The below is a reprint of a flyer recently written by the New York transit/industrial section. It attacks the racist fare hike that went into effect on the NYC subway this month and is meant to help unite MTA Transit workers and riders against the MTA bosses.
The MTA is at it again! Another fare increase hit the city’s subways and buses on January 4th. Base fares are now $3. Seven- and 30-day MetroCards have been eliminated entirely. This is a racist attack against the majority Black and Latin ridership, who will have to foot the bill for the MTA’s ever-growing $50 billion-plus debt service—while getting paltry train service in return.
These increases, pushed in liberal NYC—which positions itself as pro-working class—show that Democrat or Republican, they’re all the same…and not on our side. While new Mayor Mamdani talks about taxing the rich to pay for free buses and better municipal services, the reality, coupled with this fare increase, points to a path of funding imperialist war.
While this goes on, ICE is terrorizing Latin workers in neighborhoods like Sunset Park and Bushwick, and African merchants on Canal Street. Many of them rely on the subway. This is a ploy to keep us afraid of fighting back together—everything is connected.
The MTA brass is also targeting riders to justify these fare increases. They claim“farebeaters” are to blame for deteriorating subway service. In several poorer neighborhoods, workers are now dealing with spikes over the turnstiles on top of the fare increase. New, useless “smart” fare gates are being installed (and literally attacking riders with their malfunctions).
The state has also raided MTA funds while the MTA outsources critical infrastructure projects to third party companies which often finish late and over budget.
The only thing that will save us is workers and riders uniting to demand an end to these increases! Make the bosses take the losses! Transit riders and workers must also come together against the MTA’s attacks in a multifaceted way.
We call for workers to :
- organize strike ready committees for every department or sector they’re in.
- Forge transit-worker unity against racism. Anytime the cops murder an innocent Black or Latin rider, we must flood the streets and make it clear that it won’t be business as usual as long as we are under siege.
- But most of all, we must fight for a communist revolution led by the Progressive Labor Party! Specifically with Black workers at the helm, we will smash the bosses and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat worldwide. That will get us a subway system we can all be proud of-and much more! Join us!
To learn more visit www.plp.org or contact us at