Thursday, June 02, 2005
New Boss Hits VTA
MercuryNews.com | 06/02/2005 | Muni boss bound for VTA: "Burns, 49, took over the San Francisco transit agency six years ago, coming to the Bay Area from Philadelphia where he was the No. 2 man of that transit system and where he reportedly developed a relationship as being tough on labor issues. [italics are mine]"
Get ready, because the good times are definitely not rolling at VTA.
Michael Burns will get $290,000 a year, about $67,000 more than Cipola was paid. That difference would pay an hourly employee $32.21 an hour with a 40 hour guarantee. The Merc says he has "a relationship as being tough on labor issues." Seems to me they should have used the word reputation, but who am I to nit pick their wording. The point is that the union had better be ready for some tough negotiating at a time when they have already shown themselves to be soft.
But first, the new Boss has to introduce himself to his newly acquired drudges. Of course, he will also need to bring in his Cronies, as Bosses always do, to do the unpleasant jobs that would make them look bad otherwise. So he will introduce himself as our friend and then send in his lieutenant to break the legs of the union and the spirit of solidarity.
Get ready, because the good times are definitely not rolling at VTA.
Michael Burns will get $290,000 a year, about $67,000 more than Cipola was paid. That difference would pay an hourly employee $32.21 an hour with a 40 hour guarantee. The Merc says he has "a relationship as being tough on labor issues." Seems to me they should have used the word reputation, but who am I to nit pick their wording. The point is that the union had better be ready for some tough negotiating at a time when they have already shown themselves to be soft.
This guy is a yes man when it comes to BART. There will be no internal struggle over major policy decisions and it will cost many their jobs. VTA will be seeking to reduce front line workers again while protecting their overbloated administration, as they always have. There will be more talk from them of cutting administrative "positions" as they shuffle actual administrators into "vacant positions". The result when you go into the front office will be new and unhappy faces.
Meanwhile, there will be more fare hikes that will result in fewer riders and declining farebox revenues as the new Boss smiles his way through Sacramento and Washington greasing the wheels that fund big budget, high visibility projects like BART. His mission is to create a Brave New World of speedy, comfortable transportation that takes into consideration the regional needs of commuters. (Wow, they should hire me to write their propaganda!)But first, the new Boss has to introduce himself to his newly acquired drudges. Of course, he will also need to bring in his Cronies, as Bosses always do, to do the unpleasant jobs that would make them look bad otherwise. So he will introduce himself as our friend and then send in his lieutenant to break the legs of the union and the spirit of solidarity.
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