Jamar Taylor for ATU 1576 Recording Secretary

JAMAR TAYLOR for Recording Secretary – ATU Local 1576

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Hi, I’m Jamar Taylor
Coach Operator at Community Transit
ATU 1576 Shop Steward
15+ years in Transit

I’ve been passionate about public transit since I was a kid, and I’ve spent my career on the front lines as an operator and in the background as a Shop Steward, working to protect our jobs, our rights, and our dignity at work. My decision to run for Recording Secretary is not about personal gain; it’s about applying all the knowledge I’ve learned from countless management investigative meetings to better protect our members.

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A BEHIND-THE-SCENES GUY WHO GETS RESULTS

I’m not a spotlight person. I’d rather fix the issue than give a speech about it.

As a Shop Steward, I’ve:

• Conducted thorough union investigations
• Used the RFI (Request for Information) and PRA (Public Records Request) process to get facts
• Dissected every allegation to see if management is applying the Contract and SOPs fairly
• Gone to bat for every member who walks into a disciplinary meeting
• Represented multiple ATU classifications and feel comfortable fighting for all of our job classifications
• Reversed discipline in pre-termination meetings for probationary members
• Actively petitioned safety issues, schedules, and faulty equipment to managers and CEOs, past and present
• Not been afraid of the grievance process, and pushed grievances clear out of abeyance

I know how the system works—and how it fails us—because I’ve lived it.

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WHY I’M RUNNING FOR RECORDING SECRETARY

I have firsthand experience of what happens when due process is not respected:

I went from having a completely clean record to being pulled into a Loudermill Hearing after a policy change, then terminated while on FMLA—without ever receiving a conclusion letter.

No one should ever be pushed out of this career without real due process.

As Recording Secretary, I will:

• Work diligently with the other Officers to improve our working conditions
• Help preserve and strengthen our job protections
• Make sure what happens in meetings is accurately recorded and not twisted later
• Push to ensure policies are applied fairly and consistently

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BARGAINING NOTES, IMPACT BARGAINING, AND CLARITY

Good records are not just paperwork – they are power.

• I believe in detailed bargaining notes that clearly show what was said, what was promised, and what was agreed to.
• I believe in clear definitions and documentation from impact bargaining, so management can’t later “reinterpret” what we meant or water down the agreement.
• I am constantly reading CBAs from other transit agencies to make sure we are staying ahead of the curve as a Local, and to bring back strong ideas and protections that are working elsewhere.

As Recording Secretary, I’ll focus on making sure our bargaining history is clear, detailed, and usable, so future officers and members aren’t left guessing.

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WE ARE HUMAN – NOT DISPOSABLE

I’m human and I make mistakes.
My ATU brothers and sisters are human and we make mistakes.
We have bad days. That should not be a death sentence for your career.

I believe in:

• Fair, honest investigations
• Progressive discipline – not “one and done”
• Looking at the full context, not just one incident

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JOB PROTECTIONS MATTER

I take seriously federal protections such as:

• 49 U.S.C. § 5333(b) – “Chapter 13(c)” transit employee protections
• 6 U.S.C. § 1142 – “National Transit Systems Security Act” protections, especially around safety and security concerns

The Letter of the Law and the Spirit of the Law both matter.
Our rights on paper must match our reality on the job.

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LIVING WITH A.I. – BUT KEEPING THE HUMAN TOUCH

A.I. isn’t going away. It shows up in scheduling tools, data tracking, and how management looks at “metrics.”

I believe we have to:

• Be honest that A.I. and technology are part of our working world now
• Watch closely how they’re used so they don’t become tools for unfair discipline
• Use technology to organize information and strengthen our casework, not replace human judgment

No computer can replace listening to a member, understanding their situation, and applying fairness, empathy, and common sense. I will always insist on a human touch when it comes to people’s jobs and careers.

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NO MORE “THAT’S NOT MY DEPARTMENT”

Since I was hired in 2014, every time we voice our concerns on an issue at work, we’d hear:

“That’s a planning issue.”
“That’s a maintenance issue.”
“That’s a procurement issue.”

I’m tired of the runaround. As Recording Secretary, I will:

• Help track issues and follow-through, not let them die in a committee
• Make sure concerns raised by members are documented, pushed, and revisited
• Support a culture where someone takes responsibility instead of passing the buck

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INDEPENDENT. MEMBER-DRIVEN. NO GATEKEEPERS.

My campaign is completely independent.

• I believe in democracy, not gatekeeping
• My decision to run did not come from an Election Committee picking favorites
• I’m running because members deserve a Recording Secretary who works for them, not for a small circle

Buzzwords like “Accountability” and “Transparency” get thrown around a lot.
Talk is cheap.
I intend to show accountability and transparency in how records are kept, how information is shared, and how members are treated.

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RESPECT FOR YOUR VOTE

I want you to vote for who you feel is right.
There are some good, solid, respected candidates in this race, even if our views are different.

But I can ensure that if you do Vote JAMAR TAYLOR for Recording Secretary – ATU Local 1576, you’re not just voting for me — you’ll be voting for a little bit of everyone, because I’ll work for YOU.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME

If elected Recording Secretary, I will:

• Be accurate, detailed, and honest in all union records
• Guard due process in hearings, investigations, and decisions
• Keep bargaining notes and impact bargaining definitions clear and detailed
• Stay informed by studying other transit CBAs so our Local stays competitive and protected
• Use tools – including A.I. – to support the work, while keeping decisions human-centered
• Communicate clearly with the membership about what’s happening
• Stay approachable, behind-the-scenes, and focused on results – not titles
• Implement an easily accessible Feedback system on Safety Concerns, Working Conditions, Union Related Inquiries.

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 If this fits what you’re looking for: Vote JAMAR TAYLOR for Recording Secretary – ATU Local 1576