Dear members, Please forgive the lack of information for the past few weeks in regards to our contract arbitration. Until we had clear and concrete information, we felt it was not in our best interest or yours to post inconsistent or unconfirmed facts. Although we have employed patience and a commitment to resolve this issue…
Citing exploding urban populations, worsening traffic jams, young people forgoing cars and stressed public transit systems, Larry Hanley, international president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, called on the House Transportation Committee to set forth a major urban transportation agenda at the first hearing on the reauthorization of the transportation funding bill. Speaking on behalf of…
2013 Union Dues $832.00 Health Insurance Cost All deductions for your Health Insurance in 2013 were PRE-TAXED. Therefore they may not be deducted on your personal taxes. If you should need your Health Insurance deductions, they would appear on your last Payroll stub of 2013. Fraternally, John A. Clancy Recording Secretary ATU Local 589
Dear members, In a continuing effort to keep you updated on the court proceedings surrounding our arbitration award, we wanted to inform you that the MBTA has appealed the judgement made by Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders on Dec. 19th. Click here for a copy of the notice of appeal. Our attorneys advise us and…
GateHouse News Service | By Andy Metzger | Dec 29, 2013 Malden — Transit officials plan to consider changes to the price differential between a bus ride and a subway ride, limit cash transactions and potentially offer certain fares that correspond to a traveler’s ability to pay, according to MBTA Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Davis.…
Boston Globe | December 27, 2013 | By Brock Parker A Somerville man has been sentenced to jail after he pleaded guilty to harassment of an MBTA employee and violating an injunction prohibiting him from threatening any person because of his or her race. Joseph Balistreri, 39, pleaded guilty Friday in Suffolk Superior Court to…
Boston Herald | Sunday, December 22, 2013 | By Colneth Smiley Jr. An East Boston man who threw a tantrum because he couldn’t board a crowded MBTA bus at Maverick Square Station was arrested after kicking in a bus window and later kicking a transit officer in the leg, police said. Thomas Caruso, 55, is…
Dear brother and sisters, Judge Janet Sanders determined today that the arbitration award of Sarah Kerr Garraty was lawful, and is final and binding on the MBTA and Local 589 (the Carmen’s Union). The opinion is very thorough and carefully written. Although the Authority can appeal this decision, we are hopeful that they will not…
Although the weather did not cooperate, a good time was had by all that were able to attend the swearing in ceremony and the annual holiday party that occurred immediately afterwards. Click here to see all the photos from both events.
Dear brothers and sisters, As you know, we were back in court today regarding the arbitration award. Judge Troy, who was originally assigned our case, is retiring soon and asked Judge Sanders to take over. Thankfully, Judge Sanders had read every word of every pleading and understood the issues well. She had sharp questions for…
The incident in Revere last night is under an on-going investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney, State Police, and MBTA Police. While the facts are still being determined it would be inappropriate for Local 589 to comment. The bus operator is emotionally distraught and unavailable for comment. Our Union’s thoughts and prayers are with the family of…
Dear members, The MBTA informed the union today that, due to the delay in court proceedings, they will not be transferring our benefits to the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) effective January 1, 2014. This means all our current MBTA benefits will remain in effect until further notice. We will continue to keep you updated on…
Dear members, Everyone who wishes to obtain or who currently holds a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) will need to inform the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) of the type of commerce they plan to operate within (interstate or intrastate) and whether or not they are required to hold a medical certificate. This notification is…
Congratulations to all candidates – win or lose – who were on the final ballot. Our local is best served when our members take an active role so thank you to all members who participated in yesterday’s election. Click here to see the results. For your convenience, the following is a breakdown of the voting machines: Machine…
The hearing on the Arbitration Award has been re-scheduled to Monday, December 16th at 10am in Suffolk Superior Court. Please note that the previously scheduled hearing was postponed due to an ongoing jury trial, which is running two weeks behind schedule and forced the court to push back all cases on the calendar. We will…