IWU protests Bus Fare Increase, organizes a “call to action” on April 6th.
From: Immigrant Workers Union (IWU)
29 E. Wilson St #202
Madison, WI 53703
Contact: Yvonne Geerts 608/335-0357, Barbara Smith (608) 242-9232
Madison, WI. The Immigrant Workers Union (IWU) will join a diverse
grassroots movement to reverse Madison's bus fare increase on April
6th. As most bus riders experience the fare hike for the first time on
their Monday commute, IWU and allies will be protesting the hike by
distributing literature in areas where transit commuters gather,
including State Street. Leaflets will call on people to contact their
elected representatives, and to join the May Day Rally that among
other demands includes “No Raise in the Bus fare.”
Critics are renewing their opposition to the City Council's February
decision to raise bus fares to levels significantly higher than
Madison's peer cities, in order to bridge a shortfall of $700,000. In
late March, Metro's diesel contract came in unexpectedly at $2.6
million under budget, saving much more than the fare increase will
raise in revenue. City Council members who voted for the fare increase
include Monson, Sanborn, Cnare, Skidmore, Bruer, Palm, Compton,
Clausius, Schumacher, Clear, and Pham-Remmele.
Activists will be available during peak hours at State Street bus stops.
IWU is concerned about the dramatic effects that the mayor’s policies
will have on thousands of Madison bus riders, low income workers, and
immigrant families in particular.
Since April 2007, when the REAL ID act went into effect in Wisconsin,
most immigrants have not had access to driver’s licenses, putting at
risk the safety and freedom of hundreds of thousands of families. The
immigrant community has suffered a dramatic increase of arrests and
incarcerations due to the fact that in Wisconsin the second time
driving without a license is a traffic crime punished with time in
jail.
The increase of the bus fare represents a new obstacle to provide
thousands of immigrant families access to alternative transportation,
leaving close to no options other than the risk of driving without a
license, “if I want to go from Park Street to East Washington where I
work they are asking me $4 when I make $7.15 per hour and I can buy 2
gallons of gas with the same money” said Blanca, a prep cook in a
popular food chain on Madison’s east side.
“Immigrants are mostly low income workers and every dollar matters,
especially when you have a family to feed” says Yvonne Geerts from
IWU. “My husband and I decided a year ago not to use the car anymore
as we do not have a license. Now with the bus fare raise we cannot
afford that anymore either. The bus has become a luxury for most of
us: who can pay 12 dollars to just go to YMCA with their kids?” said
Veronica, 27, mother of 3, who lives on the south side of Madison.
IWU joins other organizations in this effort because “it is not a
single issue at all, it affects us all, it is an environmental issue,
it is a low income issue, it is a life style issue and overall it is
global issue” said Alex Gillis from Immigrant Workers Union.
For more information on the Bus Fare, please check http://www.busadvocates.org/
For more information about May Day Rally please check regularly
http://www.maydayinmadison.org