“No One’s Coming to Save Us” ATU’s California Conference Board Convenes in Petaluma
The ATU California Conference Board (CCB) held its spring meeting in Petaluma, CA, bringing together members from Locals across the state, along with International leadership, to tackle the challenges and opportunities shaping California transit today.
International President John Costa opened the conference with a clear-eyed assessment of what California’s transit workers are up against.
“California’s transit workers are facing real threats right now, from rising assaults on the job to autonomous vehicles to funding cuts,” said Costa. “But what I see here gives me hope. Our Locals are organizing, training the next generation of workers, and fighting back. That’s what the ATU does. No one’s coming to save us. We’re going to save us.”
What’s on the Table
The two-day agenda covered operator safety amid rising assaults and violence on public transit, state and federal funding shortfalls that threaten service, and the fast-moving challenges posed by autonomous vehicles and AI technology. California’s Locals are also deeply engaged in organizing campaigns and workforce development, with apprenticeship and mentorship programs for operators and mechanics across systems from Oakland to Los Angeles to San Bernardino, setting a national standard.
California Locals Aren’t Waiting
Day two put California’s Locals front and center. Floor reports reflected the depth and range of what ATU members are up against and winning across the state. The message was consistent: California’s Locals aren’t waiting for solutions. They’re creating them.
Heading Into What’s Next
Costa closed the conference with a resonant charge. “California has always set the pace for our Union and our country,” he said. “The work your Locals are doing, from organizing to apprenticeships to fighting back on safety, is exactly the kind of power we need heading into what may be the most consequential election cycle we’ve seen in a long time. We’re on the ground in the Governor’s race here in California, and every race up and down the ballot that affects transit workers and working people. We’re not spectators. We will make our voices heard.”
Thank You to Our Leaders
The ATU extends its thanks to the leaders who made this conference what it was: International Executive Vice President Yvette Trujillo, International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk, International Vice Presidents Jim Lindsay, Art Aguilar, and Michael Cornelius, CCB Chair Jeff Shaffer of Local 1277-Los Angeles, and CCB Secretary/Treasurer Shane Weinstein of Local 1575-San Rafael.