Live from Labor Notes (2): Occupy Transit

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

A sea of transit union workers – their neon orange shirts reading "Occupy Transit" and " We are the 99%" -- filled the front rows of the main auditorium at the Labor Notes conference in Chicago Saturday morning as ATU President Larry Hanley spoke. ATU 689 President and Metro Council Executive Board member Jackie Jeter told Union City she’s happy to have a president who encourages members and staff to attend events like the Labor Notes conference. "You need something to refuel your gas tank" said Jeter, "so here I am!" While Hanley's speech focused on attempts to cut back transit in the face of local budget crises in Chicago, Seattle, and other cities, Jeter said "it relates to what's going on all over." Local 689 just started negotiations with WMATA and Jeter said "the first couple days were contentious" but it was getting better and that she's excited to attend workshops that will help her develop a winning strategy for the campaign to protect public transit and transit workers in the DC metro area. Stay tuned to Union City for updates on ATU 689's negotiations.
- report/photo by Julia Kann