Rail rage carries on as the seemingly settled, then un-settled then further unsettled saga over a new contract for BART workers continues. Now BART director Joel Keller is proposing a cross-county advisory measure that would make it impossible for workers to strike.
If I were SEIU 1021 and ATU Local 1555, I would be working on a competing advisory measure (for the record – there is nothing more irritating than “advisory measures” – if it doesn’t have teeth you’re just gumming at the problem) that would require BART management, who the board of directors fastidiously sided with during negotiations, to actually read the contracts they are signing off on. This may help prevent “mistakes” like giving employees time off to be with newborn children and very ill family members before deciding to take it all back.
SEIU leadership has been openly courting candidates to run against the labor-unfriendly BART board in their next election cycles which may have something to do with Keller’s grandstanding.
I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that this is the year 2013. I take the time to do this because earlier this week The Advocate, the nation’s largest and least interesting LGBT magazine, decided to name the Pope it’s Person of the Year.
This past year saw hard-working activists across the country score state by state wins for marriage equality. It saw activists in Russia put their lives on the line to fight homophobic state violence. It saw Californian’s pass laws protecting the rights of transgender students to safely use bathrooms in our schools. It saw Chelsea Manning forego her freedom to stand up against US military imperialism.
And yet the Advocate, in its infinite penchant for assimilation and approval from the big bad homophobic institutions of the world, decided to name a guy who has actively campaigned against marriage equality and, who, I will bet my last bible, thinks being transgender is an abomination, its person of the year.
Yes, this Pope is better than that last post. Yes, this Pope has thrown us some bones. But, unlike the Advocate, this Pope knows it’s 2013 and the seas are a’changing. He’s making pertinent political choices while the Advocate just looks dated.
MOVIE TIME: I didn’t have time to watch anything this week that did not contain Beyoncé. Fortunately, there was more than enough to go around. If you watched anything this week that was not one of the 17 videos that Queen Bey nonchalantly dropped onto the unsuspecting masses in conjunction with her surprise album then you wasted your time and your eyes hate you.
Tom’s Top Two Things To Do This Weekend
The Harvey Milk Club’s HoliGay Happy Hour! Friday, December 20th from 6-9 at Beaux.
It’s my party and I can shamelessly self promote it if I want to. This has been a huge year for our club – from sleeping in parks to fighting waterfront walls to standing on BART picket lines the Club has accomplished a lot. Celebrate with us as we nominate a new board and take in drag and dancing. Also, BUY RAFFLE TICKETS. Because that’s how we’ll make the money to be the royal pain in the ass this City needs us to be in 2014.
Darling Nikki, Friday, December 20th at 9 at Slate Bar. This queer beneficiary focused dance party is raising money and holiday cheer for one of my favorite non-profits in town – OutLOUD Radio.
