[PRCo] Re: Labor Issues, Transit Politics & C.D. Palmer

[Bob Rathke]

Is there still a Communist Party???

Bob 10/5/03

-----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken & Tracie" <kjosephson at sprintmail.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 10:35 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Labor Issues, Transit Politics & C.D. Palmer


>
>
> Fred Schneider wrote:
>
> > Therefore, a big chunk of the reduced mileage was simply the result of
general
> > declines in the industry and responses to the perpetual labor disputes.
>
> An article on these labor disputes and the Railways' "corporate culture"
would be a
> fascinating read for some of us. I believe I touch on the idea while
Tracie and I
> were having dinner with Ed during one of his Las Vegas visits. The
politics of mass
> transit is a fascinating subject, even if it can deflate the "what if"
dream all of
> us have about traction.
>
> What is interesting is that I grew up with a sympathetic view of C.D.
Palmer. This
> was due to my uncle living down the block from him and hearing the stories
of how PAT
> screwed the Railways between the takeover and 1967. The viewpoint related
to me (via
> my cousins, as heard from Mr. Palmer's family) painted C.D. as a
pro-trolley person
> doing the best he could under lousy circumstances. Yet Harold and Ed
related
> experiences & incidents which paint a more complete picture...one that
shows how Mr.
> Palmer was also part of the problem. Oddly enough, the one cousin who
seemed most
> sympathetic to the Palmers during the 1960s is now an active member of the
Communist
> Party. He probably views Mr. Palmer's methods of management as an example
of all that
> is "wrong and evil" in the private business sector.
>
> Incidently, my aunt noted that my uncle (a nuclear engineer for
Westinghouse) and
> C.D. Palmer usually discussed "shop" (engineering topics) and never
discussed