In defense of Tyranny

The ATU757 election is over the second time now.

 Twice a majority of the voting members have made a decision about who should lead this local. 

The leaders of our union are chosen from the ranks of those employed at the properties represented by the union.

 The only qualification needed to run for office is that you are employed at a property.

 You don't have to "know someone" to run for office.

 You don't need a fancy degree or certification. 

You don't need to be politically connected. 

Anybody can run. 

This is democracy at its root level, the ground floor of democracy.

I know there is a problem with transparency at the union. 

I don't like it but I accept it. 

The reason I accept it is that the majority of the voting members support it! 

They support it because they voted for it-twice now!

Shirley Block did better than I ever imagined, she has a mandate here to act as she sees fit.

Everybody is aware of the issues surrounding the so called  "Heintzman/Hunt" group of people that control our union. 

And the majority of the voting members are supportive of those methods.

If they didn't support it they wouldn't have voted for them, and they voted for them twice.

Now these people have been elected to do a job. 

And part of that job is to not let disgruntled factions disrupt the process that they are employing to get the job done. 

Sometimes methods used to silence destructive members is harsh, some would call it tyranny.

 This democratically elected group of leaders have that right by mandate, to do what they need to do.

We have important issues facing us, we have a group of leaders right now that has the experience and the motivation to handle this job. 

Will it be 'clean' and 'easy'. Of course not. 

And the reason for that is they are facing a group of people who are not elected and have no accountability to anyone but themselves!  

I am referring to the career technocrats at Trimet, who 'own' the Trimet Transportation District and function as its owners. 

The so called "board of directors" are nothing but political appointees of a governor who has instructed them to stand behind the general manager of Trimet, no matter what.

 If they don't do that they are replaced. (see Lyn Lerbach)

I'm supportive of "The Team" doing whatever they have to do right now to keep the people intent on destroying the union completely out of the way.

And the majority of the voting members agree with me