Allies of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 members employed at First Transit gathered June 25 for a “Speak Out for Accessibility in Public Transit and Housing” organized by the Workers’ Rights Board of Portland Jobs with Justice.
First Transit is a private subcontractor that provides TriMet LIFT service for seniors and people with disabilities.
Workers are bargaining for a new contract, but it’s not going well. Final offers in May were soundly rejected by drivers and dispatchers in Multnomah and Washington counties.
The Workers’ Rights Board has been gathering testimony from LIFT riders and drivers about labor and human rights violations they’ve experienced since First Transit contracted with TriMet. At the event they talked of the challenges they face and what might be done to fix them.
