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Broward County not telling employees about co-workers who test positive for COVID-19

In COVID-19 precaution, man in blue jacket enters Broward County bus via the back door.
To help blunt spread of COVID-19, Broward County Transit wants passengers to enter and exit buses only through the rear doors, except for those who need the front wheelchair ramp.

By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org

Broward County government employees are testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, but county bosses are covering it up – not informing co-workers about their possible exposure and not following federal recommendations to promote safety in the workplace.

Broward County Transit, which provides fixed-route bus, express bus, community shuttles and paratransit, has four employees who have tested positive, said William Howard, president of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1267. That includes one assistant superintendent in the transit division, who tested positive in mid-March. That official “handles 95 percent of discipline hearings in the Copans [Road] garage and comes into comes in contact with a large number of employees,” Howard said.

Three more transit employees are awaiting COVID-19 test results.

None of those positive tests were disclosed to transit workers or union officials, according to Howard, whose local represents about 900 bus drivers, mechanics, storekeepers and cleaners. Howard said he learned about most of those virus-positive cases because the employees disclosed themselves.

Amalgamated Transit Union logo with U.S. and Canadian flags around a center circle with a bus and train

The union can’t get answers from the county’s Human Resources division. “I sent email asking what is the county doing about notification and of course I haven’t gotten a response,” said Howard. “They don’t take suggestions from the union very well.’’

On Monday, Broward Human Resources director David Kahn said via email that 13 county employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Three work at the airport, four in human services, two in public works and four in transit.

“When the County learns of someone feeling ill with symptoms similar to COVID-19, that individual is immediately sent home and instructed to contact the Florida Department of Health,” Kahn said. “When the County learns that someone has tested positive for COVID-19, the supervisor contacts the employees who have been in contact with that individual advising them that an employee who has been physically present in the office has tested positive.”

“That’s bullshit,” said Howard. “They certainly haven’t passed that down to their superintendents.”

Heard it through the grapevine

For Howard, the apparent lack of any county policies or procedures to notify workers when they may have been exposed to COVID-19 is also personal. He works closely with the assistant supervisor who went sick on March 18, came back to work on March 24 and was sent home again before finding out he’d tested positive around March 27.

“He’d been coughing. I sat right in front of him. He has an office the size of a closet,” said Howard. “I wasn’t too happy when I heard through the grapevine he had it.” Howard, 66, is currently self-isolating at home. He has asthma and is at higher risk for developing serious complications should he catch the virus.

headshot of local union president William Howard
ATU Local 1267 President William Howard

A Broward bus operator who asked not to be named also awaits the results of a COVID-19 test after being exposed the same way. “It started as a rumor that somebody in management had tested positive,” the driver said. “I know you can’t release names, but I think the county should have put something up that somebody in the building has tested positive so you should watch yourself for symptoms.”

The law does not require such notification, but Howard said the county has a “moral obligation” to tell employees if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. Federal guidance recently issued by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says, “Employers should inform and encourage employees to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 if they suspect possible exposure.” But even that tepid imperative doesn’t apply to Broward County. State and local government workers aren’t covered by OSHA.

“My biggest problem right now is employees coming in sick and because they don’t have any sick or vacation time left they’re pushing the envelope and are afraid to tell the employer they have symptoms,” said Howard.

Transit employees and others familiar with what is happening provided similar accounts. All were dismayed at the county administration’s decision not to warn them about possible exposure.

‘We’re cattle’

“They just have no empathy for the riding public or the drivers,” said one longtime transit employee.

“To them, we’re cattle,” said a bus driver. “We are the bottom of the rung at transit. They don’t care about us. They never have. They just want buses to go out and move so they can collect their federal funding. To hell with the consequences.”

April Williams is president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1591. She represents about 1,000 white-collar county workers in across every department. She also works as a counselor at Broward Addiction Recovery Center (BARC). Williams said Friday that union members are currently awaiting COVID-19 test results. Four persons tested earlier came back negative.

Headshot of local union president April Williams
ATU Local 1591 President April Williams

None of that was disclosed by the county, she said. “I found out from a private setting. Going out to dinner and talking with someone.”

“What they did if someone had to go home because they were sick… They’re telling them don’t say anything.”

More concerning to Williams are the county’s insufficient protections for workers on the job.

“People don’t mind working. We understand we’re essential. We want protective gear. We need dividers and partitions and masks and gloves,” she said. “We’ve asked. They’re on back order.”

‘A controlled suicide’

Howard agreed. “Public transit is still needed. There are a lot of people who don’t have cars and have to get out and around. We have Express service that takes doctors and nurses to Jackson Memorial Hospital,” he said. “But it’s like a controlled suicide for some of our older guys. At least give us gloves and masks.”

Howard said 130 Broward bus operators are 60 or older, including “a lot in their 70s and two who are 80 years old. They are at high risk.”

Two or three weeks ago, Howard said, the county provided drivers with three-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer. But many of those bottles ran out and the county has not figured out a way to provide refills. “They were gonna do an exchange program. Where are the refills? They say, ‘We’re working on it. We have to get this approved.’ But to get anything done in this place is always an act of God.”

Sanitary wipes are also running short, Howard said. “Now they’re only wiping down the car keys when operators also have to touch the steering wheel and handle of somebody driving before them.”

The union has had zero success in convincing the county to install high grade air filters on its fleet. The union wants the county to switch to two-stage HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters that Howard said will catch “any kind of virus or bacteria. Right now they have the cheapest air filter on the buses which only captures large particles. They cost 100 to 300 bucks apiece and can last up to a year if properly maintained. Property management says they’re looking into it. By that time, it’ll be December.”

Recent changes

Broward County Transit has made some recent changes to try and make buses safer for all. Schedules have been reduced, and to promote social distancing, the number of riders on a standard 40-foot bus is now limited to no more than 20, and 30 riders on 60-foot buses. And riders, except for those needing the wheelchair ramp, now get on and off only through the rear door.

Buses are also cleaned and sanitized after they end for the day.

County worker dressed in protective clothing sprays down the interior of a bus to kill COVID-19 virus.
A Broward County Transit bus being decontaminated

But another big change, temporarily suspending fares for all county bus service as of March 24, has had unintended consequences.

According to Howard and a bus driver interviewed for this story, large numbers of the homeless are using the free rides to “ride all over town” and hog seats.

“They can’t go to the mall or the park so they’re on the bus all day long taking up seats for people that have to go somewhere. They’re coughing and hacking and sneezing. It’s nasty,” said Howard.

“They’re just joyriding because it’s free,” said the bus driver. “But if I have six of them on and my bus is full, I can’t pick up a nurse or someone in scrubs coming home or going to work. I have to pass them up because of these guys.”

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Comments

64 responses to “Broward County not telling employees about co-workers who test positive for COVID-19”

  1. I’m a bus driver at Copens and I have severe asthma where is our protective gear? This situation is unacceptable I had a couching wheelchair passenger on Sunday where is the six feet distance in that situation when they wanted to be strapped in they don’t think about those factors at all. WE DO MATTER! There is so much more I can say but nobody’s listening to us how will Transit run without the drivers. We also have families that we need to go home to when will management wake up? I hope it doesn’t take for a fellow co worker to die the drivers have to raise money cause heaven forbid it’s some mom or dad that has left behind small children to raised by another love one all because proper steps could have been made to prevent the spread of this pandemic. We MATTER!

  2. *This* is why local journalism is so important and why it must survive. Thank you to Dan, the whole Bulldog operation and the generous donors who keep this alive.

  3. Still. With all these changes buses are still spreading this virus from city to city and county to county. Dis infecting the bus is great but is only good until and infected person gets on the bus with the 20 person load.

  4. Cattle. Perfect analogy. Bus drivers are on their own. No PPE except a 3oz bottle of Purell has been supplied. Refills, we are repeatedly told… are on the way. 5-6 weeks ago I sounded an alarm to management at the Copans facility. Only the Operations Manager was in agreement that we were facing an emergency and needed to start thinking preemptively about safety measures. Little has been done and quite frankly, too late. As employees who are classified as essential, we understand that we’re still out there transporting people when most everyone else has gone home. But for Gods sake, get us some protective equipment so that we don’t have to sacrifice our health or even our life to do our job. And even then, if a transit worker is infected,Broward County Government will not acknowledge the high likelihood that the virus was contracted on the bus. Workmans Comp is denied. However, BSO classifies a Deputy who loses his life to the virus as a death in the line of duty. Bravo to them! Shows in technicolor how Bus Operators are regarded.

  5. Broward County is not taking care of its workers. That’s not right. It’s a shame that they don’t realize the importance of stopping the spread of the coronavirus and taking the changce of making it worse!!! They have other workers who are not essential that are required to go to work. That is not right. They are making a big mistake not taking care of their workers and subjecting them to making this pandemic even worse. How terrible!!!

  6. Some library branches’ supervisors haven been out almost two weeks & we are wondering if we have the virus and are asymptomatic because they have not told us anything.

  7. It is not only Transit that is vulnerable. Many other Divisions also. Nothing being done by County Administrators, despite their boasting about protecting employees.

  8. Broward county has to be the most fucked up runcounty in the state, if not the entire country. Everything here is done wrong then back tracked. Looking forward to finally moving out.

  9. Roger N Clark Avatar
    Roger N Clark

    Mechanic here at bct copans garage, we have meetings everyday before our shifts and we continually ask questions about getting items to help protect us better or even to possibly shut us down for sometime in hopes of not getting covid-19 and we never get any responses from upper management and our immediate supervisors can’t give us any answers either because they are also left in the dark. There is a video on Broward county’s website showing that they are sparying and wiping the buses down, they are saying they are doing this everynight when the buses come in. FALSE, only thing I’ve seen is them sparying some of the buses not wiping them down afterwards. People here are afraid to speak up in fear of losing their jobs, they will find another reason to fire you over something if they don’t like you. Things here are getting ridiculous….. people don’t want to come in because they’re afraid of getting the covid-19 but have no choice because they can’t afford to lose their job and management just doesn’t care about us. At this point our opinions are limited and it seems like nobody here at Broward county transit cares enough about their employees to help us out

  10. Ask about Port employees.

  11. Shut down Libraries, Parks and Transit COMPLETELY!! None of these people need to go into work! It’s all about money…Broward doesn’t want to tell these people to stay home because they’ll have to pay them and if they pay them to stay home, they’ll now have to pay all the actual “essential” employees double pay! They don’t want to pay people to stay home at single pay and also pay the people coming in at double pay. This is why EVERYONE is still required to go in. You don’t really thing that people working at the library or park or nearly as essential as someone working at a water or wastewater plant do you??? No way.
    Bottom line is money. How much money did Bertha and the Mayor get from Carnival for allowing those ships to dock? Oh, that was never mentioned, but you know there was money exchanged.

  12. Port employees are not being told about sick employees either.

  13. Driver’s please stay home if your sick.
    Broward County cares nothing about you. If they did you wouldn’t have been on these buses right now with all these homeless people just riding around in circles all day because the fare is free. I apologize to all working people Doctors ,nurses, emts, firefighters and bus operators whom are working so close to these people. Not knowing if they will make it home to their love ones. Just continue to pray that God end this pandemic.

  14. It’s not just Transit. The coverup is Countywide. Employees in other departments are not told of co-workers who has contracted the disease and show up to work only to get infected themselves. Corruption is rampant from top to bottom.

  15. Where’s my previous comments?

  16. We do not get to social distance. Everyone else gets to do the 6 foot social distancing thing bus drivers do not. We ride out in relief vehicles that do not give us the ability to be 6 feet apart. I was told by my doctor today to self Quarantine for two weeks. Because I now have a couple of symptoms. Not enough to be tested but enough to be concerned. Have to wonder if management had done more would I be in this position right now.

  17. This clearly points to large scale corruption. As a native New Yorker living in Florida for 20 years, its a shame and disgrace
    Please change the way you vote
    These council , and other officials cannot and should not be trusted.
    I implore anyone who can to provide hone made masks and disinfectant to our city bus operators.
    What a disgrace
    They should hang their heads in shame and do us a favor , resign

  18. “four in human services”… I work in the human services department & reading this is the first I heard of positive tests. BARC staff are not protected. No masks. No social distancing. It’s all about money and power. Just keep the beds full.

  19. what is wrong with your BERTHA HENRY and your commissioners. No respect or consideration of employees. While I understand you don’t want to cause hysteria, you are withholding information, instead of respectfully communicating and making to what should be your most ‘valuable resource’ . Maybe you would show your support by riding on the bus a day or 2. Why suspend fares? FEMA reimbursement? penny tax will cover it? Show some respect and dignity to your employees.

  20. 100 percents sure all buses are not disinfected every night. not enough staff as always. its like playing Russian roulette with the bus you get on. might be a empty chamber, might not. wont know till its too late unfortunately

  21. If you were really so worried about your health, you would stay home or get protective gear for yourself and stop counting on other people to protect you. It’s not the county’s fault there’s a shortage of protective equipment. It’s also not the county’s obligation to keep you healthy. It’s yours. It sounds like you want your supervisors to bend over and produce protective equipment from their asses. Maybe instead, get your heads out of yours. Stop begging and do for yourself.

  22. I also work for an essential industry. The guys in our company who were worried and wanted to continue to work bought themselves masks, etc. Stands to reason that anyone with a genuine concern would do the same and not count on someone else to do it for them. The “we want free shit from our employer” comments all sound like whining, freeloading assholes who just want other people to pay for their shit.

  23. I hate the county.

  24. I care about you Roger.

  25. So your complaint is the Broward County Is not concerned with safety and hand sanitizer and how the people at Transit have no sick time left! Mmm let me ask would you rather be furloughed with no pay? Or be collecting a paycheck while others are not? Secondly I understand you want sanitizer we all do but take precautions like the rest of the world. Third you complain people at transit have no sick time! Really if you have no sick time that’s on them for taking time off when not sick and should have been used in this pandemic. If I went to work and told my supervisor I was sick he would say go home and keep me advised! Broward County has relaxed the sick policy funny how that never made it into your story! We’re all doing what needs to be done while still providing for our families but this sounds like a smear campaign directed at the people that provide you a paycheck!

  26. The county would rather be reactive than proactive. Today we were emailed about protocol only because this story came out. Why not be transparent with your employees from day 1? We were told in a meeting that it’s up to the employee to disclose whether they test positive because of HIPPA laws. The reason we’re open is to keep money flowing, per Bertha in a commissioners meeting. It’s easy for her when she’s up in her tower away from everyone. Some of us are shoved in an office and forced to use elevators that violate the 6 feet rule. No masks or gloves given, only a small bottle of hand sanitizer that we have to lock up in the cash safe and can’t bring home. Shame shame.

  27. Stop the buses and pay your drivers we are scared

  28. Port everglades linehandlers had A employee test positive,and all the Goon squad did was give the morning shift linehandlers A 7 day leave,and force the the Afternoon,and overnight shift to go back into the same contaminated office without the proper cleaning supplies. It took them 3 days to have someone properly clean the office,and vehicles. Not to mention the had to tie up the Zaandam without proper PPE. But management has the nerve to bitch other petty things .

  29. I too am a driver at a Ravenswood garage with a disabled son with a major physical and mentally disability why most likely could not articulate his words to say Mom I’m having difficulty breathing, scary and deeply on edge. I’m also a diabetic and lastly I’m blessed to have one other thing a 2 month of grand daughter..
    where’s the human side of BCT ? They make it such a priority for those buses to go out not caring about fare because they’re getting major $ from the government and to do what is right for (human being that must work and stay safe for our families and others) won’t provide gloves, masks & sanitizing items . Someone help please

  30. Bertha Henry is god.

  31. Hey Anon… you consider transit workers expecting their employer, a government entity…to procure PPE for employees who have direct contact with 100s of people over the course of their workday as “want free shit.” Comical. We are getting as much as we can for ourselves, out of our own pocket. The shelves are bare. A government agency has a much greater ability to acquire PPE to protect their workforce than the individual searching the stores in person as well as online. Nothing to be found. I wonder Anon… if transit workers were a majority of middle aged Caucasian males demanding protective equipment on the job in the midst of a global pandemic… would you have jumped in at all? And brought up the 2012 election right wing rally cry of ‘they just we ant free shit’ …. Probably not. Your epidermis is showing.

  32. A message for Anon. Only speaking from experience. I was basically laughed out of Ritz Safety when I attempted to pick up my work boots that were mandatory ppe as a City of Fort Lauderdale employee. Because their account was way past due. As a former Supervisor with Broward, I would be told of regularaly all the places we couldn’t buy from because our account was maxed for the year. Now in the private sector, ppe is mandatory for us to supply to our field workers. It’s not free stuff, it’s a necessary part of a hazerdous work enviroment. Sending my techs into a jobsite without eyes/ears/gloves/steel toes would get me tossed off a job. And I would doubt anything the County would say on HIPPA, because as of this post, they still don’t have a HIPPA or ADA officer.

  33. Why werent the employees at the governmental center told about the 4 people from human services who tested positive. anyone of us could have been exposed. why are the county attorneys not working in their offices . why are some offices sealed up tight with signs on them, lots of questions that Bertha isnt answering. holness thank the county attorneys for working hard in their offices. thats an out and out lie they arent in the building. Why are the attorneys more priveleged than us poor workers. i work in the governmental center downtown it has been 2 weeks since i’ve seen the cleaning staff cleaning the bathrooms elevators and escalators. we’re told to wash our hands for 20 seconds the sinks allow a WHOPPING 10 SECONDS OF WATER FLOW

    Will Bertha be satisfied when county employees in the governmental center die because we ARENT BEING TOLD THE TRUTH

  34. To the person that made comments of
    “People that have no sick time/wasting their sick time calling out sick when not sick” and saying “Broward County has a relaxed sick policy”…… sounds like you work at Broward county, Mmm, maybe a supervisor or upper management. Hahaha you gave yourself away by providing too much information on what you know about the county. Another thing how do you know that the reason people have used their sick time isn’t because maybe they’re taking care of a sick child or sick parent or maybe have issues them selves. Way to jump to conclusions and judge everyone. You also made a comment on “maybe people should have saved their sick time for this pandemic” ohhhh yea like everyone had a magic 8 ball and knew this was going to happen….. do yourself a favor and go sit down somewhere

  35. Jethro Finnegan Avatar
    Jethro Finnegan

    When library employees have had exposure to positive cases the library is closed. Instead of isolating the exposed employees they are sent to other library branches, putting others in jeapordy. The staff at other libraries are not told the reason why people from other branches are there. The Library is being very irresponsible during this emergency.

  36. John Harrisburg Avatar
    John Harrisburg

    How are library workers essential? Libraries are closed to the public. Book drops are closed. They have nothing to do but scan the same books over and over each day.

  37. It might not be county’s fault we haven’t enough hand sanitizer, but it is county’s fault that they aren’t intelligent enough to stop holding meetings in a small room with 20 plus people. Or have guys outside in morning having 100 plus drivers stopping at face to face level to get a piece of paper that really isn’t needed anymore.

  38. Once again Transit Upper Management and Broward County leaders have failed to provide worker rights to know and attempting to hide behind HIPPA laws is Comical They have a duty to provide protective gear to employees so they can perform their jobs safely and effectively for the taxpayers of Broward County. Unfortunately when things like this clearly qualify as “Gross Mismanagement” little to nothing will be done, but this does accomplish systemic poor morale.
    Mission accomplished ?

  39. Being a retired ATU member and s local business agent for our local 956 in PA…a single day walk out…..for all drivers and mechanics should be put on your agenda….to bring this situation to a four front. Let our news papers get a hold of when the action would be planned…. believe me by the end of the day your authority will be calling on your leaders to talk….. serious times call for more serious actions Figgy Figueroa….

  40. We now have a confirmed test positive case at R/Wood garage.
    A mechanic, high fever, in & out of the hospital twice. He went out almost a month ago and when he found out he tested positive he notified immediate supervisors.
    Nobody out on the floor was told anything.
    COVER UP???, BIG TIME.

  41. It’s not only bus drivers. People who have to report to other cities to carry out County work cannot even meet their ordinances because County refuses to provide masks. There are numerous masks in warehouse yet they hold onto them and tell people to use rags. Sickening actually. This event has shown what local government is made of and it’s not much. Makes you wonder why there are so many elected officials when all they do is point at each other and find someone to blame because they do absolutley nothing. This demonstrates that there is absolutely no need for them. Why we have 9 commissioners making a $100,000 a year for part time work while they do nothing? Why does each city have to have it’s own mayor and council or commission? They run nothing, trust me, all they do is blame. Get your staff some supplies, for F’s sake do something

  42. so let ask the obvious question, as these bus drivers are required to be in an enclosed area for however long their shift may be with riders who may be contagious with the same contaminated air circulating. what is in place for these drivers to decontaminate prior to getting in their cars and home to their families? it appears that any other profession requiring this close contact has safety protocol in place, do firemen just jump in their and spread to family? don’t think so.
    But transit has not been concerned with safety for the several years under this regime. they had a safety professional who was more educated and credentialed but she was driven out by the “nothing in writing” regime

  43. so the obvious question, what decontamination procedure is in place for these operators after they drive for several hours with potentially contagious passengers. isn’t it criminal to let these people return to their family daily, sorry transit hand cleaner is a joke that is being played on families.
    do Broward buses have UV sanitizers in the A/C system to kill mold and viruses? or does the driver go home with???
    but transit has not been concerned with safety under the current regime. they had a safety professional who was more educated and credentialed than the lot but the ” nothing in writing” regime ran her off due to lackadaisical attitude toward safety

  44. what decontamination procedure is in place for these operators after they drive their shift with potentially contagious passengers. isn’t it criminal to let these people return to their family daily, Sorry transit hand sanitizer is a joke that is being played on the families of these drivers.
    Do Broward buses have UV sanitizers in the A/C system to kill viruses? or does the driver go home with???
    Broward Transit is not concerned with the safety of employees under the current regime. They employed a safety professional who was more educated and credentialed than the lot of them but the ” nothing in writing” regime ran her off due to lackadaisical attitude toward safety

  45. Yet another slap in the face by Bertha and the commissioners – HOW MANY BROWARD COUNTY EMPLOYEES GET THEIR PAYSTUBS TODAY? WHY WEREN’T WE NOTIFIED THERE IS A PROBLEM, I’M BETTING BERTHA GOT PAID. this is pathetic -at the governmental center WE STILL HAVE 10 SECOND WATER FLOW, even worse we dont see the cleaning crews. so much for bertha spouting how well the buildings are being cleaned. we are not being told that 4 human service employees tested positive THE GOVERNMENTAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN HOW MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE THOSE 4 EMPLOYEES PASSED IT ON TO – WHY IS THE COURTHOUSE PAYING HAZARD PAY TO SOME EMPLOYEES WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE ON PAID LEAVE

  46. Another example of how backward Broward County is! It’s every driver, mechanic, and coach attendant for themselves. My advice: bring your own bleach, face mask and disinfectant (Pine-sol or equivalent) to work with you. Broward County’s morals (a.k.a. “mission statement”) is ” a sick joke”. What every employee is experiencing is a symptom of a much bigger problem. The carelessness and utter disregard for the health and safety of the employees is a reflection of management, namely the directors, HR, and the administrator. Not surprised by this article at all.

  47. Big Bertha
    “STOP LISTENING TO CHRIS WALTON “
    He’s using you like everyone else he uses to do his dirty work.
    Stand up for yourself and make the right decisions for your Transit Employees and families.(sons, daughters, grand babies etc)
    It’s not always about MONEY!
    KARMA holds a lot of weight, 4sure.

  48. I got fired on Friday April 3rd, 2020 during training process. The instructor said I can’t follow verbal instructions.

  49. ????
    Popcorn,Peanuts,Ice Cold Beer !!!
    Get your tickets here this is the best show in town !!! Watch Transit Management roll the dice ? with employees safety?
    Face Masks- nope
    Gloves- nope
    Social distancing – nope
    And you can bet Bertha and the gang are downtown drafting up a letter to all the department directors complementing them for all the hard work they’ve accomplished during this world wide pandemic !!!
    And we thought Barnum and Bailey Circus went out of business!
    ?

  50. Looking good Bill! WHY is this news? Worked Ravenswood 22 years (retired 5). BCT never cared about Operator Safety. Why would they start now? There never is any real responsibility taken there. It sucked in 1993 and it sucks now. One major factor is Chris Walton. A fish rots from the head down, but there is much blame to be spread around. It’s not just Chris, but mostly everyone who is willing to turn their heads until it affects them. Happiness was Broward County in my rear view mirror! Social Security and my FRS is sufficient. Gulf Coast of Florida is beautiful!!!
    So mostly quit bitching, you knew it was a snake when you let it on.
    Have a Mentally Healthy Day Operator

  51. Jaime Greenberg Avatar
    Jaime Greenberg

    Broward County Government is not interested in the wellness and safety of its employees. Perfect example is hurricane season. This county is always the last one to shut down when a major hurricane threatens South Florida. Typical response is this : “What is Miami-Dade and Palm Beach doing?”
    Broward can’t think for itself. It is the village idiot that no one misses.
    For those of you out there: Didn’t you know that Big Mama Bertha sold out to the establishment long ago? She sold out to the man years ago. People in her neck of the woods are just finding out about it now. Too little, too late for them.

  52. So let’s see the taxpayers of Broward County provide:
    Sick Time
    Vacation Time
    FMLA Time
    Bonus Days
    Holidays
    Personal Days
    Not Available Days
    Medical Insurance
    Optical Insurance
    Dental Insurance
    FRS Pensions
    And now a 32 hour work week provided by the Taxpayers and you’re still complaining ? What part of your “essential employees” don’t you understand? 70% of us are still working or wish we could !!!
    #Do-Your-Jobs !!!!!

  53. Bertha should have been replaced years ago when her husband got caught with his hand in the county cookie jar, that and letting Walton waste millions with all his dirty deals

  54. The President declares a state of emergency
    The Florida governor declares a state of emergency
    The CDC declares a state of emergency
    And Bertha Henry doesn’t ?
    Sounds like Broward County doesn’t want to honor the emergence language in the union contracts !!!!
    Time to lawyer-up people the dirtbags are trying to take us to the cleaners a contract is a contract !!

  55. Hey Frank Footer Transit is not getting a 32 hour work week, maybe you should do your research a little better before you run out the mouth….Idiot.
    Also every major job has sick, vacation, holiday time, etc… so thats nothing new. Wow maybe you should think and get all your ducks in a row before you speak… people like you should have been swallowed

  56. Hey anonymous Frank Footer here please reference correspondence from human resource director dated April 7, 2020 addressed to your union President it’s posted on your union display board you most certainly will be Compensated additionally either 32 hour work week or Additional 8 hours added to your paycheck what ever shoe fits Einstein!!! And the moral of the story is appreciate your job as many Americans currently are out of work.

  57. Hey frank footer…… No transit doesn’t ask around since you know so much

  58. Hay Mr. Footer get your facts straight. There are 2 ATU Locals, White Collar and Transit. White Collar signed off on the deal, not Transit. Bus Operators do get all of those benefits, you know what they haven’t gotten? Masks or gloves or any protection. They are in crowed buses with no protection. Why don’t you sign up to drive a bus. Benefits are no good if your dead!

  59. Evangelist Stephanie Holloway Avatar
    Evangelist Stephanie Holloway

    I am not afraid to say what I need to say but what I want to say it so wrong that people only look for their pocket. Today did something that I have this bus driver that really care don’t get me wrong care all bus driver because if was not him I would not never get to work. Now my job has been close since March 10 2020 I have nothing to do.
    Some people understand that transit driver make this business and rider make happen. The really problem with government congressman and woman and commission we allow them with so much power. I have been riding the bus over some years I understand how nasty homeless get the bus and be smelling it is wrong now the driver and other people have to deal with it is damn wrong. Understand they are human. I know of transit driver is not going to speak up because of losing job but just remember that God supplies all of your need God will give you something better. Believe I feel your pain and understand. Government just could close the hold damn state. I don’t like been home sit in the house I like everyday like been work. Get up every morning catch the bus. Feel the bus time should have a cut It so sad how you give your time for year and work so hard. The higher people don’t care but about themselves. I guarantee their family is not miss nothing and they are safe. I would up my time to help. Because I care about other people then myself. Their one person that work for transit know my heart give back I don’t ask nothing. It time for change it time stop been afraid and open your mouth. Nothing is not going get done. All my transit work and driver I really care. I be pray that some thing change
    Frank please they don’t disrespect my driver because they are put life on the line to get work people to work another place this is what wrong people today allow got something negative to say out yourself in his or her shoes. Tell about his job, yes it is lot people out of work but end of the day we had our best for our family. My grandmother if can not say something respectfully don’t say nothing at all..My conclusion is it for Commission the Union President it time to put something in place so it never happened. So in the next 10 years this virus will become back hit the nation but it won’t be that bad. It time to work on a plan. It time stop sit on money use it and stop pocket the money.

  60. I ride bus everyday and wants to say thank for keeping service as I got to get around driver are friendly but bus smells bad and dirty driver said try not touch anything

  61. After reading this article I’m really not surprised of what they didn’t do to protect the workforce other counties had essential employees sign a “critical incident” waiver form if tested positive Broward could have Inadvertently infected a large segment of its labor force due to lack of planning durning this world wide pandemic

  62. Inspector Clouseau Avatar
    Inspector Clouseau

    The management morons at transit, we know who you are chris & jimmy, are making sure the buses are sanitized at the end of each day?
    Those meatheads couldn’t sanitize themselves if they drank lysol & bathed in a nuclear reactor!
    What’s the definition of a Broward Transit bus? A 28,000 pound covid-19 virus sample.
    And away they roll!

  63. cavin cunningham Avatar
    cavin cunningham

    You all are on your own. Lets see which way you vote come November. You can’t have it both ways…

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