Bulletin To Defend 4 Boston USW 8751 Bus Union Officers Fired By Veolia

Bulletin To Defend 4 Boston Bus Union Officers Fired By Veolia

Text of Union Bulletin to members:

Calling All Members / Witnesses To Testify About Veolia’s Violations and Union-Busting,
and In Support of the Union’s Case Against the Unjust Firing of Our 4 Union Officers

ALL OUT to the STEP 2
Termination Hearing!

Monday, April 14th

10:00 AM - on
(come immediately after the AM runs)

Veolia’s Main Office, behind the
Freeport yard
35 Freeport Way, Dorchester

Many hundreds of drivers, monitors and dispatchers signed a "Mass Affidavit" for the Union's legal team, headed by Attorney Al Gordon, bearing witness to the facts of Veolia's illegal actions - before, during and after the company's lockout on Oct. 8, 2013. Veolia - in its arrogant disregard for the truth and ongoing attempt to break our Union through numerous Unfair Labor Practices – refused to allow your testimony during ts “investigation” and is proceeding with its prosecution of the Local's 4 elected leaders. This Monday is another opportunity for you to put the truth on record and expose Veolia's lies.

Your eye-witness testimony will also assist Boston City Councilor Charles Yancey who, along with Councilors Tito Jackson and Ayanna Pressley, has filed another "HEARING ORDER REGARDING VEOLIA TRANSPORTATION'S LABOR PRACTICES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON", which will be scheduled soon.

Was there an "illegal wildcat strike" on Oct. 8, 2013, planned, instigated and organized by your 4 fired elected officers, as Veolia alleges? Of course not. Drivers’ eyewitness testimony at previous Step 2 hearings has exposed the truth that we all reported to work, and followed the Local Union leadership in demanding an immediate meeting about numerous grievances with top company and BPS officials, who were all present in the yards early that morning. In fact, evidence now shows that Veolia, in conspiracy with former Mayor Menino and BPS, shut down operations, instituting an illegal “Lock out”. Veolia refused to discuss a meeting with the Union, never ordered a single driver onto a bus - including city-wides and standbys - then called in police to force us off the property and locked the gates. Veolia/Menino/BPS orchestrated this union busting frame-up and “wild cat strike” hoax with the aim of breaking our union’s ability to fight to defend our members and the community against their vicious austerity, massive cutback attack on Equal, Quality Education, safe transportation and our jobs which we now face. We say “NO!”

Your testimony about what really happened will help put an end to Veolia's frame-up of our fired leaders and strengthen our campaign to make the company and BPS honor every hard-fought term and condition of our contract.