Wednesday, October 27, 2010

What is TriMet doing?


Articles, Letters, calls from the public pour in to the view of the world. They want light rail stopped, operators want a contract, the people of Portland want reliable and frequent bus service.

Where is TriMet and its "leadership" in all this? Oh thats right, pushing forward on light rail, reminding its front line workers they mean nothing to management, and cutting service tot he point where people are turning away. When is TriMet, mainly Neil McFarlane going to step up, and answer the public??

Building employee moral is something TriMet Management tossed in the garbage a few months back. Now, McFarlane steps forward, sends a letter to its union employees stating "Starting Jan 1st you will pay your medical costs, and a salary freeze also". This is what union negotiations are for, TriMet says it is at an impasse. Which means, its can't have everything it wants, and now its kicking and screaming like a little kids on the cereal aisle. If you want your employees to take a salary freeze, and cover portions of medical, you need to bring that to the table. If it doesn't fly, you need to rethink your plan.

Bus/Light Rail operators are the frontline workers, next are the mechanics, then Customer Service, without them, you, TriMet Management, have no service to run, and your out of a job!

To TriMet Management, and Neil McFarlane: Step up, get real, and Grow up, face the public, tell them why you don't want to serve the best interests of your riders. They have told you want they want, and don't want. Yet you still push on with your progressive rail agenda. Adding a bond measure to pay for buses, this was the biggest yell into the city "We have mismanaged our funds, we need your bail out". It's time you realize who cuts your paycheck, and makes your position available........the public (taxpayers) and your frontline union employees.

To TriMet Frontline employees: Don't give up, I see your strong bond with each other, your fed up, and its time for TriMet Management to step up to the plate, and be responsible for what they have done! Rock On! You have my Support!

TriMet, if your not answering the public, then....What ARE you doing with our money?

There is a poll to the right, mark your approval rating of Neil McFarlanes first 4 months as TriMets GM.

4 comments:

Al M said...

Amen brother!

Anonymous said...

First of all, there were people at Wednesday's board meeting that came and testified for the Milwaukie line.

And I don't think anyone has said that employees are going to have to pay for their medical costs. There's just some debate about who's going to pay for the continued cost increases, which weren't predicted when the contract was agreed to, as well as the legalities about it.

Lastly, it's not TriMet's fault that their payroll tax revenues have gone DOWN even though the tax rate was increased, which also has led to reduced ridership and fares.

punkrawker4783 said...

It was said Employees will be covering a part of Medical at the meeting, hence open enrollment.

It IS TriMets fault for putting requests for federal fund for MAX, and never buses.

And Cutting bus service will equal lower ridership, thats just obvious.

Max said...

Actually Neil said that they put in federal requests for buses for each of the last 12 years, but only received those recently announced hybrids.