CTA strike looms... Union activist explains strike issues to Chicago Metro Retirees...
ChicagoMetro Retirees, Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans met on September 25, 2017. The topics for discussion were Trump Care and Why 98% of CTA El Train Workers Voted Yes to a Preliminary Strike Vote. The potential strike was discussed at the meeting by Cassie Collins, ATU, Amalgamated Transit Union 308, activist.
Collins explained that CTA has become a two-tiered system, consisting of part- time makeup workers with no pension and lower wages while full-time workers are being pushed out. There is a gender issue -- woman make up 50-60% of the work force, with mostly male administrators. Seventy to eighty percent of part-timers are single. There are now about 1,000-part time workers who bring home less than full- time workers and do not have pensions. The part- time workers would help the pension system. Two years ago, the workers won arbitration to raise wages but CTA won’t give the workers the raises.
The preliminary strike vote was taken off site. There were three locations. About a third of the membership came out to vote. "We are still considering with-holding our labor," she said. "We did not want to upset the public. We wanted to tell people what it is like. The things we are fighting for ourselves is to come to work and to help the public without stress."
She went on to add: "We are working twelve hours and are not allowed to take a break. If a train operator needs to use the restroom, we need to ask permission and can use restrooms at the train stations but that is not always possible because there is usually no one else to watch the train. Then we have forced schedules with a small amount of time off before we have to come back to work. You are not allowed to rest or have a break to recuperate your body. The operator is the only one on the train. You are in charge of one train by yourself. You have an eight-car train all by yourself. You are carrying about 1,000 people. There are no restrictions on the number of people allowed on the train. We have been in contract negotiations for two years and one of the issues is bringing back conductors on trains. You are responsible for your train and the safety of the people on your train. You must pay attention to what is ahead of you, understand the signals, be able to answer every call that comes to your cab, make announcements, troubleshoot your train, and be able to take care of sick passengers. This is a safety policy issue because you have eight hours between shifts, which does not include travel time to work, personal life and kids."
ATA has been having rallies at train stops and lobbying Illinois State Legislators and Chicago City Council members to acquire city ordinances and restrictions on number of people on trains and working conditions.
The rest of the meeting ChicagoMetro Retirees spent calling Senators opposing the passage of Trump Care.
By: Theresa D. Daniels
CTA's appalling work conditions
Thanks, Jean, for this important info about what our fellow public workers are facing in the CTA.