Labor Updates (6/30/08)

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Transit Workers Still Waiting for Increased Safety Measures: A recent shooting injuring a bus operator outside the Anacostia Metro station underscores the need for the US Congress to act on a measure that would increase security for transit workers, says a letter posted on the ATU Local 689 website. This "shooting demonstrates the need for increased safety on our region's public transit system," says the letter. "Over the past five years, assaults of Metrobus operators have more than doubled, from 36 in 2002 to 84 last year." The DC City Council passed the "Transit Operator Protection and Enhanced Penalty Act of 2008" in April (DC Council Increases Metro Worker Safety 4/7/08 UC) but the US Congress has stalled on giving final approval to the measure. "There are 10 Metro Transit Police officers who are supposed to protect 2,200 drivers, said Roland Jeter, first vice president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689," reported Allison Klein and Sindya N. Bhanoo of the Washington Post on Thursday, June 19. "About half of the buses have security cameras, and many have defective emergency buttons, which drivers use to call for help, he said." Federal Workers Get More Paid Parental Leave: The US House passed a measure last week that "would provide four weeks of paid maternal or paternal leave for the birth or adoption of a child," reported an article by Brittany R. Ballenstedt, of the Government Executive website, posted of the AFSCME Council 26 website. "It would, for the first time, let new parents use their accrued sick leave for an additional eight weeks of paid leave." President Bush has threatened to veto the bill.