U.S. SENATOR ED MARKEY TO STAND WITH MBTA MECHANICS IN EFFORT TO PROTECT RIDERS, WORKERS, TAXPAYERS FROM PRIVATIZATION SCHEME
LYNN, MA – U.S. Senator Edward Markey (D) will stand with the INVEST NOW coalition in support of MBTA mechanics and their families at a rally and press conference slated for Monday, August 14 at 11:45 AM at the Lynn MBTA bus maintenance garage.
The coalition and MBTA mechanics are campaigning to protect taxpayers, riders, and workers from the latest MBTA privatization scheme targeting core MBTA bus maintenance services. Advocates say that the promised cost-savings of privatization are overblown. They point to the disastrous Keolis contract as evidence that the bids recently put forth by for-profit companies TransDev, First Tranist, and MV Transit cannot be trusted.
TransDev in particular has a known history of coming under fire from workers, riders, and government officials for underperforming on bus related contracts.
WHO: U.S. Senator Ed Markey, INVEST NOW Coalition, MBTA Mechanics who are members of IAM Local 264
WHAT: Rally and press conference in support MBTA mechanics and their families. The INVEST NOW coalition and MBTA mechanics are campaigning to protect taxpayers, riders, and workers from a controversial scheme to give control of core MBTA services to for-profit corporations.
WHEN: Monday, August 14, 11:45 A.M.
WHERE: MBTA Lynn Maintenance Facility, 985 Western Ave., Lynn, MA
WHY: The rally in Lynn comes
On the heels of the for-profit companies sneaking into MBTA garages under the cloak of night between midnight and 3:00 A.M. earlier this week to survey the properties they will be bidding for control of.
Advocates and workers said the tactic lacked transparency, as did the closed backdoor meeting that occurred with vendors at the MBTA transportation building on Wednesday.
“These for-profit corporations appearing under cloak of night to begin seizing control of the MBTA demonstrates the lack of transparency surrounding this scheme that is being forced upon taxpayers, riders, and worker,” said Mike Vartabedian, Business Representative of IAM Local 264. “The public deserves management at the MBTA that is open and transparent. MBTA mechanics rank as the best in the nation, but thus far the negotiations have remained one-sided with the workers offering $29 million in savings and hearing only silence from management.”
Markey’s schedule appearance at the rally lends further momentum to the mechanics’ campaign that has also drawn recent high profile support from City of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Congressman Joseph Kennedy III. MBTA mechanics currently earn just 3% above the national average when adjusted for cost of living.
