ATU Local 689 Statement in Response to Continued Metro Shortfalls

(Forestville, Maryland) February 2, 2024 - Yesterday, Washington D.C. Mayor Bowser announced that the District was prepared to fund Metro with an additional $200 million, falling short of the $275 million of the District’s share. Likewise, Maryland and Virginia have signaled that they are prepared to fund the system with infusions of $150 million and $130 million above their regular shares respectively. Similarly, those numbers fall short of the amounts needed to fully fund the system without degradations in service, layoffs, benefit cuts, fare increases, or raids from capital funds. The Union implores all parties to not allow these to come to pass.

This budget must not be balanced on the backs of working class people. Local 689 proudly represents over 9,000 hardworking WMATA employees who have faithfully served the public through the worst public health crisis in a century and frightening upticks in violence and antisocial behavior. To repay these frontline heroes with pink slips, stolen retirements, and slashed wages would be unconscionable, short-sighted, and foolish. 

In the same vein, the riding public deserves world class service at affordable rates. Drastic increases in fares, cutbacks on rail, less frequent buses, and shrinking MetroAccess’ service area are not ways to fix the system. Instead, they are laying the problems of the system on the most vulnerable people among us.

“Our members are dedicated professionals who take pride in this system," said Local 689 President Raymond Jackson. “The root of Metro’s financial problems is an unstable funding system with no mechanism for stable and robust dedicated funding. All the compact members need to immediately come together and find a long term solution. It’s a conversation we’d be happy to facilitate.”

Local 689 has laid out multiple avenues to lawmakers for progressive and sustainable funding for Metro. The Union implores all compact partners to fully fund their shares.