[van-announce] Bus Riders Plan to Fight Fare Increase with a Fare Strike

[Yang Chang]

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 Central Branch

The Bus Riders Union made their outrage known today, as TransLink directors voted to send the planned January 1, 2005, fare increase to forward to public consultation despite last month's 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 in this region.  A fare strike is a concrete way we can take direct action against this economic attack on our communities”, continues Chan, “We can’t expect working class communities to lie down and allow government officials and corporate agents to take and take with no end in sight.  We must stand up and fight back! This fare strike is clearly a struggle for economic justice.”

The Bus Riders Union is organizing a fare strike to resist the fare increase. Join the BRU on October 30th, 2:30pm at the Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia) for an update on our campaign to Stop the Fare Increase, to strategize for the fare strike, and to get involved in the grassroots struggle for more buses and lower fares!

For information or to become a member and get active with the Bus Riders Union contact:
Bus Riders Union
604 215 2775
#407-119 West Pender St. Vancouver
bru at resist.ca