Brothers and Sisters,
Here we go again, number 27 assaults this year and…..welcome to SUMMER.
Last night we had yet another assault, this time involving an intoxicated female on the 75 line bus around 11 to 1130pm. The intoxicated female was assaulting various riders then the operator. The operator was struck at least 6 times, 3 of which were in the face.
It is great that there were 8 police officers on the scene to pull this rather intoxicated assailant off the bus, but that was the only good news. The fact still remains the same, WHY DID THE DRIVER CONTINUE THEIR ROUTE, WHY WERE THEY ALLOWED TO CONTINUE DRIVING?????? I understand that we are but a skeleton crew after a certain time, like having only 2 dispatchers and a couple of Road supervisors, but did anyone follow an SOP concerning this? Or the bigger question is did Harry Supporta or Jay Jackson do one???
It is great that there were 8 police officers on the scene to pull this rather intoxicated assailant off the bus, but that was the only good news. The fact still remains the same, WHY DID THE DRIVER CONTINUE THEIR ROUTE, WHY WERE THEY ALLOWED TO CONTINUE DRIVING?????? I understand that we are but a skeleton crew after a certain time, like having only 2 dispatchers and a couple of Road supervisors, but did anyone follow an SOP concerning this? Or the bigger question is did Harry Supporta or Jay Jackson do one???
Since there was this so-called committee formed by Management and the Union, but what has changed? Yet another joke on us is that we (the union) are throwing a victory lap and making statements that we are working on this issue with management. When there is mention of a “committee” that’s a code word of “we do not plan to do anything” but it looks good to the press. Meanwhile frontline workers bar the scars of a survivor while trying to earn a living and feed their families, while paying union dues for what? But again, silence is compliance.
I’ll reiterate these simple things we can do as a “Union” to protect our members who find themselves in this situation:
1. Pull the operator off the bus. An operator driving with “DEMINISHED CAPACITY” is a safety hazard to themselves, passengers and the general public.
2. Send them back to the garage (or the hospital if necessary), to fill out the reports due to the sensitive nature of recalling events for clarity and accuracy. Also keeping communications open with management and Union officers.
3. Send them “HOME,” this is where they can fully recover from the crime that was committed against them. The Union must also stress that for the operator to be paid their run pay, while not receiving “any” time-loss due to being “out of the seat.”
Henry Beasley
Your Brother on the front lines
UNION STRONG
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