Will CTA Workers Get Paid Sick Leave with New State Law?

Coworkers are asking me about new state of Illinois law mandating that employers provide all employees with a week of paid sick leave every year. Will we CTA workers be included in this? 

Possibly.

Here is what Local 308 Vice President Mark Weems told me via an email message yesterday (he responded almost immediately and with professionalism, unlike so many other union officials with whom I communicate):

"The Act that the Governor signed is effective January 1, 2024.  We will research the impact of this legislation on our [Collective Bargaining Agreement "Contract"] and will keep  the membership updated as more information become available."

In my opinion, the membership should also be involved in this endeavor. Anything about sick days, sick pay and paid time off is a very, very sensitive topic. Keeping us plugged in is crucial to its success. Since it is not taking effect until about 12 months from now, we should be aggressive about securing something better. Unions must be leaders. Not laggards. 

Fortunately, the Chicago Transit Justice Coalition has already assembled a member-created Collective Bargaining Agreement with language to secure what we need—in addition to the Short-Term Disability benefit "Sick Book."

Here are some views of that Unofficial Contract:

Check out the video from NBC news for more information: