Chicago Pace Bus Drivers Come Down With "Blue Flu"
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/pace.bus.drivers.2.797666.html

Aug 18, 2008 8:39 am US/Central
Pace Bus Drivers Come Down With "Blue Flu"
MARKHAM, Ill. (STNG) ― About 36 Pace bus drivers working in the south suburbs have the "blue flu" Monday morning, causing a service slowdown according to Pace officials.

About 2 a.m. Pace officials began to be notified that about 10 percent of its 155 full-time drivers operating out of the South Division in Markham had called in sick, according to Pace spokesman Patrick Waldron.

But at 8 a.m. there were 36 drivers who've called off and there were 63 missed trips on nearly a dozen routes.

"It appears to be part of a labor dispute,'' according to Waldron, who said, "It's a blue flu."

Routes that are "completely out'' as of 8 a.m. are the 348, 753 and 452. "Each of these are short routes that connect with neighborhood Metra stations.'' he said.

The 348 does operate every half hour throughout the day, but the 753 and the 452 only operate during rush hour. Pace routes 353 and 352 could be considered alternates to the 348.

The Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1028, rejected a tentative agreement with the drivers on Aug. 12, when it went to a vote and that "appears to have led to [the situation] today,'' Waldron said.

The initial number of those who called off had the potential to go higher but Pace is continuing to operate and is assessing available manpower to handle the issue, he said.

"We're trying to maintain as much service as possible,'' Waldron said.

He also said it was unclear Monday morning exactly what the drivers wanted but that after the Aug. 12 negotiations, the union had been hoping to resume contract negations.

"This is an illegal job action, it does not appear to be sanctioned by the union. They [drivers] do face disciplinary action,'' he said.