Learn more about the Transit Campaign!
BACKGROUND
The Washington Interfaith Network is standing in solidarity with the Amalgamated Transit Union members at the DC Circulator, DC Street Car and Metro.
STAND UP FOR QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE
We want public transit to be PUBLIC. Private for profit corporations have failed to provide good service at the Circulator. Under the current company – First Transit a 2015 safety audit of the DC Circulator found only 2, of the 42 buses inspected, fit to drive. Putting the public and bus operators at risk. We have examined the horrible track record of the other private companies profiting off of public transit in the DC Region and around the country. Click here to learn more http://ddotcandobetter.
STAND UP FOR GOOD JOBS
No bus or train operator or mechanic who provides a tax payer public service should struggle to make ends meet. Private for-profit contractors compete with one another to provide the cheapest bids, cutting wages and benefits for their workers.
DC Circulator
Together we organized to ensure DC Government made First Transit pay middle class wages at the DC Circulator.
But now DDOT is contemplating bringing in another company but DDOT has not made any guarantees that the new company won’t lay off the current DC Circulator bus operators and mechanics. DDOT has not made any guarantees that the wage rates WIN helped organize for will stay in place. Nor are there any guarantees that DC Circulator operators will have any measure of retirement security, or quality health benefits, or union protections. DDOT can do better.
DC Street Car
WIN is also organizing for fair benefits for the men and women who operate and maintain the street car. The wiwith no guarantees DDOT will make the next company pay that would force the operators to start back at the beginning
WIN is also organizing in alliance with workers at the DC Street Car – who labor under a Paris-based multinational corporation- RDMT. Until recently RDMT provided health insurance so bad that workers had to pay 80% of their medical bills out of pocket. The health insurance is still not up to the level befitting a public servant. The retirement benefits are a joke, and don’t provide any measure of retirement security. DDOT can do better.
Metro / WMATA
Now Metro is contemplating privatizing bus service for the first time in its 40 year history. WIN wants to see our public officials stand up to private for-profit companies, and stand up against privatization of our public transit.
SCRUTINIZE THE RECORDS OF FOR-PROFIT TRANSIT COMPANIES
The voters and taxpayers should be able to examine the track records of the companies that are bidding to profit off of public transit contracts. To date, the DC Department of Transportation will not release information about which companies are bidding to profit off of the DC Circulator.
For more information check out our Transit Privatization Fact Sheet
