Trimess

Monday, March 21, 2016

Over 5000 ballots about to be sent out for the ATU757 election

The ATU757 election offers 3 distinct choices of the future of this union. I outline those choices in the video below without the baggage of personalities but as an objective blogger 

6 comments:

Steve Fung said...

Great Rant!You disabled the comments on you tube.I gave it a thumbs up
anyways.

megaton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lisa said...

Al, I always read your Blogs. I agree that Bruce, Henry and Chris are all nice guys, but.... Jonathan Hunt is absolutely the finest Union President we have ever had. Jon is the hardest working man I know, he gives 100% for every member wronged. I have been a Lift Driver for 24yrs, and Jon is the best for all of us members, it's not all about TriMet, as there are so many of us other members being represented. I believe Shirley, Jon and Mary are an eccellent team! Lisa Huffman, ,,thanks Al you're awesome.

Lisa said...

Al, I always read your Blogs. I agree that Bruce, Henry and Chris are all nice guys, but.... Jonathan Hunt is absolutely the finest Union President we have ever had. Jon is the hardest working man I know, he gives 100% for every member wronged. I have been a Lift Driver for 24yrs, and Jon is the best for all of us members, it's not all about TriMet, as there are so many of us other members being represented. I believe Shirley, Jon and Mary are an eccellent team! Lisa Huffman, ,,thanks Al you're awesome.

Unknown said...

Hi Al,

Again, I'm relatively new to atu but have read histories and novels (The Given Day, Joe Hill) etc. I have tried to become educated - more than average I guess judging by the turnout at meetings. Coming in I really expected hundreds out of the thousands of membership.

My test for a leader is where the "rubber meets the road" and Henry/Chris/Shirley/Jon fail the test for the time I've seen. Yes Henry/Chris come to most meetings but they aren't there for trainings, parades or actions. What committees have they been on? You mention that anybody can be successful in the postion but these two would not be able to hit the road running - We can't afford the inevitable stumbles. We have a right to get an knowledgeable answer at ANY hour. Bruce did that. Shirley and Jon don't.

Is it too much to ask for an articulate President? To not undercut an officer by telling a member to grieve an accident that isn't grievable? She has too many basic Union knowledge deficits even after a year on the job - that's why it seems like Ken is there full time now? All volunteer or Is he making markoff? Is that in the budget? Paying a lawyer to do trainings when the State would do it for free? Ever hear of fiscal responsibility? She and Jon weren't at the MayDay parades, Pride parades etc? Bruce and Mary were.
Jon isn't a leader he's a poli'$hit'ian. Al, he was at that picket because members wanted it and he could feel important - he comes to lead a picket but can't show at a parade? Listen, he is all about surviving in his position like any selfish politician. Come on, duii is not good but exponentially as a Transit pro - but blackout out of his mind drunk behind the wheel? But he survives that like a politician. Unfunded OPEB, embezzling officer, giving up the strike, meal/rest break side letter, lost arbitration - what's the common denominator? Those are just the lowlights, you must know there dozens of smaller issues - from when he publically humiliated you Al to recently slandering a lawyer(!). You seem to acknowledge that he undermined Bruce during his term and would again. That is just not respectable.
Lisa, the way I understand it, how many times did he fail you when trying to organize that Lift group? That's just what has come up at meetings, there must be more broken promises? But he's still "the best"?
Bruce is honest and respectable. That's enough. He was only in office 3 years and he gets blamed for 20 years of problems? How does that happen? Only a master politician could manage that spin!

Al M said...

I think it's very possible that Bruce's 'appeasement' strategy may be correct.

I understand one thing clearly, this entire process is controlled by McFarlane and his cronies

They will do whatever they want, legal or illegal, and get away with it because there is no accountability there

Pandering to their egos may be the correct strategy Indeed

In this technocracy, which was specifically created as a method to control the citizens and in our case the employees , a technocracy without accountability, a head on fight may not be winnable since the technocrats control the entire mechanism including the arbitration outcomes

All I want from this point forward is an end to retiree/employee loses. And in all honesty he I have no idea what is the best methodology to stop These un accountable technocrats from totally removing our promised benefits