The Emerald has fully supported the
Amalgamated Transit Union Division 757 from the very beginning of its struggles with Lane Transit District leadership. Now that the union has voted to strike, the Emerald would like to reaffirm our unconditional support.
The workers did everything they could
to avert a strike, enduring mediation after
mediation in the outside hope that they could spare Eugene from this commotion.
They have shown just how much they
truly care about the community they
serve, something we cannot say about LTD management. They should be commended for their efforts.
The main issue in the dispute involves health-care coverage: Union employees want to keep the benefits they currently enjoy, while LTD insists it cannot afford to do so.
The strike has already caused
huge headaches for members of the public
dependent on bus service, including
University students.
According to an Emerald report (“Eugeneans back LTD drivers at demonstration,” ODE,
Jan. 14), LTD gets more than a half-million
dollars in student fees to provide students with free, unlimited rides. Nearly 3,000 University students and employees use the bus to get
to and from campus. We expect LTD will
refund student fees for every day that bus
service is shut down.
There are a few options for students
struggling to get to school. Drivers can park for free at the Autzen Stadium parking lot from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Car-poolers can obtain free permits for certain spots around campus from the Department of Public Safety. University students and
employees can also use a Laidlaw bus shuttle that leaves the Lane County Fairgrounds
and arrives at Sacred Heart Medical Center. And the Assault Prevention Shuttle will
operate as usual.
The ASUO really dropped the ball by
refusing to act early and implement proactive measures to help students during the strike, such as helping to organize and publicize
carpooling lists.
Despite these problems, we hope the
strike will continue for as long as it takes
until the workers achieve what they deserve: a fair contract.
We’ve said it once and we will say it again: As a community we must stand in solidarity with the union as it fights for the rights that all workers deserve — a family wage, health benefits and respect.
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