Vermont Strike Shows Workers Can Win When They Fight With Community Solidarity Support
http://laborradio.org/2014/04/vermont-strike-shows-workers-can-win-when-they-fight-with-community-solidarity-support/
Posted: April 13, 2014 by laborradio
By Doug Cunningham
[Paul Fleckenstein]: If you dont fight, you WILL lose. If you fight you might win, And weve seen a win! (cheers).
Paul Fleckenstein of the Vermont Workers Center celebrating a bus driver strike victory in Burlington. Today is the first day since the recent bus strike that bus riders in Chittenden County Vermont will be paying to ride the buses again. Buses were free for several days after bus drivers at Teamsters Local 597 won their three-week strike with strong solidarity from the community and from other unions. James Fouts is one of the drivers from Teamsters Local 597.
[James Fouts]: Two tyrants and 13 board members held this community hostage over their pathetic, petty goals and it was for no good reason. They ended up compromising and giving us all of the things weve wanted form the beginning, in general. We compromised for 10 months. and it took three weeks of suffering. Three weeks of pain. Three weeks of solidarity to convince them that their tyranny would not continue forward. So I want to thank everyone! Workers of the world unite!