Weeks after Ron Jordan's death. ATU Local 1700 members lost a second veteran leader. Chuck Flanagan, the Cleveland-based driver who led a consolidated Greyhound local in the wake of a bruising 3-year strike, died in February.
Union will also picket tomorrow in Dallas, Houston, El Paso, San Antonio and Phoenix.
Apr04
Annual deaths from intercity and charter bus crashes have tripled since the 1990s. Read more: Unacceptable Risk: Cheap Buses, Fatal Rides - Popular Mechanics
More than 750 million people travel by bus each year, and the number is on the rise because of the lousy economy. But cheap bus tickets come with a price: Fatalities from bus crashes are on the rise, too, especially from the new crop of discount bus lines.
Greyhound built its reputation as the country's leading intercity bus line on the skill of its drivers. for 98 years, passengers have trusted us to get them to their destination safely and on time.
Now, though, the company is trying to pull a fast one on Texans. "Express" drivers between Dallas and Austin and between Houston and Austin may wear Greyhound uniforms, but they are really employed by the company's cut-rate line, Americanos.
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ATU International has brought in big guns for an unprecedented fight to include paying bus drivers overtime in a new U.S. transportation bill. ATU Pres. Larry Hanley said Harold Ickes, who served as deputy chief of staff to Pres. Bill Clinton, joined the campaign against driver fatigue in January. Hanley said, “We are deadly serious about a deadly serious problem, and Harold is a deadly serious lobbyist.”
Meanwhile, extremists are failing to derail the federal transportation bill with massive cuts and unrelated amendments. Urban and suburban Republicans in the House rejected conservatives’ push to cut mass transit, and Republicans in the Senate complained about measures like Rand Paul’s to link foreign aid to Egypt with the measure.
Local 1700 Executive Vice President Jimmie McCoy will officially begin his duties as Region 3 Vice President on March 1, 2012. Having served on the Executive Board for the past 7 years, he needs no introduction to members in Region 3. But he will need everyone’s support as we all carry the work of our union forward.
We have a lot of work ahead of us this year with our over-the-road campaign, the elections this fall, and gearing up for contract talks at the end of the year.
Let’s all give Jimmie a warm Local 1700 welcome as he undertakes his new duties.
To contact Jimmie, click on the red “CONTACT US” button on the right side of the home page.
Local 1700 Executive Vice President Jimmie McCoy will officially begin his duties as Region 3 Vice President on March 1, 2012. Having served on the Executive Board for the past 7 years, he needs no introduction to members in Region 3. But he will need everyone’s support as we all carry the work of our union forward.
