ATU Local 689 president Jackie Jeter strongly criticized theWMATA board at their meeting yesterday, saying the board “is not interested in hearing what the public has to say about the budget,” pointing out that the public list for speakers was closed and the speaking time too limited. More than a dozen Washington D.C.-area labor union leaders and community advocates, collectively representing more than 150,000 workers and members of the community, spoke at the board meeting in opposition to WMATA's proposed budget. Their supporters, led by transit workers in their bright red union t-shirts, crowded the room at WMATA headquarters and overflowed into the hallway outside. Speakers ranged from DC school teachers to retail and food workers, government employees and commercial rail workers, among others. “These organizations all recognize that this proposed budget is an attack on organized labor and the community,” said Jeter, who also heads up the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO. “Fare hikes, service cuts and layoffs are unacceptable for a rapidly growing region that many of these organization’s members and families rely on.”
- photo by David Stephen/ATU 689
- photo by David Stephen/ATU 689