Bryan Timlin News Today

Hundreds of members of the union that represents Metro Transit workers in the Twin Cities have authorized a strike. The vote doesn’t mean there will be a work stoppage yet — but it does empower the union’s leaders to call a strike.

ATU 1005 represents some 2,000 Metro Transit employees.

Rampant property damage, vandalism, drug use and other activities led the transit agency to take action.

Bill calls for 3 months of intensive safety interventions, including social workers.

A House transportation committee heard on a bill, HF2045, sponsored by Rep. Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee, which would launch a three-month, intensive intervention program to “reset” the culture of the light rail.

The proposal would require the Met Council to develop a code of conduct for transit riders and then create a two-phase plan to enforce it.

In the most recent data, Metro Transit is seeing a 54% increase in crime reports from 2022 compared to the year before. Most notably narcotic use is up 182%.

Some want to tap the states $17B surplus to finish the job.

The service cuts took effect Saturday, the same day that officials marked the opening of the D Line.

In late September, Amazon announced that workers company-wide would not receive the expected $2 per hour “Peak Pay” increase during the period of breakneck pace over the holiday season. Since then, we’ve also learned that Amazon squandered billions on stock buybacks and failed investments. In res