DEFEND UNION JOBS, PROTECT PUBLIC TRANSIT!
Dalton Nolan
5/3/2024
While workers across the globe celebrated International Workers’ Day (May Day), some Louisville workers brought out the holiday’s inherent class character by demanding the defense of institutions that benefit those most in need within our city. Members and supporters of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1447 organized a practice picket on May Day in response to a proposed cut of 14 million dollars in TARC routes and some drivers. With public services in this country stripped to the bone—offering less than the bare minimum—the remains of public transportation must be protected at all costs, as the loss of public services is a major loss for the working class; a sentiment deeply and clearly understood by the working people of ATU Local 1447.
On the immensely important working class holiday of May Day, the Louisville Workers Brigade came out to the ATU demonstration to show solidarity with Local 1447. During the demonstrations, several members of the ATU were interviewed to get their input on the significance of this demonstration and the importance of public transportation for the community. Lilian Brent, President of ATU Local 1447, detailed how funding public transportation is deeply tied to the community, with her citing the recent controversial decision of JCPS to stop providing transportation to Magnet Schools. These cuts in JCPS transportation have already heralded hard times for many families as they are forced to choose between driving their children to school, which may not be economically feasible or possible, or having their children utilize the TARC bus service. However, the proposed cuts in TARC routes and some drivers all but eliminate that second option for hundreds, further placing strain on Louisvillians, as Brent stated; public transportation is a need that must be prioritized, she stressed.
When asked about her feelings about the presence of other unions, such as SEIU/NCFO Local 320 and Teamsters Local 89, and community supporters, Brent said she was “unsurprised” as the fight for funding public transportation crosses industries as everyone—from plumbers to package handlers at Worldport, to nurses, etc.—rely on public transportation, not only to get to work, but to participate in all that our city has to offer. With wages being cut by both inflation and corporate “cost-saving measures,” an increasing number of people will be unable to purchase and afford a personal vehicle and its attendant maintenance, resulting in more and more people coming to rely on TARC to move about the city. As such, the presence of other unions and community supporters at this demonstration not only emphasized the importance of public transportation, but also displayed a clear commitment to working class solidarity—something desperately needed for the improvement of the material conditions of the entire working class. As Brent said, “We all need each other."
ATU Local 1447 stands in complete opposition to the proposed 14 million dollar cut and is demanding Metro Council and the Commonwealth protect union jobs and public transportation by providing the funding needed to sustain these workers and their essential labor. The Louisville Workers Brigade stands in complete and unequivocal solidarity with ATU Local 1447 and all the workers that will be affected by this proposed 14 million dollar cut to TARC services. Though our society is geared toward the enrichment of the minority owning class, there are services in our society that support and assist workers, necessitating their impassioned defense by the entirety of the working class. As the old I.W.W. slogan goes: “An Injury to One Is an Injury to All!”
