Bay Area transit strike: media propaganda

[Jimmie Higgins]

The overpriced subway system here has been shut down by a strike now in its 3rd day. The media is doing its role in bashing unions and the workers in general... Presenting the admin. as neutral and therfore "reasonable" against any "unreasonable" demands by the union. Of course IMO if we have to have capitalism, then I think it would be a small demand that the s.f. Financial district pay for all rides and increase subway service and worker safety and pay.

Here's the press in action (and a video with union reps talking about the issues) as chronicled in the nation:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/175063/bart-strike-another-instance-media-portraying-workers-greedy#axzz2Y0C5JpUi

[blake 3:17]

Transit strikes are tricky ones. Best one I know in the region was the Vancouver strike where the busses operated, but the drivers didn't collect fares...

The Nation is rockin it these days!

[Jimmie Higgins]

Yeah, the union has done some community outreach, but personally I see some missteps and missed opportunities in their pr effort. Bart fares are really high, and one of their talking points for example is how the Bart system has such a budget surplus that they delayed a fare increase. It kinda reveals how the union sees things in terms of negotiation, not a battle where they need to build up general solidarity even in just a passive pr sense.

On a grassroots level, they've made some decent moves in some places, but the pr from above is coming down hard.