints. The Executive Board, through its secretary, shall deliver a report of its work to each meeting of the Division.

Executive Officers:

President, Business Agent Bruce Hansen, Vice President Jon Hunt, Financial Secretary/Treasurer Mary Longoria

Executive Board Officers:

Jeff Ackersen, Shirley Block, Carl Faddis, Sandy Guengerich, Shayne Jenkersen, Dave Kay, Kevin Kinoshita, Ken Richins, Dan Martin, Scott Miller, Joe Ruffin, Tom Ruiz, Anna Tompte, Charisse Wall.

Bargaining /Wage Committee:

Jeff Ackersen, Justin Bott, Shirley Block, Steve Eckles, Anthony Forrester, Dave Harvey, Gary Hernandez, Sandy Guengerich, Shayne Jenkersen, Dave Kay, Kevin Kinoshita, Dan Martin, Jody Molton, Joe Ruffin, Tom Ruiz.