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Outpouring of Support for Twin Cities Transit Workers

By staff

Woman speaking at podium

Minneapolis, MN – At a packed fundraiser for striking bus drivers on Saturday, March 27, almost $15,000 in contributions from local unions and individuals was collected for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005 strike fund. Participants also contributed three truckloads of food for the Local 1005 strikers' food bank.

2200 transit workers have been on strike for nearly four weeks. At stake in this contract battle are affordable health care benefits for current workers and the future of retiree health care benefits. No negotiations are scheduled.

At the standing room only event, speaker after speaker told the bus drivers that their fight for affordable health care was a fight for all working people. The event was mainly organized by AFSCME Local 3800, clerical workers at the University of Minnesota who engaged in their own strike over health care last fall. UFCW Local 789 and UAW Local 879 also participated in organizing the event, which was held at the CWA Local 7200 union hall. The event was endorsed by the MN AFL-CIO, several labor councils and local unions.

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