Union Defends Bus Driver Suspended for Lap Dance Behind the Wheel
- Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:02pm by
Meredith Jessup
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A Detroit city bus driver has been slapped with a 30-day suspension after a passenger filmed him with a woman — apparently the driver’s significant other — riding on his lap as he drove his bus route.
The passenger who caught the act on his cell phone camcorder sent a copy to a local television station and Mayor Dave Bing’s office. Upon review, city officials ordered the Detroit Department of Transportation driver to be suspended. The driver is also reportedly facing possible permanent dismissal, pending a formal review of his misconduct.
“You’re creating a public safety issue, and this administration is focused on customer service,” Dan Lijana, a spokesman for the mayor’s office said Friday. “That’s not the kind of customer service we’re interested in providing or showing to residents.”
Meanwhile, Henry Gaffney, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, defended the driver, claiming that it was an “isolated incident” and does not warrant dismissal.
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Comments (134)
PA PATRIOT
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:23pmThe driver should have considered the consequesces of his actions. I am with the Mayor’s office. Give the job to another qualified person. end of story.
Report Post »Speak without Fear
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:22pmIt’s taking it to far to take his job away? Are you kidding me?!!!
And what would of happened if he would of taken the lives of the passengers while he was getting his lap dance? Is that how far it needs to go before the union believes a person that is wreckless on the job needs to be fired?
The union will defend anything and everything……..No wonder companies get sued so much, these companies are FORCED to employ worthless, lazy, drunken, drug addicts, that end up put others peoples lives in danger.
GET RID OF THE UNIONS!
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:17pmJust another example of why all unions and especially public unions should be banned. Anything that the the unions touch they ruin. It is next to impossible to fire any of these useless slugs from a job no matter what they do. In the end if they stop letting this clown drive a bus he will just end up sitting in a room somewhere, doing nothing, and getting full pay for it. The union thugs are nothing but fat hogs a the hog trough constantly squealing for more. Oink Oink Oink.
Report Post »NICE NICE TACO
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:09pmHenry Gaffney should be personally sued by all the occupants on the bus and the taxpayers of the city. This man is leaving the taxpayers wide open for litigation. His lack of action, responsibility, accountability, culpability and compassion for the taxpayers and the occupants of the bus is just astounding. Henry and the bus driver should both be out of jobs, permanently. Neither of these men show good judgment or responsibility for thier positions. UNIONS MUST GO!!
Report Post »irishman
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:06pmI can’t wait until 2012 .You will be able to hear that loud flushing sound as all those libturds slide away into that dark political hole and the stench fades.
Report Post »Hungry_i
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:54pmWord for the day: Casuistry.
Report Post »HumbleCitizen
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:51pmWas it professional? of course not. Should the bus driver be disciplined? You bet, but let the discipline fit the “crime”. Now for the hard part….put yourself in his shoes…(Christian philosophy). Was anyone hurt? Was there a wreck? The answer is, “NO” to both. Is this incident really worth losing one’s job? Well, that depends. What has been the driver’s past performance? Is he an otherwise safe driver or does he have a discplinary file 3 inches thick? If this was, as stated, an “isolated” incident (I have no reason to believe anything different with the info I currently have), would anyone here think it would be worth YOU losing YOUR job over if you were he? If I put myself in the drivers place, I would not want to be fired for a lapse of judgement that caused no harm (no “woulda‘s or coulda’s” please) and you bet I’d learn from my mistake.
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:15pmit wasn’t a lack of judgement it was down right stupid,there are some things that warrent a write up but this deserves a firing,he and his wife or whatever both should have charges filed against them for endangerment of lives
Report Post »beverlee
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:51pmAs a union member I must tell you the vast majority of the membership…including the officers…would be against spending money to fight for this persons job. But the union can be sued if it does not fight the fight…even if it is for a complete and utter moron such as this man. That is my main pet peeve with unions … It takes away the personal responsibility from the individual…and makes it the responsibility of the collective.
Report Post »SCUNGIE
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:51pmUnions=morons
Report Post »SND97
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:42pmIf the shooter in Arizona was in a Union the ******** would try and get him off. What in the world has happened to Unions? I used to love that things, but now?
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:41pmIf he was smoking crack while getting a lap dance the union would defend him. He should have been fired immediately. I was in three unions at various times and I’ve seen unions defend people who never should have been on the job, unions give workers the ability to screw off and harm everyone around them. Unions are as corrupt as many of the corporations they complain about. Don’t even get me going about unions in government positions, disband them all.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:41pmUnions: Protecting the lowest common denominator for over a century and proud of it.
Report Post »HumbleCitizen
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:36pmAdd your comments
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:45pmPost
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:16pmOK
Comment.
Report Post »redneckgenius
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:30pmYou know you are a redneck if you’ve ever got a lap dance while driving a bus.
Report Post »Geopatriot
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:30pmDon’t you just love it! The union is spending more of their money, defending a union member that was clearly violating a common sense safety rule. What explanation would there be if the driver would have had an accident? What about the safety of the other passengers on the bus? The money being wasted defending this driver could have gone to the pension fund that is probably underfunded. Once again, you have another example of how the unions waste money. Why don’t they have a “Rubber Room” like the New York City school system has????
Report Post »Mike777
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:27pmThis is typical here in union controlled Michigan. Hopefully our new governor and legislators will put these union thugs in place. ( I can only dream )
Report Post »Hondaman
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:29pmNot a real good commentary on Michigan is it?
Report Post »EgoBrain
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:15pmMy school bus driver in Michigan, used to smoke pot with us.
Report Post »This has nothing to do with a lap dance, I thought I’d share.
Hondaman
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:24pmWith so many people’s lives at stake, what an appropriate punishment !!!! A little slap on the hand and say, “I really hope you don’t do that again”. The driver should be FIRED . . . no compromise.
Report Post »what4
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:38pmFire the union first for allowing such a dumb arse to drive a bus!
Report Post »taskmaster78
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:23pmThe union is wrong covering this moron he deserves to be fired. This is what we have in store for us, and who to say card check is fair for individuals. Having this type of union boss that was depicted on the report shows me that even he should be suspended.
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:21pmDont people realize that cameras are EVERYWHERE? How stupid can one person be. He‘s so lucky he didn’t have an accident.
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:37pmThats what get me – yes, there are cameras everywhere and yet stupid people still get caught by the camera day in and day out!! I don’t understand that level of thinking! http://wp.me/pYLB7-wh
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:16pmHey the guy did something showing a true lack of judgement and needs to be disciplined. I think a suspension without pay is sufficient. It isn’t like he is a teacher.
Report Post »swega
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:16pmUnfortunately, stupid people do not realize that even “isolated incidents” can have dire consequences.
Report Post »lcam67
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:12pmsee the unions are good for something… forget the fact that he put peoples lives at risk…it could have been an “isolated accident ” or was it beck and palins fault… think about it … clearly not the drivers responsibility…. TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND STOP HIDING BEHIND UNIONS !!!!!!
Report Post »anigmanm
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:20pmif they took personal responsibility, firstly they would not need unions, secondly if they did no work would be done as the union would not be there to tell them someone else has to do it
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:09pmUnion defends moron, shocking!!
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:42pmNot so shocking, look who they helped get into the White House with Biden as VP.
That rates the unions somewhat below moronic level in intelligence.
Report Post »ceili
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:30pmUnions will always defend their own no matter what the transgression. Look at the teacher situation in NYC.
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:57pmI’m waiting for the union and lefties to blame Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.
Report Post »Cliff
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:00pmBIDEN!!! What a buffoon… did anyone notice how he was copping feels on the little girls while he was telling them not to date before they are 30? Then the next thing you know he is in Afghanistan!!!
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:15pm@Cliff
You just answered your own question about Biden and the Taliban.
Report Post »knotaclu
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:07pmoh come on people, dont tell me your wife hasnt given you a lapdance in the minivan before….
Report Post »lbsm
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:18pmwhen you are endangering other people’s lives…of course you should lose your job. even if it is an “isolated” incident !!!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:20pmI’ve never given a man a lap dance while he was driving. I have better sense, and so do the city officials in Detroit who suspended the driver.
If the driver had a falling out with his significant other, the bus was not the place for reconcilliation. The driver is not as “Smart as a Fifth Grader.”
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:48pmWhat you do with your cousin is your own business and should remain private.
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 7:53pmNo surprise , teacher union in CA will even defend sex offenders .
Report Post »vinnymac46
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:05pmI guess this union president needs a class on what the hell “public safety” means. I wonder if his mother and kids were on that bus if his answer would be the same…
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:09pmActually, the driver was doing very important undercover political work for his union…he was “polling the constiuency”
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:17pmThis is an example of extremely poor judgement. He should not be in a position of having other people’s lives in his care.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:19pmWhy would this guy care, if he ran someone over or hit a car and killed people, he knows the City would cover the expenses. Oh…..this was in Detroit, check that cause they have no money, JUST PROGRESSIVES and entitlements. Fire him.
Report Post »beckisnuts
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:23pmHow nice.
Report Post »lcam67
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:24pmmaybe the president will come out and say“ the driver acted stupidly”.. doubt it
Report Post »bobodu
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:25pmOH GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
You people laugh and joke when four people are run over by a bus in Venezuela but now you are “outraged”?????? Does not ONE of you ever look in a mirror?
davecoolworld
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:28pmBOBODU…..the incident was in VENEZUELA dummy. This bus driver should be fired.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:31pmWell, now we know just what the ever loving unions can get away with; especially with the chief of all wannabees within the white house.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Report Post »what4
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:40pmtxpilot
Report Post »OMG…..To funny…rotflmao!!
grandmaof5
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:42pmWonder if the union reps wife or daughter was on the driver’s lap if THAT would make a difference. Or how ’bout if there was an accident and passengers were killed, whose fault would that be? Fire the driver and get rid of the union!
Report Post »Cliff
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:01pmHenry Gaffney needs to loose his job as well… fire that scum bag too… you screw up you lose your job… just like in the real world!
Report Post »avenger
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:08pmpublic education at its best……what it be dude…
Report Post »EgoBrain
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:11pmWow. That deserves firing, not 30 days suspension. This is bullcrap.
Report Post »hkyfan36
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:12pmby that logic the shooting in Arizona was an isolated incodent as well. And very poor judgement on the shooters behalf.
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:23pmFor the first time ever I feel myself agreeing with a union, there is never a bad time for a lap dance.
Report Post »hkyfan36
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:31pmClinton will want to probe into this a little further. Cigar anyone?
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:41pmHeck, I thought I was going to see a real lap dance (not that I’d know what that really looked like).
At least the lady wasn’t chugging a bottle of Jack.
Although the real lesson is not to do stupid things like that when driving (any vehicle), the secondary lesson is that when you do dumb things in public a video recorder somewhere is likely to capture it for all posterity.
The State of Michigan is not doing its job if it doesn’t suspend his CDL for at least a while as an object lesson to all.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 3:42pmRunning over a snowman is somehow unacceptable compared driving while morally impaired?
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:05pmI was shocked by this story. I didn’t think there were enough people left in Detroit to fill a bus.
Report Post »Sergio Q
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:25pmunion trash … bust the unions and offer jobs to thoes who want to work and willingly accept a fair days pay not the corrupt union greedy overbloated demands for bigg bigg bigg hourly rates , bennies and a retirement package that puts the worker on middle class easy street & the taxpayers in bigg bigg bigg debt.
~I like the idea that citys might be able to file bankruptcy, (it leagally gets em’ off the hook from ALL unions & can lead to banning the thieven bassturdz) …then we’ll see if they have the chaa nay-nayz to refuse to accept anything from unions and offer jobs to the willing to work rather than the greedy.
Report Post »Tony
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:26pmWhat in the world were we thinking when our politicians agreed to “public employees’ unions. Now we have corrupt politicians sitting across the table from corrupt public employee union reps – who financed the corrupt politicians’ campaigns – deciding how much of our chidren and grandchilren’s tax dollars will go to public employees retirement funds. Funds which are routinely used to enrich the leadership and reelect corrupt politicians, leaving none for the membership and the bill to our grandkids.
Report Post »click4cheapandeasyweb
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:45pmThis nonsense with Unions protecting their workers at any cost is exactly what turned me off concerning Unions, many years ago. I know the exact time and date when this happened because I was the offender. Yep, I was a stupid young buck full of myself and one day I got into a heated argument with my boss. This argument had to do with him trying to get me fired. He had tried to get me fired 3 times over a 2 week period. He failed because I would always run to my shop steward and my shop steward would get me back working by the next day.
The argument got out of hand between the two of us with me picking up a large glass ashtray off of his desk and threw it at him. I missed hitting him in the head by mere inches (thank God he ducked) and the ashtray ended up stuck in his wall behind him. Once again I was fired. Once again I ran to the shop steward, and once again he got me my job back. I ended up going back to school a month later so I quit the job. Lucky for me, I grew up a lot over the next 12 months. A year later I went back to the company and found that the guy I tried to bean with the ashtray was still there. When he spotted me I thought he was going to run, but he stood his ground. That’s the day I went back to tell him how sorry I was for what I had done.
While going to College that year I had this nagging feeling of shame for the way I had acted towards people and I decided it was time to grow up and become a positive influence in society instead of being an ass. While mulling over what drove me to these stupid acts, I came across the idea that Unions that protected people like me were a huge problem to society, so I have spoken out against Unions for many reasons over the years. Now you know the main reason I do so!
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:56pmThis driver is an idiot and so is his union rep.! He should be fired.
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:45pmVinnymac,
Report Post »Remember, it happened in ‘DETROIT’!
That city is, after all, the poster-child for the Progressive agenda………. OK, you got me. So is Camden, NJ; Newark, NJ; Gary, Ind, E. St. Louis, etc..etc..etc
Let‘s keep electing ’em. Things will get better for the underpriviledged, I’m sure.
krenshau
Posted on January 16, 2011 at 12:57amThe union president also needs a lesson on proper english, but that’s a different story.
Report Post »demint.disciple
Posted on January 16, 2011 at 8:11amCan I ask ? Is there any African American <<< ( PC ) out there, that speaks in plural or past tense ?? Just wondering…
Report Post »Devil Dog 7175
Posted on January 16, 2011 at 8:37amSimple union math…No Driver=No union dues…
Report Post »