Bus drivers threaten to strike soon

Metro Transit bus drivers overwhelmingly rejected a final contract offer on Monday, Feb. 16 and gave Amalgamated Transit Union leaders the authority to call a bus strike.

In order for a strike to occur, the bus driver’s union must file an intent to strike form. After the union files the notice, there is a 10-day period in which it can make further negotiations, followed by a 20-day window in which to idle buses.

Wage increases and health insurance are the most important issues about which the union is concerned.

Amalgamated Transit Union represents over 2,000 Metro Transit workers, of which 1,600 are bus drivers.

If a strike occurs, there will be no regular bus service. However, Metro Mobility, a bus service for the elderly, and some suburban routes will continue to run.

The last bus strike occurred in October 1995 and lasted 21 days. During this time city officials encouraged people to carpool to work.

The union has not yet set a date for the strike to begin.
 

Private colleges to lobby for grants during Day at the Capitol

Students, faculty, staff and alumni from Minnesota’s 17 private colleges will participate in the annual Day at the Capitol on Feb. 25.

The event is intended to demonstrate support for the State Grant Program which this year provided 176 Macalester students with $612,000 in financial aid. This averages to approximately $3,500 per student.

Statewide, the grant program provides 70,000 students at public and private institutions with nearly $125 million in aid per year.

At the Day at the Capitol, Governor Tim Pawlenty, legislators and representatives from Minnesota’s Private College Council will speak. The event lasts from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

The State Grant Program is considered a national model because it provides aid to students who need it most. Reductions in funding for this program will affect not only students receiving grant money, but other students on financial aid as well. To replace the $612,000 in aid the grant provided Macalester with this year, the college would have to increase donations to its annual fund by 25 percent.

Students who wish to participate may register at www.mnprivatecolleges.com/events /day.php. Students need not be grant recipients or Minnesota residents to participate.

For more information, contact College Relations Director Doug Stone, Assistant Professor of Political Science Julie Dolan, Director of Community Service Karin Trail-Johnson, Assistant Director of Community Service Paul Schadewald or Michael Barnes ’06.
 

Tyler Samples resigns from MCSG

Tyler Samples ’06 formally resigned from his position as Student Services Commission (SSC) Chair of Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) due to a class conflict.

MCSG holds meetings every Tuesday night at the same time Samples has a class. The majority of MCSG’s business takes place at the weekly meeting.

“[Samples] decided that instead of occupying the position and not showing up, he would open up that position and offer his support to the next person,” MCSG Vice President Damion Rhudd ’04 said.

The SSC chair is in charge of chartering new student organizations, keeping track of their yearly audits and making sure student organizations follow their charters, among other duties.

MCSG held a special election at last Tuesday’s meeting to elect the new SSC chair. The outcome was a rare tie, even though the vote was by instant runoff voting. The final decision will be made today using e-mail ballots from all MCSG board members.

The tied candidates for the position are Cara Haberman ’06 and Andre Moulton ’05.