TWU Local 234

TWU Local 234 met with the Philadelphia Delegation of the PA Senate on Monday May 13, 2013 to talk with them about 

• operator and rider assaults 
• supporting passage of legislation to include transit workers in the protected class of workers in PA covered under Title 18 
• the use of oversized mirrors on vehicles in SEPTA’s transit fleet and their contribution to left turn contacts with pedestrians 
• the need for greater funding for transit in PA and maintaining mass transportation in the overall transportation funding bill.

The Philadelphia senate delegation is headed by Chairwoman Shirley Kitchen and includes Senators Lawrence Farnese, Vincent Hughes, Michael Stack, Christine Tartaglione, LeAnna Washington and Anthony Williams.

Local 234’s Executive Vice President Andre Jones Sr updated the senators and aides on the problem of ongoing assaults on transit workers and riders. They were shown video footage of several assaults that impressed the senators. Many promised to use it to reach out to their colleagues to present the reality of what transit workers are subject to.

Political Director David Szczepanski briefly talked about the need for the full support of the Philadelphia Senatorial Delegation for passage of Senate Bill 282. Senator Christine Tartaglione pointed out that SB 282 would include transit workers in the protected class of workers under second-degree felonies who are assaulted while performing their job. Currently transit workers are only included under first-degree assaults. Any assaults against a transit worker not classed as a first-degree felony are treated as misdemeanors. With the passage of SB 282 (or its mirror bill, HB 1261) what are now misdemeanors become second-degree felonies. As Senator Tartaglione stated, we were originally covered under second degree assaults, but because of on oversight or possible clerical error were not included among the enumerated groups in the statue (Title 18). SB 282 and HB 1261 seek to correct this problem.

On transit funding, David asked that they fight against any efforts to separate mass transit from a transportation-funding bill. Separating us would be a divide and conquer tactic, forcing the related segments of transportation throughout the state to have to fend for themselves and not have a collective voice to provide the resources needed for everyone in Pennsylvania.

Vice President Carl Greer shared the problem with SEPTA’s use of Roscoe mirrors with the senators. The use and placement of these oversized mirrors creates an extremely large blind spot/obstruction that vehicle operators cannot see around. The problem is compounded by the size of the “A” frame or column supporting the front and operators side mirrors. The obstruction hides pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and even whole corners and parts of buildings. Local 234 has demanded that SEPTA follow the lead of other transportation companies and either remove or reposition the mirrors so that they aren’t an obstruction. By doing so other transit agencies have significantly reduced pedestrian contacts while making left turns (in the case of Cleveland Rapid Transit, to 0 in four years).

Several senators observed that on both the assaults and thenuse of Roscoe mirrors, there shouldn’t be an issue for SEPTA to use to prevent them from taking action. It’s a matter of transit safety and that effects ridership. This is something that SEPTA should easily be able to understand.

Noting that many times legislators in other parts of the state don’t always understand the issues that come out of Philadelphia, the visual presentations the Local provided of assaults and the oversized mirrors will aide the senators in presenting and garnering support among their colleagues.

President John Johnson Jr thanked the senators for their time and attention to these critical issues. Senator Kitchen assured the local’s officers that the senators share issues with one another that they feel passionate about and issues effecting transit workers and unions has been brought to their attention numerous times by Senator Tina Tartaglione.

On Friday May 3, 2013 the criminal who attacked and seriously wounded bus operator Tony Toklish was sentenced to a minimum of 5 years in prison. The thug had assaulted and attempted to rob a female passenger on the bus that Tony was operating. When Tony came to her aid, he was attacked, suffering a broken nose, bruises on his head and injured ribs.

According to sentencing guidelines, the assailant was subject to between 1 ½ to 10 years in prison. The assailant also has an open gun charge in Philadelphia, among other offenses. On top of the minimum time he will serve, he won’t be getting out of prison any time soon.

The video showing the assault was shown on local news and at both the conference held for the Philadelphia Delegation of the State House in March 2013 and the Transit Worker and Rider Public Safety Conference in April 2013. Tony also spoke about the assault at the safety conference, much of which he didn’t recall, even after viewing the video.

Local 234 is still fighting for passage of a legislative bill to include transit workers in the protected class of workers in the state covered by Title 18: Crimes and Offenses. Currently Senate Bill 282 (formerly 236) and House Bill 1261 would not only add transit workers to the protected class of workers in the state but they would also increase the penalty for assaulting one by making what are now treated as misdemeanors, second degree felonies.

Contact your state senator and representative and ask them to support SB 282 and/or HB 1261. Go to www.legis.state.pa.us 

The 2013 International Bus Roadeo was held May 3-7, 2013, at the J.W. Marriott Indianapolis in Indianapolis, IN. Bus operators and mechanics from 28 states and 3 Canadian provinces traveled to Indianapolis to put their skills to the test against other transit workers.

Southern Bus Operator Zenon Rinylo and Midvale maintenance mechanics, The Midvale Mud Dogs, took top honors, hailed as the Grand Champions of the International Rodeo. Their combined scores beat out the Los Angeles [CA] County Metropolitan Transportation Authority team (second place) and the Orange County [CA] Transportation Authority team (third place).

The Midvale Mud Dogs placed first among the 32 teams that competed in the tests of the “mechanic’s abilities to troubleshoot mechanical problems and fix them quickly.” Zenon Rinylo took third place among the fifty bus operators in the 40-foot bus competition, designed to be “the ultimate test of a bus operator’s driving skills”.

Local 234 congratulates these outstanding and hardworking members who showed why SEPTA takes top honors in anything they put their hands to – it’s the hard work, dedication, and skills of the men and women who work for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority – lead by it’s largest unionized work force, TWU Local 234 - that bring in the honors and awards. Great job!

At it's Transit Worker and Rider Public Safety conference, Local 234's efforts to bring greater awareness of the problem of assaults on transit workers and riders, find real solutions and include not only othe unions, SEPTA, law enforcement and city and state legislators but the communities and citizens who are impacted by violence on transit, was honored by the PA State House of Represntatives. Representative Cherelle Parker, Michael O'Brien, Brendon Boyle, Dwight Evans, Stephen Kinsey and Michelle Brownlee were some of the state legislators present. Representative Cherelle Parker presented the citation to Local 234 President John Johnson Jr and Executive Vice President Andre D Jones Sr.

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“We Are In This Together!” (to view pictures of the event go to our Flickr page by clicking this link:  flic.kr/s/aHsjESt3hc)

That was the theme of the Transit Worker and Rider Public Safety Conference held at Local 234’s union hall on April 25, 2013.  Mirroring the rise in assaults on transit workers across the country, Local 234 members also saw a sharp rise in the number of reported assaults against them in 2010 that continued into 2011/2012 and is still a problem in the first quarter of 2013. These are only reported assaults and involve physically striking a worker, throwing objects and liquid on them and spitting on them. It does not cover unreported assaults and verbal threats and altercations.

In response to the rise and in reaction to a female operator being shot in the elbow by an assailant at the end of her route, Local 234 formed the Operator and Rider Assault Task Force. Its purpose was to gather data on the number of assaults, survey the members on the types of assaults, locations where they are occurring and develop recommendations to improve safety. The results were given to SEPTA, the Philadelphia Police department, SEPTA police department and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. (We have also shared the survey results and the Task Force Report related to it with elected representatives at both the city and state level and community leaders throughout the region.)

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