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Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 is the Driving force that move's THIS COUNTY !
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The ATU International Latino Caucus
The ATU International Latino Caucus kicked off dav two of their Convention in San Jose, CA, with a busy agenda, vibrant discussions, and a sense of solidarity you could feel throughout the room. The Caucus began with an amazing dance performance by El Grito de la Cultura, led by Elena Robles.
History of ATU
The union was founded in 1892 as the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America. The union has its origins in a meeting of the American Federation of Labor in 1891 at which president Samuel Gompers was asked to invite the local street railway associations to form an international union. Santa Clara's ATU has been serving the bay area proudly, since 1902.
Unions with a purpose
Unions
A union, often referred to as a labor union or trade union, is an organized association of workers who come together to collectively advocate for and negotiate better working conditions, wages, benefits, and other employment-related matters. The primary purpose of a union is to represent the collective interests and rights of its members in their interactions with employers. Unions typically negotiate collective bargaining agreements with employers, outlining terms and conditions of employment, such as wages, working hours, benefits, and workplace policies. By pooling their resources and leveraging collective bargaining power, union members seek to address issues such as workplace safety, job security, and fair treatment.
Weingarten rights
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International President John Costa visits VTA
It was a busy and exciting day in San Jose, CA, as International President John Costa and International Executive Vice President Yvette Trujillo joined Local 265- San Jose, CA, President/Business Agent Raj Singh to visit with our members on the job to thank them for their hard work and talk about their issues and concerns, including their current contract negotiations with the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). The first stop was the VTA Guadalupe Light Rail Yard where the group paid their respects at the Guadalupe Memorial Garden, honoring our fallen 265 members who we tragically lost to workplace violence on May 26, 2021.
The group then went to talk to members about their issues, their contract, and the upcoming U.S. elections that will affect transit funding and workplace rights for all our members. The next stop was the VTA Cerone Bus Yard, where they were greeted by our members, who were lined up to welcome IP Costa and IEVP Trujillo to share their concerns. "You, our 265 members, move San Jose," said Costa. "Just a few years ago, you all went through something that nobody should ever endure. Now, the VTA must recognize your sacrifice and give you the contract you deserve." Thank you, Local 265, for everything you do for our members and your community!
CTW
"The work that is happening, the partnerships that are being built, the apprenticeship programs, and the career pathways we're creating have led to an innovative model that we're starting to spread across the country to get these programs to more of our members, "said ATU International President John Costa, a member of the CTW Advisory Board. "Becoming the fiscal agent for these impactful grants is a natural progression to our long and productive partnership with CTW. We look forward to continuing this incredible work in this new capacity."
COPE
As a transit worker, school bus employee or over-the-road bus worker, your job, wages and working conditions are directly linked to politics. Representatives in federal, state and local government make crucial decisions every day that determine the amount of funding available to your transit system or school district, the safety and security requirements at your workplace, your bargaining rights, and more. As the largest transit worker Political Action Committee (PAC) in the United States, ATU-COPE is the voice of transit workers, school bus employees and over-the-road bus workers at all levels of government. Since by law, union dues cannot be used to fund political campaigns, voluntary member contributions to ATU-COPE are used to help elect pro-labor, pro-trans-sit candidates for local, state and federal office and then hold them accountable once they are elected Federal law prohibits ATU COPE from soliciting contributions from individuals who are not ATU members, ATU and its affiliates' executive and administrative staff, and their families. Any contribution received from any other individual will not be accepted and will be returned to that individual.
JWI
"The work that is happening, the partnerships that are being built, the apprenticeship programs, and the career pathways we're creating have led to an innovative model that we're starting to spread across the country to get these programs to more of our members," said ATU International President John Costa, a member of the CTW Advisory Board. "Becoming the fiscal agent for these impactful grants is a natural progression to our long and productive partnership with CTW. We look forward to continuing this incredible work in this new capacity."
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ATU International Women's Caucus
ATU women and allies from across the U.S. and Canada came together for day one of the 38th ATU International Women's Cacus Conference. International President John Costa traveled to Las Vegas, NV, to welcome attendees by speaking about the impotance of women's leadership in our Union, highlighting our recently elected International Executive Vice President and the first female and Latina to hold the position, Yvette Trujillo. "You may have heard me say before that I tell our Locals, if you want to get something done, make sure you have women on your board, as shop stewards, as your Local leaders." Costa also spoke about the epidemic of violence on our transit systems and attacks on our members, especially our female members, and how our Union has won important protections. "Physical assault, passenger aggression, and verbal abuse, including sexual harassment, are the top issues experienced by women in transit," Costa continued. "I'm a father of two daughters, and this is personal for me. We must do better. I want each and every one of you to embrace your power and neverever settle for anything less than what you deserve. Our Union has been working every single day to secure better protections for you for years. Safety is a fight we will never give up on until all our members are safe on the job." International staff also presented on the bus of the future and gave other tools to sharpen our members' skills. For us this was truly a powerful event.
ATU International Black Caucus
ATU's Black Caucus kicked off their 57th Annual Conference today with more than 300 members from across North America coming to Maryland, to discuss critical issues and to ensure our Black brothers, sisters, and members are well represented in our Union, our
industry, and our communities. With the theme Leading Through Adversity, the Black Caucus was truly an empowering event.
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