tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post6291925486297364338..comments2023-12-02T02:39:47.828-08:00Comments on RANTINGS OF A FORMER TRIMET BUS DRIVER: BRUCE HANSEN GETS HIT WITH UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE BY SHIRLEY BLOCKAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-45840907915308072002015-03-23T00:14:43.239-07:002015-03-23T00:14:43.239-07:00I keep my faith in good people, especially my supe...I keep my faith in good people, especially my super 68 supporters. I don't do what I do to gain popularity. If I did I'd have given up some time ago. I rage against the machine because because many won't, are intimidated by them, and it's the right thing to do. I hope I have many good years left, and I realize I have a duty to do whatever I can do to make life-work better.HRSRampantLionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166856256066000466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-57272324846027872062015-03-22T23:04:06.499-07:002015-03-22T23:04:06.499-07:00Tom, you have been around long enough to understan...Tom, you have been around long enough to understand that the powers at be currently maintains a strong foot hold in the ranks. Members who attempt to break that hold tends to get knocked down rather quickly. We have witnessed many events when a member would attempt to step forward for the membership and then get put right back down. As Al says many times that a machine has been made and it is very hard to fight that machine. Now Bruce did manage to break some of that foot hold and to that I give him credit. This was his chance to shine and currently it is looking like the machine is getting another foot hold in the ranks. One person can make a difference yet that one person can only hang in there alone for so long. We do have good members around that can make a difference the question stands before us is will these members step up and can they maintain the support of our members?Chris Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13090612272758812114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-62321189381134692882015-03-22T21:55:10.723-07:002015-03-22T21:55:10.723-07:00The folks who brought you binding arbitration,now ...The folks who brought you binding arbitration,now have brought the Atu a u.l.p.its amazing how ms B has allowed them to manipulate her.megatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12690508629012424849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-29128760395675674052015-03-22T21:43:51.648-07:002015-03-22T21:43:51.648-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.megatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12690508629012424849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-46361545902527787532015-03-21T19:30:22.818-07:002015-03-21T19:30:22.818-07:00I wrote the essay in it's entirety
Just call...I wrote the essay in it's entirety <br /><br />Just call stuff as I see it as a true blue transit blogger Al Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-18206698508649404072015-03-21T18:47:59.083-07:002015-03-21T18:47:59.083-07:00I read your..."our"...your progress repo...I read your..."our"...your progress report, and it too is biased, cherry-picked for supposed facts, and I question whether you authored it yourself. Or else, cite your contributing authors since you say it was "our" assessment. Whose assessment?<br /><br />I'm not here to defend Bruce, he has made dreadful mistakes to which he will have to answer by himself.<br /><br />I am here to give you my assessment of this latest battle between so-called leaders. I offer you an opinion based on my 25 years of experience, higher education, and impassioned observations of political strategy in this field.<br /><br />As long as the members keep sending boys to play checkers with master chess players nothing will change, unity and solidarity will fail us, and members will continue to lose ground. We need to wise up, get smart, and forward leaders with similar backgrounds as the people who sit across the negotiating table if we're ever going to stand a chance of tipping the balance in our favor.<br /><br />The kinds of leaders I'm talking about are NOT alien to our ranks. We have plenty of smart, well educated, and experienced members in our Local, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Why don't you take a chance on doing something different for a change, break the patterns, and reject the status quo? Maybe we'll begin to realize there are benefits in different leadership skills.<br /><br />Okay, I'm a idealist, a dreamer, a demagogue. Perhaps I think this contest for leadership should be about more than high school popularity, playground fist-fights, who supports the right football team, and who makes the better BBQ. But, that's just me. <br /><br />You know me. HRSRampantLionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166856256066000466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-52683804855522077722015-03-21T16:15:58.279-07:002015-03-21T16:15:58.279-07:00Why are we on pers? Since we are not pers!!!why ar...Why are we on pers? Since we are not pers!!!why are we NOT in control of the pension?Goonieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03769534372814744703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-311298637799620182015-03-21T16:12:14.192-07:002015-03-21T16:12:14.192-07:00Not sure if you read my analysis of current events...Not sure if you read my analysis of current events:<br /><a href="http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2015/03/trimetatu-progress-report.html" rel="nofollow">Trimet/ATU progress report</a><br /><br />I do believe that Jon Hunt got snookered by a very sophisticated Trimet sociopathalogical culture when they agreed to give away the right to strike. They did it with the best of intentions I am convinced of that.<br /><br />And in the first give back that was the arbitrators decision, the union didn't just sell us out.<br /><br />But Jon Hunt was out there fighting, Bruce didn't.<br /><br />These are just facts Tom.<br /><br />I don't like Jon, he's a ruthless authoritarian union boss.<br /><br />But I tell you straight up, I miss the fuck out of Jon Hunt right now.<br /><br />And that's no lie<br />Al Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-34859856182440215382015-03-21T15:48:05.165-07:002015-03-21T15:48:05.165-07:00That's exactly what I thought at the time Tom....That's exactly what I thought at the time Tom.<br /><br />One thing I know now is that Ron Heintzman and Jon Hunt both opposed this deal the Bruce made with Trimet.<br /><br />At least they were willing to fight. Bruce just caved.<br /><br />Given these facts I would rather have them representing meAl Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-90815433100806031982015-03-21T14:55:28.739-07:002015-03-21T14:55:28.739-07:00Al, you must be insane. Voting for the Hunt/Heint...Al, you must be insane. Voting for the Hunt/Heintzman cabal over and over again, expecting different results, is the very definition of insanity according to Albert Einstein.<br /><br />Don't forget that group brought us contractual losses every time, not least of which include the loss of our right to strike, the loss of our full coverage benefits, the loss of our sunset-style CSI's and SIP's, and the loss of your own pension security causing you to now have to pay for your benefits out of your fixed income. <br /><br />Personally, I would have given up anything else to save our retiree's pension security. Anything but that!<br /><br />If I have a seat at the table, regaining retiree pension security will be my top priority. Making TriMet's Board of Directors accountable to the voters will be right behind that.<br />HRSRampantLionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166856256066000466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-38283769492806244212015-03-21T14:28:29.034-07:002015-03-21T14:28:29.034-07:00HRS im tired of secrecy It needs to stopHRS im tired of secrecy It needs to stopGoonieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03769534372814744703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-80264587564823295042015-03-21T12:48:34.463-07:002015-03-21T12:48:34.463-07:00I don't know wether you're right or wrong ...I don't know wether you're right or wrong but we have a class action that looks pretty positive in terms of final outcome challenging 'past practice' and 'MOU's' <br /><br />I support Shirley in making every effort possible to undo what I would perceive as an unjust change to my working environment<br /><br />One further thought, I regret not voting for Ron Heinztman. Those guys may be a 'machine' but they knew how to fight for union employees Al Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-19295831215406473272015-03-21T12:03:10.302-07:002015-03-21T12:03:10.302-07:00Yeah, but the court frowns on "any means nece...Yeah, but the court frowns on "any means necessary" types of defense.<br /><br />Deceptively petitioning for signatures in objection to a joint labor/management agreement without informing the signatories that their signature was being attached to a ULP to be filed with the DOL might get her into a lot of hot water. Very poor judgement for a person seeking high office.<br /><br />Furthermore, the agreement achieved by the MOU on Packaging is covering what are widely regarded as mandatory subjects of bargaining. Whether they should be conducted at the time of contract ratification or may be agreed upon in the interim is the question, and that, I'm sure, has been established by past practices. HRSRampantLionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166856256066000466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-50634296260281550292015-03-21T11:55:35.486-07:002015-03-21T11:55:35.486-07:00Like you I am not a labor law expert.
However, i...Like you I am not a labor law expert. <br /><br />However, if I was affected negatively by the 'block packages' I would use any method available to have it thrown out. <br /><br />Seems to me that this complaint does have basis however since it affects all full time operators working conditions. Seems to me a blanket change to working conditions would need to be part of the collective bargaining agreement not just some 'side letter'<br /><br />I guess we'll find out. Al Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-48473467614662780342015-03-21T11:43:17.406-07:002015-03-21T11:43:17.406-07:00Careful now, I did notice all the signatures on a ...Careful now, I did notice all the signatures on a petition objecting to the block packaging methodology. Not the same thing as supporting the ULP, and in fact none were gathered with foreknowledge of filing a ULP against Local's President. The two were at cross purposes until she tacked them together.HRSRampantLionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166856256066000466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-56220234396014375172015-03-21T11:38:10.891-07:002015-03-21T11:38:10.891-07:00Tom, did you not notice all the signatures on the ...Tom, did you not notice all the signatures on the petition supporting the ULP?<br /><br />Are they all part of the "Heintzman/Hunt cabal"?Al Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595057345294486478.post-37054906037382411652015-03-21T11:21:09.435-07:002015-03-21T11:21:09.435-07:00I saw this flair up last night while I was on my l...I saw this flair up last night while I was on my layovers. It's sensationalism was only tempered by a few hours of critical thinking. <br /><br />Shirley is a member of the Hunt/Heintzman cabal, openly decrying the administration of Bruce Hansen on numerous occasions over the past 3 years. Breaking the secrecy of executive session, her recent attempt to scuttle the ratification of TriMet's contract nearly cost the Local dearly by risking a ULP had we failed to ratify. Setting the poorest example of unity and solidarity for members, she has routinely stood up in charter meetings to denounce the internationally sanctioned actions of a duly elected leader.<br /><br />Her husband, Ebb, has recently retired, and she admits that she was planning on retiring in the next few months...that is until she suddenly found the inspiration to run for President. Now, she would have us believe that she is committed to spending the next 3, 6, or 9 years leading the union instead. By my way of thinking, her motivations for running are rooted in a cynical attempt to use the Local's plurality system of elections to give the Hunt/Heintzman cabal an advantage by splitting and spoiling the votes.<br /><br />With this in mind, one can logically speculate that her lawsuit against Bruce, 3 months before Local union elections, is once again being dictated by her overlords. The details of her complaint will not be successful in light of the fact that a long history of past practices, side letters, and extra-contractual agreements, such as the MOU about the Block Packaging Pilot Program, has firmly established precedence for this case. I'm no labor lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this ULP will get thrown out as having no merit whatsoever.<br /><br />Whether this happens before the election or not, this is plainly a deception being perpetrated by the Hunt/Heintzman goon squad. That's what I think, anyway.HRSRampantLionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166856256066000466noreply@blogger.com