OPAL and the Tri-Met Bus-Riders' Union

25ey_1678_x_281.png
donation_events_839_x_281_0.png catalog_web_banner.png

 

Produced by: 
KBOO
Air date: 
Mon, 06/11/2012 - 12:00am
Tri-Met's budget and bus-riders' union

Bill Resnick talks with Jon Ostar and Khanh Pham from OPAL about organizing a bus-riders union in Portland. They considerm  Tri-Met's vision of a lighrail utopia while bus-service has diminished and fares have increased, and why these priorities have shifted. They underscore why the bus is the backbone of any transit system and deconstuct the rationale behind putting lightrail at the center of Tri-met's vision. Jon explains different approaches to organizing public transit that do not rely on light-rail and frees up money for services.

Episode Playlist

  • Time
    12:06
    Artist
    Dub Against Police
    Song
    Steppa Warrior
    Album
    Cinco Ciclos de Lluvia Girando
    Label
    ReggaeAmbulant
  • Time
    12:17
    Artist
    Dub Syndicate
    Song
    Private I Dub
    Album
    Special King Sioze Dub
    Label
    Echo Beach
  • Time
    12:28
    Artist
    Bad Sound System
    Song
    Word Sound And Power
    Album
    Cinco Ciclos de Lluvia Girando
    Label
    ReggaeAmbulant
  • Time
    12:39
    Artist
    Mexikan Sound System
    Song
    Pan y Cico
    Album
    Cinco Ciclos de Lluvia Girando
    Label
    ReggaeAmbulant
  • Time
    12:50
    Artist
    Ras Cricket ft-Sugar Minott
    Song
    Games People Play Dub
    Album
    Rooted
    Label
    Small Axe Studios
  • Time
    1:01
    Artist
    Ras Cricket
    Song
    Disciples
    Album
    Rooted
    Label
    Small Axe Studios
  • Time
    1:12
    Artist
    Ras Cricket ft-Marko, Mista Chief
    Song
    Tru Revolutionary
    Album
    Rooted
    Label
    Small Axe Studios
  • Time
    1:23
    Artist
    Adventurous
    Song
    Eyes Wide Open
    Album
    Daily Bread Riddim
    Label
    Bonner Cornerstone Prod.
  • Time
    1:34
    Artist
    Admiral Tibet
    Song
    Beware
    Album
    Daily Bread Riddim
    Label
    Bonner Cornerstone Prod.
  • Time
    1:45
    Artist
    Richie Spice
    Song
    Small Corner
    Album
    Daily Bread Riddim
    Label
    Bonner Cornerstone Prod.
  • Time
    1:56
    Artist
    Eljai
    Song
    Frenemy
    Album
    mp3 single
    Label
    Jahmix Entertainment
  • Time
    2:07
    Artist
    Jah Mali
    Song
    Blood Thirsty
    Album
    Possessed Riddim
    Label
    Necessary Mayhem
  • Time
    2:18
    Artist
    Million Stylez
    Song
    Cool Down
    Album
    Possessed Riddim
    Label
    Necessary Mayhem
  • Time
    2:29
    Artist
    Tarrus Riley
    Song
    Possessed
    Album
    Possessed Riddim
    Label
    Necessary Mayhem
  • Time
    2:40
    Artist
    Over-Proof Sound-System
    Song
    Tarantula
    Album
    Pull It Up
    Label
    Collision Cause Chap
  • Time
    2:51
    Artist
    Over-Proof Sound-System
    Song
    Fire
    Album
    Pull It Up
    Label
    Collision Cause Chap
  • Time
    3:02
    Artist
    Over-Proof Sound-System
    Song
    Give I Strength
    Album
    Pull It Up
    Label
    Collision Cause Chap
  • Time
    3:13
    Artist
    Over-Proof Sound-System
    Song
    Dub Afrika
    Album
    Pull It Up
    Label
    Collision Cause Chap
  • Time
    3:24
    Artist
    Word, Sound And Power ft-Dehi Sultanate
    Song
    Badang
    Album
    mp3 single
    Label
  • Time
    3:35
    Artist
    Dontan
    Song
    No Problem
    Album
    mp3 single
    Label
    Dubmatix Bashmix
  • Time
    3:46
    Artist
    Dub Syndicate ft-Dubiterian
    Song
    Rat Race
    Album
    Special King Size Dub
    Label
    Echo Beach
  • Time
    3:57
    Artist
    Dub Syndicate ft-Crispy Horns
    Song
    Alliance
    Album
    Special King Size Dub
    Label
    Echo Beach
  • Time
    4:08
    Artist
    Dub Syndicate ft-Junior Reid
    Song
    God Is A Man (overdubbed by Rob Smith)
    Album
    Special King Size Dub
    Label
    Echo Beach
  • Time
    4:19
    Artist
    The Yataians
    Song
    Going Back To My Home Town
    Album
    O Tulop
    Label
  • Time
    4:30
    Artist
    The Yataians
    Song
    Slow And Easy
    Album
    O Tulop
    Label
  • Time
    4:41
    Artist
    The Yataians
    Song
    The Orange Of Jaffa
    Album
    O Tulop
    Label
  • Time
    4:52
    Artist
    The Yataians
    Song
    Blackstar Line
    Album
    O Tulop
    Label
  • Time
    5:03
    Artist
    Jereme Morgan
    Song
    What It's Gonna Be?
    Album
    World Clock Riddim
    Label
    Pure Music Prod's.
  • Time
    5:14
    Artist
    Froggy Madsquad
    Song
    Mi Vex
    Album
    World Clock Riddim
    Label
    Pure Music Prod's.
  • Time
    5:25
    Artist
    Masicka
    Song
    War Again
    Album
    World Clock Riddim
    Label
    Pure Music Prod's.
  • Time
    5:36
    Artist
    Baby Boom
    Song
    Trust In God
    Album
    World Clock Riddim
    Label
    Pure Music Prod's.
  • Time
    5:47
    Artist
    Lutan Fyah
    Song
    Fruits And Roots
    Album
    World Clock Riddim
    Label
    Pure Music Prod's.
  • Time
    5:58
    Artist
    Sienvolando
    Song
    InI Power
    Album
    One Love Time
    Label
  • Time
    6:09
    Artist
    Sienvolando
    Song
    Positivo
    Album
    One Love Time
    Label
  • Time
    6:20
    Artist
    Dread Mar-I
    Song
    We Know The Real
    Album
    Transparente
    Label
  • Time
    6:31
    Artist
    Dread Mar-I
    Song
    Father Of Creation
    Album
    Transparente
    Label
  • Time
    6:42
    Artist
    Dread Mar-I ft-Yerman Abuin
    Song
    Ghetto
    Album
    Transparente
    Label
  • Time
    6:53
    Artist
    The Black Seeds
    Song
    Loose Cartilage
    Album
    Dust And Dirt
    Label
    Easy Star Records
  • Time
    7:04
    Artist
    The Black Seeds
    Song
    Cracks In Our Crown
    Album
    Dust And Dirt
    Label
    Easy Star Records
  • Time
    7:15
    Artist
    Mark Wonder ft-Sizzla
    Song
    Guiding Light
    Album
    Working Wonders
    Label
    Oneness Records
  • Time
    7:26
    Artist
    Perfect
    Song
    Sonny Boy
    Album
    Journey Of 1000 Miles
    Label
    Dynasty Records
  • Time
    7:37
    Artist
    Lutan Fyah
    Song
    Fight Fire With Fire
    Album
    Fusion Riddim
    Label
    Triple B Ent
  • Time
    7:48
    Artist
    Turbulence
    Song
    Real Soldier
    Album
    Fusion Riddim
    Label
    Triple B Ent
  • Time
    7:59
    Artist
    Over-Proof Sound-System
    Song
    War Must Cease
    Album
    Pull It Up
    Label
    Collision Cause Chap

Comments

I'm hoping that they can succeed, even partially, to turn around the bad policies being brought foward by the current management.
The board peppers them with compliments, but I have always been suspicious of the Trimet board of directors.
Over the years I have watched them and it is my belief that the only time they even think About Trimet is one day a month, and even that is while being spoonfed all the information from the executives, the people that really run Trimet.
I have my doubts that they will get anywhere with the board, but they will be "nice" to OPAL members trying to swing them over a bit.
Don't fall for that!
WORDS ARE NOTHING, ITS ONLY ACTION THAT COUNTS.
And we see very little action on the side of riders.
Public transit in America serves those who profit off it, union and non union. The riders are the last thing that are considered in the equation. That's the bottom line and that is why public transit in America is a dismal failure, at the time American's need it the most.

Audio by Topic: