Boston bus drivers stand with Moscow tram workers

Workers at the Bauman tram depot in Moscow, Russia, have been organizing and holding protests to highlight wage disparities, poor working conditions and safety issues. On Oct.10, they voted to form a branch of the Independent Trade Union of Interregional Transport Workers to fight for their rights and passenger safety. Just nine days later, management fired incoming union leader Yuri Dashkov on bogus charges of “absenteeism.”

Members of Team Solidarity — the Boston School Bus Drivers of United Steelworkers Local 8751 — expressed their solidarity with Bauman depot workers.  At Workers World Party’s national conference in New York City, held Nov. 7-8, drivers posed with signs in Russian and English demanding, “Reinstate Yuri Dashkov!” and “Hands off the union!”

For two years, the Boston school bus drivers have been fighting to reinstate four of their own leaders who were fired by the Veolia/Transdev corporation in a union-busting conspiracy with Boston city officials and the corporate media.

Both unions need solidarity. Send letters supporting the Bauman workers and Yuri Dashkov to:

Branch tram depot Bauman, State Unitary Enterprise “Mosgortrans”
129226, Moscow, Russia. Agriculture, d. 9/2
fax: 011 7 (495) 656-7409

Send copies to:

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin
125032, Moscow, Russia. Tverskaya, 13,
www.mos.ru/authority/treatments/reception/
011 7 (495) 633-5190 or 011 7 (495) 957-0444

Moscow City Department of Transportation
127994, Moscow, Russia. Garden-Gravity, 1
fax: 011 7 (495) 957-0540
dt.mos.ru/feedback/reception/

SUE “Mosgortrans”
Address: Moscow, 115035, Raushskaya nab. 22/21, building 1
fax: 011 7 (495) 951-3827

For more information on the Boston school bus drivers’ struggle, visit www.bostonschoolbus5.org.  Donate to help the unfairly fired drivers at ​youcaring.com/rehirethe4/.