Bid Week: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 0 Comments

Bid week is upon us! Its a beautiful thing really. Now, generally most people handle it all fairly well, but the anticipation and build up is too much for others. Based on my humble observations, there are some 'boiler room' concepts I would like those few to consider ---


#1 Show up

If you don't - we bid as close to what you had last time from what work is still open in the current bid. There seems to be two repeat offenders in this department but the rule is applied in any case when an operator does not fill out a 'relief to bid', fails to turn in an 'absentee slip' or 'designated bidder form', and does not show when their number is called.

I am not trying to send a negative message regarding the bid but for me, the last thing I want to have to do is make the choice for you.



#2 Don't Stray

If you submit a 'relief to bid' form, remember that if your current run has a 'split' break, the relief slip does not hold the spot for you while in-between shifts, on your own time. If you get back from a run and see your number is close, don't go anywhere because we will not try and track you down off the property.



#3 The Clock is a-tick-in

Operators get ten minutes to make a choice. As with a no-show in the bid room, if you go over the time allotted, I have an obligation to pick for you. It has not happened recently but it has happened.

There can and have been exceptions to the time clock and there is ample warning but be aware that you get past ten minutes and are not making forward motion the union has the right to circumvent.

When walking into the room it is best to clear your mind of all that and focus on making your choices. Before going in, scan the 'unofficial post' in the driver lounge, so you can have more than one choice you can settle with.

Many people that end up with work they are not happy about, didn't think it through ahead of time. Still, hindsight is always 20/20 and you can never really know until your 1st week is through if the run is cake or if it is tight, but this may help a bit.

Never assume your number is FAR away from being called. Generally speaking it goes in waves, in the most favorable of circumstances we can process 20 bids in a half hour at times when we are on a roll.



#4 There is a cost to bidding...

...but it is minimal. If you are 'relieved to bid', by contract, you are not being paid to do so. While I am aware of the "time is money" formula and work to see that you lose a minimal amount of pay in the process, during the bid, it is not necessary to remind me of this nor is it appreciated.

Most people "get it" but it seems every bid cycle there is one member that feels they need to rudely point out that they have "waited "X" amount of time" and it has "cost them "X" amount of money".

In most cases it is less than an hour... In most cases it is a 10 to 20 minute wait upon arriving at the property... In most cases it won't be noticed on their pay stub... But for the few that feel they need to be snarky and run their mouth about how much money it is costing them, within earshot, while I am overseeing a bid, you need to get over yourself and realize the positives in being able to pick your work - FAR outweigh the cost of even an hour of mark off.

For the most part realistic folks get that, but if anyone has any further questions on the matter please seek out one of your union officers for assistance outside of the bid room, preferably during breaks in the process. Please present how much time you lost and how you propose we remedy the process. Like all contract suggestions it will receive attention.


#5 Overseen, but Not an Oversight

Another thing to remember is that while I oversee the bid and intervene when needed, I have no control over how the Operations Dispatcher schedules reliefs. If they make a mistake, or more often not, and there is a natural occurring delay or break in the bidding, it is too late or impossible to remedy.

 Obviously I step in when we start talking about repeated and frequent delays but that rarely occurs. So far in this bid - the longest bid was 20 minutes and that is reasonable.

My union officers, as well as The Districts personnel, do our best to prevent bid delays and keep waiting bidders apprised of delays when they occur and have vested interest in ensuring that the integrity of the bid remains whole.

I will never invalidate your reasonable concerns and constructive criticism on this issue.

Thank you and enjoy the your right to choose.

In Solidarity,


Brian Pasquali
Executive Board Officer
ATU 757 of Lane County

A Member Two-Fer: Missing Labor Press Articles Dec. & Jan. Editions 0 Comments

Happy New Year Brothers & Sisters.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, our properties' NW Labor Press articles for December and  January were not published in those recent editions sent out. I wanted to reassure you that the next article will appear in February's edition. To remedy this I am handing out this special flier to make sure that everyone gets a chance to read the words that would have appeared in both print editions.

2010 is a big year for our membership. I want you to know that your officers and stewards are working diligently to address the issues and your concerns. Not only can you read the monthly print article, but you can also get news on ATU 757 of Lane County's  Blog : http://laneatu757.blogspot.com/  which will be featuring weekly articles from your officers and stewards, and our Facebook Fan Page : http://www.facebook.com/laneatu757 .  Besides these 2 main sites Lane ATU 757 also has a facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000301373249 , or our friendfeed account http://www.friendfeed.com/laneatu757 (which gathers all of our pages info from different sources and publishes it to one stream). All these sites are designed with the membership in mind. Showing your support can be in many forms - getting involved can be in person or on-line. We appreciate your input.

December 2009 NW Labor Press Article

Happy Holiday's Brothers and Sisters! I recently returned from the annual Pension Trust/Benefits training seminar in Orlando Florida. I took a variety of courses on subjects ranging from Fiduciary Responsibilities of a Trustee, to Health and Wellness Programs. As one of the 4 Trustees on our pension, I am obligated and appreciate the huge responsibility that comes with it. The material provided through these courses ensures that I have the proper training to manage our fund responsibly. One thing is for sure, as 2009 comes to a close, we are breathing a little bit easier, fiscally speaking.

Pension and Health trust funds all over the country took huge hits during the early part of this year and adjustments had to be made where they could. Some Public plans such as PERS, while initially looked as though they would weather the storm, took massive hits (see Climbing PERS expenses face Oregon pension board, agency budget writers). Luckily we are not a PERS and have significantly more control over our Fund as it is fairly small and sleek. All in all, It looks as if the Market has finally bottomed out now, and while we can hope more for a "V" like recovery (a sharp down, followed by an equally sharp up), all indications are that the rebound will be more gradually with some additional bumps still to come.

Time To Prepare

As winter creeps in and negotiations on other properties progress, your local officers are hard at work gathering data, marking the date's, and setting the strategy for our sessions. While we cannot out and out divulge our strategy, there are some keys to remember as we make our approach:

1st Key - Whatever differences we have with one another...whether you have, or have not been in a union before...whether in the past you just felt left out of the process, or just didn't want to be involved...now is the time for us to come together in solidarity for our future. If you have questions or suggestions we are listening. Bottom line - If you want MORE, If you want YOUR voice heard - participate.

2nd key - Expect fierce resistance from the other side as we approach negotiations. Expect anything from ticky-tacky procedural write ups as a driver, to a full on sickening propaganda campaign. They will tell you that "you make enough", and are "lucky to have a job"... They will tell you "The District is struggling to pay for your benefits", and that you get "so much already"... And they will tell you that Your Union, "is the problem"...So they will be lying.

When you hear the proverbial smack talk going around - like say - a newer road supervisor, one that never attended ONE Union meeting much less participate in his short time as a driver, "casually" commenting that "your union is weak" - you tell him, Sorry - you already heard the truth: The truth is that even the so-called "respectable" pay and benefits he has now, as a supervisor, are the result of a struggle that started long ago with the Headly's , Boyton's and the Allred's and the other brave Union soldiers that wouldn't take NO for an answer, and that same struggle continues to this day! (He only forgot to mention those insignificant details.)

"Don't let any man into your cab, your home, or your heart, unless he's a friend of labor."-Jimmy Hoffa

In the spirit of organization, I invite you to join our Facebook Page . Also we have some great links being collected on delicious (a bookmarking site), which range from labor history, labor theory & law, to articles about the economy - which may be of some interest to you.

In Solidarity,

Brian Pasquali

Executive Board Officer

ATU 757 of Lane County

January 2009 Labor Press Article

Happy New Year Brothers and Sisters! We are not sure what happened to the last report as far as it making it into the Labor Press but sorry for the error. Never the less the report for December is available for viewing on your local property's Blog: http://laneatu757.blogspot.com/ There are also links on the blog to our Facebook page, Twitter and FriendFeed.

I encourage those of you that don't attend meetings regularly to use these online tools to keep up with Lane ATU 757's current events. Guessing by the stats - people are visiting both of these sites and participating at an increase. Also judging by the last two months of our meeting sign-ins, more people are showing up in the flesh as well. All of this is good news and I expect it to continue as we approach contract talks. So know that you can show your Solidarity in many ways.

Nov. 13, 1946 - Dec. 16, 2009

While he was a quiet man for the most part, John Gonzalez had a away about him that didn't require him talk allot for a person to understand just how good of a guy he really was. In conversations I had with John, whether on stand in the drivers lounge, or at union meetings, it was evident to me that - while he didn't speak many words, the words he did speak always had substance and were genuine in nature. And that's how I will remember him. That and that awesome "Rollie Fingers mustache". We will miss you John. Rest in Peace.

We are now hurdling toward a new contract season. The District is posturing for their epic PR campaign which will entail not-so-subtle attempts to get the public behind them. But it is a tough sell. How does one have the minerals to start announcing service cutbacks to a community (one that bye the way - isn't getting any smaller and needs transit more than ever), while simultaneously driving on with a BRT project that you are now obligated to match funds for in the millions? How do you sell "less for more" to the tax payer?

While a recent letter to the editor in the local paper (written by a District Board member no less) spoke of our GM's "vision" and "ingenuity", nothing was said about his over-ambition and recklessness when it has come of the entire EmX project. If his "vision" was that the EmX be installed at all costs, and at a loss to the regular system, then this has come to fruition. The letter also didn't speak of the all the departmental spending spree's and the ridiculously top heavy administration that his "ingenuity" has given us and that is now crippling our once grand bus system. Maybe I am being a little unfair but he seems to have enough people out there praising his every word and worshiping his every step, so for now I will attempt to balance things.

In Solidarity,

Brian Pasquali

Executive Board Officer

ATU 757 of Lane County