#TakeTheSpring – Today in Chicago, Minneapolis, Philly and Beyond

Occupations across the country are taking action today; here are a few exciting events to follow!
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In New York City, an active Occupy community is continuing to grow in spite of constant police harassment, arrests, and nightly evictions at Occupy Union Square in midtown. Meanwhile, in the financial district, Occupy Wall Street celebrated another #SpringTraining action yesterday in preparation for a massive show of solidarity on May Day, May 1st. At the conclusion of last night´s action, Occupiers read aloud a court case citing their legal right to sleep on the sidewalk. Occupiers in Washington, DC and other cities continue nightly camp-outs in front of branches of Bank of America and other ¨too big to fail¨ institutions in protest of their policies which leave millions of homes empty and millions of people without homes. Meanwhile, Occupy Boston continues to hold Camp Charlie on the State House Steps in defense of public transportation.

Also today, more Occupiers are once again standing with communities and survivors of racist and police violence to march in solidarity with Trayvon Martin, Rekia Boyd, Shaima Alawadi and all others in the latest wave of Million Hoodie and Million Hijab marches. In DC, the march will begin at Malcom X/Meridian Hill Park. (Follow live!) In Oakland, Occupiers will leave after the weekly barbecue. (Infoshop News)

http://tinyurl.com/73qz2nb

Occupy Boston currently occupying the State House

Following Wednesday’s National Day of Action for Public Transit that saw Occupiers and unions take part in coordinated actions across dozens of cities, Occupiers in Boston flooded the state capitol and have now set up an encampment outside in protest of fare hikes and service cuts to mass transit. Occupy Boston says they will occupy the area for 10 days, or until the state government agrees to revise the budget for transit.

Ryan Cahill, member of Occupy Boston media team, in an exclusive interview with Press TV’s U.S. desk on Saturday said, “We are currently occupying the State House … _in downtown Boston on the common, to basically protest the hikes in fares and cutbacks in service that we are currently experiencing in Boston for public transportation.” (Press TV)

http://tinyurl.com/7tmojg5

Occupy Boston continues protests against fare hikes

A member of Occupy Boston says a couple of hundred Occupy activists have been camping right in front of State House in Boston to protest against hikes in fares and also cuts in buses and trains.

“We are targeting the current situation going on with the MBTA [The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]. There is a lot of hikes in the fare and also cuts. So a lot of buses and train services is [are] going to be cut … making it really impossible for a lot of people to get around the city,” said Acacia Brewer, a member of Occupy Boston Media Team, in an exclusive interview with Press TV’s U.S. Desk on Saturday. (Press TV)

http://tinyurl.com/bwm97er

Continue reading “The OB Media Rundown for 4/8/12” »

MBTA Fare Hikes and Service Cuts Draw Transit Activists to Protest at State House

Yesterday, over 200 activists with Occupy Boston, Occupy the MBTA, the T Riders Union, the Amalgamated Transit Union, and other mass transit advocates, held an afternoon rally inside the MA State House and an evening demonstration and teach-in outside the building, on the State House steps along Beacon Street.

Advocates called on the state legislature to find a lasting solution to the MBTA’s financial woes. The agency is burdened with hundreds of millions in debt, in part due to a legislative restructuring of bills left over from the Big Dig Project.

The legislature, which has until April 15th to approve the transit agency’s budget, has the power to bail out the T and potentially stop the proposed cuts in service and fare hikes. Governor Deval Patrick has proposed diverting money from an account containing funds collected during automobile inspections to the MBTA. But many advocates and legislators agree that would be a temporary fix only. (Open Media Boston)

http://tinyurl.com/8yhod7k

Greater Boston transit fares hiked by 23 percent

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) board of directors on Wednesday approved a fiscal year 2013 budget that includes a 23 percent average systemwide fare hike to buses, rapid transit, and other commuter services in Greater Boston and beyond. The proposal also cuts or reduces services on more than a dozen bus routes and eliminates weekend service on three commuter rail lines.
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A crowd of about 200 people shouted down the MBTA board, chanting “Shame on you!” following a 4-1 vote to implement the changes. In addition to the fare hikes and service cuts, the new budget is contingent on $61 million in one-time revenues yet to be approved by the state legislature. This includes $51 million from a motor vehicle inspection trust fund, $5 million from a snow and ice removal surplus, and $5 million from a garage lease payment. (World Socialist Web Site)

http://tinyurl.com/826rs7c

Transit Troubles Provoke National Day of Protests

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is a lot like other urban transit systems across the country. It’s underfunded, understaffed, and overworked as the Great Recession pushes more and more working people onto public transit. But the “T” was proposing fare hikes-from $1.70 to $2.40-and service cuts that are among the harshest in the country. And that ignited a firestorm on April 4, the national day of action for transit justice.

Marking the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) joined with community movements and Occupy in 15 cities to protest fare hikes and service cuts to public transit. Chicago, Denver, and Pittsburgh saw rallies, leafleting, and candlelight vigils.

In Boston, following a 24-hour vigil at the Statehouse led by young people and seniors, 150 people packed a meeting of the MBTA’s board and shouted “Shame on you!” as the directors voted to make riders pay more for less. (Labor Notes)

http://tinyurl.com/blzvoyg

Continue reading “The OB Media Rundown for 4/7/12” »

Occupy Transit! Transit Workers & Occupy Movement Team Up

ATU national president Larry Hanley was inspired to ally ATU with the Occupy Movement when he learned of a proposal from Occupy Boston for a national day of protest around transit issues. Occupy Boston had issued this statement:

“In Boston and in cities around the country, our hard-won and necessary transportation systems are under attack. Their viability is being threatened by savage cuts and fare hikes in a calculated push toward privatization by corrupt and unresponsive politicians and their corporate benefactors.”

On April 4, the ATU led demonstrations in 15 American cities to draw attention to today’s transit crisis. (Salon.com)

http://tinyurl.com/834lzkg

Where There Are MBTA Cuts, There Are Occupiers: Group Staging 10-Day Camp Charlie Protest

Just after the MBTA Advisory Board voted 4-1 yesterday to support the ailing transit agency’s plan to raise fares 23 percent and cut $15 million in service, members of the Occupy Boston movement assembled in front of the state house and announced another Occupy rally of sorts.

Called Camp Charlie, the group vows to occupy the state house until April 14, when the advisory board meets again, or until the state legislature makes a move to help the embattled MBTA climb out of his perennial debt hole.

“We recognize the MBTA and MassDOT are essentially powerless and can’t fix the solution on their own,” occupier Brett West says. “But we are showing that the plan passed by the board yesterday isn’t acceptable.” (Bostinno)

http://tinyurl.com/cxfkjvp

Dispatch from Camp Charlie: Hello Mother, Hello Father, Reps and Hacks, They’ve Come To Bother

One of the points that was made over and over again by those protesting MBTA fare hikes (and Mass transit funding issues in general) yesterday was that this fight isn’t new. It’s been roaring for decades, and just seems to have grown extremely loud and and in-your-face over the past few months.

As of today, though, activists have extended their message into the future, stressing that the war’s not over. Grabbing the baton from young transit crusaders who camped out on the Statehouse stoop on Tuesday, Occupy Boston’s Occupy MBTA contingent has officially set up shop on Beacon Hill. (Boston Phoenix)

http://tinyurl.com/d8d78nz

Continue reading “The OB Media Rundown 4/6/12” »

Boston Epicenter of Occupy Transit’s Day of Protest as MBTA Approves Fare Hike

Boston’s MBTA Board just voted for a fare increase that takes effect July 1. Unluckily for that body, today’s board meeting coincides  with national protests (referred to as a National Day of Action for Mass Transit) proposed by Occupy Boston. It’s the date on which Martin Luther King Jr. – himself a transit activist – was assassinated.

Occupy MBTA tweeted: “SHAME! Board member just said ‘we are transportation agency, not a social service agency.'” @AceEJ tweeted: “Disabled rider tells #MBTA bd: Someday you’re going to need THE RIDE & I hope it’s there 4 u! Transit is a right, not a privilege! Cheers!” And Boston Metro reporter Steven Annear wrote: “Second Board member interrupted by crowd chanting “Just Vote NO”

http://tinyurl.com/d9g2pqv

Protesters say MBTA isn’t listening to riders

A larger than life “Charlie,” the MBTA’s mascot, joined the other 99 percent for a protest out front of the Mass. State House, a national day of action for public transportation, with a brass band tempering the disappointing news for these riders.

The MBTA board’s decision to increase fares and cut service did not sit well for Greg Housh and family of Malden, Mass. “The MBTA is actually our school bus for the children. Up in Malden, we don’t have a busing system other than the MBTA,” Housh said.

Inside, about a hundred strong joined unions in front of the Grand Staircase – with many of the same faces here as we saw at Occupy Boston this past fall in Dewey Square – rallying against what they say is the MBTA’s connection to the big banks.

http://tinyurl.com/cmp8r5n

Occupy Boston takes over State House steps

Protesters outraged about the fare increases coming down the tracks are camping out on the State House steps.

Calling their mini-occupation “Camp Charlie,” members of Occupy the MBTA, an off-shoot of Occupy Boston, announced they will be sleeping at Beacon Hill, calling on the state Legislature to intervene and stop fare hikes and service cuts to public transportation.

The occupation is in direct response to the MassDOT Board of Director’s vote Wednesday to charge riders more to ride the T while cutting back on buses and Commuter Rail trains.

http://tinyurl.com/c9bwqo8

Continue reading “The OB Media Rundown all Transportation Edition 4/5/12” »

Protesters stake out State House in advance of MBTA vote

Youths, senior citizens, and others who depend on the MBTA began a 24-hour vigil at the State House today, with more protesters scheduled to arrive before an anticipated Wednesday vote on fare hikes and service cuts.

Scheduled to last from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 11 a.m. Wednesday, with teach-ins and speak-outs throughout Tuesday afternoon, the vigil was planned to attract the attention of Governor Deval Patrick, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Therese Murray.

Activists hope leaders will intervene before the board of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation votes Wednesday on a plan that would raise MBTA fares an average of 23 percent and reduce some services. The plan was presented last week after tremendous public outcry against two earlier proposals that would have raised fares by either 35 or 43 percent and made more dramatic service cuts.

http://tinyurl.com/c4v6hgk

Occupy, Unions Plan 4/4 Day Of Action For Public Transportation, Blame Banks For Cuts

Last week’s “fare strike” on the New York City subway won’t be the last time Occupy turns its attention to mass transit. On Wednesday, activists in at least 18 cities are teaming up with the nation’s largest transit union for a national day of action. The day is part of a concerted effort to place the blame for rising fares and diminishing service on the same banks that got the country into the recession — and it comes just as Congress is haltingly trying to pass a major transportation bill.

In Massachusetts, where the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has proposed a range of draconian service cuts, Occupy Boston will hold a rally in front of the State House and then a candlelight vigil in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., who died on April 4, 1968. Rallies, vigils, leafleting and voter registration are also planned for other cities where public transportation has been hit hard by the recession: New York, Detroit, Milwaukee and Indianapolis, to name a few.

“Public transit is a right, and it needs to be funded,” said Ariel Oshinsky, an organizer with Occupy Boston. She noted that public transportation is disproportionately used by people of color and with low incomes. The MBTA there has proposed a number of deep service cuts which Oshinsky said would “pit communities against each other.” But “as riders and workers together, there’s real strength.”

http://tinyurl.com/dxqbpjc

Demonstrators to focus on mass transit as a civil right

The Occupy Wall Street movement and the Amalgamated Transit Union have jointly declared April 4 a National Day of Action for Jobs and Mass Transit and are staging demonstrations that day in 20 cities across the country.

They said their joint mobilization is in keeping with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaigns for good paying jobs and for accessibility of those jobs to the poor. The action comes as unions and civil rights organizations in general turn more of their attention to creation of jobs that can be accessed by people in communities hardest hit by the economic crash – communities of color and areas in the nation’s inner cities.

The ATU and Occupy Wall Street plan their joint demonstrations in 20 cities, including Chicago, New York and Pittsburgh.

http://tinyurl.com/botyh9f

Continue reading “The OB Media Rundown for 4/4/12” »