[bru-info] Bus Riders Plan Fare Strike to Stop Fare Increase!

[bru-info at lists.resist.ca]

Bus Riders Plan to Fight Fare Increase with a Fare Strike

Public Meeting to Stop the Fare Increase: Saturday October 30, 2:30
Vancouver Public Library

The Bus Riders Union made their outrage known today, as TransLink
directors voted today to send the planned January 1, 2005, fare increase
to forward to public consultation despite last months vote against the
planned fare increase. The motion to increase fares was defeated less than
two weeks ago, but reappeared on the October 15 agenda as a "motion of
reconsideration", put forward by Vancouver COPE Councilor Raymond Louie.

“This fare increase is completely outrageous”, states Jennifer Efting, an
organizer with the Bus Riders Union, “we are very angry and disappointed
with the TransLink Board, especially the COPE directors.  COPE Councilors
and Mayor have a stated public commitment to freeze fares until 2007. 
What we have witnessed today is a classic sell-out of poor and working
class people.  COPE makes promises during an election and then turns their
backs to promote the profit of private business and their personal
careers.  Bus riders are shocked that COPE openly disparages the women,
people of colour, and Aboriginal people who rely on buses to get around
this region.  There is no doubt that this fare increase will be
devastating to the transit dependent people in the region, who are already
reeling from job cuts, privatization and public service cutbacks."

“We won’t sit idly by as our members and supporters face increasing
hardships”, cautions Zailda Chan of the Bus Riders Union.  “This proposed
fare increase is an attack on the economic rights of bus riders, and we
must resist with economic action. Perhaps Mayor Campbell thinks that those
of us who are forced to rely on public transit to access health care,
education, employment are “losers”, this attitude from elected officials
in Vancouver is nothing new.  The statement from Mayor Campbell that
transit-dependant people in the region don’t pay taxes is shameful; I
might take a moment to remind Mayor Campbell that working class women and
their families bear the greatest burden of regressive taxation schemes. 
Now TransLink is planning yet another regressive tax hike, and it will be
bus riders who suffer, not Mayor Campbell and his cronies.”

“Our action at the TransLink Board was a symbolic reminder of the working
class who struggle to survive%2