March 22, 2004

• OK – quick post. I’ve got more to say on other stuff, but no time right now:

  Peter Bell – the person who is the Met Council Chairperson, the person who refused to accept the bus driver’s union’s offer for binding arbitration (in other words – get a neutral party to look at the situation and make a judgement and we’ll accept it, whatever it is) – the person who did a lockout of the workers that is making this look much less like a strike and much more like a lockout.

  This man – Peter Bell – has not yet been confirmed by the Senate as the Chair of Metro Council. If you are troubled by the bus strike has been handled by the Met council, call or email your state senator and ask them not to confirm him and give a vote of no confidence.

  To find out who your senator is, use this resource:

  Senate District Finder.

  They should have links to your state senator’s website and email.

  For those of you in district 58, Linda Higgens is the chair of the committee which recommended Bell for the position (which doesn’t necessarily mean she supported him). 58 includes the warehouse district and other areas on the west side of the river.

  For people who want a starting point on a letter, here’s the one I sent:
  

  To: sen.larry.pogemiller@senate.mn
  Subject : Please do not confirm Peter Bell

  It is my understanding that Peter Bell has not yet been confirmed by the Senate as the Chair of Metro Council.

  In light of the heavy handed manner he has employed while dealing with the bus drivers union I believe that you should not only deny him this confirmation, but give him a vote of no confidence.

  There are many examples of things he has done to force the bus strike, but to my mind the most egregious was to refuse the driver’s offer of binding arbitration. Their offer implied that they would accept whatever decision a neutral arbitrator handed down.

  His refusal of that offer combined with the subsequent lockout implies that his main purpose is to either damage our transit system or to break the bus driver’s union.

  As a Democratic senator, I would think you would be harshly opposed to either motivation. I hope you will vote against Peter Bell’s confirmation, and in doing so, his methods and actions.

  Thank You,

  - Jason Goray
  [address removed]
  [email removed]
  [phone removed]

  • 1:43 pm
  • 1 Comment