From Stuck in Traffic to Blazing the Trail: The Rise of AVP Markeisha Haynes

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who can say that being stuck in traffic 20 years ago set them on the path to where they are today.

Markeisha Haynes (Local 1785, Santa Monica, Calif.) is one of those people.

It was the mid-2000s, and she was tired of working dead-end jobs that didn’t provide a decent income to support herself and her two kids.

One day, she happened to pass a Santa Monica Big Blue Bus in traffic and wondered if that could provide the stability she wasn’t getting in other jobs.

“It was on a whim,” Haynes remembers when describing her decision to apply to become a Bus Operator. “I was initially nervous…because when you see the buses, it’s a little intimidating, right? So going into it was definitely a little challenging in the beginning.”

That was 20 years ago. She’s still a full-time Bus Operator but has gained some new titles, including Alternate Vice President (AVP) Bus-West, and is currently the only female vice president at the international level within SMART-TD.

Climbing the Ranks While Staying True to Her Beginnings

After getting hired, it didn’t take long for AVP Haynes to know that she wanted to do more.

Initially, she was a line instructor who helped new hires learn how to operate a motor coach, a role that she credits as a start to venturing out into other positions.

When she wanted to have more input in the direction of Local 1785, she decided to reach out to the Vice General Chairperson to learn how to get more involved.

His response: What took you so long?

“He had mentioned that he saw something in me…he saw this fire in me, this drive in me, and…he was getting ready to retire,” she explained.

He allowed her to shadow him before he retired, and she ultimately ran for the position.

“I was nervous at the time, because I didn’t have any experience in any of the positions,” said AVP Haynes. “It was really scary to take on the position, but there was just something in me that I knew I could do it. I campaigned, I won, and it was amazing. It’s just been up from there.” 

Today, in addition to being an Alternate Vice President, she’s also…

• General Chairperson for the General Committee of Adjustment for Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines (GCA SMB)
• Local Chairperson for the Local Committee of Adjustment for Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines (LCA SMB)
• Secretary for the Association of General Chairpersons (District 3)
• Member of the Field Service Committee
• Member of the Organizing Committee

The fact that AVP Haynes is still a full-time Bus Operator has allowed her to truly make an impact in each of these roles. She doesn’t just guess what the membership wants: she experiences it firsthand.

“I stay connected to what’s still happening here, whether it’s out on the road, being in the seat, driving and operating my vehicle,” she said. “I tell a lot of the Operators, ‘I understand. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to feel overworked. I know what it feels like when you’re underpaid.’”

Trusting Her Gut to Deliver Strong Results for the Membership

Something that stands out the most to AVP Haynes is what she’s been able to win for her members when it’s time to negotiate a new contract.

The first contract that she negotiated not long after becoming a General Chairperson resulted in an 18% wage increase over three years. The second contract resulted in a 19% wage increase, both of which were unprecedented.

She kept one question front and center in her mind during negotiations, especially since she hadn’t been a general chairperson for very long: is this good for my membership?

“It has to start with us (General Chairpersons and leadership roles), because the members are looking to us,” she explained. “So if we don’t put ourselves in the position where we ask ourselves ‘Is this good for me? Am I okay with this?’ and if we have to question it, then it’s not good, and then your members are not going to be okay with it. It starts and ends with us.”

“We Can Only Attract What We See”

As the only female in a leadership role at the international level, AVP Haynes admits it took her a minute to get used to often being the only woman at the table.

“Initially, I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I’m the only woman. Wait, hold on…maybe I shouldn’t say this or maybe I shouldn’t say that,’” she remembered. “But you know, it’s one of those things…I’m just going to be me. I’m just going to be who I am and who I am to the core. I can do it, too.”

She’s hopeful that mantra will lead to more union sisters holding similar leadership positions.

“All we see is the male-dominated industry…we have to step outside of that and be willing to change,” she explained. “That’s stepping outside of being comfortable. That’s putting your voice out there. That’s not being afraid to speak up. I just believe that the more that we showcase that women are in these positions, I think that will get more excited about holding a leadership role, because we only attract what we can see.”

She believes that one of the ways to help do that is to showcase women in various leadership roles throughout our union so that more of them will consider stepping forward.

“I would love to see more women involved in different officer positions in the union. I would love to support that,” she said. “Whether it’s mentor, give guidance, or whatever I can do to help the next person move up, I’m all for it: making sure that women are seen and heard in these positions as well.”

That instinct to mentor and help others is ultimately what’s propelled VP Haynes to where she is today. 

“I believe there’s no stopping me. There’s no limit to how far I can go because of the drive that I have to help people.”