Innocent Victims of a War On Workers

In my off-the-clock visits with coworkers at various locations, I introduce myself as a Local 308 union steward who is available to share information, offer inspiration and—most importantly—be a person who will listen without judgement or offering unsolicited advice.

Overwhelmingly, almost every coworker I encounter expresses frustration, hopelessness and a growing sentiment of unbridled—and totally justifiable—hatred for our tormentors at City Hall, the Chicago Transit Authority and their traitorous agents in the Amalgamated Transit Union.

Without a doubt, we are under severe stress and in a state of shock from before the Pandemic. However, the Pandemic has exacerbated our condition. 

We are like innocent civilians in a war: Just living our lives and trying to do the best we can to feed our families and save some money for the future. Yet it seems that every week, there is an improvised explosive device at our feet in the form of another indignity: 

• Added work responsibilities.
• Mandatory overtime.
• Filthy work-areas.
  
• Work speed-ups.
  
• Threats of punishment with vaccine mandates.
• Threats of punishment with safety stings.
• Threats of punishment if our mask falls from our nose.
• Indifference to our grievances.
• Blatant disrespect from cruel managers.
  
• Shorter or non-existent breaks and lunches.
  
• Violations of seniority rights.
• Blatant labor and contract violations.
  
• Shorting of pay.
• Perpetual PT (Poverty Time) jobs.
• Denial of sick pay.
• Punishment for being sick.
• Punishment for getting hurt. 
• Punishment by managers for criticizing union leadership.
• Confusing recertification exams that punish dedicated workers. 
  
• Assaults and attempted murder by the rejected vagabonds of our society who live on our trains and buses.
• The list goes on and on.

A few months ago, a public transportation worker in California—and an Amalgamated Transit Union member—lost control of himself and murdered eight of his coworkers. 

Although not reported anywhere—except in the September 2021 Labor Notes newsletter—the Local 265 president quoted the shooter saying this moments before the incident: "What's up with this whole management working from home, making all these decisions, and we're out here on the front line? What are you going to do about that?"

I hear that same question every day from my coworkers.

Was his act of violence justified? Absolutely not. However, it is not coincidental that when human beings have no justice and equality, they will lash out against anyone close to them if they are robbed of the ability to attain justice and equality. 

When our basic needs are ignored while being being patronized with "letters of appreciation" from managers and politicians in their houses, and doused in slogans about being "heroes," it is like fuel to the fire. 

When our cries for justice are described as "mental illness" and told by managers and union presidents to get some "counseling," it is like putting a bandage on skin cancer lesion and being told we will be healed because of it.

When our union leadership responds to our cries for equality with "we can't tell the company what to do" and "just follow the rules," it is like putting shackles on our ankles and expecting us to run out of a burning building.

"Brother Eric, people are gonna snap. We can't take this anymore!"

The union steward's ultimate goal is to help coworkers find ways to solve their problems collectively. The Amalgamated Transit Union in Chicago has utterly failed in this task. In fact, the officers discourage collective activity which they do not "sanction," insist that members follow a farcical "chain of command" and obey the union officers—when it should be the other way around. 

Moreover, the local union presidents in Chicago, who are supposed to serve us, have called managers and police to silence those who criticize them. Incidents of assault are also documented.

A "service" model of business unionism is their modus operandi. Rule by the members—union democracy—is something our officers abhor and fear. If you have a problem, "call the union" and see what they say or do. If you don't like it, suck it up. "Be happy you have a job" they say.

Sure, I guess I can try to be a hero and march into the manager's office or shame a politician and put my foot down. But a steward—or officer—is not from where the power of a union is recognized by our employers and the politicians. They make sport of buying off the highest paid officers in their secret meetings. 

But they cannot buy off two or more workers who confront them for their tyranny. When workers begin standing together in small groups in different areas, they make tyrants nervous. When the small groups begin to form larger groups, the tyrants feel the pressure. What happens next is up to the workers.

There are no shortcuts to fixing the horrific working conditions, perpetual poverty and fear that has infected us at the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace Bus. There is no "union boss" or politician who we can elect to fix it. There is no amount of money we can pay officers or lawyers to fight for us.

It is time for our union officers to serve us or resign. Take your shackles off our ankles because we cannot take this anymore!

I fervently pray no one will snap. But from what I am hearing, the conditions are ripe. No $10,000 barbecue party, letter from the mayor, f-bomb laden speeches, political endorsements or worn-out sloganeering will fix this problem. It is the working and retired members who must fix it.

As a new ATU union steward in one of the largest public transportation companies in the United States, I humbly implore International President John Costa, the International officers and the officers in Chicago to rapidly divest yourselves from business unionism and wholly embrace union democracy without further delay. 

Stop interfering with our rights to democratically direct our union. Stop cancelling our membership meetings. Stop making it impossible for us to manifest the Preamble of our ATU Constitution. Stop being apologists for our employers and the politicians. We did not elect you to be our bosses.

More importantly, stop stifling our innate ability to halt the maintenance and operation of the machines in order to take what we rightfully deserve.

I know many of you mock or ignore anything I say and write. However, you had best not disregard those words that were told to me: "Brother Eric, someone is gonna snap. We can't take this anymore."

For those of you in Chicago, I am joining with coworkers who are part of the Chicago Transit Justice Coalition in a protest on September 29, 2021 at 11:00 against the unjustified firings that are happening to us.  One of our co-organizers—and publisher of our newsletter Finally Got The News—Brother Eric Struch, will be unjustly terminated. Please join us at Erie and Pulaski. Bring a sign. Bring a friend. All who have been unjustly fired by the CTA: Be there!