Fall Shop Worker Pick, Interim Elections, Reinstatements, Retiree Medical Costs

I recently spoke with Local 308 Vice President Mark Weems about some questions many of you have asked me. 

The Shop Pick

Rail Car Servicers, Motor Blowers and Repairers have to wait until a tentative date of 9/12 just for a Pick meeting. This is too far away. So we agreed that getting the process started now is better. 

Another union rep goes into management

Since our Shop Executive Board member, Orvin Hurst, resigned from the union to become a manager, we must have an election (according to Section 6 of the Local 308 bylaws). VP Weems agreed that an interim election is in order. Hopefully, President Dixon will tell me or us what he intends. 

However, we all know that Boss Dixon doesn’t respect any bylaw except the ones to adjourn membership meetings and to raise our dues. Like Boss Hill, he thinks our union is his personality cult and he is our holy father boss. 

So I suspect he will appoint a loyalist. Probably Brother Lamont—a steward who helps the CTA managers illegally kick me out of the manager’s office when you request my presence. From him, to Sasquatch Boss Moore and Boss Sagittarius Vomit Aqua, the union officials boldly cooperate with CTA mismanagers to tell members I am not allowed in the office when you need help. 

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if members nominated and elected me to office? What illegal excuses will the next president come up with to block me?

Unvaccinated and fired coworkers

The slimy CTA lawyers are stalling regarding the reinstatement of the unvaccinated coworkers who were fired (bus and rail). A few of the fired coworkers have individual lawsuits pending and this is their excuse. We all know this probably wouldn’t be an issue if Boss Dixon and Boss Hill didn’t sell us out by letting the Almighty Arbitrator decide. Other ATU Locals negotiated regular testing instead of letting our evil employer fire us. 

RHCT

VP Weems wanted to remind everyone that deductions are NOT going up. It will stay at 1%. I can only hope healthcare premiums for retirees might go down too. It looks like that will be the case effective January 1, 2024 according to this latest letter from the Local 241 and Local 308 presidents:

Lower CTA Retiree Healthcar... by Chicago Transit Justice Coa...

 

Please read and learn about the RHCT (and pension) online at this website: http://ctaretirement.org/healthcare-trust/

That’s all for now. Thanks as always to Brother Mark for cooperating with me and other inquisitive members. I am sure he will be harassed by many for not blowing me off.