Transit Fare Strike Action

This action has NOT been endorsed by Occupy Boston. We can not be responsible for the actions of individuals.

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In the News

[Boston Occupier]

Update from the field

Here are two videos from the first Fare Free Friday in protest against the MBTA fare hikes and service cuts. The first video shows the doors being open at the Chinatown T stop (the video is blurred). I hope the first video captures some of the exhilaration of that moment.

Opening the Gates: Fare Free Friday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JuFCgia3JI

The second video has an opening speech explaining the history behind the T fare hikes and the rationale of doing a fare strike. IMHO, this was my favorite speech of the day.

We Say Fare Strike! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK0auvkS_DA

Action Details

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Original Message --------

Subject: Boston Fare Strike Meeting Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:56:03 -0400 From: ndmc <ndmc@occupyboston.org> To: undisclosed-recipients:;

[PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY]

"They Say Fare Hike...We Say Fare Strike!" Dear friends and fellow T riders: The Boston Fare Strike Coalition would like to invite you to a public meeting this Thursday, July 19th, at 6pm by the Boston Common Gazebo. In case of rain we will meet in the City Place food court, across Boylston St, down the alley passed Sweet Water Tavern on the first floor of the Transportation Building.

Please join and share the Facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/457874820904420/457951324230103/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity <http://www.facebook.com/#%21/events/457874820904420/457951324230103/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity>

At the meeting you will have the opportunity to:

1) discuss and reflect on the Fare Strike campaign thus far. What has worked? What can we do better? 2) plan future actions. Up for discussion will be the idea of making "Fare Free Fridays" a regularly recurring action as well as other types of actions.

3) Connect with the Boston Fare Strike Coalition and other transit activists and get involved in the struggle. Come help us to build a vibrant and creative movement, rooted in direct action and a radical analysis, to combat austerity and privatization, and to defend the people's right to affordable, accessible, (and expanded) public transit.

Hope to see many of you there. Sincerely and in solidarity, Boston Fare Strike Coalition

On 7/9/2012 3:37 PM, ndmc wrote: > [PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY] > > /Fare Free Friday: They Say Fare Hike...We Say Fare Strike!/ > > Please join the Boston Fare Strike Coalition > This Friday, July 13th at 6 pm > outside Park St. Station > (intersection of Tremont St. and Park St.) > > http://www.facebook.com/events/182379171893501/ > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Hello fellow riders and austerity resistors, > > As you know, MassDOT went ahead with fare hikes and service cuts to > Boston area public transit on July 1. They did this despite an > unprecedented public outcry over the effects of these cuts and hikes > on the most vulnerable in our communities, the elderly, the disabled, > the youth, and the poor. > > This blow to the accessibility of public transit comes after a dozen > years of mismanagement and insider corruption and decades of > systematic injustice that have seen communities of color under-served > by rapid transit. It seems the State House is content to let our > public transit system not just remain inadequate but actually fall to > pieces under the weight of an unreasonable debt burden, and fall prey > to the privatization vultures that now hold top positions in MassDOT. > > This year the future of public transit in Boston will likely be > decided. Right now, workers and riders are not in a position to shape > the outcome of these negotiations. In fact, the only group whose > interests we can be sure will be considered is that of the bankers, > the same crooks that brought us the Great Recession, who got bailed > out to preserve the financial order, and who are now making windfall > profits off of our hemorrhaging public transit system. > > The people have spoken at their hearings, begged on the steps of the > State House, and flooded their offices with petitions without results. > Now its time to assert our power directly. If they want to balance the > books on the backs of the vulnerable, we won't pay. Sometimes rules > must be broken in the name of justice! > > Already, Boston Fare Strike Coalition has organized two successful > mass fare evasions with over 150 participants in the strike action and > no arrests or fines. Many workers understand and support the strike > and we will continue to reach out to them through our actions. Join us > this Friday at 6 pm outside Park St. Station to help grow the Fare > Strike into a powerful austerity resistance movement. > > /Our trains, our tracks, get this debt off our backs!/ >

Archives

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original email----

Come Help the Boston Fare Strike Coalition insitute a new Boston tradition...Fare Free Friday!

Meet up at 6pm outside Park Street Station: for mass outrech, short speeches, marching...and more..

'Cuz they hiked out fares by 23%...It's only FAIR that we get to take one day for free.

Hope to see some of you there!

-Joe Ramsey

• Fare Free Friday: They Say Fare Hike...We Say Fare Strike!*

"The Banks Get a Free Ride...Why Can't We? Public Transit Should be Free!"

Please join the Boston Fare Strike Coalition This Friday, July 13th at 6 pm outside Park St. Station (intersection of Tremont St. and Park St.)

http://www.facebook.com/events/182379171893501/

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Hello fellow riders and austerity resistors,

As you know, MassDOT went ahead with fare hikes and service cuts to Boston area public transit on July 1. They did this despite an unprecedented public outcry over the effects of these cuts and hikes on the most vulnerable in our communities, the elderly, the disabled, the youth, and the poor.

This blow to the accessibility of public transit comes after a dozen years of mismanagement and insider corruption and decades of systematic injustice that have seen communities of color under-served by rapid transit. It seems the State House is content to let our public transit system not just remain inadequate but actually fall to pieces under the weight of an unreasonable debt burden, and fall prey to the privatization vultures that now hold top positions in MassDOT.

This year the future of public transit in Boston will likely be decided. Right now, workers and riders are not in a position to shape the outcome of these negotiations. In fact, the only group whose interests we can be sure will be considered is that of the bankers, the same crooks that brought us the Great Recession, who got bailed out to preserve the financial order, and who are now making windfall profits off of our hemorrhaging public transit system.

The people have spoken at their hearings, begged on the steps of the State House, and flooded their offices with petitions without results. Now its time to assert our power directly. If they want to balance the books on the backs of the vulnerable, we won't pay. Sometimes rules must be broken in the name of justice!

Already, Boston Fare Strike Coalition has organized two successful mass fare evasions with over 150 participants in the strike action and no arrests or fines. Many workers understand and support the strike and we will continue to reach out to them through our actions. Join us this Friday at 6 pm outside Park St. Station to help grow the Fare Strike into a powerful austerity resistance movement.

• Our trains, our tracks, get this debt off our backs!*

Contact

jgramsey @ gmail . com