You Need To Be a Leader!

I am NOT interested in becoming an elected boss of Local 308 members. 

Having me as someone “to lead the charge” is not something I want at all. In fact, that is why we are in so much trouble now. 

I have been aggressively organizing for three years straight in the Chicago Transit Justice Coalition, a delegate and union steward for one purpose: To show what is possible if you stand up NOW.

If I—an insignificant person with no exceptional qualities—can do it, so can you. I am looking for leaders. I am NOT looking to be one. I am just a man who is unafraid of so-called authorities or people who threaten me. When they bark at me, I bark at them.

In the very least—if you nominate and elect me as 2nd Vice President—I will be a “coach” that helps  train you to defeat our greedy employer. I will always be in your corner. I will always be keeping you motivated. Never will I say "it cannot be done." If you believe in fighting for something right, so do I.

At the most, I will be your honored servant. A patient teacher. A listening ear. An unsympathetic opponent of CTA mismanagement and cruel union misleaders. 

If nominated and elected as 2nd Vice President, my intentions will be to help you organize action around your grievances. My job will be to help you discuss, debate and democratically choose a way forward. All the lawyers and officials in the world are no match to your collective wisdom and experience. 

While some union officials look at you as lazy, complacent people in need of discipline and a chain-of-command, I look at you as sleeping giants. Unchained lions in an unlocked cage. Rusty locks that just need to be unfrozen. Human beings with unknown gifts. Geniuses. Leaders. Revolutionaries. 

You and others must stop looking for leaders and start leading the charge you know we need. In every visit I make to a shop, terminal, station or garage, I have one ultimate goal: To inspire the leader within YOU. That is what we need as a union.

The elected leaders are supposed to empower and inspire the members to lead the union democratically. Not be their king, Boss or dictator. 

If that bothers you, definitely don’t nominate or vote for me. 

Waiting for me or others to be elected in order to do something is a bad habit. 

We fail because when we try and give up—as opposed to trying and trying until we win what we want. That is fear of failure. Just poor excuses to do nothing. 

“Oh I will just elect so-and-so and all will be great.”

NO!

It is a convenient habit to blame others for our circumstances and use elections of the wrong—or right—person as an excuse to do nothing. 

Please stop putting hope in elected people. Please start putting hope in yourselves and our coworkers. 

Sure, I think I will do good in the job of 2nd VP or any other spot. 

But then what? 

I can accomplish very little if you rely on me to tell you what to do and think. I will be no better than what we have now. 

If you and the other members do not take control of your worksites and our union, the CTA mismangers and politicians will keep running us over. 

Attend membership meetings. Direct the union. Hold the leadership accountable. Be inspired by the good that me and others in the CTJC are doing. Don’t be a spectator. Be the change! 

Be a leader.