W.S.L.C.
WSLC: ‘We grieve together’ over slain ATU members in San Jose
Donate to the relief fund for the families of the victims
SAN JOSE, Calif. (May 27, 2021) — An employee of Valley Transportation Authority gunned down nine co-workers at a San Jose, Calif., rail yard maintenance building early Wednesday morning and then killed himself as law enforcement officers arrived at the scene.
The (San Jose) Mercury News reports:
About 100 VTA workers, most of them men, and some family members were escorted from the sheriff’s office to a larger auditorium across the street in the county administration. Inside the auditorium, screams and wailing broke out. Workers said they were told not to talk to news reporters, but one worker said he was shaken to the core.
“The whole crew is gone, the whole shift is gone,” the worker, who didn’t want to be identified, said. “It’s horrible.”
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Larry Brown and Secretary Treasurer April Sims issued the following statement Wednesday afternoon:
“Our thoughts are with our Union siblings who have been murdered and injured in today’s horrific shooting in San Jose, Calif. Washington’s labor movement mourns this tragic loss and will provide support and assistance to the families of the victims, members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265. As union members, just as we stand together, we grieve together.
“Also tragic is how familiar workplace mass shootings have become in American life. In recent weeks, multiple workers have been killed in spas in Georgia, a grocery store in Colorado, a FedEx warehouse in Indiana, and now, a rail yard in California. It’s sad, it’s senseless, and it’s infuriating.
“Today we mourn the victims. Tomorrow we continue fighting for the living.”
ATU International President John Costa said, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the multiple fatalities and injuries at a shooting today at a VTA rail facility in San Jose, California. Our hearts and prayers are with our sisters, brothers and their families at ATU Local 265. We are working to provide support and assistance to the victims’ families and everyone impacted by this tragic event.”
Click here to donate to a relief fund set up for families of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
CHECK OUT THE UNION DIFFERENCE in Washington: higher wages, affordable health and dental care, job and retirement security.
FIND OUT HOW TO JOIN TOGETHER with your co-workers to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and a voice at work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!
