In response to ACRE's new officer's forum, it is interesting to note that ACRE is doing the right thing by protecting the identity of the individual(s) who would dare to ask such questions and that no ACRE officer(s) signs his or her name(s) to these answers.

As far as “ACRE offered to engage them in an open debate before the membership. We made this offer in our last newsletter and to date have not received a response”. I direct your attention to my certified letter to Jack Gaines, Chief Editor/Writer, and dated May 3, 2004 that was signed for by Brian Marcella on May 5, 2004. If any ACRE officer needs a copy you can log onto WWW.MTACRE.COM and look in the Editorial section for May 3. You will find my answer to your debate on the fourth page. All of your other assertions, which were brought up in this new ACRE's officers' forum, were also mentioned in your last newsletter. All of these assertions were answered in my response letter to Jack Gaines.

“As a matter of fact, Local 9's General Chairman recently ran into Mr. Ekberg in a deadhead car and encouraged him to ask any questions he would like. True to form, Mr. Ekberg would not ask a single question when someone capable of responding was present and available.” Sorry ACRE, but Gary Dellaverson was not in the deadhead car, only Mike Doyle. Mike Doyle mentioned at the most recent ACRE Local 9 union meeting, when things come up concerning the MTA Defined Benefit Pension Plan that mirrors the Tier 4 State Pension Plan, he has to go back and find out from Gary “D” and his staff what's going on. I believe he said the actual agreement was like an insurance policy and you would need a team of lawyers to figure it out.

ACRE members signed up for this pension plan in January. Members have already retired and do not know exactly what they are entitled to. All of the final details have not been settled yet and it is already November. Retired ACRE employees are only receiving 80% of their estimated pensions until all of the details are finalized. No copy of this pension plan exists nor is available to the ACRE membership. Now we have ACRE officers criticizing an ACRE member for not asking questions. Please get back to me if a signed copy of the entire MTA pension plan ever becomes finalized and is available.

My agenda today is what it was when I became an engineer in 1989. The truth. This is something which the ACRE organization and its' officers cannot and will not provide. This organization and its' officers lied to this membership from the very beginning (dues reduction and full-time union release positions) and continues to do so today (dues increase). They cannot even live up to their own rules (ACRE Constitution and Local Division By-laws). The problem today is, without the support and protection of an International, this membership and our distinct crafts will pay a huge price in dealing with the MTA. Mike and Tony negotiated their deal with the MTA and have been on the MTA payroll for the past four years while collecting another salary from the Association (dual salaries). Do you really think they have anything to lose? They will do whatever it takes to protect their “Association”. Actions always speak louder than words.

Jim Ekberg

ACRE Member