Trimess

Sunday, April 15, 2012

NOBODY REALLY KNOWS

The arbitration is close at hand.
But nobody really knows exactly what that means?
We know that if Mcfardumb wins, then our health insurance co pays are permanent, however what EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN?
For example, are we employees and retirees going to have to pay for every single increase in coverage from this point on?
If that is indeed the case we are in big trouble because there is no way the health insurance costs are going to stay the same or go down, they will only go up.
This year it's costing $200 for employees with families on blue cross.
Next year that could go up to $400, the year after that $600 and so forth.
In other words, as the years tick by we will all be forced to abandon our decent health care for a substantially lesser version which will eat up our savings fast if we actually get sick, and the odds are bad when it comes to bus drivers staying healthy.

But what else does this contract represent?
It will take 20 years to get vested. (I think)

And what else? Well I don't know, and I don't know anybody else that knows.

In other words, us employees are totally in the dark as to what will really happen if we lose the arbitration.

That's the fault of our company and our union.
You expect the company to be downright unethical and sneaky about all this, but our union?
Our union has done a piss poor job of describing for us exactly what the ramifications are if the arbitrator rules against us.

ATU 757 MEMBERS TO VOTE

According to sources who were in attendance at the meeting ATU members will be getting a ballot in the mail.
The ballot is too ask members if they would like to offer some compromise in the upcoming arbitration.
Apparently the union can modify its presentation.

The two options will be
1-STATUS QUO
2-MEMBERS WILL MAKE SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH INSURANCE AT A BETTER RATE THAN MCFARDUMB WANTS.

Option 2 is too show the arbitrator that union members are willing to 'give' in this situation.

I would vote option 2, because I think its reasonable to have employees pay part of the coverage, BUT, since Macfarvane has acted tyrannical, and if it appears we can put him in his place, I would vote for status quo.

Second Oregon Active Transportation Summit

CLICK HERE!

IS TRIMET TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS?

Cash-strapped agencies can use FTA funds for fuel - News - METRO Magazine

Ronald Reagan on bus drivers and taxes

ACT NOW FOR THIS PRICELESS PIECE OF HISTORY

FEBRUARY 2009 TRI MET WES COMMUTER RAIL PUBLIC TIMETABLE

MAX incident April 14th downtown Portland

YouTube

Union meeting going on

At this very moment and at the union office tomorrow at 10am.
I'm not going to either event.

I find myself rapidly losing interest  in the politics that surround the lives of operators,I am much more interested in the real life drama.

Ireland and Taiwan show up....


THIS COAT IS AVAILABLE FOR $50-IT COSTS TRIMET $214


ONE LONELY MAN SITTING IN A ROOM OUT PERFORMS A BILLION DOLLAR AGENCY

As the years ticked by it has become rather obvious how paralyzed and oblivious Trimet executives are.

For a number of years now two lonely guys, bloggers, have been bringing the board meetings as well as other public meetings into the public domain so that citizens can view the goings on without having to experience the thievery of Trimet's "request for public records" process.

Either the executives don't care, are too incompetent to figure out how to do it, or intentionally obstruct the public's access to this information.

UPDATE ON TRIMET BUDGET CRISIS

Accounting Manager Non-Union Regular Full-Time $6,298.75 - $9,448.25 Monthly Continuous
Appraisal Specialist Non-Union Regular Full-Time $4,876.25 - $7,314.25 Monthly 04/27/12
Construction System Safety Specialist Non-Union Regular Full-Time $4,875.87 - $6,094.40 Monthly Continuous
Engineer I - Rail Vehicle Non-Union Regular Full-Time $4,876.25 - $6,095.25 Monthly 04/27/12
Environmental Engineer Non-Union Regular Full-Time $4,749.75 - $6,146.92 Monthly 04/20/12
Part-time Bus Operator Union MRO $13.83 - $25.13 Hourly Continuous
Senior Budget & Forecasting Analyst Non-Union Regular Full-Time $5,314.83 - $7,972.00 Monthly Continuous
Senior HRIS Analyst Non-Union Regular Full-Time $6,298.75 - $9,448.25 Monthly Continuous
Systems Engineer II - Linux/Unix Server Non-Union Regular Full-Time $6,298.75 - $7,873.50 Monthly Continuous
Systems Engineer II - Network Non-Union Regular Full-Time $6,298.75 - $7,873.50 Monthly Continuous

If Trimet held rail with the same esteem it holds buses WES would look something like this:


TRIMET'S GREATEST HITS

Saturday, April 14, 2012

MAX GOES DOWN (again)


BEST OF THE TWEETS

johnnymayer: @maddisonbond IS HOMELESSNESS THE NEW TRIMET?

elisssssaaaaa: When stupid trimet makea you late for some place -__- ·

marsiouxpial: My bus lady is so fucking pretty, oh wow way to step up the game Trimet

CamSorter: Creepy people on Trimet..

TRIMET BUS CRASH

More pictures and story HERE!

Inner City Blues Festival BE THERE OR BE SQUARE

Sat. Apr. 14, 7pm – Inner City Blues Festival – to benefit Health Care for All Oregon, Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder.  Come support the new Health Care is A Human Right Campaign and the new coalition for universal health care! There's a great lineup of amazing blues musicians coming back together to heal the Health Care Blues!!! Tickets are $15 and doors open at 6:30.

Maybe our beloved transit executives can upgrade our Merlo fleet to these modern buses


CRIME TRAIN NEWS

(why citizens do not "get involved")

On Friday April 13, 2012, at 5:09 p.m., Portland Police officers assigned to North Precinct and the Transit Police Division were called to the 60th Avenue MAX Platform on the report of multiple people assaulting a man. Additional reports of shots fired were broadcast but ultimately determined to be incorrect. No shots were ever fired.

Officers arrived and learned that a group of 15-20 African American male teens were being loud on the eastbound MAX approaching 60th when the victim, a 57-year-old Danny Adamson, asked them to quiet down.

Some of the teens in the group began assaulting the victim and when the train stopped, the group of 15-20 got off the train and ran in various directions.

Officers stopped and identified several subjects in the area. Two males, ages 15 and 16, were arrested on charges connected with the disturbance.

Transit Police officers will be reviewing surveillance video from the train to identify additional suspects and to determine additional charges.

The victim did not require medical attention at the scene.

No video will be released at this time as it's an ongoing investigation.

If there are witnesses that have not spoken to the police yet, information can be provided by emailing CrimeTips@PortlandOregon.gov
Police report here!

PORTLAND-TIME LAPSE

“You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future”

Friday, April 13, 2012

TriMet fare increase? Hell no! (2008)

 TriMet has always been run by people who would destroy any private business they would be given. They seem to have no idea how the retail world works, and while I adamantly oppose privatizing TriMet, I would like them to become a lot less stupid as guardians of this public resource.
Over the years — and I've been riding TriMet since 1981 — TriMet has responded to increased costs and insufficient ridership levels in two ways: raise fares and decrease service. Can you imagine a store tackling the same problems in the same way? Who is going to go to a store that increases its prices while offering fewer choices?
And if that were the only offense TriMet commits against the public it is meant to serve. Alas, it gets worse.

BlueOregon

Classic


Let their be tax funded PORK!

$75,585.00 - $113,379.00 Annually