JACKSON, Miss.—Loud chants and honking horns boomed in front of the JTRAN bus station on Highway 80 in Jackson all morning as employees went on strike Wednesday.
Valerie Jefferson traveled to Jackson from Louisiana to support the disgruntled JTRAN employees.
Jefferson—a regional representative for Amalgamated Transit Union, the labor union that represents JTRAN employees—passionately led the group in chants all morning.
“Who moves this city?” she asked.
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“ATU!” the strikers responded, holding up signs and marching in front of the building.
The strike led the City of Jackson to temporarily shut down JTRAN service, leaving riders without access to public transportation in the capital city.
“This is not an economic strike. This is a safety strike,” Charles Tornes Jr., president of the local chapter of ATU, told the Mississippi Free Press on Wednesday morning.
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Local ATU President Charles Tornes said in an interview on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, that JTRAN employees were prepared to strike for as long as it takes for MV Transportation to answer their demands. Photo by Shaunicy Muhammad ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=780%2C519&ssl=1″ alt class=”wp-image-46674″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Charles-Tornes_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad-1024×682.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>Local ATU President Charles Tornes said in an interview on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, that JTRAN employees were prepared to strike for as long as it takes for MV Transportation to answer their demands. Photo by Shaunicy Muhammad
On Wednesday, several JTRAN employees voiced their frustration with MV Transportation, who they say is too quick to fire employees over what they see as small infractions, creating an unpleasant work environment.
Employees also allege that MV Transportation, which took over management of JTRAN employees in January, has failed to comply with certain terms of their contract, including providing an allowance for uniforms.
Mayor Tried Mediations With Both Parties
The strike on Sept. 4 is the latest episode in the saga between JTRAN
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