GO-875 Hosts Training for SMART TD Reps

On Wednesday August 26th,  Union Local and General Committee leaders from the Los Angeles area met at the GO-875 offices in Irwindale to attend a training session on communication, negotiation and mediation techniques.  The training was designed to refresh, improve and sharpen the skills that union representatives will need to better represent the union members in their dealings with management, arbitrations and contract negotiations.

The training was led by Rhonda Hilyer from Agreement Dynamics.  Rhonda is an international speaker, negotiator and mediator with over 25 years of experience.  The list of clients that have taken this same training include groups from organized labor, government agencies and fortune 500 companies. 

International Representative Victor Baffoni and Assistant to the President Tony Iaonne were also in attendance to witness how those who attended, responded to the training.

"I believe that training like this is the way of the future," said Baffoni.  "We need more of this type of training so that we can be up to date on the latest and greatest negotiation tools and techniques.  Our members deserve the greatest representation they can get and classes like this help us to give that to them."

General Committee 875 members found the training to be extremely helpful and were excited to take the skills and tools learned back to their locals in order to train their officers as well.

This was the first of many such trainings GO-875 will host as they continue to improve their skills to represent the members and prepare for negotiations.

Jack Skiles Celebration of Life

The SMART Union family is sad to announce the passing of Brother Jack Skiles.  Jack began his career in August, 1974 and retired after 23 years of service from Division 8 in August, 1997.  Last week Jack passed away suddenly of natural causes.

For friends and colleagues who wish to show their respects, a celebration of life will be held on Sunday, August  23rd  at the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Winnetka.

 

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

8520 Winnetka Ave

Winnetka, CA 91306

(818) 341-3460

 

In honor of Jack and his favorite color, it would be fitting if admirers wore a touch of yellow at the services.

Camacho Wins Re-Vote

Gilbert Camacho has won the re-vote for Chairman of Local 1607.  Chairman Camacho gathered a resounding 62% of the vote to reaffirm previous election results which were called into question.  The final tally showed Local Chairman Gilbert Camacho with 178 votes and former Local Chairwoman Lisa Arredondo-Smith with 108.

SMART General Chairman Meets with MTA CEO

General Chairman Marco Gudino met with MTA CEO Phillip Washington on Tuesday August 4, in the first of many one on one meetings to be held between the two transportation leaders.  In a show of strength and solidarity from SMART International, Mr. Gudino was accompanied by International Representative Victor Baffoni.

The General Committee has been in contact with CEO Phil Washington since his selection was announced.  Representatives from the union have met with him in the past at MTA events and at larger group meetings.  Although the General Committee has been pleased with the initial outreach, Mr. Gudino felt that the union representing over half of MTA's employees, should have a more operator focused meeting and agenda with Mr. Washington.

The first item on the agenda for General Chairman Marco Gudino, was to set the tone for a positive working environment with Mr. Washington and his staff.  The CEO also expressed his desire for a positive and constructive working relationship. As Mr. Washington has been reorganizing staff at the MTA, Mr. Gudino was quick to point out the key members of the current MTA staff that have been aiding in a more constructive and positive work relationship between labor and management.

"I truly believe that Mr. Washington is a man that we can work with." said Gudino.  "If we can build a positive working relationship based on mutual trust and respect, I believe our union can avoid many of the problems that have plagued us in the past."

The need for greater operator protections is another area where the General Chairman and the CEO see eye to eye.  As has been previously reported, Mr. Washington is moving aggressively on a plan to install protective barriers on all buses throughout the system.  Washington has requested an expedited procurement process from the MTA Board and has gotten federal grant money to pay for it.  The General Committee has been working with MTA staff to ensure that the critiques from the operators on the new barrier system have been heard.

"Are the new operator barriers perfect and will they stop all operator assaults.  Of course not." said Gudino.  "But I believe that they will serve as a deterrent and will prevent many assaults.  That's a good thing."

Mr. Gudino and the General Committee will continue to work with Mr. Washington and MTA to improve on all security enhancements, to include the barrier system, in the future.

Although no additional individual meetings have been set at this time, General Chairman Marco Gudino has planned to meet with the CEO, along with the other MTA collective bargaining units, in regularly scheduled meetings.

General Chairman Marco Gudino with Members at Divisions 3, 10 and Gold Line

General Chairman Marco Gudino has resolved to be more visible and accessible to the membership that he serves.  A major piece of that mission involves going to the divisions to meet and talk with the members.  This week Mr. Gudino met with the members of Divisions 3, 10 and the Gold Line.  Accompanying Mr. Gudino were Local Chairman Gilbert Camacho and Local Chairman Jose Barajas. 

SMART TD Long-Term Disability Open Enrollment Extended to September 30

http://utu.org/2015/06/27/long-term-disability-open-enrollment-extended-to-september-30/

Updated: July 20, 2015

The open enrollment period for the Long Term Disability (VLTD) Plan has been extended an additional 30 days. Transportation Division members will now have until September 30, 2015 to open enroll in the plan. Further policy details are being finalized and will be posted once available. Additional questions should be directed to your regional field supervisor (contacts) or to the VLTD hotline at (866)-753-3632.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Beginning June 29, 2015 through August 31, 2015, an open enrollment period will be available for Transportation Division members to enroll in the new Voluntary Long-Term Disability (VLTD) Plan.  

Members will have two options for enrollment into the VLTD plan. For Rail members, Part “A” allows the member to purchase coverage to protect their income should they become disabled after a 238 day elimination period with a monthly benefit of 50 percent of salary to a maximum benefit of $7,000. Part “B” contains the same 238 day elimination period, but offers a monthly benefit of 60 percent of salary up to a maximum benefit of $7,000.

For Bus members, Part “A” allows the member to purchase coverage to protect their income should they become disabled after a 365 day elimination period with a monthly benefit of 50 percent of salary to a maximum benefit of $6,000. Part “B” contains the same 365 day elimination period, but offers a monthly benefit of 60 percent of salary up to a maximum benefit of $6,000. Additionally, rail or bus members will have the option of combining one of the above options for the VLTD with the Short Term Disability (VSTD) plan or elect the VLTDplan on its own.

It is important to note that members who have previously opted out of the VSTD plan or were previously denied coverage, are now eligible to enroll with no pre-existing condition restrictions during this enrollment period.

For members currently enrolled in the short-term disability plan (VSTD) and are not seeking coverage in the long-term disability plan (VLTD), no action is required at this time.

It is recommended that members review the detailed FAQs to gather more information on the plan offerings and eligibility requirements. Additional questions should be directed to your regional field supervisor (contacts) or to the VLTD hotline at (866)-753-3632.

Transit Policing and Security at the MTA Board

On Thursday June 18, the LACMTA Ad-Hoc Transit Policing Oversight Committee approved a plan to extend a contract with the LA County Sheriffs Department to provide law enforcement services. The contract is a one year extension from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. The motion will be taken up at the June 25 General Board Meeting and it is expected to pass without much debate. This short term contract extension will give the MTA time to review its options on a long term contract for transit policing. At the end of the review process it is more than likely that the LASD will retain its contract and will be the MTA's transit security option for the foreseeable future.

In addition to the Sheriffs contract there is a plan to expand the scope of duties and authority of the Transit Security Officers. The MTA will take up a motion at the June 25th Board Meeting to direct the new CEO Phillip Washington to seek and support California State legislation to give Transit Security Officers greater policing authority and armaments. The newly elected Sheriff Jim McDonnell has endorsed the plan and has agreed to work with the Transit Security Officers to improve safety and security on the transit system. SMART Transportation General Committee 875 has been work closely with Teamsters Local 911 to offer its support and assistance in getting this initiative passed. Operator safety is a top priority for the General Committee and they believe that greater participation from the Transit Security Officers will go a long way to create a safer transit system.

Proposed MTA Service Changes Canceled

A month ago, General Committee of Adjustment 875 reported that the MTA had proposed service changes that would eliminate certain lines of service. The General Committee is pleased report that those plan are currently canceled.

Since December of last year, General Committee 875 has been tracking the potential service changes and gathering support to prevent them from going forward. As soon as the news of the services changes was released, all available stakeholders were mobilized to speak with members of MTA staff and members of the MTA board in opposition. Near the end of May, new MTA CEO Phillip Washington released a memo to MTA Staff communicating that the service changes were canceled pending a full financial review. The General Committee also received confirmation last week that the public meetings scheduled for July by the local Service Councils, have also been canceled.

Following the full financial review, some or even all of the proposed services changes may return. The General Committee has signaled its commitment to track and follow the review process, as well as to fight any discontinuation of lines or outsourcing of labor to other transit agencies.

SMART International Leadership "Impressed" with Los Angeles General Committee

General Chairman Marco Gudino welcomes VIP's from the SMART International Union

General Chairman Marco Gudino welcomes VIP's from the SMART International Union

It has been a very busy and news worthy week for the SMART General Committee GO-875.

Following his election last week, General Chairman Marco Gudino spent this week in briefings and meetings to allow for as smooth and seamless transition as possible.  As Mr. Gudino began moving into his new office, the General Committee was visited by some top leadership from the SMART International Union.

SMART Transportation President John Previsich and Vice President John England came to Los Angeles to meet General Chairman Marco Gudino and to see the Irwindale operation for the first time.  The International representatives came with lots of questions, plenty of praise and offers of assistance from SMART International’s resources.

“They had questions about operations and they had questions about our Trust Fund upstairs.” Said General Chairman Marco Gudino.  “They were very, very impressed.”

During the General Chairman transition of duties, Vice Local Chairman Jose Barajas assumed the duties as Interim Local Chairman for Local 1565.  Local 1565 will soon announce nominations and an election for the Local Chairman’s position vacated by General Chairman Marco Gudino.

Marco Gudino is Elected as General Chairman GCA 875

The General Committee of Adjustment 875 of the SMART Transportation Division has elected Marco Gudino as its new General Chairman.  Mr. Gudino will be the first new General Chairman elected for the General Committee in over 19 years.

Former General Chairman James A. Williams had made it no secret that his retirement was imminent. He had announced at union meetings last year that these would be his last contract negotiations.  A few weeks ago, Mr. Williams made the decision to quietly announce his plans to retire so that he may get the union affairs in order before his departure.  A meeting and a vote was called to be held this morning at the union headquarters in Irwindale, CA.

Although one of the newest Local Chairman for the General Committee, Mr. Gudino was found to be more than qualified to hold the office of General Chairman by a majority of the committee.  Mr. Gudino began his career as a bus operator back in 1986 and also served as a Gold Line Rail Operator starting in 2000.  As an officer of the committee, Mr. Gudino has served as Treasurer, Secretary Local Committee of Adjustment, Vice Local Chair and Local Chairman for Local 1565.  This resume gives Mr. Gudino the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience needed to lead a union that represents the over 5000 bus and rail operators for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. As soon as receiving the news, General President of SMART John Sellers and SMART Transportation Division President John Previsich called the General Committee to congratulate both Mr. Gudino and Mr. Williams.

Two other positions were also voted on at the meeting.  1608 Local Chairman John Ellis maintained his position as Vice General Chairman and 1607 Local Chairman Gilbert Camacho was elected as Secretary for the General Committee of Adjustment.

MTA Proposed Service Change

Metro staff members have developed a list of proposed route changes and route eliminations scheduled for December on this year. Meeting have also already been scheduled and are awaiting approval for public comment on these proposed changes. The list of routes and meetings can be found by following the link below.

 

http://media.metro.net/board/Items/2015/05_may/20150511sgvitem5.pdf

 

The San Gabriel Valley Service Council will hold a meeting today in Division 9 at 5pm which will include a proposal from Foothill Transit on assuming responsibility of the 190/194 Lines. Handing Lines 190/194 to Foothill Transit will immediately effect 18 full-time and 17 part-time operators. Any members who will be in Division 9 at 5pm today are encouraged to speak out against this plan.

 

The General Committee has been working with local labor allies to aggressively lobby against many of these route changes. We are also looking into any contract violations that these modifications may incur and the General Committee is ready to defend the worker protections provisions held within.

News From GCA 875

The last month has been a bust one for General Committee of Adjustment 875 SMART.

The General Committee has been moving efficiently through open and pending operator cases. Committee leaders reported during the contract negotiations that there were over 900 pending cases to work though. Since negotiations over half of the open and pending cases have been handled with many resulting in operators returning to work. Even today, there were SMART Transportation members at the union offices in Irwindale to go through reinstatement briefings.

The General Board Meeting of the LACMTA was last week and there was plenty on the docket for bus and rail operators to be interested in.

There are a number of state legislative agenda items that the MTA Board is being asked to support which the General Committee is keeping an eye on. SB 767 (De Leon) would allow the LACMTA to put another sales tax initiative on the ballot for 2016. This would essentially be a re-authorization of Measure R. Representatives from SMART have been in Sacramento and Los Angeles speaking with State Senators, LACMTA Board Members and other union leaders to ensure that funding for operations is once again in this sales tax measure.

AB 726 (Nazarian) would allow for Motor Coaches of up to 82 feet long on the Orange Line. The issue is the complete over crowding and inefficiency of the Orange Line especially when it reaches the east side of the line in the mornings. SMART Representatives have been recommending to the MTA Board, legislative leaders and local community groups along the Orange Line to oppose this bill. SMART Transportation has some serious safety concerns with a vehicle of this size operating on what is not truly a dedicated right of way.

Finally the Inspector General for the LACMTA has made a number of recommendations on Law Enforcement and Security options. The option being supported by the General Committee would maintain the current level of sworn officers and augment them with additional Metro Security Officers. The sworn officers would then be redeployed in order to maximize their utility throughout the system while Metro Security Officers handle tasks such as fare evasion and a general security presence. SMART Transportation is highly supportive of a greater security role for Metro Security Officers on the transportation system.

Vigil for Fallen Union Sister Denise Berry

As many of you are aware, our union sister Denise Berry was brutally murdered on the streets of Hawthorne in an off duty incident. You can read a report of the incident at the link below:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-gunman-killed-mother-son-shot-20150403-story.html

The SMART General Committee 875 is horrified and deeply saddened by this senseless act. We would like to express our condolences to her family, friends and colleagues who will miss her the most.

There will be a candlelight vigil for Denise at the scene of her murder, on the corner of Kornblum and Rosecrans Ave, in Hawthorne CA at 6:30 PM.  

SMART Inland Empire Action Committee

There’s a change happening in the Inland Empire and SMART is leading the way!   


Union families are asking tough questions about how the region should grow and what impact unaccountable developers have on working families.  Will family supporting jobs be created?  What impact will there be on traffic and air quality?  Will our schools be able to handle the increased students?


You’re Sister and Brother SMART union members, whom are Sheet Metal Workers, have been leading a campaign to hold Lewis Group accountable to working families who live in and near the City of Highland.   They want the proposed huge Harmony development to provide good paying construction jobs and have less negative impacts on the quality of life for the families that live in and around Highland.


Thousands of new homes are being proposed that will generate over 33,000 daily car trips. A few thousand new students will be enrolled in area schools.  No commitments are being made to pay decent wages to construction workers.  Lewis Group, the developer, is simply not addressing these issues sufficiently.  (Visit abetterhighland.net to find out more!)
You are invited to hear more about how the Harmony development will impact working families in your community.   Feel free to invite you spouse, family member or neighbor.  Please call Jesse Ayala at (909) 936 7630 if you have any questions.


Mi Cocina
27961 Highland Ave  Highland, CA (909) 425-0393
6:00 P.M.       Thursday, August 9th
See you there!!

News From SMART Union: Nigro Announces Retirement

General President Joseph Nigro addresses the first SMART General Convenstion.

General President Joseph Nigro addresses the first SMART General Convenstion.

http://smart-union.org/news/gp-joseph-nigro-to-retire-april-30-gec-votes-gst-joseph-sellers-into-job/

Joseph J. Nigro is retiring as General President of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART), effective April 30.  He is stepping down in order to fully focus on recovering from a series of recent surgeries.

The SMART General Executive Council on March 12 unanimously voted to name General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Sellers, Jr. to fill the position of General President and Chief of Staff Richard McClees to fill the position of General Secretary-Treasurer.

Nigro, a career sheet metal worker from Local Union 17 in Boston, served as General President since July, 2011. In a letter to union leaders across the U.S. and Canada, he explained that, “I have committed my heart and mind to accomplishing the goals we have set, but my health has taken me in a direction I did not anticipate. Unfortunately, I have been unable to recover to a level I expect of myself as your General President—the level of effort the members deserve.”

Noting the succession plan put in place during his tenure, Nigro added, “Joseph Sellers, Jr. and Richard McClees possess the leadership and management skills that will benefit the union for generations to come. I leave with a great deal of confidence, ready to improve my health and enjoy my family and friends for many more years.”

“I am grateful to our members for the steadfast support they have given me in merging our two great organizations,” Nigro said. “I have every confidence we have collectively built a team of International and Local Union leaders who can get the job done for the membership.”

Operator Safety, ADA and "Zero Tolerance"

The last week has been a busy one for news and information for the members of SMART GCA 875.

Expo Line Train Collision and Derailment

On Saturday March 28, A SMART Transportation Division member and LACMTA train operator was released from the hospital a few hours following a collision his train had with a car on LA Metro's Expo Line. Local 1565 Chairman Marco Gudino had been at the hospital since the incident was reported along with a Blue Line manager and the operators wife. The incident has increased the debate on greater safety measures needed on the expanding rail system.

Protective Barriers

Last week a new protective barriers was introduced to the public in front of MTA headquarters. Juan Navarro from Local 1607 and Cherian Brown from Local 1563 were on hand to help demonstrate the new barrier system for the media. Both operators shared their thoughts to the media and Metro engineers who were taking notes on that instant feedback. In addition to the barriers, other safety initiatives were also introduced including an educational campaign and new state legislation to increase the penalties for assaults on public transportation operators.

Sexual Harassment

On the agenda for last weeks MTA Board Meeting were a couple of items that would be of interest to the members of SMART. The issue of sexual harassment and sexual assault hit the newspapers last month, which sent the board of directors into a frenzy of action and speeches. Some of the board members wanted to ensure that any new policies and programs designed to limit sexual harassment and assaults also extended to protect the operators as well.

Fare Adjustments

An APTA pier review was conducted to ensure that Metro was maximizing revenue opportunities while still providing good value to the customers. A significant amount of focus was spent on ensuring that any changing fare structures would not lead to customer disputes with operators and finding ways to limit the operators responsibility for fare enforcement.

Zero Tolerance

Last month Supervisors Antonovich and Solis put forward a motion requesting a review of red light violation on the bus and the rail, as well as recommendation for a “Zero Tolerance” policy when dealing with red light violations. As you know, a great deal of effort was put into crafting Article 27 and Progressive Discipline in the latest contract. Before the motion was introduced last month, we reminded MTA Operations, Labor Relations and Staff of the hard work that was put in to crafting the rules in Article 27. In yesterdays meeting, MTA Staff reported back to the board where Progressive Discipline was stated as the MTA's discipline policy for these issues. There report was accepted and filed without objection by the MTA Board. The new contract and the unions work with MTA staff was able to defend the operators from a potential MTA Board overreach on discipline.

Gaddy's Settlement

An agenda item that was not taken up by the entire board at yesterdays MTA Board Meeting was a renewal of the Gaddy's Settlement. The Gaddy's Settlement was the result of a lawsuit by disabled bus passengers that claimed that the MTA was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not providing adequate services to the disabled. A number of settlement arrangements, including Mystery Riders and additional service duties for operators, were agreed to by the MTA which effected our members. In the last contract negotiations, Mystery Riders were included in Article 27 to ensure that operators would benefit from the protections offered in the article for any alleged ADA violations.

Since the Gaddy's Settlement in 2011, many of the provisions of the settlement have become obsolete and inadequate to satisfy the ever increasing rules in the ADA. Just last week, the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) expanded the scope of ADA for transit providers to ensure access for the disabled. Since the LACMTA receives federal funding, they are required by federal law to satisfy the rules and regulations of the ADA. The MTA's renewal of the Gaddy's Settlement in part ensures that the MTA continues to stay in compliance with the federally mandated ADA. Most of the changes being proposed are technological and mechanical and will not change anything for the operators.