On June 30, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 752 staged an informative protest at the regular monthly meeting of Connect Transit Board of Trustees. About 40 union members, supporters, and bus patrons filled the meeting room at Uptown Station. Trustees and visitors were each given a letter stating the union’s concerns regarding management’s continuous attacks on Connect Transit union employees and those employees who are friendly or sympathetic to union employees.
The union is very concerned with the work environment at Connect Transit which has become very toxic, hostile, and harassing. The union president, Mick Ferrell, vice president, Andrew Moore, and administrative assistant/ union executive board member, Trish Tilton have all been terminated. Employees are all on edge wondering who is going to be next.
Some of the concerns the Union members have are:
• Taxpayer money is being spent on constant, unnecessary arbitration and attorney fees for law suits with no willingness to negotiate a compromise ever. Every grievance is taken to arbitration at the taxpayer’s expense, as well as ATU members being assessed more and more.
• Management does not negotiate in good faith.
• Management is increasing management positions, adding office space, paying attorney fees, but not increasing service to riders with expanded times of service or route creations or extensions.
• Turnover of union and management positions have hit an all time, unprecedented high.
• Employees are walking on eggshells in constant fear of discipline from under qualified, untrained supervisors and managers. Cameras are on employees everywhere.
• Since termination of administrative assistant, non-union employees and management are performing her previously assigned job duties.
ATU feels good managers lead by example, not by bullying, fear, intimidation. Employees should respect supervisors and management freely and feel secure and proud of where they work and speak highly of and remain loyal to the company. At Connect Transit everyone feels they have a target on their back.
Management and Trustees gave no comment at the Board meeting. They did tell the media “things have dramatically changed at Connect Transit and change is hard.”
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