NEIL BERLIN

this comment refers to some kind of Recognition for perfect attendance? One the second point,recognizing operators without time loss.

 Been there done that. There use to be breakfast award ceremony. The operators who qualified to attend got time off to attend. Before the operator’s given a certificate and Fred Meyer gift card. There is a speech given how grateful TriMet is for this achievement and it how it saves money for the agency by not using additional resources to fill its mission.The amount on the card was determined by the number of years one had achieved perfect attendance. 

 Well, about the third year I attend I noticed my wife and mine gift card did NOT increase in the amount on the card but actually decreased. Later I went to my Station Manager who had awarded me certificate and card said there must been mistake in the loading dollars on the cards. He said he would look into it. A week later we met in his office. He told the reason why the amount on my wife and mine card was lower than expected (and earned according to the guidelines set ) was that this year there more operators had achieved the goal of perfect attendance and the budgeted for program  breakfast,certificate and gift card, was short. So to make up the difference TriMet took away dollars from those operators who achieved the next level of increases. He said this in a matter of fact tone, no expression of what he just said was deplorable. I expressed my surprise and how disgraceful that explanation was. 

 I would not let this transgression pass and would make it well known to fellow operators. Left the managers office with the a disgust of TriMet management that grew to be more than justified over my tenure at TriMet. I guess my talking to other operators about what had occurred had reached higher levels of the powers to be reckoned with. My wife and I received a check for the amount that was taken from award. Since I was only one who spoke up I was the only person who got compensated as far as I know. 

Nothing really has changed in TriMet mentality and culture of how it treats and views the Rank & File. The committee you sit on is only one of many similar committees that been formed over the last 18 years. Including a Oregon Secretary of state audit that few of its findings where ever implemented. These committees are dog and pony shows for the TriMet that if need be can use by the PR department showing that TriMet listens to the Rank & File but unfortunately does not hear. The award breakfast went the way of many other Recognition programs that was not funded by Federal taxpayers grants. Those management bonuses are top priority still to this day. So I commend all that are on this committee for there efforts . Just keep mind the past history. Keep your expectations low and you might be satisfied with the results in the end.