Nov 2, 2009 6:41 pm US/Central
CTA Drivers Threaten To Strike To Stop Layoffs
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
They admit it's "scary" in this economy. But leaders of the CTA bus drivers' union say they'll consider a strike if that's what it takes to stop nearly 2,000 layoffs. CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports with more on the union's strategy.
Local 241 of the Amalgamated Transit Union argues that mass transit's real budget shortfall here is about $500 million, far more than the CTA itself estimates. The union says it's drawing a line in the sand on all the give-backs the CTA is demanding.
Absolutely not, says the bus drivers' local to CTA's requests to give up pay raises for the next two years.
A contract negotiated in the boom days of 2007 grants union members raises totaling about 18 percent through 2011.
About 1,800 bus drivers and 100 rapid transit workers have recently gotten layoff notices.
But the union claims a state law requires CTA to chop the top first.
"Metropolitan Transit Act says, in section 28, that management and exempt people should make up only 3 percent of the total number of employees," said Darrell Jefferson, President ATU Local 241. "We estimate CTA being somewhere like 15 to 18 percent. Laying off people and you're still gonna be heavy in management, I think you're asking for a war more than a layoff."
Mayor Daley and CTA bosses were frustrated when the General Assembly adjourned for the year last Friday without even voting on a proposal to limit free transit rides to only low-income seniors.
But Gov. Quinn indicated he would veto such a change. And a spokesman said Monday that Quinn is considering expanding the freebies to include military war veterans.
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