In a show of solidarity with striking transit workers, union locals and individual union members have donated more than $15,000 to Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005's strike fund and to a union food shelf.
"The response has been tremendous," said Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council (CLUC), which operates the food shelf. "At union meetings, people are passing a hat for the strikers. Rank and file members are digging into their own pockets to contribute. Then, they're also voting to direct their union to send a check to help the strikers."
"People are walking into our office and bringing a check for $1,000 from their union local for the food shelf," McCarthy said.
At the CLUC delegate meeting March 10, ATU Vice President Michelle Sommers received a standing ovation, McCarthy said. He reported that the 60 or so delegates passed a hat and raised more than $900. Next, they voted to contribute $1,000 from CLUC funds to aid the strikers.
More than $3,000 to aid striking transit workers came from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), including about $2,000 donated by individual union activists at two recent AFSCME events and a $1,000 donation from AFSCME Council 14.
"Workers across the board know that the transit workers' fight is their fight, too," McCarthy said.
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In a show of solidarity with striking transit workers, union locals and individual union members have donated more than $15,000 to Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005’s strike fund and to a union food shelf.
“The response has been tremendous,” said Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council (CLUC), which operates the food shelf. “At union meetings, people are passing a hat for the strikers. Rank and file members are digging into their own pockets to contribute. Then, they’re also voting to direct their union to send a check to help the strikers.”
“People are walking into our office and bringing a check for $1,000 from their union local for the food shelf,” McCarthy said.
At the CLUC delegate meeting March 10, ATU Vice President Michelle Sommers received a standing ovation, McCarthy said. He reported that the 60 or so delegates passed a hat and raised more than $900. Next, they voted to contribute $1,000 from CLUC funds to aid the strikers.
More than $3,000 to aid striking transit workers came from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), including about $2,000 donated by individual union activists at two recent AFSCME events and a $1,000 donation from AFSCME Council 14.
“Workers across the board know that the transit workers’ fight is their fight, too,” McCarthy said.