By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – Connect Transit’s employee union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 752, is concerned about recent personnel decisions.
Union members packed Tuesday night’s Board of Trustee meeting to express their concern.
Many pointed to the layoff of former Executive Assistant Trisha Tilton, who was let go after 12 years with Connect Transit. General Manager Andrew Johnson said when a decision is made to let an employee go it’s always for a reason.
“We have undergone in the last four years a great deal of change, and change is hard for some people to handle, and we’re very sympathetic to that,” said Johnson. “In the case of Ms. Tilton, that was a layoff. It was not a termination, and that’s simply what it was.”
Union President Mick Ferrell doesn’t believe Connect Transit is honoring their collective bargaining agreement.
“We’ve had several good employees that have literally been railroaded out of a job for lack of complying with management’s, what we call, the ‘good ole’ boys club,’” Ferrell said.
Ferrell said in the past two years taxpayer cost for litigation fees has topped $35,000, but in the prior 20 years it was “practically zero.” He added that litigation has been “needless.”
Johnson said Connect Transit is in no way trying to “bust” the union and the company fully supports employee’s right to organize.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
