General Membership meeting this Saturday, Dec. 15th

The Pittsburghers for Public Transit General Membership meeting is this Saturday, Dec.15th at 10 am, downtown at One Smithfield, in the Human Services Building, in the Liberty Conference Room, in the basement.  There's free parking at the building.

Here's a brief summary of the agenda:  

• Community organizers report: County Council hearing on UPMC, Sprout grant, legislative coalition meeting in Harrisburg, etc.
• Report on meeting with ATU International President Larry Hanley & ATU local leadership.
• Press conference and launch of Pennsylvanians for Public Transit in January with statewide coalition partners
• Draft calendar of direct organizing goals and events for spring: upcoming training schedule.
• Draft calendar of legislative campaign
• Introduction of Bob Schmitt of CAT as nominee to the Coordinating Committee - vote to take place in January.

Allegheny County Council hearing on UPMC role in our community

Pittsburghers for Public Transit will help rock the Allegheny County Courthouse today at 5pm. Help make our voices heard that UPMC, as "charity," should actually act like a nonprofit, instead of making big bucks off their community. Ask our elected leaders to stand up for people who voted for them by demanding that UPMC give back a fair share of taxes or other contributions for the infrastructure that they profit from, including mass transit. 

PPT General membership meeting on November 17th

The PPT General Membership meeting is this Saturday, November 17th at 10am  at the Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224.


Agenda includes:

• Up/down vote on nominations for Coordinating Committee: Paul O'Hanlon and Mel Packer
• Report from subgroups: outreach, media, direct organizing, etc.
• Reports on Hill Consensus Group meeting, PCRG forums on Transit Oriented Development, the Make It My UPMC "fair share" Campaign, MOVEPGH community feedback session, Intermodal Transportation planning meeting, and the City Council post agenda hearing on the proposed Billboard Tax Legislation
• Legislative campaign: upcoming meeting of local and statewide coalition partners, survey for legislators and transit score card
  
• Bylaws: revision and vote
• Consideration and vote on joining coalitions

Transit Bill of Rights

At the last general membership meeting on October 20th, Pittsburghers for Public Transit voted on a Transit Bill of Rights:

Members of our community need public mass transit for basic mobility and access to work, school, hospitals, shopping areas, recreational facilities, polling places, places of worship, and families and friends. Public mass transit is a vital part of any healthy metropolitan area. It is essential infrastructure—just like roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, and utilities—that is crucial to the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of our region.

We have a right to a public mass transit system that includes:
1. Safe, reliable, environmentally-sustainable, and affordable transit that is accessible to all
2. Living wages, benefits, safe working conditions, and union rights for transit workers
3. Dedicated and sustainable funding for public transit
4. Equitable distribution of public transit costs with corporations paying their fair share
5. Transit that meets the needs of each community with no communities left out

Join Pittsburghers for Public Transit in affirming this Transit Bill of Rights.

NEXT MEETING: Sat Nov 17, 2012. 10 am at Thomas Merton Center. 
(General membership meetings are the 3rd Saturday of each month)

This website and all our educational materials are currently being redesigned - stay tuned for some big changes. 

Here's a basic summary of the Proposal for Organization, Strategy, Tactics, Activities that was revised and voted for by all participants at the monthly general membership meeting of Pittsburghers for Public Transit on October 20, 2012.

Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a democratic membership organization of those who are in agreement with the Transit Bill of Rights and are prepared to help advance it.

• Meetings will be held at least once a month, and all decisions will be made on the basis of one person, one vote—majority rule. A “voting member” is someone who regularly attends PPT meetings. Proposals should be sent to the community organizer [Helen Gerhardt: helengerhardt1@gmail.com], who will compile and send them to the membership three days in advance of the monthly meeting.

• Sub-committees will be established as needed, by a decision of the membership, and they are answerable to the PPT membership. However, the media sub-committee can make decisions about material without approval of the general membership.
• A coordinating committee of no more than seven persons, answerable to the general membership, will be elected every six months to oversee and facilitate the work of PPT, including the work of any PPT staff and interns. This team will also make decisions--as needed--in between meetings, which can subsequently be reviewed. [Members of the Coordinating Committee will be published in the About section when the new website is completed.]

Currently, our goal is to achieve dedicated funding to secure a mass public transit system that is beneficial to transit riders, transit workers, and our communities. Our strategy – the over-arching "game-plan" to achieve that goal – will be to organize and mobilize popular pressure to persuade the Pennsylvania State Legislature to establish such funding. (If such funding is not forthcoming, we will consider additional efforts for achieving it).

We also aim to convince the general public that mass transit is a human right and necessity that must be supported by the corporations that benefit from its existence.

Finally, we seek to build a truly democratic mass organization to defend and expand public transit.


The PPT also voted on two other strategic and tactical work plans:

Proposal for Legislative Campaign, detailing our plans to inform and engage legislators and their constituents across the state

Proposal for Direct Organizing Campaign, detailing plans to engage, train, and coordinate teams of drivers, riders, and other transit supporters to engage in the political process and to build organizational coalitions for public transit.

Please contact us at pittsburghersforpublictransit@gmail.com if you'd like more information on how you can join our efforts.

NEXT PPT MEETING: 

Saturday, October 20th, at 10 am at The Thomas Merton Center (5129 Penn Ave).

Join a team of transit drivers, riders, and supporters working together to defend and expand mass transportation in our region.  Come to find out how you can contribute to local and statewide campaigns to secure long-term, dedicated transit funding.  

We'll be sharing news and considering proposals for:

• a Transit Bill of Rights
• coalition building
• our community organizing campaign
• training volunteers
• our legislative campaign across the state for dedicated public transit funding

PPT in the News: The Transit Crisis Isn't Over

On October 11th, members of the ATU's Local 85 voted to ratify a contract that included $60 million in concessions over the next four years.  Their actions, along with funds from the state and county, averted the devastating 35% service cut that had been slated to take effect in September.  However, all of this is only a band-aid for the transit crisis in our region.  The ATU did more than their part; now it's the State's turn to do theirs.

PPT was at the Convention Center for the vote and subsequent news conference to show our support for transit workers and remind the Greater-Pittsburgh community that we still need an adequate and sustainable source of government funding if we don't want to be facing more cuts next year.

We still have a long fight ahead of us to make that happen.  If you would like to join the group of public transit riders and workers who are organizing a campaign to push for a long-term funding solution to put a stop to the transit crisis once and for all, we invite you to come to our NEXT PPT MEETING: Saturday, October 20th, at 10 am at The Thomas Merton Center (5129 Penn Ave).

Read up on the new ATU contract in the Post-Gazette's article, "Port Authority Ratifies Contract to Head Off Service Cuts," which includes a quote from PPT's own Jonah McAllister! 

Check out PPT's Op-Ed, "Public Transit Still Needs to be Saved," published in the Post-Gazette!

Meeting on July 21st

Join us for a meeting at 10am at the Thomas Merton Center. We'll be meeting with members of ATU Local 85.

Meeting with ATU Local 85 and the International President

Today we met at the ATU Local 85 headquarters along with International President, Larry Hanley. We've got only a couple months before the bus cuts take effect. We'll be working closely with the union and PPT has got big plans for September 8th.

Raising the Issue

Over the past couple weeks we've passed out 10,000 of our 2nd edition 'PA Needs Transit' newspaper.

If you haven't seen it yet, you can download the digital version here: PA Needs Transit

The End Is Near

If you missed our doomday flyering or just want a copy of the flyer, click here.

Recap of 6/8 Save Our Public Transit March

PPT led a spirited demonstration to Save Our Public Transit on Friday, June 8^th in Downtown Pittsburgh.  Over 200 transit riders and workers marched together to call for more public transit—not less.  Besides demanding a stop to bus cuts, speakers called upon lawmakers to create a dedicated source of funding for transportation and upon corporations and massive “nonprofit” companies like UPMC to pay their “fare” share for our transit system.  At the end of the rally, a dozen transit advocates performed nonviolent civil disobedience in a sit-down on Fifth Ave and were arrested.  They issued this statement in advance.

Read the Post Gazette’s article here!

Read the report in the City Paper here!

See the Tribune-Review's recap here!

Watch WTAE’s news coverage here!

Thank you to all the organizations that endorsed and supported this action (ATU, One Pittsburgh, UE, Unite Here, ISO Pittsburgh, WIL, USW, PIIN, Sierra Club Allegheny Group, USW, PSL, IWW, Occupy Pittsburgh, and Thomas Merton Center).   

Thank you so much to everyone who showed up to stand together for transit—let’s keep up the fight!

Save Our Public Transit Demonstration 6/8

SAVE OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT!

March & Rally 

        

Friday, June 8th at 3:00 PM

Meet at 11 Stanwix Street (the corner of Stanwix St and Fort Pitt Blvd in Downtown Pittsburgh).  

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is about to go into summer recess without any solution to the state's transportation funding crisis in place--it's time to send a loud and clear message to our decisionmakers that we demand a dedicated source of funding for public transit now that does not balance the budget on the backs of workers, students, and our most vulnerable citizens while giving tax breaks to corporations.

JOIN PPT along with the ATU Local 85, One Pittsburgh, UFCW Local 23, Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Sierra Club Allegheny Group, Workers International League, United Electrical Workers, United Steelworkers, International Socialist Organization, Thomas Merton Center, Unite Here! and Occupy Pittsburgh TO SAY:

NO to cuts, fare hikes, layoffs, privatization, and union busting!  

YES to dedicated funding for public transportation and corporations paying their “fare” share! 

CHECK OUT THE POSTER FOR THE EVENT HERE.  FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS AND HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!

Community Meetings on Transit 5/19/12

There are two Community Meetings on Transit coming up on Saturday, May 19th.

*The first, hosted by Pittsburghers for Public Transit, is at 1:00 PM at The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation's Community Activity Center (113 N Pacific Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15224).

Join PPT and the ATU to discuss the public transportation crisis in Pennsylvania and ways to organize against service cuts in your neighborhood.

*The second, hosted by The Battle of Homestead Foundation, is at 1:30 PM at The Pump House (880 E Waterfront Drive, Munhall PA 15120).

Join representatives from the ATU, UCFW, Unite Here, and PPT for a forum about the transit crisis in Pittsburgh and what can be done about it.

ATU RALLY 4/27

PLEASE JOIN THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION'S LOCAL 85 FOR A RALLY TO SAY NO TO THE PORT AUTHORITY'S 35% SERVICE REDUCTION PLANNED FOR SEPTEMBER

WHERE: 345 6TH AVE., PITTSBURGH PA
WHEN: FRIDAY, APRIL 27TH, 2012 at 8:45AM
 
WE WILL ATTEND THE PORT AUTHORITY BOARD MEETING AT WHICH THEY WILL BE VOTING TO APPROVE THE JULY FARE INCREASES AND SEPTEMBER SERVICE CUTS.  AFTERWARDS, WE WILL MARCH TO GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT’S OFFICE TO DEMAND THAT HE IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF HIS OWN TRANSPORTATION FUNDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE NEED COMMUNITY AND LABOR SUPPORT TO SAVE THIS VITAL SERVICE!  HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

ANY QUESTIONS - CALL MIKE HARMS at 412-715-5212

National Day of Action to Stop Transit Cuts! Defend Pittsburgh Public Transit!

When: Wednesday April 4th 12:00 PM

Where: City-County Building - 414 Grant Street Downtown Pittsburgh

Pittsburghers for Public Transit, ATU Local 85, and Occupy Pittsburgh will rally against the local proposed cut to transit service and fare hikes while calling attention to the war and financial crimes perpetrated by the US government and Giant Banks stealing money from the public and crushing human rights!

Public transportation is a right and must be accessible to all. Service cuts and fare hikes will have a devastating and disproportionate impact on low-income communities, communities of color, students, workers, seniors and the environment. We say NO TO PRIVATIZATION of our common resources and NO MORE EXCUSES! We will not accept any funding strategies that attempt to divide the 99% against each other or shift the burden onto the backs of the 99%: the poor and working classes. End the wars and tax the rich!

On April 4th, we will stand together to demand public transportation for the 99%. If our call is not answered and the necessary funds redirected, it will only add to the growing body of evidence that our government no longer represents us.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Exactly one year prior, he delivered a speech against the war in Vietnam and said:

"...America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube."

Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/293768940696383/

RALLY TO SAVE TRANSIT - WEDNESDAY FEB 29 12 PM

Our public transit system is facing the most drastic cuts in service to date!

POTENTIAL LOSS OF 35% OF SERVICE, 50% OF ROUTES AND 500 JOBS

Take action to fight for public investment in transportation and demand that corporations pay there "fare" share. Pittsburghers for Public Transit, ATU Local 85, and Occupy Pittsburgh will be rallying outside of the public comment hearings at the David Lawrence Convention Center on Wednesday February 29th at Noon to demand that the proposed cuts be rejected and that a permanent solution to the funding crisis facing public transit be found!

During the rest of the day, the Port Authority will hold a public hearing on the proposed cuts from 8 am to 8 pm at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. To register for a 3 minute slot to make testimony, call 412.566.5437 (TTY 412.231.7007) from 9 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays.

www.pittsburghersforpublictransit.org

www.occupypittsburgh.org

Pittsburghers for Public Transit on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pittsburghers-for-Public-Transit/192650014094458

Leafletting Events- Feb. 14, 24, 28

Join Occupy Pittsburgh, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, our union member sisters and brothers, and other residents to distribute post cards on buses, at bus stops, and at congested intersections to mobilize the public in support of public transit.

Meet and pick up flyers between 3:30 and 5:00 PM at one of the two action locations and learn more details about the proposed cuts, the campaign, and how you can help. 

Action Locations:

Downtown: People's Park/a.k.a Mellon Green (6th & Grant)
Oakland: Schenley Plaza (Forbes & Bigelow)

Additional outreach days are planned for the same locations on Friday Feb. 24 and Tuesday Feb. 28. PLEASE JOIN US!

View this event on Facebook

Bus Riders Rally Against Proposed Port Authority Cuts - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Bus Riders Rally Against Proposed Port Authority Cuts - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Emergency Rally Against Transit Cuts! TOMORROW 1/26

Tomorrow morning the Port Authority Board of Directors will be meeting to officially vote on the proposed 35% transit cuts. Join members of Pittsburghers for Public Transit and ATU Local 85 to demand that PAT stand up for transit riders and workers!

Where: The Heinz Building, 345 6th Avenue Downtown Pittsburgh

When: 8:15 AM - 10:00 AM

NO CUTS!
NO LAYOFFS!
DEFEND AND EXPAND OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM!

Transit funding needs a fix – we know how, tax the rich!

Marchers rallying on the steps of East Liberty Presbyterian Church

By Jonna Jamie

Pittsburgh, PA- On September 24, 2011 200 Pittsburghers marched down Penn Avenue through the neighborhood of East Liberty demanding “more transit, not less” and “no more cuts” to the bus routes in Allegheny County and beyond. The march and rally was organized by Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) and endorsed by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 85, amongst others. The people in attendance were diverse but the message was a focused one. The crowd was a mix of ages, creeds and skin colors. PPT's slogan rang visually true: we all need transit.

The march ended at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, where the marchers and onlookers gathered to show their energy and listen to speakers. Andrew Wagner of PPT kicked off the rally by saying “If they can cut the guts out of the postal service nationally, just imagine what they can do to transit in Allegheny County. This is a class war against working class people in this country. We need not to rely on Republican and Democrat votes, but on our own strength.”

William Anderson of The Black Political Empowerment Project followed Mr. Wagner's theme, stating “This is a class issue. This has nothing to do with race, gender, creed... it is a war on poor people. We will not stand for this class attack where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.”

“On Thanksgiving in 2010, we woke up to see in the newspaper that the Allegheny County Port Authority cut transit 40 percent,” said Pat McMahon, President of the ATU Local 85. “ Dan Onorato and the Board of Directors cannot deny any longer that this is a war against working people. That is the politics of Allegheny County and the democrats we voted for. It is class warfare brothers and sisters, and we need to do something about it...are you with us?” Mr. McMahon represents 22,000 Allegheny County transit workers.

“We need to go down to the garage and not let any of those buses roll out until they all can roll out,” said Jim Bonner, a laid-off bus driver who has taken to organizing since his layoff in March.

On March 27, cuts eliminated 29 routes, trimmed service on most others and threw 180 union workers out of their jobs. According to Port Authority figures released on June 15, ridership for April and May was off by 9.5 percent compared with April and May 2010. “This is not unique to Pittsburgh,” said Antonio Lodico of Western Pennsylvania's We Are One Coalition. “Right now all over the country they [the rich] are attempting to destroy public gain for private good.”

Some in attendance view the transit issue as an opportunity to push for a political campaign. “We [working people] are fighting with one hand tied behind our backs and we need to form a labor party. One that is built by and for working people,” said Karl Belin of the Campaign for a Mass Party of Labor.

“Pittsburgh is currently trying to establish itself as a “green city,” leading the way in innovative environmentally-friendly jobs, technologies, and policies,” posts PPT on their website. “Cuts to public transit would be a major step back in these efforts... we should fund the Port Authority in order to lead the way in green initiatives that benefit our environment and health by improving our air quality and reducing run-off pollution to our water supply. Increased funding would allow Port Authority to expand their hybrid fleet and further experiment with biodiesel fueling options. Public transportation infrastructure and innovation are keys to the sustainable development and general well-being of our region.”

Other speakers included Carol of Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Tony Spadaro of the Pittsburgh chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, and a musical performance by Mike Stout, one of Pittsburgh's working class rock stars. Mr. Stout's localized version of Florence Reece's “Which Side Are You On?” was a crowd pleaser.