Author: johnrothwellblog

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Property owners in the six cities that provide The Rapid service will continue to pay an added tax to support the bus system for the next twelve years. The transit millage renewal passed Tuesday, November 7th with a 61 percent ‘yes’ vote.

Voters from Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Grandville passed the renewal, while Walker voters rejected the proposal. Both supporters and opponents of the proposed renewal gathered at Johnny B’s on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids to watch the election results.  A loud cheer echoed throughout the restaurant around 10 pm when it was realized that results from all 127 voting precincts were in, and the renewal proposal had passed.

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Rapid CEO Peter Varga was very happy with the fact that voters expressed their support for the transit system.

“They had confidence in our ability to move forward to support what we have created in the last twenty years,” Varga said.  “I am very great full to the voters for expressing their support.”

Involved in a contract dispute that has left members of the local Amalgamated Transit Union without a contract the past two years, some ATU members had been calling for a no contract –  no millage vote.

“The union never took an official position on the millage.  There is no downside to the millage passing much like there would have no up side to it not passing,” said Richard Jackson, President of Local ATU 836.

Barbara Holt, Chairwoman of The Rapid Board of Directors was noticeably jubilant upon learning of the election results.

“It’s a wonderful mandate for us to continue Rapid transit in the six cities surrounding Grand Rapids and we are incredibly excited that the communities support the Rapid,” Holt said.  “It means we move forward. We put together all the positive improvements that we have planned on. We work on our contract with our mechanics and our drivers to get that settled, and we get a lot of things done that we were in kind of a limbo, wondering how the millage was going to turn out.  Now we go full bore, straight forward for good.”

With the passing of the millage voters have said to the riders of The Rapid that there will be a dependable, ongoing form of transportation around the Grand Rapids metro area for the next twelve years.

For over two years,  ATU local 836 has been with out a contract. This situation is bringing stress and uncertainty to both sides.  ATU members are making their displeasure heard by speaking up at public meetings and event. The Interurban Transit Board is also speaking out about their displeasure with the Union. Please listen below to ‘Voices of Dispute.’

September 27, 2017

It has been over two years that members of the Amalgamated Transit Union local 836 in Grand Rapids, Michigan have been working with out a contract. In this episode of Transit Talk I sit down with union president RiChard Jackson to discuss the issues that ATU 836 members are dealing with in the last week of September, 2017.

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Photo’s the Labor Day walk in Grand Rapids, Michigan

After a one year hiatus, the Grand Rapids Labor Day Bridge Walk was back in full stride on Monday September 4th, 2017. As hundreds of participants lined up to start the five mile walk, Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss was disrupted from addressing the crowd when she was met by protesters supporting the local Amalgamated Transit Union.  She stepped back and started the walk early as a result.  

The ATU has been in a contract dispute with The Rapid for over two years. Socialist Alternative Grand Rapids members came out to work with, and support the ATU in shutting down Mayor Bliss from speaking to the walkers and to bring attention to the lack of a contract.

“She is largely responsible for this union busting that is going on with The Rapid,” branch organizer of Socialist Alternative Grand Rapids Philip Snyder said. “Frankly, how dare she speak on labor day at Labor fest as a quote union supporter, when in actuality she is fighting unions every step of the way.”

As the protest was taking place, walking participants involved were booing and yelling at the protesters.  Many could be overheard asking the protesters why they were disrupting a family event, what were they doing protesting on a holiday, some going as far to call the protesters anti-American and Commies.

“It was certainly ironic, but somewhat expected, that people were booing. The protest and support being held in a conservative town such as Grand Rapids (is ironic),” Snyder said. “Labor day has lost a lot of it’s meaning as a holiday for workers. It is now a long weekend to shop at sales, go to the beach, camp or a last time downtown.  We are having a beer tent.  People do not associate the day with labor any more.”

Walking participant Michelle Covington felt that the Mayor needed some security or a body guard, reporting her concern to the Grand Rapids Police.  Shortly after, Mayor Bliss was met by Grand Rapids Police where she exited the walk on her own behalf as participants continued on.

Lupe Ramos-Montigny, walked next to the Mayor in support of labor day and general  labor in the area.

“I believe in open protest, that we have the freedom of speech, but what I do not agree with is harassment.”  Ramos-Montigny said.

Protesters were glad to see that mayor leave.

“It’s labor day, she’s a union buster.  She (Bliss) does not belong here, so we came here and started chanting, go home Bliss, union busting is disgusting,” Local ATU member Louis Deshan said. “At Scribner and Bridge we finally blocked her at a the corner there, and she finally left. So we were like na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, hey, hey good-bye. Our goal was accomplished, we shut her down.”  

Members of the ATU have been without a contract for for over two years and Mayor Bliss is a Rapids Transit board member.  The board voted in favor of a merit increase for Rapid CEO Peter Varga during the August 30, 2017 board meeting where a protester was arrested .

Related article

http://www.therapidian.org/local-atu-member-arrested-rapid-board-meeting

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Photos from Wednesday August 30, 2017 Rapid Transit Board Meeting

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Grand Rapids police arrested Louis DeShane, Rapid Bus Driver and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 836 Union Member for trespassing at the monthly board meeting held on Wednesday, August 30.

An hour into the Rapid public board meeting members began discussing the governance report that included CEO Peter Varga’s employment evaluation, including a vote on a $4,500 merit bonus.  

Board Chair Barbara Holt addressed the board by saying “We are going on to item 11 (on the meeting agenda) which is concerning the CEO evaluation. Like I said item 11, this was obviously Peter’s (Peter Varga) final review in his position of CEO.”  

DeShane stood up, voiced his opposition of the merit raise for Varga by facing board members and yelling “Not today.  No contract, no vote”.  He rallied other activist union members, leading them in a chants of resistance before the expulsion from the room.  

Two Grand Rapids police officers approached DeShane, issued a verbal warning, lead him out of the room where he stopped, spread his arms and laid down on the floor before being handcuffed.  As he was being arrested for trespassing, board members adjourned the meeting, and exited the room.

The board members returned a short time later, approving Vargas merit before ending the public meeting and heading into a closed door session.  

ATU members have been without a contract for the past two years and just recently voted down a contract proposal.

You can watch Louis DeShane being arrested here

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Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Grand Rapids Sunday, Aug. 13, to march in solidarity and demonstrations against the violence that took place in Charlottesville, Va.

After a speaking rally at Rosa Parks Circle gatherers took to the streets, holding signs of peace, welcoming all, and denouncing white supremacy.

The group march stopped for a peace vigil that was being held in Grand Rapids’ Ah-Nab-Awen Park, before marching back to Rosa Parks Circle where candles were lit and placed at the statue of Rosa Parks to mourn the victims of the tragedy in Charlottesville.

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Grand Rapids, Michigan hosted the bi-annual State Games of America August 3-6, 2017. Over 12,000 athletes from all fifty U.S. states and Canada participated in a broad spectrum of over sixty sporting events.  Athletes of all ages engaged in events such as archery, badminton, cricket, disc golf,  fencing, gymnastics and wrestling.  For results of events, please see the State Games of America website: http://stategamesofamerica.com/

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The City of Grand Rapids, along with The Rapid, and other area elected officials, hosted an event to show off some of the newest buses that are powered from compressed natural gas (CNG).

The event held at the 6th Street Bridge Park was meant to showcase the new CNG buses entering the Rapids fleet to replace aging buses.  It is a celebration, moving forward to less expensive gas that will be converting CNG and moving away from diesel. The new buses burn a fuel that is also a cleaner gas, better for the environment.

Elected officials and those in attendance didn’t anticipate that members of the local Amalgamated Transit Union bus driver’s union would be there to disrupt their celebration.

“It’s freedom of speech and people have the right to be heard and this is a public space” Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said.

Working without a contract for the past two years, ATU members held signs and chanted  “No Contact, No Milliage” loudly above and over the speaking officials. The failure of The Rapid board to sign a contract and how it was impacting union members was of greatest concern to the members present.

“I think CNG is definitely a step in the right direction, and they should have done it years ago,” protester Peter Ricketson said. “Maybe they could have spent forty-million dollars on this instead of the Silver Line which has been an abject failure”.