JH 48 Trust Us

Joe Hill LTD Project
I am sorry that I had to introduce you to Scotty Screwya earlier. But the facts are there to be found, and LTD is not willing to share them with our bargaining team. They won't guarantee anything. Their promises are phony and weak. They are giving us the "trust us" double talk.

And yeah, the legislature did make direct communication on bargaining issues with our members legal, but it is "just not done" by organizations that respect the relationship of the Union representatives or the leadership. President Zullo and Carol Allred have their hands full with these creepy tactics being worked by the champion of workers, Mary Neidig. The orientation meetings that they are talking about, are presumptuous and wrong, when they won't even give the details to our union representatives. And what is the source of these tactics? The lawyer Jackie Damm. It might have looked something like this...
(Continued Below)

JH 48 Trust Us (continued)

Jackie Dammbert - Lawyer Consultant
(Dilbert playing the roll of Pangbert)

(Click image to enlarge)
Now that LTD has proposed a health plan which has the possibility to leave you bankrupt, in debt and reduce your pay - the question is, where do you stand?

What if you have $800 in your HSA account, and you find out you need a triple by-pass heart operation? The cost for the medical procedure that will save your life, is about $45,000.00. You find that you cannot save anything in your HSA because of on-going costs. So, you pay $800 from your HSA, that has a deductible of $10,000, so you still owe $9,200 for the medical procedure. Plus, you have to be off work for 2 to 3 months. So how do you pay the $9,200? LTD does not care.

Are there winners in this deal? Yes, LTD and the insurance company "A." Let Joe explain. Your hospital bill says $45,000.00. But insurance company "A" has a secret agreement with the hospital to only pay the hospital, say, $33,750.00 for your heart by-pass surgery. But, you don't share in this discount. You see, the hospital and insurance company "A" know they have a sucker on the line. You pay your 10 grand deductible FIRST. That means the insurance company "A" only has to actually pay $23,750.00. BUT WAIT, insurance company "A" has a re-insurance agreement with another re-insurance company "B," to lay off some of their risk, and to pay big claims over $40,000.00. So insurance Company "B" pays $5,000 to Insurance Company "A," and that leaves insurance company "A" with a remaining bill of $18,750.00. So how much was your share in the end? You get stuck with 53% of the actual cost! Yes, brothers and sisters, this is a likely scenario.

You will need medication every day now for the rest of your life, too. So, saving any money in the HSA for the future is not very likely. Do you get a feeling that bake sales and money drives may be necessary for our fellow workers? This might be a great plan if you make more than $110,000 per year like Boss Hamm, but not for us middle class working families.

If we are forced to accept this plan, we go backwards decades. Once you do it, it is hard to go back. So if we are forced, it truly is a 'taking' of our benefits. How do we ever go back? We also have to place our trust in LTD, in holding our account in a Trust - like our pension, which is nearly 25% under funded. LTD is trying to slip one past us with a typical bait and switch bargaining deal. Pretty soon we may hear "you better do this, or else" ... or the phrase, if we accept this sham - "LTD will respect you in the morning." Not likely.

So, what happens if we do change the plan one day, and after we have put our own money in the plan and money we negotiated from LTD - which is ours too. Well, the plan is dissolved, and the assets are paid out WITH A 10% PENALTY, and income taxes that you did not expect. Such a deal - nothing but a loss. What's the alternative? LTD holds the money forever in Trust, and pays it out to you at 65 for medical reimbursements a few bucks here, a few bucks there. Try to picture this scenario. None of the people deciding this nightmare will be around to remember anything, and records - well, they have a way of becoming lost. Oh, and the burden is on you to remember that you have these funds. It sucks. Just say no!

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 48

Blog EXTRA!! Message from Michael Moore

Michael Moore Gives
His Opinion on LTD
BargainingProposals

Hello fellow Union Brothers and Sisters:

Joe Hill called me and asked if I would drop you a line or two about the LTD and your current bargaining problems. Obviously, LTD must be headed up by the same type of people made famous in one of my books (you know Stupid White Men).

I want to give you encouragement. I read the Joe Hill Blog and my opinion of LTD is shown in the photo I am sending along to this blog. The LTD proposal is a loser. Don't be losers. Stand for your rights and fight the scabs. Figure out a way to send a message to the SWM that are running things at LTD.

Having just gotten hassled in the Republican Convention, I am going to watch the convention at home a write about it. Those Republicans - woo- friendly.

Yours in American Made Solidarity,
Michael Moore

Joe received this nice message from MM and posted for BLOG Readers Only.

JH 47 - "Scotty Screwya"

Scotty Screwya

Joe Hill LTD Project

This is a special Joe Hill Message. Part I of a two-parter about HSA's. It is long and complex, but I have summoned a specialist to help. Here you get to meet my acquaintance, Scotty.
.........................In Solidarity, Joe Hill

Hi, my name is Scotty Screwya.

Joe asked me to take over on this dispatch to ya'll because Joe thinks a good screwing deserves to be explained by an expert. First, I have very good credentials about knowing how to screw workers. I worked for Ronald Reagan when we fired all of the PATCO workers in 1981. That was fun. I've tackled Teamsters, steamrolled steelworkers, taught teachers a lesson and chopped the woodworkers down to size.

I spent a lot of time working on the legislation that reformed the Medicare Act to supposedly give seniors prescription coverage. That one was very way cool, because it doesn't start until 2006, and gives all of our pharmaceutical company buddies time to increase the costs so high that there is nothing in it for the senior. Oh, that one felt so good. This Health Savings Account deal is part of this legislation - one of the biggest screwing of the public and seniors ever perpetrated - so you know it is not intended to do you any good either. So now that you know that I know what I'm talking about, I have accepted the fee from somebody named Joe Hill to explain this screw job to ya'll.

LTD is truly a great big screw job for proposing this. You LTD employees are truly blessed.

First, lets get down to one of the basics. Any money that you save in your Health Savings Account (HSA) is to be used for health costs only with a high deductible insurance plan. The enacting legislation has some limits as how much the maximum contribution out of pocket costs can be. You can find out all kinds of facts put in the most positive light at the US Treasury Department's web site.

The following information is from the Treasury Department:
Maximum amount that can be contributed to an HSA (and deducted) = lesser of:
– Amount of High Deductible
or
– Maximum specified in law (indexed annually by M-CPI)
• $2,600 (self-only coverage) - 2004
• $5,150 (family coverage) - 2004

Is LTD going to deposit $5,150 per employee in the HSA? I doubt it because then it would not be a real good screwing. They may deposit $2,000 but that is one-fifth of $10,000. In other words, it will take five years to reach the maximum out of pocket savings IF YOU DON'T GO TO THE DOCTOR, HAVE AN INJURY OR ACCIDENT, OR NEED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OF SOME KIND. If you are a family person you will not save very much. Deposits can be made by employers or employees, so if LTD doesn't, you better, but then that's a pay cut, isn't it? There is also a chart showing the maximum out of pocket and Max HSA Deposit permissible in the same information.
(continued below)

But now, for the real fun for screwing workers. You can't withdraw the money in the HSA before you turn age 65, except for medical costs with a high deductible plan. If you retire before age 65 and want to cover the cost of insurance premiums - forget it! If you retire before age 65 and withdraw money even for medical expenses, you will have to pay a 10% penalty! Guess what this proposal is? It is a back door way to increase the retirement from 60 to 65. Now that's a screwing - you don't even see it coming until it is too late.

LTD will withhold their wage proposal. Thank goodness they are withholding it, because after seeing the HSA proposal, most of the LTD employees will fall over with heart attacks and bankrupt the HSA plan. So Scotty Screwya says to ya'll - duck and cover folks.For more information frequently asked questions click below

http://www.treas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/faq2.shtml#hsa1

JH 46 The situation at LTD

Brothers and Sisters:

I am sending this letter to Governor Kulongoski tomorrow. If you agree with this letter, then print out a copy and mail your own copy to the governor. It can be exactly the same. But where it says "Joe Hill," write, "I'm with Joe, another employee at LTD," or "I'm with Joe and I'm a business person paying taxes to LTD," or "I'm with Joe and my family is at risk," or whatever your situation is. The address to the Governor is as follows:

Governor Kulongoski
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047

But you must join with me, so that this is not a lone voice in the wilderness. Do it like your job depends upon it, because it likely does.

In Solidarity,

Joe Hill

_____________________________________

The Honorable Governor

Ted Kulongoski

Governor of the State of Oregon

Re: The situation at LTD

Dear Governor:

In the more than thirty years of existence of Lane Transit District, something has been missing. In this entire time, no person of color or ethnic minority has ever been appointed to the Lane Transit Board of Directors. Even worse, if that's possible, regular middle class persons have been rarely appointed to the Board of Directors. The Board position for the regular rider is going to be held, by someone, for an unprecedented twelve years.

No worker who serves others, or toils with their hands, has been appointed to this Board. No nurse, even when so many ride the LTD service. No, not a single Board member who might take the responsibility that this appointment confers, to act on behalf of working people who are the largest segment, other than students, who ride this service.

The current Board has permitted the District management to engage in colossal waste with the purchase of experimental hybrid electric buses that do not work. The vendor (AVS) is bankrupt, and the taxpayers have lost $2.6 million dollars in local and federal tax receipts. Because of the need to pursue the vain ambitions of managers, a very expensive bus system is being constructed at a cost of more than $5 million dollars per mile of service. Originally intended to be a guideway bus service, now most of the service will run in regular traffic. The time savings is estimated at 3 minutes, as compared to regular service. Governor, it is only through the stubbornness of LTD management, who have an apparent complete control hold over the Board of Directors, that the District continues with the growing controversial project. No market study has ever been performed to determine the want or need for this service. It is nothing more than a complete guess on the part of the management.

As a result of millions of dollars being spent in the capital acquisitions for worthless equipment and expensive transit alternatives, the general operations fund is being depleted by this capital buying spree. Service reductions have been made or proposed in each of the last three years, and for the FIRST time in the history of the District, riders are decreasing with LTD service three years running. Riders have even decreased in the face of unprecedented high fuel costs for automobiles. Before fuel costs peaked, LTD elected to raise fares 25% in one year. Is it any wonder riders are dropping out of our system in Eugene and Springfield?

As a result of errors by management, and oversight by the LTD Board of Directors, a labor dispute appears to be developing. This dispute is completely unnecessary, but for the reckless spending that has taken place for capital projects, that either have failed completely or hold little promise to deliver. Fortunately, it is not too late to step back and take a look at this situation. I guarantee that taxpayers (employers) are going to be very unhappy as they find out more about this waste and misuse of their hard earned and frequently unwillingly given taxes for service that neither their employees, or they, use. At present LTD is below 2% of the model split - meaning the number of bus riders compared to other means of transportation, and this number is falling.

I am forced to write to you under a pseudonym. LTD managers retaliate against those who talk out of school. A former manager was fired last year for blowing the whistle on the management at Lane Transit District. Many employees have heard that this manager was found by the Bureau of Labor and Industries to have been fired unlawfully for whistleblowing, and Governor, I just can't afford to lose my job in this economy.

I write on behalf of many who feel the same as me, and are equally afraid to speak out. You should examine the situation, and frankly I recommend that you fire the entire Board of Directors, as you did similarly with the Board of Higher Education. I do know that without your immediate involvement, as is permitted in ORS 627, a difficult labor dispute will end in a strike, and more wasteful spending by LTD. Please Governor, on behalf of many who have supported you in the past, investigate and act. You have had your own labor issues in the State, but you have handled them with professionalism and fairness. This does not seem to exist for employees at LTD.

This letter might otherwise be overlooked by you as a local labor dispute issue, but Governor, this management has wasted a minimum of $2.6 million from hurry-up, silly decisions. It is easy to be a Monday quarterback, but with a little due diligence, this error would have been preventable, as are many others we employees are aware of, and have no impact on without fear.

Sincerely,

Joe Hill

joehill_1915@hotmail.com

JH 45 - OUR FUTURE BOARD

If the workers took the notion
they could stop all speeding trains;
Every ship upon the ocean they can tie
with mighty chains;
Every wheel in creation, every mine
and every mill:
Fleets and armies of the nation,
will at their command stand still.
Joe Hill
1915

Joe Hill LTD Project
Soon, the Union and the Company will be sitting at the table again. After what seems like a long summer hiatus our union will see if the Board of Directors got any message on August 18, 2004. Thanks to the 25 or so of us that showed up and stared down the Magnificent Seven. If the negotiations go beyond January of this year, will the Board get better for us? It appears that the answer is NO!

FYI - the Joe Hill Investigative Team has discovered that at least two Board Vacancies for January 1, 2005 will be filled with the usual white Business people. Dean Kortge, an Insurance Broker, a former Board Member, and member of the Budget Committee, is apparently the heir apparent for Pat Hocken's seat. Dean Kortge is strongly in favor of, and the main driving force for, employees to pay a part of the cost of their insurance benefits. He is no friend to labor and has pushed, especially in the budget Committee, for the workers to pay for benefits, or to have employee only health coverage. He is a white business man, of course, and had already been on the Board.

Sounds like the Management has found a retread that will support their misguided capital agenda and union busting ways.

One of the two Springfield Board positions looks like it is being teed up for Debbie Davis, a Springfield USBank Banker. This white business woman also ran unsuccessfully for Springfield City Council. What did the citizens of Springfield know that our Management team didn't? Well, the way Joe heard it, Ms. Davis was recruited by Mark Pangborn. Can you think of anyone worse to recruit a board member? Oh my god, we may be going from bad to worse. Joe Hill's eyes and ears are out everywhere, looking, watching, talking, and trying to get you the best information possible. Our very future depends upon it.

Brothers and Sisters, this future Board is the Board for busting the Union. It is very bad news. We must get the Governor to not appoint these people. We must get our Senators to not confirm these appointments. The Appointments are definitely a danger for us and our bargaining. Everyone needs to call the union office at 503-232-9144 and tell them about this bad news, and urge them to use their maximum political influence to stop these awful appointments.

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill

JH 45

Our Diversity Ignorred Future!

JH 44 Hamm on his Way to Bulgaria

Joe Hill LTD Project
The Joe Hill LTD Project Investigative Team has been made privy to a new LTD service that is expected to grow the ridership of the "rider of choice". But we have learned that the lexicon has changed somewhat by this new plan. LTD Marketing and Service Planning Manager, Andy Vobora has told some employees that "the marching orders have been given get the business community into the seats of our services. We are going after Choice Riders!"

The Joe Hill LTD Project was able to obtain a copy of an internal Email memo to the Leadership Council from Boss Hamm. Here you can see the type of clear direction and innovative leadership that Boss Hamm is giving.

-----Original Message-----
From: HAMM Ken (LTD)
Sent: Friday, July 9, 2004 2:51 PM
To: LTD Leadership Council
Subject: New Transit Service Project-Code Name CHOICE RIDER

Project CHOICE RIDER is a plan developed by a Secret Committee of the LTD Board of Directors and me. We have looked at every possible way to get riders of choice. The Board now rejects this strategy as a possibility in the near future for LTD. We are now instead going after Choice Riders. The Choice Rider is the all important business community business man.

We will buy a fleet of limousines ready to whisk businessmen anywhere they need to get to fast. This model of service will be known as the Fancy Automobile Rapid Transit or (FART). We have identified a source of Limousines from Bulgaria for our selected vehicle.

Ron and I leave for Bulgaria next week to visit the Gass-Outi-Ya Limousine Factory located in Flatulacia, Bulgaria. We are hoping for a real stretch to our dollars and the vehicle. (We hope to get a few rounds of golf in, too) We have an estimate of $385,000 per vehicle. The plan calls for 22 of these vehicles, but we will have to identify a source for gas. We are sniffing out a few possibilities now.

We plan to use bio-diesel for fuel as this will best serve the FART system. But new technology known as the Gas Trick Bypass system will allow for gasoline, bio-diesel or pig manure as FART fuel sources. Soon Farts will be flying throughout the downtown and urban area. We will attract those choice business taxpaying riders.

Our FART Fares will be our usual innovative approach and has been set at 5 cents for a day pass or 99 cents for a weekly pass. As you can see LTD will be offering nearly free FARTs and become the national trend setter for multiple gas source FART travel. As you can see our usual high quality thinking and planning has been a major part of this new system.

The Board and I are really excited about the possibility of FARTs being a huge success leading to even greater movements through the bowels of the city. As hard as it was to keep this a secret some employees have been able to catch a whiff of some of the details. We can't hold back any longer and are ready for a full release.

Thanks, in advance, for anything you can do bring FARTs to a great success. Feel free to release in your departments.

Ken Hammbert
General Manager
Lane Transit District
(541)682-6100
ken.hammbert@ltd.lane.or.else
LTD: "At Your Service

This message is yet another example of the top down leadership that is out of control and that can be expected at LTD. You should be catching wind of this plan in announcements system wide very soon. When will it ever stop.

In Silly Solidarity,

Joe Hill

JH 44

JH 44a The Vehicle Revealed

Berkshire Reveals Image of FART Vehicle
At Emailed poor quality picture from Flatulancia, Bulgaria gets employees excited about new initiative from Boss Hamm and the Magnificent Seven. Showing a rare understanding for a fresh approach the FART vehicle is destined to be a memorable.


Click to Enlarge Image
For a scratch and sniff version of this picture please write to

Gass-Outi-Ya Limousininka Verkksabka
13 Odar River Street -Factoria ab Gulagski
Flatulancia, Bulgaria 7291ZXc 1232-90jm 999732

The Leader in the luxury Ride
Ask about our armor plating and bulletproof glass models.

Sent secretly by the Joe Hill LTD Project
Joe Hill

JH 43 Union Leprosy & the Scab HQ - More Waste!

The Joe Hill LTD Project

The pretty building in the picture below is the new Scab Rest Home for the sub-contracted RideSource Service by LTD. Boss Hamm's famous tool box includes scab labor projects like RideSource. But who would have thought that he would refurbish the scab headquarters at such a huge expense.

If you can imagine this, LTD goes out this year and purchases land at Garfield and 2nd Avenue. If you ask developers they will tell you that industrial and commercial land is currently at a premium in Eugene. So you have to believe that LTD paid top dollar for the property for RideSource. LTD spent $1.8 million this year for RideSource's new headquarters. This is probably mostly for the property and architectural work. LTD is planning on spending $2.6 million this year. This money must be for the construction of the Scab Palace. Don't believe it then check out these budget numbers by clicking http://ltd.org/site_files/budget/07%20-%20Capital%20Projects%20Fund.pdf .

But wait a minute! Doesn't LTD already own enough property at Glenwood for this new facility? Even if the land is a little smaller at Glenwood haven't they heard of two or three floors? And what about using our facilities to repair the scab cut-away buses? So why not build it here at Glenwood? Is it because the SMS drivers are non-union and they just didn't want them too close to us. You see we have the UNION LEPROSY. Those scab drivers might get ideas! They might want a union. Lord knows they need one.

Scab Palace for RideSource

Click on Image to Enlarge

As far as the Joe Hill LTD Project has been able to find out, the leased facilities for RideSource were leased by SMS and not LTD. Weren't the RideSource buses owned by the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) or someone else at some other time? Wasn't the contract manager formerly at LCOG but now at LTD. The buses weren't owned by LTD. But now they are owned by LTD. So now the contract management, facilities and equipment are owned and provided to SMS by exclusively by LTD. Well our union exclusively represents drivers and mechanics of LTD.

One wonders if this arrangement could pass the "smell test" as to whether they are truly independent contractors or even be so considered according to the IRS regulations. At the very least there is enough doubt about their services and their independence that a Unit Clarification Petition to the Employment Relations Board should be immediately submitted or a Unfair Labor Practice complaint should be filed by our Union. Maybe a complaint to the IRS should be forwarded because the tools of the business enterprise are being provided by LTD, the facilities are being provided by LTD and the hours of operation and service are being dictated by LTD and Federal Law. Sounds like this is a wholly owned LTD function. As such recognition from the State Employment Relations Board should gives us these employees so they will not be exploited any longer.

If we do not start this fight against RideSource and the Diamond Express now, as soon as possible, then Joe Hill thinks we are looking at the future of our jobs. LTD will not hesitate to scab us with this so-called non-profit organization. We must fight now. LTD could be spending this money in settling their contract with us. Lets give them more to worry about and get the RideSources workers to throw off their chains. We must organize them now or capture them. If LTD is going to spend $4.4 million to keep RideSource away from us, then lets take us to them either through legal means available to us or organization cards. Lets get started today!

Yours in Solidarity

Joe Hill

JH 43

JH 42 More Deception or is it Confusion

The Joe Hill LTD Project is still reeling from the unbelievable math error from JH 42, but it has been corrected by the Quality Control Specialist Emily Farquart. Joe again, repeats his apology for himself and the team. But in spite of this error, the retirement contributions issue reveals that the District pays more than 300% more for retirement for Administrative Employees than they do for Union employees. This is an inescapable and unfair reality. This is why union employees end up working into their 70's at LTD. They cannot afford to retire. Name a single management employee who has worked that late into their life and robbed themselves of retirement time. None.

Joe has talked previously with you about the hidden funds in the budget that could go to retirement. The Risk Management Reserve is another pot of gold collecting dust. The Consolidated Annual Financial Report (CAFR) shows the risk management insurance policies of the District. Again the Finance Department is clueless. Note that the language from the CAFR below shows that the District self insures accidents for the first $100,000. But the policy schedule show Bus Physical Damage $50,000 and General and Tort Liability as being $10,000. This is not $100,000! So why the does the Finance department miss this fact only seven line away in their CAFR? Is it incompetence or design.


Click on Image to Enlarge

So what if the narrative is wrong. Nobody reads these stupid reports do they? Yes, the decision makers on the Board are supposed to; but one CPA, three lawyers, two executive Directors and regular bus rider could not catch this big mistake. This is important because it reveals what is supposed to be the condition of the District.

This award winning CAFR report contains this glaring error or is it a deception? The District only pays 60% of what the Finance Department narrative claims. This seems to be a device to keep $1 million dollars tied up in reserves that rarely if ever are used. It amounts to nothing less than hiding a million dollars by the District when $500,000 would be more than enough.

All you have to do is keep reading the materials that our professional managers put out and we can see their errors and misleading ways. The public is kept in the dark. Employees are kept in the dark. Boss Hamm is probably in the dark. Trouble is I think everyone might be in the dark, or at least their hearts.

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 42

JH 41 The Art of Deception

Joe Hill LTD Project

Deception is an interesting thing. Sometimes deception is stating facts about the same thing in two different ways so it is not easy to make a comparison. Sometimes deception is leaving out crucial information. The statement is true as written but incomplete. It gives the appearance of disclosure but important facts are left out. Every great propagandist knows these techniques and they are no mystery to the LTD Finance Department when they talk about Pensions.

Each year the District publishes a document called the Consolidated Annual Financial Report (CAFR). It is required by law to do this. I checked this out with the State. The interesting thing is how LTD reports the cost of the Salaried Pension Plans and the Union Pension Plans. The Salaried Pension Plan cost is reported as a cost as a percent of payroll. The Union Plan is reported as an hourly cost.

REASON: It makes the cost reported in different methods so that readers (like citizens plan beneficiaries or more importantly the Board) to not be able to easily compare these costs. Read the Language for yourself. Read the following from the CAFR (http://ltd.org/site_files/about/cafr_pdfs/10-Notes%20to%20Basic%20Financial%20Statements.pdf)

4. Other Information - (a) Pension Plans

Salaried Employee's Retirement Plan
The District contributes to the Lane Transit District Salaried
Employees' Retirement Plan (LTDSP), which is a single-employer public employees' retirement system. The Plan is administrated by the Board of Trustees of the Lane Transit District Salaried Employees' Retirement Plan. The Board of Trustees is comprised of the president of the Lane Transit District Board of Directors and the general manager and assistant general manager of Lane Transit District.

The Plan provides retirement, disability, and death benefits to
Plan members and beneficiaries. Cost-of-living adjustments are provided to members and beneficiaries at the discretion of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees of the LTDSP issues a publicly available financial report that includes financial statements and required supplementary information for the LTDSP. The
report may be obtained by writing to the Board of Trustees of the Lane Transit District Salaried Employees' Retirement Plan, P.O. Box 7070, Eugene, Oregon 97401.

The District makes employer contributions as a percentage of actual payroll. The percentage is determined by actuarial valuation. The percentage for fiscal years 2002-2003 and 2001-2002 were 11.6 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively. No contributions were required from active Plan members. For the year ended June 30, 2003, the District's total payroll for all employees and the District's total covered payroll amounted to $13,022,289 and $3,995,250, respectively.

The annual required contribution for the current year
was determined as part of the June 30, 2001, actuarial valuation using the entry age actuarial method. The actuarial assumptions included (a) an 8 percent investment rate of return (net of investment expenses), and (b) projected salary increases of 5 percent per year.

The schedule of District contributions is as follows:
As of July 1, 2004, the District's contribution rate will increase to 14.3 percent of actual covered payroll.

So the CAFR says that the Salaried Pension Plan will increase to 14.3% of their Salaries as of this past July. But what did it cost in as reported for fiscal year 20-03? Now if the CAFR was fair it would compare apples with apples. The Union Pension cost is expressed as an hourly cost per employee (CAFR description to follow in red). So what is the hourly cost for the Salaried Plan? If there are 65 administrative employees, then the cost described above would be more than $3.42 per hour! Don't believe it? Do the math. Folks, you just can't make this stuff up, it is real. 65 employees times 2080 Hours time $3.42 (65 X 2080 X $3.42). The result of our equation is $462,384 or 11.6% of the covered payroll. They are projecting a 5% increase in boss pay and an increasein cost to 14.3% for the current year. That means per hour it will be $4.65 this year (o4-05) for administrative employees.

But wait, now we get the real deception by our honest and trusted leaders and salaried guardians. The CAFR does not even discuss the 6% defined contribution portion of the Salaried Employee Retirement Plan! The cost for this part of the office workers' and bosses' secret retirement plan is $239,700 in the Fiscal Year 02-03 using their own salary figure. This equals another $1.77 per hour (65 x 2080 x $1.77 = $239,304). By leaving out this figure it is not a lie per se, but it is a deception none the less. Ooops we forgot.

How does the District describe the "golden" plan of the Union Trust? Well read the following from the CAFR (http://ltd.org/site_files/about/cafr_pdfs/10-Notes%20to%20Basic%20Financial%20Statements.pdf).

Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 757 Pension Plan

The District contributes to the Lane Transit District and Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 757 Pension Trust, which is a single-employer public employees' retirement system. The Plan is administrated by the Board of Trustees of the Lane Transit District and Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 757 Pension Trust. The
Board of Trustees is composed of the president of the Lane Transit District Board of Directors, the general manager of Lane Transit
District, the president of ATU Local No. 757, and an executive board officer of ATU Local No. 757.

The Plan provides retirement, disability, and death benefits to Plan members and beneficiaries. Cost-of-living adjustments are provided to members and beneficiaries at the discretion of the Board of
Trustees. The Board of Trustees of Lane Transit District and Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 757 Pension Trust issues a
publicly available financial report that includes financial statements and required supplementary information for the Lane Transit District and Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 757 Pension Trust. The report may be obtained by writing to the Board of Trustees of the Lane Transit District and Amalgamated Transit Union Local
No. 757 Pension Trust, P.O. Box 7070, Eugene
Oregon 97401.

Contributions are made to the pension plan under the provisions
of the collective bargaining agreement (a deception because the actuary of the plan establishes the cost as determined from the benefits negotiated) between the District and the ATU. The District contributions in effect for FY 2002-2003 and FY 2001-2002 are listed below:
July 1, 2002 $1.74 per compensated hour
July 1, 2001 $1.56 per compensated hour
The actuarial assumptions included an 8 percent investment rate of return (net of investment expenses), and no projected
salary increases are assumed because the rate is based on compensated hours.

Our Plan has a deficit but the bosses plan is at 100%!

Actuarial value of assets $11,778,300

Actuarial value of liabilities $15,441,600

Unfunded acturarial accrued liabilities $3,663,300
Funded ratio 76.3%

So they did not hide a thing in our pension description. They did not have to. The District pays $1.74 per hour for each hour we work compared to the bosses getting $4.65 per hour. I could not believe the numbers but I have quadruple checked them and others at the Joe Hill LTD Project Team as well. We corrected our first big mistake and came up with the real numbers. (Sorry about the earlier error. It must be the booze or lack of sleep or both). They project no wage increases and they have a huge unfunded amount for our pension.

And they want us to trust them?

They want to build a thing called Team LTD. Well it is like major league baseball for sure. A-Rod can get $25,000,00 per year, Boss Hamm can earn whatever his secret salary is and Boss Hamm still get at least $4.65 bucks an hour in retirement just like the other office workers. Plus he gets at least 6% of his pay to the secret Administrative Retirement Plan. Since Boss Hamm won't tell us his salary we'll just say $3.45 per hour (6% of $120,000). Sweet!

You have got to kidding!

In Solidarity,

Joe Hill
JH41

JH 40 Our Board is Involved

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Joe Hill LTD Project

Involved in what? That was the first thought that came to Joe Hill's mind. Do we ever see them? NO except for Dave Kleger. How are they involved? What are they involved with at LTD? Do they ever disagree with each other or are their votes ever split? Ever wonder why?

First, Joe made an error in an earlier article, only three of the Board Members are lawyers not four. Sorry for the error. I had included Pat Hocken but come to learn that she is a CPA.

Now I don't know about you, but I haven't heard of many lawyers or CPA's riding our buses. I think that they would kind of stick out in a way, but then it is hard to tell. It is interesting to note that all of these lawyers are business lawyers. Let me tell you that their business is not our business. "Bottom liners" like this CPA and our trio of business lawyers care little for people but act for the company or for the bosses. They worry about image, about asset values, preserving capital and balance sheet stuff. To them we are an expense and to CPA's and business lawyers expenses are bad. In any event, I have to wonder who they are representing when they vote and speak at Board meetings. Not me or my neighbors.

We also have two social service directors on the LTD Board. You wouldn't know it from the posture that the District is taking in negotiations. This also means that 71% f the LTD board comes from only two professions. Odd isn't it?

Social service agencies are supposed to care about people. But remember these two are social service people are bosses at their agencies. They have joined with the others on the LTD Board who are on a rush for the bottom in wages. In addition, Hillary Wylie has been a Pension Trustee for the last four years. Does she know anything about Pensions? I don't know. But one thing I do know is that union pensions are not nearly as good as non-union pensions and what has she done about it. Nothing! Does she care - I don't think so. Equitable treatment of employees must not in her vision of LTD.

Hillary Wylie is the Executive Director of Willamette Family Treatment Services, Inc. This is a chemical dependency treatment program. In looking at years of minutes of the LTD Board I have never read an account of her speaking for these poor folks and their possible need for public transit. Those who abuse alcohol and drugs frequently lose their driving privileges. Her employees are non-union and get benefits I hear tell, but for the employee only.

Then there is Susan Ban, Director of Lane Shelter Care (Lane Shelter Care is a mental health agency) and she is a member of the Board of Directors of Peace Health. Which brings me to the problem of conflict of interests.

Lawyers have lots of clients and they are all secret for the most part. We don't know who in the community these lawyers represent and who they don't. We don't know if they if they have pro-union clients or anti-union clients. We don't know if they represent LTD employees, bosses or supervisors in some capacity or their spouses. We will never know, cause they have to keep it secret. Plus they know lots of secrets of others. They have to protect their clients and so how will we know if they are acting in the interest of the public transit District or their secret client. We just have to trust. But Joe has hard time with trust right now.

The real question is should 42% of the Board be composed a single profession- lawyers? 71% from two professions. Why not plumbers, mechanics, janitors, doctors, nurses, medical technicians, City or County employees? How about a union business agent, how about a musician or a student, or a barber, a hair stylist, a shop owner, a retiree, a delivery driver how about ...You get my point. Blue collar people ride the bus, but they are NEVER on the Board of Directors. Are there any of these types of folk on the BRT advisory committee? Are they ANY blue collar people on this Board? NO! Diversity in occupation, culture, color or ethnicity - forget it, that will never happen - unless we work to make it happen.

The reason this Board does not ever have a split vote is because they either let the bosses do all the thinking and policy work or they are too much alike. Either alternative is not acceptable. There should be a full court press with the Governor's office to fix this. Wylie, Lauritsen and Hocken's positions are up for appointment. 42% of the Board is changing and a lawyer should not be among the new appointments.

We should ask Governor Ted to broaden the horizons of appointments. But as Joe has said before this Board deserves complete replacement for allowing the waste of funds around the AVS bus fiasco to go without any accountability or to plan on permitting the District to go into debt for buses and to a drive the District into a coming labor dispute.

Remember Susan Ban on our Board and the Peace Health Board? Now back to one conflict of interest we do know about. LTD is suing Oregon Medical Labs and it is owned by Peace Health over some tax issue that is mentioned in the budget. And look where the next leg of the BRT is headed - Riverbend even their is no such place, but Peace Health is trying to create one. Riverbend is a long way from approval for Peace Health but BRT will be serving that riverside pasture for sure. Excellent planning again...How convenient. The LTD Board has so many matters that involve Peace Health - routes, group passes, fares, and of course BRT. Give me a break.

These magnificent seven have not come to the rescue of our small village. Instead they have left a bread trail for the BRT beast to come amongst us, lead on a chain by Boss Hamm and Assistant trainers Pangborn and Viggiano. The Magnificent seven clapping their hands all the way, always together and in unison and now the beast slowly eats away the real reason we exist. To provide a reliable alternative means of transportation to the car.

This board has watched blithely for three years as ridership has fallen. What have they done in response to these rider losses? Cut regular service. Increase fares 25% and make adjustments to time points that make no sense. Oh they also agreed to continue transferring money from the General Fund of operations to capital. We know why. But how can they face the voters with reductions in service, increases in taxes, fares and loss of ridership... Oh that's right they aren't elected. Oh I am sure they also heaped praise on Boss Hamm and gave him big pay increases. I'd bet the ranch on that.

The Bosses are looking for replacement clones now. Blue collar people need not apply - just face it, they are not are not smart enough.

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 40

JH 39 - QUESTIONS FOR BOSS HAMM

The Joe Hill LTD Project

5 Sets of Questions for Boss Hamm

With the fall training coming up, and still no contract, it is the perfect time for Union employees to ask Boss Hamm a few questions. We have been gifted with very complete and concise explanations from Mary Neidig about the negotiations. Her generous information to employees about the contract negotiations has totaled eleven complete sentences. How does she find the time for such complete reports to us lowly employees?

Well, so far I have not heard much, but we have plenty of questions. Employees should not let Boss Hamm or his assigned replacement leave the room without giving the answers to these questions during the fall meetings. I think most of us will see the "stand-in" for Boss Hamm, since once he gets the questions he'll get busy and not show up, is ol' Joe's guess. So here are the questions...

Question(s) 1 - Boss Hamm's Pay

Mr. Hamm, would you be willing to post for employee information your annual salary as of July 15, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004?

Mr. Hamm, since your employment contract is a public record would you be willing to post a copy on the bulletin board for employees to review.

Question(s) 2 - Our Retirement

Mr. Hamm, how come administrative employees have such a better retirement plan than Union employees?

Mr. Hamm, do you think it is fair to have such different types of plans that result in such bigger and richer benefits for long term office workers?

(If yes) How can you believe that a plan that pays such a greater amount to one group over another group of employees at retirement is fair?

(If no) Then what are you going to do about it - and why has the management criticized our small retirement improvements in the last contract as being so expensive? And why are you taking so long to fix it?

You are a pension trustee of our Pension. What training experience or background do you have to make decisions regarding our pensions, investing the money, or any thing else about pension management?

Question(s) 3 - Their BRT and Service

Mr. Hamm, why don't you slow down the development of the BRT until there is greater assurance that BRT is getting federal funding?

For three years in a row, the District has made reductions in regular service. It is not a priority, according to the LTD Strategic Plan. Ridership has been falling since you became GM. What are you doing to stop this slide and restore our primary service?

Question(s) 4 - Budget

Why did the District make service cuts this year, and still plan to transfer 1.4 million dollars to the Capital Fund?

Three years ago the District transferred nearly 5 million bucks from operations to capital. Why can't we transfer some of this money back in operations?

Question 5 - Negotiations

Why did the District hire a union busting lawyer to negotiate our union contract? How much is the District paying Jackie Damm to bust our union?

I think that many of you may have your own questions for Boss Hamm. If you drop an email to joehill_1915@hotmail.com or eprush1@aol.com , Joe Hill will get them and put together a little report of the questions that all of you may have. Then look for a little guide to be printed for you to take with you, where you can write down the answers that Boss Hamm gives you.

Brother and Sisters, these questions must be asked. We cannot sit silently in these required training meetings and listen to their crap and not have our questions answered. Leonardo Da Vinci said "Nothing strengthens authority as much as silence." Silence gives them strength. Questioning authority gives us power. Lastly, as has been done when face to face with power, some resort to the silent protest of standing and turning their backs to power. Maybe we should send a similar message to Boss Hamm.

In Solidarity,

Joe Hill

JH 39

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JH 38 Why LTD Can Renew Our Expired Agreement

Joe Hill LTD Project

Why LTD Can Renew Our Expired Agreement and Why they Won't Do It.

Fellow workers LTD is planning fall training this year. Amazing isn't it? Will we learn anything at this training? Will we get brainwashing materials about the magnificent BRT program? Will we be told that we we can be more efficient because of the much ballyhooed Automatic Vehicle Locator/ Automatic Passenger Counting systems. Do you think that this is two million dollars worth of more efficiency? Really it is hard to say. We have been told that Ken Hamm will be at the meetings for the fall training. Joe Hill is working on few questions that workers may want to ask the big cheese. Questions we really need answers to as soon as possible. But before that Joe Hill has been thinking about the service reductions that have been and are going to be made.

The BRT Beast is certainly one of the reasons for these cuts. The Beast is gobbling up the money faster than we get it from the federal government. The beast has his nose and tongue in our pockets looking for a taste of the money we have ... or won't have after the bargaining. But Joe got to thinking about this and has a new and more gloomy possibility.

Shrinking of the regular system of service makes us easier to replace us with scabs. Fewer workers means fewer replacements being called into service if we go on strike. This will really be true if any of us refuse to follow the union and follow the scabs. Will they replace us. Yes - SMS is salivating to cut our throats for this business. Pangborn is anxious to do it. And if you think it is not possible just remember that many transit properties have fully contracted delivery of service.

Less service to the public makes it easier for the public to be told and believe that it is all our fault. This is the potential danger that lies ahead for us. Now Joe you keep saying scab - if we all go on strike - then who are the scabs. They are the crummy sub-contractors trying to take your job simply because they are going to be willing to work for less than you or me. They are also our so-called brothers and sisters who cross our pickets to take the offers of the bosses. Examples of scabs exist right now. The Diamond Express is OUR work being done by scabs. Even the RideSource is our work being done by scabs. LTD wants to have our jobs in the hands of the scabs - yes they do - trust me, I know this. It is obvious now from their actions.

How can we tell?

1. They are being super hard on the negotiations. They are hoping that we stalemate or refuse to accept their inadequate offers.

2. Pressure - Lots of us are getting letters and warnings for this that and the other. Picayune things that only adds pressure to our representative and us.

3. Reduce public service so they blame us and make replacing us later popular.

4. Control freaks - Hamm, Johnson, Heklesen, and Pangborn are all control freaks. For all four of these gems, it their way or the highway. No one knows Neigdig well enough to make this judgement yet about her, but one thing seems to be showing -ruthlessness.

5. They are subcontracting in the shop on overhauls. They spent a fortune in legal bills to make sure that they kept that in place.

Another factoid from the this year's budget is information from the Fully Allocated Cost Plan. This plan is how LTD determines what it needs to charge organizations for special services like UO Football service. Joe Hill developed this chart from LTD's own numbers. This chart is important. It says five very important things.

1. The First line is the cost of operator "platform" hours on average for bus operators. What do our average wages and benefits cost per hour.

2. Line 2 is the percent of increase from year to year. The only number that LTD knows for sure is the 02-03 to 03-04 increase. Note that it is 4.75% increase from last year to this with out current contract. This number is constant in the plan.

3. Why can't LTD agree to extend the current agreement since from 04-05 and beyond they project the same rate of increase. In other words, the rate of increase is the same in the projection. The District can and should just renew our expired agreement.

4. Please note the that the rate of increase of costs is greater per hour for supervisors than it is for Bus Operators.

5. Lastly, who gets the biggest rate of increase for the same time period? Yes you guessed right. The General Administration rate is highest of all. Just how much does Ken Hamm make per hour anyway?

How many sides of their mouth can they talk out of at the same time? Way too many for Joe's liking. They are working their way to scab us out. They could and can afford to renew the existing agreement.

We must kill the beast and remove their reasons to take our money. We must expose their waste. And be ready Brothers and Sisters. They are obvious and cruel in their intent. They do not respect you and your labor. They want you to submit to them and their demands. Not because LTD needs us to or for important reasons. They want submission simply based upon their unfair desires and to satisfy their emotional needs for control. Look at the Chart below.
Fully Allocated Cost Plan

JH 38 Fully Allocated Cost Plan

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This chart was created by the Joe Hill LTD Project but the facts can be found at http://ltd.org/site_files/budget/14%20-%20Fully%20Allocated%20Cost%20Plan.pdf. The address requires that you have Acrobat Reader. This chart shows that our rate of cost increase is less than the bosses and that the bosses anticipate their normal increases for the coming years. Fair? Bull puckey!

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 38

JH - Ridership Chart

Click on Image to Enlarge

If you study this chart carefully you will see that ever since Hamm arrived at LTD the ridership of the District has continued to decline. If LTD is serving fewer and fewer rides how can we really say "At your Service". The link between Hamm and fewer rides is not just a coincident. It is the result of decision making.

Bad Decisions = Bad Results. It is as simple as that. Read the story just before this and see what life is becoming.

In Solidarity
Joe Hill

JH 37 - Welcome to LTD's Orwellian 1984 in 2004

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2004 - by Joe Hill (with apologies to George Orwell).
George Orwell wrote the book 1984 about Winston Smith and Big Brother. If he were alive today he might write about Newspeak at LTD and Big Brother Hamm. If you haven't read 1984 this story may not be interesting. It is written in response to the new and additional service cuts that LTD is making to regular service in the fall. How much more will be cut for the sake of BRT and the AVS fiasco? Where will it stop. Newspeak in this story is in all capital letters.

Winston Smith sat in the drivers lounge waiting for the Ministry For Assignments to call his name and get him an assignment. He had just finished reading the Company Brochure entitled "MORE IS LESS". Winston was used to these seemingly complex conflicts in language. It is truly paradoxical he thought. Things like WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY or IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

MORE IS LESS is about the new buses the Company was buying for one million dollars each. Winston Smith understood well more was definitely less in this case. MORE IN OPTIMIZATION - another slogan in newspeak from the five year plan, but really very hard to understand. But what the Company was saying was Mann Artic's, New Flyer Artic's, Invero Artic's, Gilligs, and AVS buses were an optimized fleet.

Winston heard about the increased need for more inventory and mechanics that had to know about with five different kinds of buses instead of two but MORE IS LESS and MORE IS OPTIMIZATION proclaimed Big Brother Hamm in stark contradiction.

Winston was not about to dispute Big Brother Hamm. A fellow worker Don Dryber got dragged into the back office by the Thought Police and warned him to watch his step because he wrote something down and passed it out. The Thought Police said haven't you seen the new sign - NO CONTRACT NO WORRY. So quit passing out your writing unless it is a prayer wheel or something Big Brother Hamm approves. "Now get out and we will be watching you!" the Thought Police warned.

Winston had seen the signs of the official reading list he but had a hard time believing it. Don was told there was an official reading list and he was not on it. The Thought Police told him to knock it off or else he might be among the FREE FOR AVAILABLE WORK AND HAPPY. Joblessness had been banished by Big Brother Hamm for along time now. The Thought Police pointed to the HUMAN REJECTION OFFICE to give him a poignant reminder.

WINSTON SMITH knew cameras were focused on him because he was reading Don's missive but he did not care. You see Winston had been around and knew how to outwit the Thought Police. But still he worried even with a sign blinking NO CONTRACT NO WORRY right in front of him.

Big Brother Hamm issued a new transit service improvement schedule. Oh the citizens would be so pleased because DISCONTINUED SERVICE IS AN ADJUSTMENT TO IMPROVE SERVICE. Winston quietly noted how Newspeak was having to struggle more and more in making its slogans for Big Brother Hamm. And Bus Talk is such a delightful way for people to get BIG Brother Hamm's words to reach them and they have now learned after many years that dissent or dissatisfaction does not matter. Bus Talk is colorful and bright, unlike the gray existence Big Brother Hamm created everywhere his influence has reached.

Workers trudge along the walk ways and halls, heads hanging low - signs everywhere NO CONTRACT NO WORRY. Scared and worried anyway, workers did their jobs with the best Big Brother Hamm smile they could force. Second Brother Pangborn was ready to make sure they smiled and had Kousin Johnson for assistance. WORK IS FREE was just being issued by the Department of Newspeak. Kousin Vobora proud of his new creation. It is even better than LTD IS A FAMILY from five years ago he thought.

Winston's name was called and before he knew it he was on the bus. Katie rides this bus everyday. "Winnie?" she called to him that because Winston was her friend even though Big Brother Hamm has said FRIENDSHIP IS DANGEROUS. Winston worried because the camera and recorders were whirring as she spoke. "Winnie, is this bus going to stop going here?" Winston said "yup". "We are improving service by adjusting it," he said.

Katie said "how will I get home from work?" Winston Smith just shook his head. "Sorry" he said quietly, but you see Big Brother has a better Plan with rocket shaped buses that "GO NOWHERE AND EVERYWHERE" (another Big Brother Hamm slogan) BRT costs lots but you will like it. The bus rumbled down the road for one of its last trips at this time. A large sign loomed ahead DISCONTINUED SERVICE IS BETTER SERVICE.

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill

JH - 36 Our Public Knows

A pat on the back for the real people that makes LTD work. This is a Letter to the Editor to the Register Guard from August 11, 2004.

LTD's drivers go the extra mile

I am writing this to let people know what a great group of people we have working for us at Lane Transit District. LTD's drivers are the best. Wheelchairs, walkers, bikes and other things are all taken care of.

Help is given to those who require it, and all this with a smile, good humor and no complaints. At the same time, these dear people are trying to keep on a very strict schedule.

These drivers have to put up with road and weather conditions and the ridiculous driving antics of other vehicles that threaten their safety and the safety of all the passengers they are responsible for.

And they don't even get a lunch break! What stress those people must be under!

Yet, we who depend on them for our transportation really do depend on them. If it weren't for LTD, we couldn't get to and from work, doctor visits and various other appointments and pleasure trips. We just couldn't do without LTD.

And what would LTD be without the drivers? Nothing! The city would be in chaos.

We owe them so much. I hope they get the pay and other compensation that they deserve.

We're very appreciative customers.

TRUDY DEMARCHI

and six cosigners

Eugene

Why is it that the public knows so much more than our own management? Hope the bosses are reading the paper! The public knows that the workers and not the management are main source of delivering the best possible service for our citizens.

Well Trudy, Joe Hill and many other LTD Drivers thank you for your kind comments.

In Solidarity,

Joe Hill

JH 32a - Joe Hill Responds to Anon. On JH 32

If the workers took the notion they could stop
all speeding trains;
Every ship upon the ocean they can tie
with mighty chains;
Every wheel in creation, every mine
and every mill:
Fleets and armies of the nation,
will at their command stand still.
Joe Hill 1915

Joe Hill Responds to Anon. On JH 32 - LTD, Hamm's Flock to Proselytize

Anon. I am sorry if this article offended you. It was not the intent of the article. Remember the opinions are of the Joe Hill LTD Project, not the union. If the Union wants me to pull down the posting of JH 32 it will be gone by the next day. So I am sorry. Let me explain myself.

There is a big difference in this circumstance contained in my article, from my way of thinking.First, Ken Hamm is the top paid public official of LTD and I think that it demonstrates poor judgment to spread religious messages that might be offensive to non-Christians. Plus Hamm is in the power position, so who dares speak up about it.

Second, LTD is a tax supported agency. As a government, we and especially Hamm, should not establish any religion either by action or expense. I happen to think that it should apply to emails also. And Jewish, Muslim, non-believers and others could be threatened or made to be uncomfortable with this. The fairest way and best way is to remain silent on personal issues like this on official business machines.

Wear a Crucifix, Star of David, Red Crescent or a Pentagram for all I care. Send religious messages from home, fine. But, I think that someone making more than $100,000 per year has better things to do with his time at work than personally address emails to employees with prayer messages. It is especially wrong when LTD has a policy against it, which it does, by the way.

Third, if Ken Hamm is such a proud and faithful Christian then I really hope that he is asking the question "What would Jesus do?" with regard to our collective bargaining. If the answer is what Hamm and Management is doing to us in bargaining then he reads a different Bible than I do. Furthermore, Jesus said to "enter into thy closet" to pray and "not in the corners of the streets... As the hypocrites do."(Mathew 6:5-6)

OK, I will agree that it may be petty to some. But I would not have done the article if I had not received the email from another employee who was offended by it. Maybe he or she believes the Lord's words in Mathew 6:5-6 or they just think Hamm should leave them alone. Whatever it is, that person thought it was wrong and so do I. The other thing to think about is the email was sent in February 2001, so this employee has been carrying this around for quite a long time and is still upset about it.

Lastly, We do not want the Joe Hill LTD Project to be a forum on religion. This is last time I will talk about religion (I hope because it is very personal to me).The Joe Hill LTD Project is a forum about bad LTD management judgments, and how they affect workers, fairness for workers and our collective bargaining solidarity. I apologize to all who did not like the article and this reply to the comment.

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill

JH - 35 The First Goal

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Joe Hill LTD Project
LTD Strategic Plan discussion now continues. If you as a union member want to see the future of LTD study this plan. Study the remarks of the leadership Council.

On August 3, 2004 the Leadership Council had their usual sit and listen to Hamm and Pangborn Leadership Council meeting. Item 4 on their report says:

"LC Retreat: By now, all administrative staff should have received a letter from Ken Hamm outlining a plan for a local consultant, Glaser and Glaser, to conduct a confidential survey of administrative employees to identify key strategic issues that can be incorporated into the LC strategic planning meeting to be conducted in late fall of 2004. If you have any questions,
please contact your department head."

source Leadership Council Meeting Notes 8-3-04 by Mark
Pangborn.

I guess we serfs are not worthy of supplying any input. I recommend everyone ask Mark Johnson and Ron Berkshire why our input is not being sought. After all aren't we four times as many employee as the administrative employees. Isn't a bus driver's opinion just as valid as say, a receptionist or a coin room employee? How are we to be heard?

We aren't because "children are meant to be seen but not heard!"

So here is the first Goal we are going to examine from THEIR Strategic Plan:

GOAL: DELIVER RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICE
Provide high-quality, effective, safe, and reliable service that meets the community’s mobility needs.

Short-Term Implementation Strategies:
If a goal is a BRT Goal LOOK for a big BRT in blue. If its a goal for Scabs look for a big teal colored SCAB

Strategies Priority: Note the word priority and order of the priority. Also note the number of strategies that concern regular service. The ratings for the priorities are NONDESCRETIONARY, HIGH and MEDIUM.

1. Install the AVL/APC/CAD project by December 2003
Priority - Nondiscretionary - Well this has happened and now our part is to hear Bill Hallmark's voice all day long - not that it is a bad voice. Note the word NONDESCRETIONARY. And by the way what ever happened to the promise that AVL (Automatic Vehicle Locator) would not be used as a disciplinary tool. I guess just more words not to trust by Hamm and Johnson. BRT

This is an important word - NONDESCRETIONARY. It means the debate or planning discussion is over. It means that everything is less important than this and that it MUST happen.

2. Use APC data to provide route segment and stop-level analysis
Priority- Nondiscretionary - Well this is nice to have because passengers get counted automatically. It will also affect LTD federal funding I hear so we should have no complaints about this. BRT

3. Develop RideSource Efficiency & Productivity Standards
Priority - Nondiscretionary - You mean LTD has contracted with this scab outfit all these years without standards of productivity? Give me a break. LTD refuses to measure this service against the bargaining unit's ability to do the same work. Besides how can this be a higher priority than regular service for LTD. SCAB

4. Construct a RideSource facility
Priority - Nondiscretionary - Now this is utterly ridicules. Why is LTD buying a subcontractor real property and building them a building. Are they going to pay rent? Are they really just a part of LTD and thus their driver really part of the bargaining unit? Is it true they bought land for a million bucks when there is space available in Glenwood on LTD land to build this facility? Why can't our mechanics do the work in our shop on the buses that LTD buys and owns for this scab outfit? This is scandalous. More than a million in taxpayer wasted money. The repairs could easily have been performed at LTD shops on the Ride Source Cut-away Buses, they could build an office for the scab outfit on our land or how about the vacant commercial space at Springfield Station? I am thinking of starting a pool as to how long that space is vacant after the Springfield Station is open for operation. Knowing LTD they will have to give away this space.

And is possibly true that LTD would not use land they owned and save a million dollars simply because they feared the proximity of the unionized worker with the RideSource Non-Union employees? Well it is true, and we all know it. LTD treats us like cancer internally and externally. SCAB

5. Develop a staff training plan for technology implementation
Priority - Nondiscretionary - Even this is more important than any goal about regular service. BRT

6. Develop and implement a facility plan
Priority - Nondiscretionary- I guess the fancy air-conditioned offices of LTD need to have an expansion or move. Maybe they will want to move back to Broadway for some of the more elite types of office workers. LTD's aggressive capital agenda just keeps rising to the top doesn't it?

7. Improve the efficiency of the fixed-route system
Priority - Nondiscretionary - Finally seven steps later we find a mention of the fixed route system. Unbelievable that for a Goal that is entitled DELIVER RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICE this is the first and only mention of the regular fixed route service. How will they do this goal. I recommend that they get Gerry Morsello back. And they (LTD) better get Gerry training someone because what do we do when Gerry retires. Oh yeah they have that computer thingy but that has been real effective, huh? Does anyone have a sense like me that LTD just has no idea how things really work around here. LTD needs to wake up and talk to workers about the work.

8. Expand the plan to optimize fleet composition consistent with LTD’s service goal
Priority - Nondiscretionary- Let's see a goal I can agree with. Now would optimizing the fleet mean having fewer kinds of buses to maintain, repair and keep inventory for? Yeah I would l think so. So lets see we have Gillig's, Mann's, AVS's, New Flyer's and Invero's on the way.

9. At a minimum, maintain service at the current level for FY 2004-05
Priority - Nondiscretionary - Oh my another fixed route goal. But will it really happen? We shall see. But realize they already made the service cuts. Anymore and LTD would have some real creditability problems. Rumors are rife that service cuts are going to happen again.

10. Maintain special events service
Priority - Nondiscretionary - Yes this way we all get to go to the Serbu Center while Ken Hamm and other bosses get free passes to the game for our work.

11. Review and refine LTD’s productivity goals and standards
Priority - High - How is this not the same as number 7 above? Not enough information LTD for the typical reader. If is from your website, but makes no sense.

12. Pursue signal priority to service outside of BRT
Priority - High - Oh my, another fixed route goal. But with a lower priority and perhaps a hopeless expectation of accomplishment.

Lucky 13 - Pursue additional funding for service (e.g., job access and reverse commute travel needs)
Priority -Medium - So glad to see funding is such a low priority. What kind of wackos are running this joint. Money, my man is the way things happen. Quit wasting it. Start looking for it and restore regular service. They really don't get it do they. But they are looking to us for the money so I better say look in the right places.

Let's face it, they are slowly but surely changing and rebuilding LTD. The RideSource Goals here should frighten every LTD employee. LTD if they have their way would contract out all of our jobs to these scabs. Yes they are scabs, because they are willing to do your work for less. They might be nice folk and undoubtedly they are, but they are scabs.

LTD wants to scab out everything. The union has wanted to remove these scabs for a long time. But LTD has made a big fight about it. But now how about the union just claiming them. LTD buys their buses, buys their property, pays their wages how are they different - oh management. That does not seem like enough to Joe Hill. Capture the Scabs!

You know I am done with their plan. It makes me too sick to read and analyze. Read it on the web yourself Brothers and Sisters. Their regard for us is low. They are in fact repulsed by us. They want nothing to do with us in their planning for you see we are not hired for our brains even though each of us has one - and one every bit as good as that former driver Hamm. In fact, likely a far swifter and thoughtful mind is at work with you than our loopy leader. And where in the hell is the Board of Directors.

I think we change their designation to the LTD Board of Sycophants (BS for short). When was the last time they did not agree with the management on anything or not vote unanimously on any subject?

The war drums are beating in the distance.

Yours in Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 35

JH - Extra THANKS

The Joe Hill LTD Project

Joe Hill wants to extend his/her/our appreciation to my many Union Sisters and Brothers for their support for the Joe Hill LTD Project. While Joe Hill LTD Project is in the appreciation mode their are spouses and significant others that deserve appreciation for their help at posting to the BLOG, providing ideas, correcting grammar, and reading through dozens of pages of documents LTD produces to justify their silly positions.

The JOE HILL LTD PROJECT is independent of the Local 757 of the ATU. But make no mistake, this project supports the Union! Carol Allred has done a great job with great pressures and everyone of us should give her an "atta girl". Feel free to express it on the BLOG if you like.

The Joe Hill LTD Project has received special assistance from some LTD employees and these unsung and anonymous heroes are here publicly thanked.

Brothers and Sisters the Project continues. There is no justice in our future if LTD gets their way. Unify and remain strong. A special meeting of the Board of Directors is taking place tomorrow to talk about us! Wouldn't it be interesting if there was an informational picket at the gate for the Directors to get a little first hand info from us. Maybe even the media would show up.

I can see the signs now -
LTD - Burning money faster than Burning Buses
LTD - Unfair to workers
LTD - Unfair to riders
LTD - Wasting taxpayer dollars with BRT
LTD Save our Benefits
LTD Why two retirement plans?

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill

JH 34 - What Principles are Guiding LTD

Guiding Principle (Click image to enlarge)

We now continue with the strategic plan of LTD. They follow-up their values with guiding Principles. These are supposed to be used in conjunction with the Values I guess. It does not seem to have any connective language to explain why Values and Guiding Principles. I guess you had to be there to know why. Go figure.

In any event they still are part of the plan. The First Guiding Principle is Safety. Now I had to stop for a minute to stop laughing. "People may assume LTD is safe". Well you know when you assume you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me". Well thank you LTD for granting permission for us to assume something that you have no interest in at all. The AVS bus fumes were getting drivers sick and what did you do but fight the claims and tell the drivers they were making it up. What ever happened to the Safety Digest? I know that Dan Dreier worked hard on that and for once LTD profiled safe driving records. What about the fall training being canceled year before last. If LTD feels like it is following this principle then they are more clueless than I ever imagined.

Courtesy - Yeah I have heard plenty to disabuse me of this idea. I have seen Mark Johnson red in the face yelling at Josh Schmitt saying he was lucky to have a job at LTD. I have heard others talk about how pleasant Mark can be when he is red in the face. I had another employee tell me about how Hamm went riding in the AVS buses to see for himself. He was overheard talking to the front office staff about how the driver that he had (now a new supervisor) was just great and that all the other drivers are a bunch of whiners about the AVS bus. Gosh that is so courteous. Try honoring the absent in your communication guys and you might find a little step towards courtesy.

Efficiency - I am now rolling on the floor laughing my ass off. The winter bid had so many break in service I can't see how that was any where close to efficient. My favorite though has to be the BRT. You take the BRT to Springfield to catch the Thurston run to finish your ride. The transfer penalty will kill this trip. Seems to me that we are building a system designed for built in inefficiency. Oh and all that fancy software that replaced Gerry Morsello did not reduce a single planning position. Weird huh, cause I thought the computer systems would make planning more efficient. Right!

Image - Oh yeah this is important. We now have "branding". Since Hamm arrived we have had two slogans - "Your Partner for a livable Community" and now "At Your Service". Feel like a hotel bellhop yet? We have seen at least two different letterheads, a new logo, new uniforms and now we are going to repaint the buses. I think that we have an identity crisis at work at the top. Blue, green, teal or Duck green. Whatever shall we do. Why don't you try saving some money, realize that LTD won't get a single additional rider by the color of the bus, the slogan, the letterhead, the uniform or any other shallow cosmetic efforts. Frequency of headways is the best way to gain riders. Frequency where you already get high ridership will mean even more riders. It really is pretty simple, but then we are just a bunch of dumb ol' bus drivers.

Get real LTD. This is the biggest load of crap I have ever seen. Besides you can't even come close to living it. Your leadership is too flawed and in love with itself. These things take on an importance far above the workers who actually do the work. Until you have a value that support this notion you are on the road to disaster.

I suggest that LTD erase all these Guding Principles and replace them with Humor because these are a real joke.

Brothers and sisters we are caught in the weirdest spin zone ever.
In Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 34