Image via WikipediaI think, if there is a list of the most despicable jobs in Portland, TriMet fare inspectors would be among the top ten.
In yesterday's Oregonian, it was reported that TriMet has allocated more funds to hire six additional inspectors to "crack down on fare cheats." Additionally, police agencies from local cities and county sheriff's deputies perform the same functions.
This is when TriMet has drastically cut services and the quality of public transit service in general has suffered (for instance, now buses are cleaned less often) while continuing to raise fares. It also appears that both TriMet and Portland Streetcar are still considering to scrap the Free Rail Zone.
Yet, both TriMet and Streetcar seem to have plenty of money to spend on building new rail lines (of course, this comes mostly from earmarked federal grants, but that's another story).
TriMet as a special public municipal district, even though it has a typical governmental function of taxing, legislating and policing, it does not have a commensurate public accountability. The TriMet board of directors is not elected, and there is no accountability process for either the general manager or the board members. Indeed, TriMet behaves like a private business, cutting corners while constantly building expensive stuff to benefit real estate developers and big-business special interests. To make it even more outrageous is how, in spite of Oregon state law that dictates otherwise in ORS 181.850, TriMet fare inspectors (in reality, most likely Hillsboro Police or Washington County Sheriff performing transit police duties on behalf of TriMet, as fare inspectors are not police and do not possess authorities to arrest anyone) are aiding deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Fare inspectors and transit police are at the forefront of this war on the people. Fare inspectors are union workers represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union local 757. Union members are becoming tools of the capitalist oppressors and the politicians who represent them. They are almost as despicable as scabs during strikes. They do not represent the public interest, and certainly do not have the common good at their hearts.
Far less than a quarter of TriMet's total annual revenue comes from fare sales. If TriMet spends just about the same amount -- or even greater -- to administer and enforce a fare system, it is a waste of money and also a lost cause. In fact, even the current system of enforcement does not make any financial sense, as TriMet is clearly losing money by enforcing fares.
Outraged? It is time to organize.
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2011/07/19/trimet-crackdown
I don't think the union members are "tools of the capitalist oppressors and the politicians who represent them."
ReplyDeleteI certainly don't view myself in that manner.
The public sector unions are unnecessary. Unlike in private sectors, "We The People" are the owners of public agencies and their employees, and by unionizing the unions such as AFSCME and ATU pit the workers against the people and against the common good. Often government employees' unions wield too much (undemocratic and unaccounted) power and influence over policymaking, as well, and they shape the public policies in such a way that common people suffer while they enrich themselves.
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