Member Voices

Michael Harms

Rec. Sec., ATU Local 85, 85

For Mike Harms, a bus operator for the Port Authority of Allegheny County, being active in his union is a no-brainer.  "It's in my blood," he says.  His father, who was a member of Local 85 for 25 years, took him to his first union meeting.  His uncle was president of the local.  Harms has been a member of the local for eight years and has been active in all aspects of the union since day one.

In discussing why he thinks union activism is so important, he quotes a slogan he once saw on a union button: United We Bargain, Divided We Beg.  "It's so true," he says, "If we don't come together to act as one - whether at the bargaining table or the ballot box - we lose."

This year, he is focusing on the ballot box.  When the president of his local came to him with an offer to release him from his job as an operator to work with Labor 2006, Harms jumped at the opportunity - even though it meant working longer hours, seven days a week for a month-and-a-half.  "It's hard work, but it's very rewarding and worthwhile," says Harms.

Whatever It Takes 

"I know how important federal, state and local transit funding is to my job and my family and if I can help elect people who will deliver more of that funding to Pittsburgh, I will do whatever it takes," he says.

For the last two months of the election, that meant waking up at 4:00 am to leaflet ATU properties, then reporting to the Labor 2006 office to prepare walk packets, tally results from walks and phone banks, recruit volunteers, organize rallies, and reach out to other unions and encourage them to mobilize.  In the evenings and on weekends, Harms volunteered extra hours to knock on doors or phone union members.