Transport Workers Solidarity Committee

Chicago CTA Bosses calls ATU 308 union proposals too costly
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-cta-18-20100217,0,4834433.story

CTA calls union proposals too costly
2 sides appear to be drifting further apart in effort to restore service, jobs

By Jon Hilkevitch, TRIBUNE REPORTER
6:49 p.m. CST, February 17, 2010

Cost savings proposed by Chicago Transit Authority labor unions to help reduce a large budget deficit would actually cost the transit agency an additional $78 million, the CTA board chairman said Wednesday.

The union proposals would cost the CTA more money by bringing back conductors on trains, replacing some CTA managers with union employees and using union labor for some snow-removal work that the CTA now contracts out, board Chairman Terry Peterson said.

The CTA's negative assessment of the union plan to purportedly reduce spending by $90.6 million was offered at the end of a day marked by dueling news conferences held by the union and by management over how to restore bus and rail service that was cut Feb. 7, along with reversing about 1,100 CTA employee layoffs.

The gulf separating the two sides appears to be widening, and the public-relations tactics are growing increasing nasty.

Sick Call: Chicago ATU 241 Union Worker Tries to Incite Mass Call Off "We will not tolerate troublemakers.” Says Union President

http://www.nbcchicago.com/traffic/transit/Sick-Call-83798127.html

Sick Call: Union Worker Tries to Incite Mass Call Off
119 bus routes and seven El lines are running less frequently already
By KIM VATIS
Updated 8:14 PM CST, Tue, Feb 9, 2010

As the CTA service cuts get a trial by fire during the first weekday commute, at least one worker is trying to make things worse, officials say.
A CTA union member this morning showed up to a garage where bus drivers were coming to work and started handing out flyers imploring workers to call in sick to work.
"We’re going to look into the allegations," said CTA President Richard Rodriguez. "We will not tolerate troublemakers.”
CTA officials are trying to determine if it was a union steward that was causing the trouble.

Chicago's Pantsless CTA Ride

CTA Prez: Cuts Have Begun

CTA, Unions Point Fingers at Each Other
It shouldn’t be hard to find the perpetrator, who also left flyers at another garage. She posted her name on the leaflets.
The worker probably didn’t need to exacerbate the problems; the unions and the CTA are already at odds and riders are feeling the pinch already.

Chicago CTA ATU 241 plans slowdown if not given fair negotiation “They’re working us like a machine,”

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/2046755,cta-chicago-union-jesse-jackson-021310.article

CTA unions plan slowdown if not given fair negotiation
Comments

February 13, 2010
BY MARY WISNIEWSKI Staff Reporter
Union representatives for CTA bus workers and the Rev. Jesse Jackson say they want to meet with CTA management on Wednesday, and plan a slowdown if they don’t get a fair negotiation.

“There needs to be a fair negotiation, or there will be a slow road or no road,” Jackson said at a news conference Saturday at Operation PUSH’s South Side headquarters. He was surrounded by about 40 bus drivers, including some who had lost their jobs last week.

Darrell Jefferson, president of Amalgamated Transit Union 241, said a “slowdown” would mean strict adherence to the rules, i.e., no driving a bus more than 35 mph, and no taking off from a bus stop before a passenger is seated or at least hanging onto a strap. Jefferson said the CTA has been pushing drivers to go faster than the rules allow, in order to meet schedules.

CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said following the rules is not a problem. But any worker participating in an illegal work action will be disciplined, which could mean getting fired, Gaffney said.

http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/brochures/10kd04_Service_Change_Brochure_FINAL_Web.pdf

This brochure provides an overview of the
reductions along with the changes in hours and
frequency of service. They were designed to retain
as much service as possible, while still reducing
costs and maximizing efficiencies. The only
routes eliminated are nine express routes that
have corresponding local service. Although all
parts of the region that have service currently will
continue to have it, there will be shorter hours on
41 routes and less frequent service on 119 routes.
Unfortunately, most customers will experience
more crowded conditions and longer wait times
between buses and trains.
We greatly regret the difficulty these service
reductions will cause for our riders and the
hardship the corresponding layoffs will cause
for more than 1,000 employees and their families.
However, until the economy rebounds and tax
revenues begin to grow, we must reduce our
operating costs.
We are hopeful that as the economy improves, so
will our revenues so that we may begin to restore
service levels. Public transit is an essential regional
resource. We will continue to work diligently with

Chicago Fed Of Labor Pres Tells ATU 241 Transit Workers To Take Concession: Fronting For Demos And Union Busters Again?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/2019272,cta-chicago-unions-012910.article

Powerful labor leader urges CTA unions to save jobs
Comments

January 29, 2010
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Chicago’s most powerful labor leader urged CTA unions today to make the concessions necessary to save 1,100 jobs and avoid service cuts, but said he doesn’t sense “the will to get something done.”

Three years ago, Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon helped convince CTA unions to allow their five-year, 16 percent pay hike to be gobbled up by contributions to health care and a pension fund on the brink of collapse.

Now, he’s urging them to dig deeper.

“I’ve talked to the unions about it and gave ‘em the same situation that took place at the city [with union givebacks]. If these 1,100 people get laid off there, there’s no place for these folks to go,” Gannon said.

“The frustration is they gave on retiree health care. They gave on the pension plan. They gave 6.5 percent and, this year alone, they gave another 1.5 percent that had to go into retiree health care. So it’s very difficult to ask people to do more. But, if you have to do a little more to save 1,100 jobs, I’m encouraging them to do that.”

2/5 Chicago Rally "Defend Public Services! No CTA Cuts! No Layoffs!

Defend Public Services! No CTA Cuts! No Layoffs!

Mayor Daley’s CTA board sent out over 1,200 pink slips to CTA bus drivers, train operators, mechanics and car cleaners. Sunday, Feb. 7th is the cut day. This will mean ending service on some lines and slowing service on 100s more. Waiting time will double while many good people will be laid off in these hard times.

Is there money? There’s money all right, but we’ll have to fight to get it.

Join the fight! Don’t let Daley and his corporate sponsors make our lives any harder.

Rally: 5 PM, Friday, Feb 5th
State of Illinois Building
Randolph and Clark St.

Stand up and defend our public services and jobs. There is an economic crisis, true, but we didn’t cause it, they did- the big bankers and their politicians who let them rob us blind. Their setup caused the problems, now they want to make us pay for it. WE say:
Not on our backs! Fund public services, not the wars! Tax the rich, not working people! Money for jobs, not bankers!

PUBLIC WORKERS UNITE!
Next meeting: 10 am, Feb 13th
UE Union Hall, 37 S. Ashland, Chicago

Public Workers Unite exists to defend and improve public services. We are building unity across work and union lines, between public service providers and people who rely on them. We believe that all people have a right to work and to belong to unions so that we can defend ourselves and fight for the rights and living standards of all workers. Help defend our public services. Copy this flier and get it around. Join and help spread this work across the city. Ask your church, union or community group to get on board and join hands.

Video- Chicago ATU 241 Rally for Mass Transit

Chicago Rally for Mass Transit
Chicago, Jan. 20, 2010

To view on YouTube, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45RJxXEDCds&fmt=6

Chicago Transit Authority union members and CTA transit users protested in front of the CTA headquarters on Wednesday, January 20. The ongoing and future threatened cuts by the CTA management will double wait times for bus riders, cut service to low income/minority areas, overcrowd buses and trains, to mention only a few serious effects. Speeches and interviews from Marcellus Barnes, International VP, Amalgamated Transit Union; Debbie Pittman, Concerned Citizens of Paratransit; Carlos Acevedo, Asst. Business Agent, ATU Local 241; Michael Simmons, Recording Sec., ATU Local 241; Diane Simons, ATU 241 member. 8 minutes.

Photos: Gary Brooks / Labor Beat
Rally for Mass Transit, Jan 20, 2010

Debbie Pittman, Concerned Citizens of Paratransit

Produced by Labor Beat. Labor Beat is a CAN TV Community Partner. Labor Beat is a
non-profit 501(c)(3) member of IBEW 1220. Views are those of the producer Labor Beat.
For info: mail@laborbeat.org, www.laborbeat.org. 312-226-3330. For other Labor Beat

2 Washington Metro workers killed in latest track accident-A Record Of Death On The Job

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/26/AR2010012600883.html

2 Metro workers killed in latest track accident

By SARAH KARUSH
The Associated Press
Tuesday, January 26, 2010; 9:11 AM

WASHINGTON -- Two Metro workers were struck and killed by a maintenance vehicle along a track Tuesday, the latest in a string of fatalities since last year in the Washington area's transit system.

The men were on a track when they were hit a few blocks from the Rockville Metro Station, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Capt. Oscar Garcia said. One worker died at the scene and the other on the way to a hospital, Metro officials said.

Both men were automatic train technicians and the crash involved a large truck equipped to drive on the track when electricity is shut down, according to Metro spokeswoman Angela Gates. The agency said it would release the men's names after their families were notified.

The Metro system, which extends into the suburbs to link the capital with neighboring areas of Maryland and Virginia, has seen a series of fatal accidents and mishaps since last year. The worst was a June crash that killed eight passengers and the train operator. Two other workers were killed in separate accidents last year.

Chicago RTA Bosses Disappointed ATU Local 241 Not Taking More Concessions

http://www.wbbm780.com/RTA-disappointed-union-not-accepting-pay-freeze/6190618

Sunday, 24 January 2010 10:13AM

RTA disappointed union not accepting pay freeze

Bob Roberts Reporting
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The RTA's executive director said he is disappointed that CTA union leaders are balking at pleas to accept a pay freeze and furlough days, in order to minimize service cuts and save jobs.

Amalgamated Transit Union Division 241 President Darrell Jefferson said he won't reopen the unions' five-year contracts, reached in 2008, because the unions have given till it hurts.

"We just don't have any more," said Jefferson, whose local represents CTA bus drivers and bus maintenance workers. "I would love to help them, but I see that the help is a one-way street and it has to be both ways."

Jefferson cites a series of concessions made back as far as 1980, with the most recent being the pension restructuring two years ago.

But RTA Executive Director Steve Schlickman said he believes that Jefferson is being short-sighted.

"That was then," he said. "That was a different financial crisis. This is a worse financial situation economically than we had before. I think everyone should participate and help out."

Chicago CTA service cuts and layoffs looming
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-met-cta-service-cuts-20100120,0,657735.story

CTA service cuts loom as unions reject giving back pay raises
Time fading to avert reductions in wake of management-union standoff on rescinding pay raises

Michael Seaton, of Glenwood, left, and Herman Reyes, of Chicago, bang on buckets Wednesday at a rally against impending CTA service cuts and layoffs. (Tribune photo by Michael Tercha / January 19, 2010)

By Jon Hilkevitch, TRIBUNE REPORTER
January 20, 2010

The CTA made an offer Wednesday that its labor unions could refuse, and they quickly did: Give back a 3.5 percent pay raise this year in return for reducing employee layoffs and major cuts in bus and rail service that are set to begin Feb. 7.

The standoff threatens to cost 1,067 union and 100 nonunion employees their jobs as the CTA whittles away at a $300 million budget deficit that is caused mainly by tax-revenue declines linked to the recession.

But the public stands to feel much of the pain in less than three weeks when there will be longer waits between buses on 119 routes, 41 bus routes will have shorter hours and nine express bus routes will be eliminated.