Transit Strike ACT Rally

by Chuck Campbell

The Twin Cities disability community raised its voice in favor of a swift resolution to the transit strike at a rally in Mears Park on Friday, March 26^th, across the street from Met Council chair, Peter Bell’s office. The self-advocates of Advocating Change Together (ACT) presented Bell with a table symbolic of their desire for negotiations with Amalgamated Transit Union {ATU) 1005 to resume.

Gloria Steinbring’s voice rang out over the public address system: “If they don’t have a table, here’s a table.. The table featured a three-dimensional paper bus with pictures of Bell and Governor Tim Pawlenty in the front windows, and those of ACT self-advocates in the side windows. “Settle now!” appeared in bold print on the bus’s roof.

Positioned around the paper bus where cutout figures of people, some in wheel chairs, some with guide dogs, and others, apparently able-bodied, representing transit ridership.

Several self-advocates carried signs reading, “No bus = no freedom.. Others had signs listing the places they wanted to go and the bus routes they used to take to get there. Cliff Poetz’s said, “Work, doctor, bank, and meetings, and routes 5, 16, and 22.”

As the event got rolling, advocate Katie Ranck led the crowd is singing a version of “The Wheels On The Bus,” which she and Bret Helsa had adapted for the occasion with verses such as,  “The riders on the bus are stranded now,” and “Lots of us can’t get to work.”

The music continued with “Settle the Strike Today,” to the tune of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.. “Sit Down! Stop wasting time, Settle the strike today!. The final verse urged, “Don’t change the subject to stadiums, settle the strike today,” referencing Governor Pawlenty’s proposal to fund two-thirds of new venues for the Twins and Vikings.

Striking transit workers left their picket location in front of the Mears building, where Transit Commissioner Peter Bell’s office is located, to lend their support—some even joined the chorus.

When the singing ended, self-advocates passed around a microphone, stating their names and the bus routes they used to ride, and calling for a resolution to the strike. “I lost my job because of the strike,” said one woman.

“Peter Bell and Governor Pawlenty forced the strike on us,” said former transit union president Arnie J. Entzel. “The union offer to keep working under the old contract.. Entzel urged the media to “run this story, and keep running it.”

The local news media was well represented, with reporters from the Pioneer Press, StarTribune, Minnesota Public Radio, KSTP 5, KARE 11, KFAI Radio, and Access Press, covering the rally.

At 3:20, the self-advocates marched across the street to the Mears Building with their symbolic bargaining table. Three representatives went inside to speak with Met Council Chair Peter Bell. Awaiting the outcome of this meeting, Mary Kay Kennedy, co-director of Advocating Change Together, responded to questions from the Pioneer Press’s Jack Sullivan.

“We are looking to our elected and appointed officials for leadership on this issue,” said Kennedy. “We want them to see how this is affecting people with disabilities. Without good public transit, people are forced to become dependant. The Board of Directors of ACT consists of 15 people, all of whom have developmental disabilities. They work, they pay taxes, they vote. Without good public transit, their participation in the community is compromised.. Kennedy added, “This is a disability issue. We are demanding that Governor Pawlenty and Peter Bell step up to the plate and provide the leadership needed to settle this strike. The longer the strike continues, the more people opt out of public transit. This will have a long-term effect of weakening a system that people with disabilities depend on.”

A statement from the ACT press kit distributed to attending media members echoes Kennedy’s sentiments.

“Lots of people are buying bikes, fixing their cars or buying cars. Well, that’s not an option for a lot of us people with disabilities. We need public transit. We don’t have options like some of the other riders do,” says Carol Robinson of Minneapolis. “If everyone who can figure out another way to get around opts out of public transportation, it will leave the rest of us with a shabby transit system.”

When the ACT self-advocates emerged from their meeting with Bell, David Harris took the microphone:  “He sympathizes with us, but I don’t think he’s for us because he couldn’t tell us when the buses will roll.”

Rick Cardenas spoke next, sounding a determined note. “He’s hearing from a new constituency. This strike wasn’t aimed at people with disabilities, but it’s affecting us the most. This is a new constituency that he’s going to hear from more and more,” said Cardenas. The ACT press release quotes Cardenas:  “Peter Bell and Governor Pawlenty are adamant that there is no money to settle the strike. Cardenas responds that, “there is no money because the Pawlenty administration has decided to cut transit. Priorities have shifted away from a strong transit system. When they say there is no money, it’s because they’ve decided there is no money. This is a values issue, not a money issue.”

Cardenas may have a point, considering that there apparently is money to fund two-thirds of two new stadiums.