ATU757 has posted on their website this post http://www.atu757.org/check-your-check-its-pay-raise-season-at-trimet/ and they are patting themselves on the back for all the hard work they have been doing and attempting to convince the members that they are doing a good job for them. There are many things I would like to point out in what they are telling members and I hope members take a good look at the information.
ATU757 Officers state “Wages for all union-represented workers at TriMet went up 3.25% on December 1st, 2018.”
It is nice that ATU757 TriMet Members are now receiving a cost of living increase of 3.25% yet cost of living in Portland for this last year has actually gone up 3.9% so the cost of living increase that TriMet ATU757 Members received is .65% below of actual cost of living. This means ATU757 Members cost of living increase isn’t staying caught up with Portland’s Cost of living.
ATU757 Officers also state “In the year 2000, the top wage for bus operators at TriMet was $18.04 an hour. Today, that’s up to $31.17.”
In 2000 Oregon minimum wage was $6.50 while TriMet ATU757 Operators top wage was $18.04. TriMet’s top operator pay was 177.54% higher than minimum wage at that time. In 2018 minimum wage is $12.00 while TriMet ATU757 Operators top is $31.17. TriMet’s top operator pay is now 159.75% higher than today’s minimum wage. The gap from minimum wage to TriMet Operator top wage is getting smaller.
From the year 2000 to the year of 2018 Minimum wage has increase 86.62% While TriMet Operator’s top wage increased 72.59% in that same time period. With a 14.03% difference between minimum wage increase and TriMet Operator’s top wage increase it is clear that TriMet Operators are losing more and more each year.
I am confused as to how a union can be so proud and saying how they are doing so good when they are negotiating contracts that aren’t even keeping the members at a status quo level?
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