WFHB FireHouse Broadcasting

Just received the message below from Randy Paul, an organizer of unionizing efforts at BT Access and Rural Transit auxiliary bus services. Paul says the Area 10 Agency on Aging is dropping the BT Access program and its director blames him for going public with criticisms of management. Paul says he will speak at the city council meeting tonight. His message to us and to city council members is posted below the following links to some of our coverage of the BT Access union movement.  A response from the Area 10 director follows below Paul's message.

May 27 Daily Local News
April 23 Daily Local News

FROM: Randy Paul
Dear City Council members:

Today is a sad day for organized labor in Bloomington. The BTAccess drivers were told by Area 10 management today that they will all be out of work January 1, 2010. The ONLY promise that the Director of Area 10 has kept in recent years was her threat to drop BTAccess if a Union was elected to represent the drivers.

This would have been the 20th year that Area 10 has held the contract for BTAccess. For the past 20 years the Director has tried to aggressively under bid her competition to keep the service, and in 2007 actually went so far as to misrepresent a training program that does not exist and named fictional training managers to run it. Clearly this put Area 10 in a competitive advantage by not having the training expenses that other companies had in their bid proposals. If you look at the survey produced by the Indiana Dept. of Transportation every year that compares all transit organizations in the State, you will find that Area 10 is dead last in systems its size in wages and benefits to its workers. Dead last in compensation, fictional training programs and managers.....all these actions contributed to Area 10 dominance in this service for 20 years. The difference this year? The answer is simple: the drivers stood up to the management of Area 10, and despite the threat of job loss, voted in by 72% a Union (AFSCME)to represent their interests.. We ran that Union election in 2008 out of my living room at home. I will never forget how much courage I saw from the drivers last year as I watched them try to build a better and more secure life for themselves, and their families. As a community, is this really how we want this story to end?

And now, after 20 years of aggressive measures to keep the BTAccess contract, Jewel Echelbarger, fulfilled her threat to the workers, they are out of work. Their sins? Wanting a living wage to support their families. Period.

The drivers were given 2 reasons from management for dropping the BTAccess contract:

1. My going public with criticisms of the Director, and her management of Area 10, especially when I spoke to this body for help and and support a few weeks ago. I want to thank all of you for your support of the BTAccess drivers these past two weeks. While both of our involvements in this matter are being used by management as a reason for today's action, I know how much the drivers have appreciated your support, as do I.

2.. The Board of Directors did not like the "fines" in the contract.
Funny, that fine structure has been in place for years.

The test is what happens now. My concern is primarily in two areas.

1. To try to save the jobs lost at Area 10 due to the decision today.I will continue to speak out for Bloomington Transit to transfer those jobs back from Area 10 to Bloomington Transit. I am currently working on a petition signed by the passengers of BTAccess that will show how much the drivers are wanted and appreciated. We need continuity of service, and these drivers give us that.

My greater concern is more big picture on what the actions today by Area 10 does for organized labor in our community. Jewel made a threat against the Union, and carried it out. Think of the chilling effect this will have in our community. How likely is it that other workers in our community will unionize after this action by Area 10? If such a large, high profile organization like Area 10 can bust up a Union, will other workers take the risk?

This is a sad day for labor in our community, and the critical question that remains is will this sadness be limited to one dark day, or be the start of a trend against all the workers in our community?

Robert Kennedy once said that problems are only mistakes that you refuse to correct . Will our community actually sit back and let this happen to the workers at Area 10, and not at least try to correct it?

I will be speaking during the public comment portion of your meeting tonight (both at the beginning and at the end), and will see all of you then.

Take care.

Randy G. Paul

FROM: Jewel Echelbarger

Greetings to each of you.  Please
understand BT Access will continue under the competent leadership of the
Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation. By next year a new entity will by providing this
service.  It is an excellent service which I am sure will meet the needs
of the frail elders and disabled.  We too are concerned about the welfare
of these individuals and will do what we can to be
of assistance.  We will still serve the elders and disabled in the City of
Bloomington, Monroe
County and Owen County.

 I have just read Randy Paul’s e-mail
to everyone and refute what he says.  The Area 10 Agency on Aging has worked to successfully
provide BT Access services for the residents of the City of Bloomington since 1988.

The reason for the Area 10’s Board
of Directors decision to not continue with another contract was the budget
deficit in BT Access Service even with the hard work of both drivers and administrators.  We have worked
successfully with Bloomington Public Transportation to provide BT Access and
thank them for this opportunity to serve the frail elders and disabled in the
City of Bloomington. 
We will work with Bloomington Transit as they make their decisions in moving
forward with this service.  Area 10’s BT Access employees are
dedicated to public transit and the passengers they serve.  We
wish them well and will work with them in their transition process.

I deeply regret this negative message from Mr. Paul and assure you ours
will be a positive approach.  We thank you for your public service on
behalf of the City

of  Bloomington
residents.   I wish you well.

Sincerely,  
Jewel Echelbarger, Area 10 Agency on Aging Executive Director