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MUNI Workers and Riders United

by Bill Hackwell (hckwll [at] yahoo.com)
Hundreds of MUNI workers from TWU Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 250-A, riders and community organizations rallied and marched in downtown San Francisco to oppose the MTA proposed budget cuts and threatened layoffs last night. The march began at Powell and Market and went down Market to rally in front of the MTA offices calling for the cuts to be on the Mayor Newsom appointed, over payed, executive managers. The march then went to City Hall for a spirited spontaneous forum led by TWU cable car driver and union organizer Eric Williams who explained what the workers are forced to put up with and called for unity between MUNI workers and riders. The overwhelming sentiment of the protest was in solidarity with the TWU workers.
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The San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) is a vital service to the people of San Francisco serving over 700,000 riders a day. In the current economic environment, that is affecting all public services across the country, workers and the poor are being forced to bear the brunt of the crisis. There is no end to money to bail out the banks but when it comes to essential services there is none. The San Francisco MTA has waged a vicious campaign against the TWU in attempt to weaken the union and to cover their own mismanagement in creating MUNI’s financial mess. They have called for cuts in service, hikes in fares and for the lay off of 176 TWU operators. At yesterday’s rally in front of the MTA offices the union was asking for independent accountability of the money. SFMTA has a budget of $783 million of which only $200 million is spent on operational costs.
§Union Bashing Won't Save Muni
by Bill Hackwell
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§Chop from the Top!
by Bill Hackwell
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§Fire the MTA Board
by Bill Hackwell
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§MUNI Operator
by Bill Hackwell
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§Gloria La Riva -ANSWER Coalition
by Bill Hackwell
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§Eric Williams-TWU 250-A
by Bill Hackwell
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§Irwin Lum - President TWU 250-A
by Bill Hackwell
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§We Are All In This Together
by Bill Hackwell
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Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by erricwil
'I'.If you guy's and ladies whomever you are behind this labor and community news have not been thanked for covering the event which happend March 1st and reported the facts let me be the first ,truely i"m the baldheaded guy with bullhorn that may have yelled in your ear a time or too.seriously thanks for whatever reason our union has been to silent on the real issues letting the agency get away with murder,and i'm sorry for the lack of a better word.I hope the next time we organize that you guy's will be there.THANKS FROM THE TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION LOCAL 250-A
Eric – I saw you last night at the meeting of the Height Ashbury Neighborhood Council. I was impressed with your sincerity and genuine willingness to listen to the views of MUNI riders. I would like to get in contact you and invite you to lunch. Not sure how to reach you but will probably try to find you through your union. I can imagine that it must be difficult to drive all day and then have to come to an evening meeting and listen to people bitch about what MUNI did or did not do for them today. MUNI riders need to realize that MUNI is nobody’s private limo – and it never will be. Think that the best we can hope for is a clean, safe system that has reasonably quick service at a reasonable price that serves most of the people in the city. We need to realize that not everyone is going to be served optimally.
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