[bru-info] Now is the Time to Act Against the Fare Increase!

[bru-info at lists.resist.ca]

Now is the Time to Act Against the Fare Increase: Tell TransLink No Fare
Increase for Three Years!

On September 29th, months of grassroots organizing paid off when bus
riders defeated the impending fare increase at the TransLink board, when
the motion to go ahead to consultation on the fare increase was defeated
in a narrow 6-6 vote. The fare increase would have taken $41 million from
bus riders over the next three years. The victory, the second this year
for the Bus Riders Union, shows the power of grassroots organizing to win
concrete gains for our communities. But the fight isn’t over yet!

The Bus Riders Union is organizing for no fare increase for the next three
years. Here are four things you can do to fight the fare increase:

1. Call the TransLink Directors who voted against the fare increase and
encourage them to oppose any fare increase in the next three years.
(Vancouver) Mayor Campbell  873-7621   (Vancouver) Councilor Louie 873-7743
(Vancouver) Councilor Cadman 873-7244  (New West) Mayor Wright    527-4594
(North Van) Mayor Sharp    985-7761    (Burnaby) Mayor Corrigan    294-7340

2. Come to the Bus Riders Union Public Meeting
Join the BRU on October 30th, 2:30pm at the Vancouver Public Library (350
West Georgia) to celebrate our victory and strategize on where to go from
here. Join the struggle for more buses and lower fares!

3. Attend the next TransLink meeting on October 15th in Port Moody at 9am.
Call the BRU for car pooling at 215-2775.

4. Speak out against the fare increase at the next TransLink meeting.
Delegations must register before 8am October 13th. Register online at
http://www.translink.bc.ca/WhatsNewandBoardMeetings/Delegations/default.asp
or contact the BRU for more info at 215-2775.

TransLink is claiming a funding crisis and pro-fare increase directors are
threatening to cut bus service to make up for the loss in revenue.
Meanwhile, they have budgeted two billion dollars for the RAV line.
Clearly, this is not a question of funding but a question of priorities.
TransLink is taking money from bus riders and working class communities,
but rather than put it into increasing bus service and lowering fares,
they are turning it into profits for the business interests who will
profit from contracts for the RAV line.

Bus riders must continue to organize to ensure that TransLink does not
reverse its decision on the fare increase and does not make further cuts
to bus service. The Bus Riders Union is demanding that TransLink directors
take a principled stand against any fare increase in the next three years.

The next few TransLink meetings are critical to ensuring that the fare
increase does not come back to haunt bus riders. Through the RAV line
debacle, certain interests in the TransLink board have shown that they are
perfectly willing to bypass democratic process and bring back motions
until they get the desired result. We must continue to make our
communities’ demand loud and clear: No fare increase in the next three
years! With this on the table at TransLink, we will continue organizing in
our communities and fighting TransLink to win more buses and lower fares.


Bus Riders Union
407-119 West Pender Street, Vancouver
(604) 215-2775
http://bru.resist.ca/
bru at resist.ca