The Joe Hill LTD Project

JH 72 Been Busy!

2004-10-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

JH 72 Been Busy! Sorry all, but the Joe Hill Team has been busy with other things, of late. In case you haven't noticed, there is a national election underway. Recently the Joe Hill Email address received a tasteless attack on the wife of John Kerry by a Republican Union member. All I have to say about that is, be sure to vote and encourage everyone to vote. So mediation is pending before

JH 71 - Hammbert Again! Ego check, everyone.

2004-10-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

Keeping you ego in check is empowering!

Joe Hill 70 - The Political Elephant in the Living Room

2004-10-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

You have all heard about the Elephant in the living room. No one talks about it, and everyone steps lightly around. Well, the "elephant in the living room" for unions usually turns out to be the elephants in the herd. What I mean by this is the Republicans who are also union members. So this raises the question "Can you be a good union member and be a Republican?" Now, before someone starts

JH 69 Inter-Blogging an Interesting Experience

2004-10-11T22:55:00.000-07:00

Joe Worker from the Blue Collar View BLOG send the following to our BLOG in solidarity. Thank you Joe Worker. Joe Hill will keep reading Joe Worker and encourage our readers to check it out. Thursday, October 07, 2004 Democracy In Action @ The Bargaining Table The following is an op-ed from the San Francisco Gate (10/4/4).The author is very clear on the need for collective bargaining and what

Poll Results: Is LTD Being Fair?

2004-10-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Results of the Joe Hill LTD Poll. The Polls Remain Open. Here are the Poll results to our current question. We want to especially thank Ken Hamm for responding to our poll. It is impossible to believe that any of us would answer this question as "Yes Definitely!" W Solidarności, Slava Lubamudrov Joe Hill LTD Project Pole Worker -----------------------------------------------------------------

Joe Hill 68 - Contract Negotiations and the Election

2004-10-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

(Friends, Joe Hill has gotten political on us here, and he asked me if I thought this would be received in the proper manner. I personally think this is one of the best Joe Hill postings I've seen, but I'm sure some of you will disagree. Please read it all with an open mind, and try to keep your personal politics out of what you may learn here. Joe Hill has promised me that he will publish all

JH 67 Happy Birthday Joe Hill

2004-10-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Joe - 125 Years Old TodayHappy Birthday to you.... Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday dear Joe, Happy Birthday to you! Yes it true. Joe would be 125 years old today had he lived so long. But he was callously executed by the bosses in 1915. But you know the spirit of Joe Hill is really much older than 125 years. Joe was there in 73 BC when Spartacus a freeborn Roman became

JH 66 War of Guests and Good Faith

2004-10-06T22:05:00.000-07:00

Lane Transit DistrictAs reported by Carol AllredFrom the Northwest Labor PressUnfortunately, my starting point for this article is in exactly the same place that it was for last month's article.Your wage committee met again with the District on August 25th. I had high hopes that the District's negotiating committee would have told the LTD Board of Directors that we would accept a one or two year

War...Carol Allred

2004-10-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

War!

The Return of Hammbert

2004-10-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

The Return of Hammbert

JH 65 Fairness Poll

2004-10-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tell us what you think. Is LTD being Fair? Is LTD being fair to the union employees in this negotiation? Prepared W Solidarności by,Slava Lubamudrov - "Pole" Workerfor The Joe Hill LTD Project .ivanC10969496564574{position:absolute;visibility:hidden;} Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com _______________________________________________ "The truth is incontrovertible, malice may

Joe Hill 64 - Fairness At Play, Part 2

2004-10-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD ProjectWow - fairness is becoming a buzz word at LTDJoe Hill got the following email from one of our drivers. It is not the same driver that got the letter from Congressman DeFazio. Interestingly, fairness is a focus of this communication.joe, this seems an odd site to find management philosophy. i bumped into it by accident. there are numerous articles in the "management journal"

Joe Hill 63 - Fairness At Play, Part 1

2004-10-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project LTD Employee gets Response from Congressman DeFazioCongressman DeFazio remains the friend of the working person. Joe Hill has urged the writing to Governor Kulongoski and Peter DeFazio, and the results are that the Governor is not responding to employees (so far). Governor, even a polite response to workers who have supported your election would be appropriate. Peter has

From John Perry our Number 1

2004-10-02T22:20:00.000-07:00

Friends, I think it's time for a reality check here. We have a lot of emotions, thoughts, and considerations at this point in time at LTD, and it can all get a bit out of hand quite easily. I would personally like to thank the LTD Joe Hill Project for the contribution it's made to all of us union members. The Joe Hill Project has not only voiced our own concerns and gotten them out into

BLOG Extra!!! Salt of the Earth

2004-09-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

The following post is from a BLOG called Joe Worker. Joe Worker posted the words of the great Rolling Stones Song "Salt of the Earth" I thought I would post it here for our audience. Solidarity to our Brother Joe Worker from the north country and our thanks. In Warm Solidarity, Joe Hill "A sad September rain is drowning out the life of the day. I think I 'll head down to Wally's in a bit and

JH 62 More Batgate?

2004-09-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project More Batgate An ATU member sends us the following. They prefer to remain anonymous.: remember the iran hostage affair back in the days of jimmy carter? nightline was born and ted koppel became an instant news headliner 25 years ago and is still going strong. the joe hill project was born out of the ltd union hostage affair and joe is an instant celebrity. just as koppel

Slava Reports Your Poll Results

2004-09-28T23:48:00.000-07:00

Pangborn Admits Responsibility for AVS Fiasco Since Mark Pangborn has admitted that he is responsiblefor the AVS bus financial fiasco to a group of LTD Employees, what do you think should be the consequenses for Mark Pangborn? He should be fired. 76%He should be required to refund the cost to the taxpayers for their loss. 3%He should be demoted. 7%Nothing should happen. 0%He should

RAR 1 - JH 61 Correction or ah... Illumination

2004-09-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project Meet the Joe Hill LTD Project Ombudsperson RoseAnn Roseannadanna after losing her job at Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live took many years to write several books. You may all remember her books: I Was a Mid-Life Groupie for the Blue Brothers, or Eddie Murphy: the Unofficial Biography, and The Italian Girls Guide to Oregano Growing - No It's Not Marijuana! We welcome

New BLOG Poll for your consideration!

2004-09-27T22:25:00.002-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project New BLOG Poll for your consideration! Syd Jacobson is being accused of having a weapon at the property because he brought baseball bats to work. Ken Hamm has golf clubs in his office. Are they any less weapons that what Syd jacobson is accused of by management? Hamm's golf clubs are weapons too! Baseball bats and golf clubs are not weapons. Send a message and answer the poll

Cleaning out Joe's Email inbox

2004-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill is cleaning his email infbox out because it is full. You are all going to get to see some of this mail.Joe Hill >To: >Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 09:21:43 -0700 > >Joe...thanks so much for your hard work in exposing the rampant corruption and mismanagement at LTD. I am sorry to be slow in putting a comment in to the site as I have been wrapped up in these

Joe Hill BLOG gets a "Motto"

2004-09-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

EPRushNet has a motto and this inspired The Joe Hill Team to adopt a motto tag line as well. For those that don't know the EPRUSHNET Motto here it is:EPRushNet"Stupidity Should Be Painful"Elisha RushThe Joe Hill LTD Project"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end...there it is!" Sir Winston ChurchillSent in by an Anonymous Joe Hill ReaderIf

JH 61 Hammbert is Playing with Fire

2004-09-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project Hammbert is Playing with Fire You know that Pay Roll Issue that you have heard about? You really should not think that it is a small thing. We all work for pay not the joy. Even Hammbert works for pay not the joy. You will recall that Brother Dreier reported that 75% of his paychecks had errors in his checks since about the beginning of the year. There was one check that

BLOG Extra!!! Syd Explains About What Happened

2004-09-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

TO: All Joe Hill ReadersSyd sent this to the Joe Hill Email Address so I presume he has no objection with me posting this. Some thoughts... I think that if baseball bats qualify as weapons then the golf clubs in Hammbert's office qualify as weapons as well. The Fumes have had softball equipment at the property before without any problems. But if you are on Mark Johnson's or Rob Montgomery shit

Blog Extra!!! LTD Driver writes to Governor

2004-09-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

This copy of a letter was sent to The Joe Hill LTD Project. I post it here for you all to see.To: Governor Ted KulongoskiRe: Conditions at Lane Transit DistrictI am writing you to share my concerns about the worsening conditions at Lane Transit District. My foremost concern is the lack of diversity found in the makeup of the Board of Directors. To my knowledge, no one of color or ethnic diversity

JH 60 Bombs, Bats and Balls - Play Ball!- Play Ball!

2004-09-26T01:21:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project Bombs, Bats and Balls - Play Ball! There is a time and a place for everything. Bombs, Bats and Balls - Play Ball! The Hallmark of leadership is knowing when to use any of them. There are many things to get pissed about at LTD but the story that I heard about the security portion of the fall training is not one of them. First, Kay Christopher is teaching what she was told to

JH 59a More on Ridership Increasing

2004-09-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project This comment was left on the last post to the BLOG and deserves a front and center response. At 9:02 AM, Anonymous said... Please! don't forget the folks at customer service, they too are on the front lines just as much if not more then the drivers. They always seem to get left out of the recognition. Thanks At 11:22 AM, Joe Hill LTD Project said... You know

JH 59 Ridership Increasing

2004-09-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project Ridership Increasing It has taken four months for LTD to post the performance reports on their website so that taxpayers and employees can know how good their mass transit system is doing. But the stats are there. LTD Ridership is up and up by quite a bit for June, July, and August. What are the reasons? Why did ridership go up? I have four main reasons to suggest. The

BLOG Extra!!! Hammbert Has Loony Plan

2004-09-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

Investigative Reporter for the Joe Hill LTD Project, Matt Dred has been on assignment covering the Pay Roll Issue ever since it was brought to the attention of the the Joe Hill LTD Project. Matt was able to get a copy of a tape which purports to be a meeting between Hammbert, Hekelson and Pangbert. The quality of the tape was bad but we were able to get a few bits of information out of the tape:

JH 58 Pay -Shortages Looming as Powder Keg Issue

2004-09-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project Pay -Shortages Looming as Powder Keg Issue who will be accepting the responsibility for this? Maybe Ken Hamm should have taken a moment to check with Diane Hekelson and see if she was shorting the pay of union employees before his inappropriate and impulsive degrading behavior. Instead Hammbert in his usual superior arrogance sends his symbolic dollar bill to insult one

JH 57 Mark Pangborn Admits Responsibility

2004-09-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project Mark Pangborn Admits Responsibility An unusual circumstance happened on September 21, 2004. Mark Pangborn or Pangbert as we like to think of him, admitted that he was responsible for the AVS fiasco. When he was asked directly by an employee who was responsible for this error in judgment and management, Pangbert raised his hand and accepted the responsibility. He said he

JH 56 Timing is Everything

2004-09-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project Timing is Everything The LTD Bosses decided to have a free day on the LTD System for the grand opening of the New Springfield Station...oops we mean the milestone of Springfield installing a new traffic signal on A Street. Great planning guys. Hitting that time bullseye is such a hard thing to do, huh? By the way the phone number for the Springfield Traffic Signs and Signals

JH 55 The Penny Parade

2004-09-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project Recently, an employee had a dispute with their pay. This same employee then received a degrading note from Hammbert with an enclosed dollar bill to resolve the dispute in the pay for this employee. But the message was very clear. Mr. Hamm felt he could demean , embarrass this employee for standing up for his/her entitled pay, and for trying to understand the discrepancy.

Blog Extra!!! Labor Cost per Ride for BRT

2004-09-20T23:21:00.000-07:00

Current Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 18.45 $ 19.19 $ 19.96 $ 20.75 $ 21.58 $ 22.45 w/benefits $ 25.52 $ 26.54 $ 27.60 $ 28.71 $ 29.85 Cost for 21,840

JH 54 New Fast Flyer Envero Super Sport

2004-09-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project LTD Big Cheeses Meet with Register Guard Editors With a price tag that has gone from just under $9 million to $16 million to now $25 million for the wasteful and mismanaged BRT project what do you think the Editors of the RG will think? Do you think that the LTD Management will have given them this history? Today at $5 million per mile do you think that the LTD big wigs

Blog Extra!!!! Happy Fall Bid

2004-09-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall Bid

BLOG Extra!!! The Joey and Bobby Show

2004-09-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

This is the exchange that Brother Bob Neis and the Joe Hill LTD Project exchanged three days ago in the aftermath of Joe Hill #50. If you don't know what we are talking about read #50. Live in solidarity Joe Hill >From: Bob Neis >To: Joe Hill >Subject: response to your response to me >Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 15:06:44 -0700 >Joe, >You are right, I misread the sentence. And I don't know who

JH 53 Can this be Really True?

2004-09-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project Well, here we go. The Joe Hill LTD Project recently received an the following Email. It is disturbing to read. If this is true and not just "rumor mill" stuff that the writer suggests, then the absolute lack of respect for the workers involved is disgraceful. If this is true, then Hammbert is the type that leaves a penny for a tip if he did not like his server. The Joe Hill

JH 52 Why the Joe Hill LTD Project

2004-09-18T01:10:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill 1879-1915 Joe Hill LTD Project Why the Joe Hill LTD Project I have only three reasons to offer for the existence of the Joe Hill LTD Project. 1. The women and men of ATU Local 757 need to have means to hear some of the information that LTD will not tell employees, either by analyzing their own words or dissecting their actions. 2. The need to build a cohesive bargaining unit ready

BLOG EXTRA!!! Ham Joins LTD

2004-09-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project LTD Reveals BRT Test Driver Program Informants to the Joe Hill LTD Project has learned of a new secret plan for LTD. Ham is Back! Ham made headlines across the world in 1960 by being the first occupant of a Mercury capsule launched into space by the United States. LTD in their quest to look for ways catch the eye of the public in the coming wasteful BRT project have

JH 51 Why are WE so Passive Instead of Passionate

2004-09-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project Why are WE so Passive Instead of Passionate? Amazingly, we have our own brand of political correctness these days. Thou shalt not be passionate for fear that someone may misunderstand. Thou shalt not call to arms or warn of your possible demise because that is not possible these days. Oh yeah? Selfishness and passionless understanding of what is at play in our

Joe Hill responds to Bob Neis

2004-09-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

>Joe, >Why would you name Ruth Linoz, Will Mueller, Marcia, and Steve Rayack as scabs or potential scabs? >Because they were drivers at one time? Most of our supervisors were at one time drivers. These people are honorable, hard working individuals. To impugn these people's good name is a low blow, even for you. >I hope you have the integrity to apologize at a later date. I doubt very much if

JH 50 The Secret Plan for an LTD Strike

2004-09-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD ProjectWhy the Board and Management Will Secretly Agree to Push Forward with a Strike at the Board Meeting Wednesday. It has been awhile since you have had an issue related article, and your poll results have clearly shown you want issues. Well, here it is. It is close to indisputable that Ken Hamm, and especially BRT Project Manager Mark Pangborn, want a strike. The bargaining

Blog Extra!! AVS Buses Plan Return to Service At LTD

2004-09-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

Inside informants in Fleet Services has reported the following to the Joe Hill LTD Project. LTD is planning on a bit of nostalgia hearkening to the early days of transit in Eugene. Service Planning is working on a schedule for the new service. It is expected to enter the "feeder loop" service for BRT. Not so much as it will get many riders to BRT, it just that you have to "feed these two horse

JH Poll 2 What do you think about the Joe Hill LTD Project?

2004-09-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

What is your opinion about the Joe Hill LTD Project Emails and BLOG? Check as many boxes as those that reflect your opinion. The Joe Hill LTD Project would love to get your feed back. If there is NOT a check box that reflects your viewpoint just leave it in the comments section of the poll. The choices of the possible are as follows: It is a great service, I read it and like very much. It is ok

BLOG EXTRA!! Koko Gives Rare Interview on LTD Situation

2004-09-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Koko the Gorilla Interviewed By Joe Hill LTD Project Koko is a world famous gorilla who has been taught to sign in the hearing impaired hand sign language. Koko is 25 years old and has remarkable understanding of the life events of her fellow hominids. Koko is just happy that she has friends and family and a world without heartless bosses. The Joe Hill LTD Project dispatched Ms. CM Hill (no

BLOG EXTRA!!! Real Cool and Nifty Polls

2004-09-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

Click the Link here and answer the Joe Hill LTD Project Poll. http://joehill.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/polls/001/poll_center.htm See the Results of Your Fellow Voters. Here's the Poll Question this Week. HSA Orientations - What do we do? Should ATU workers attend the employee orientations about HSA's? YES NO Don't Know

JH 49 It is Getting Sickening

2004-09-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

It is Getting Sickening - It's getting to that time of year again. Leaves will start to fall, and you may hurt your back. Chilly nights and open windows lead to sniffles. Have you noticed that riders are sick and coughing a lot? I know I sure have. So I decided to look into the issue of what looks to be growing risk for illness among transit workers. The Joe Hill Medical Research Unit

JH 48 Trust Us

2004-08-31T23:50:00.000-07:00

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

JH 48 Trust Us (continued)

2004-08-31T23:47:00.000-07:00

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

Blog EXTRA!! Message from Michael Moore

2004-08-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

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

JH 47 - "Scotty Screwya"

2004-08-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

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

2004-08-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

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

JH 46 The situation at LTD

2004-08-30T23:46:00.000-07:00

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

JH 45 - OUR FUTURE BOARD

2004-08-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

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

2004-08-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

Our Diversity Ignorred Future!

JH 44 Hamm on his Way to Bulgaria

2004-08-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

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

JH 44a The Vehicle Revealed

2004-08-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

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

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

2004-08-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD ProjectThe 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

JH 42 More Deception or is it Confusion

2004-08-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

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

JH 41 The Art of Deception

2004-08-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

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

JH 40 Our Board is Involved

2004-08-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

(Click on Image to Enlarge) 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

JH 39 - QUESTIONS FOR BOSS HAMM

2004-08-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project 5 Sets of Questions for Boss HammWith 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

JH 38 Why LTD Can Renew Our Expired Agreement

2004-08-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

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

JH 38 Fully Allocated Cost Plan

2004-08-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

(Click on Image to enlarge image.) 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.

JH - Ridership Chart

2004-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

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

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

2004-08-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

(Click on Image to Enlarge) 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

JH - 36 Our Public Knows

2004-08-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

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

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

2004-08-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

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

JH - 35 The First Goal

2004-08-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

(Click on image to enlarge) 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

JH - Extra THANKS

2004-08-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

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

JH 34 - What Principles are Guiding LTD

2004-08-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

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

JH 33 - Open Letter to the Governor

2004-08-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

An Open Letter to the GovernorThe Honorable Ted Kulongoski: Dear Governor:Lane Transit District is in trouble. It is destroying a world class transit system by taking risky projects on and without doing the appropriate due dilligence. Millions of dollars have been wasted in the last few years and it is going to get worse before it gets better. In addition, to the waste, an uneccessary labor

JH 32 - LTD, Hamm's Flock to Proselytize

2004-08-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project Unbelievably, Joe received the following email from a reader of the blog containing the following copy of an email alleged to be from Ken Hamm. Joe Hill had to interupt the discussion about the strategic plan to reveal this insensitive email from Hamm. This email was apparently sent on the LTD computer network to LTD employees. In recognition of the space that all of the

JH 31 LTD What does it Value?

2004-08-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

LTD Values (Click to enlarge) More of the Joe Hill LTD Project examination of the Strategic Plan.LTD ValuesThe first value is TEAMWORK. Good golly what a farce. LTD is anything but teamwork. There is more intrigue and top down decisions here than anywhere that Joe Hill LTD Project has seen. "Working together makes sense" it says but how are they working together? We get orders from them and we

This is long terrible wait.

2004-08-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

I know that it vacation time for everyone (except for me cause I bid pretty low), but this is the first contract that I have ever had to experience the wait and the anticipation. It would be nice if we could hear more information about the specifics of what LTD wants. It is hard for me to believe that LTD is so rough with getting an new contract. I have never worked anyplace that was union before

JH 30 Stategic Plan Exec. Summary

2004-08-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

Executive Summary (Click image to enlarge) LTD Strategic Plan Or as Joe Hill likes to think of it, LTD'S Strategic Bomb. This plan document is laughable. Written by LTD bosses and spoon fed to the LTD Board, and the imposed soviet style on the Community. Employee comment and input - Zero! Community Stakeholder input or Comment - ZERO. Minority viewpoints presented to the LTD Board for

JH 29 - The LTD Strategic Plan

2004-08-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

Strategic Plan Cover Have you ever seen this document? Are you an LTD Stakeholder? Has anyone explained the LTD Strategic Plan to you? How does this document affect you at work? The truth be known - not at all. Lots of nice words - some even proclaiming how pro-worker LTD is or wants to be. In the coming articles the Joe Hill LTD Project unveils the LTD Strategic Plan to my fellow union

JH - 28 LTD Rest in Peace

2004-08-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project LTD R.I.P. By now you all must now know how the Joe Hill LTD Project feels about the BRT Beast. The FTA summary of the BRT project from 2001 lists the LTD BRT project on its web page. This is what the FTA and LTD said in 2001: Lane Transit District's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will use exclusive lanes, signal priority, and other priority techniques to provide high

JH Extra - Join the BLOG

2004-08-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

Greetings Brothers and Sisters: The Joe Hill LTD Project has established the Joe Hill Blog (short for Web Log) as a means for allowing any all people with access to the internet to read Joe Hill Articles and posting from two other team members (so far, EPRush and another employee who prefers to remain Anon).Each posting at the BLOG has the ability for you to comment. You can make your comments

JH 27- The Huge Sucking Sound You Hear

2004-08-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Huge Sucking Sound You Hear... is all the money being vacuumed up and into BRT and the pay raises that the bosses give themselves for this future and current failures. As the company continues to pursue this wasteful project we make only baby steps of progress at the bargaining table. In fact, it seems that we may not making any progress at all. And when you think of the AVS fiasco, the

JH 26 This and That

2004-07-31T14:43:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project This and That and The Dangerous Weeks Ahead.... As we enter the doldrums of summer, August will fly by and we will be getting the Fall Schedule going sooner than we think. No contract,, and us still working - good! It is good that we are still working, and that we are legitimately trying to negotiate a settlement. But it drags on. Why - because it is to the advantage of the

I am Scared!

2004-07-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill has given me a pass into the forum to write my own thoughts for all of us at LTD. I want to thank Joe Hill for giving me this platform. It seems everyone is so edgy and worried. Me included! I agree with most everything Joe Hill has said. One thing for sure is that Joe Hill who ever he she they or it is you get answers to email. If you don't believe it try it. As a driver at LTD, I

JH 25 -July 28, 2004 - Today they Bargain!

2004-07-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

Joe Hill LTD Project July 28, 2004 - Today they Bargain! But we will not be begging! The Union will not be reduced to begging and nor should it be. LTD has apparently predetermined every position and expects the result to be a net gain or zero sum result for LTD. We workers face the classic budgetary question that has confronted Congress – Guns or Butter or the textile workers strike in

I Know Who Joe Hill Is

2004-07-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends, Quite a few of you have asked me who Joe Hill is. I've told you quite honestly I didn't know. It all started when I received an anonymous letter from someone with a crazy numbered Hotmail address who asked me if I would mind passing on some important information about LTD, and the upcoming negotiations. I figured it wouldn't hurt anything, so I said I would. I sent the first

JH 24 -In Honor of Free Speech

2004-07-26T01:42:00.000-07:00

The Joe Hill LTD Project I have heard people being critical of the Joe Hill messages and recently others have taken up the pen (or keyboard) to talk about out jobs and the future of our jobs. In a country where we have the Patriot Act, hidden cameras in the drivers lounge, humorless letter from the boss about the "Running Hot" proposed logo and supervisors telling us we have lost our rights to

JH 23 The Serfs and Villagers can Kill or Tame the Beast

2004-07-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

How to kill the Beast Roaring with Thunder A little more than two years ago Joe remembers attending a union meeting where the Union said we should offer an initiative petition to prevent reduction of service. It worked. No one got laid off. But now the BRT Beast threatens us all. Joe has some recommendations like what worked last time that can tame or maybe even kill the beast. It will depend on

JH 22 - The Beast at LTD

2004-07-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

If you believe your wages and benefits are worth feeding a beast that you have no control over or promises to potentially eliminate you all together, would you keep feeding the beast? There has been talk heard by some of our less senior wage earners that they will gladly feed the beast. But I say to you that this is a beast that must be killed. It must be made so helpless and docile that the

EP1 - The Bus Driver Story

2004-07-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

Brothers and Sister, gather around and let Uncle John tell you the story of the City Bus, in Eugene-Springfield. I'm going to tell you about bus drivers, and not even hardly mention the mechanics who were there too, like Billy Moore. They too were a great bunch of guys, and we couldn't have made it without them, but for now, this letter is just about Bus Drivers. In the early 1950's,

Joe Hill Welcomes EPRush

2004-07-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

This is just a test posting, under the tutelage of Joe Hill. We'll see if it works, and if it does, Eureka! Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their union.

# 21 - The Beginning of the End

2004-07-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Is this the Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning? As I write this you fellow workers, I am thinking of the powers of the forces of an anti-democratic workplace. Oh by the way this new picture of me was taken a few weeks before I was executed by the powers of the bosses. (sorry the Blog does not support pictures) Yes, I am sure many of you know that I, Joe Hill was killed by the

# 20 - Why is this happening?

2004-07-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

There is an old saying "Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer." What does this sating mean? It means know your opponents well. We have know Pang-in -the-Assborn since the days that he used to fetch coffee for Tim Dallas. I always thought that if Tim Dallas ever came to a sudden stop that Pang-in-the-Assborn would have a brown broken nose. For the younger set around here and if

# 19 - Memo From Neidig...

2004-07-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

Date: July 14, 2004 To: All LTD Employees From: Mary Neidig Response from Joe Hill RE: Update on Labor Contract Negotiations This "Update" suggests that we are going to get some kind of new or helpful information that we don't already have, or more importantly, might be concerned with from the source. We the union members can not adequately thank you for the six sentences that you have

#17 - How do we get to the bottom ...

2004-07-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

The gray dark clouds hanging over LTD in the middle of this summer have been usual signs in the labor negotiations situations at LTD. But so many of us are new that we just don't realize it. We are finishing up a four year contract that caught us up for years of giving in. Big issues needed to be fixed first. In 1997, we had to get rid of the big mill stone of part-time. The Company wants to

#16 - What Does Labor Want?

2004-07-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

This question was asked of Samuel Gompers in 1877 by the media in the early stages of development of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Samuel Gompers was a leader in the Cigar Makers Union that eventually became the Bakery and Confectionery Workers Union today. The AFL formed as a coalition of unions to balance or battle with the coalition of businesses with the Chambers of Commerce and

#15 - Why the Strike Vote ...

2004-07-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

Fellow workers we have just completed the Country Fair Week-end. If the Company has its way in the negotiations, there will be a part-time extra board with lower benefits and no hourly guarantee. The work would flow to these low wage workers in our union - exploiting them. Plus overtime for eight hours in a day will be gone. So if there is any work distributed to regular full timers, the

JH 14 When Things Go Ka-Bluey

2004-07-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

LTD Case Study in Mismanagement and Waste Brothers and Sisters, this is just one story about how your union contract is being placed on the alter of LTD buying things (capital purchasing), mismanagement, and not taking care of the people. Let’s define people as LTD employees and LTD riders! I am going to tell you about the Blue Devil Breeze Buses. Now these buses have always been a pain. Small

#13 - Joe Hill responds Neidig Memo....

2004-07-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Memorandum Independence Day 2004 TO: Mary Niedig and other LTD Bosses FROM: Joe Hill and Many Other Union Sisters and Brothers RE: Answer to YOUR Labor Contract Bargaining Update You know, Mary, next time don’t bother; it is too insulting MN: LTD and ATU leadership met for the third time yesterday to discuss the new labor contract. LTD had previously provided ATU leadership with a

#12 - The Surreal World…

2004-06-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

It is starting to feel surreal. Is it really true that we may have to go on STRIKE? What will we do? What will my family do? I thought we were "Team LTD"? It is true that the District is trying to roll back everything? Certainly they must feel that I am worth what they pay me and that there ought to be certain rules to work by? Right? LTD must know that I work not for LTD, but for what

#11- Oh My God…

2004-06-28T00:32:00.000-07:00

If these are LTD’s non-economic issues, then I am not sure I could stand to see the economic proposals. These roll back proposals from LTD are motivated by the worst possible motives. Proposals that include losing the over time for over eight hours per day alone will change the nature of our work across the board. When you include the increase in the number of min-schedules –up five percent you

#10 - Learn for your Mother

2004-06-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

My friends, it is solidarity of labor we want. We do not want to find fault with each other, but to solidify our forces and say to each other: "We must be together; our masters are joined together and we must do the same thing." Mother Jones You know Joe Hill never met Mother Jones, but he is sure glad she was there for the United Mine Workers. Look at this quote – it is decades old, but never