Sister Pennie: Why I Endorse Her For Local 308 President

UPDATE: Regretfully, Sister Pennie has turned out to be no better than any other Local 308 president I have known. I retracted ALL of my endorsements on Nov. 23, 2023 and have no plans to ever do it again. I also chose not to vote in the 2023 election.

 

Y’all better vote for Sister Pennie McCray-McCoach and reject that slick-talking salesman of strawberry-scented bullshxt, Ken Franklin. 

While he was in outer space sucking our blood with "Secretary of Treasure" Deb Lame and her politician friends as our president, 2nd VP Pennie and 1st VP Mark Weems worked after-hours day and night to get our grievance fund in the black and eliminate the backlog (and other things).

 

Almost every time I do a surprise visit to the union office, she is there. She also represents members who reject boss-loving Executive Board "union reps" that Old Fart Dixon protects. She works. She works alot. She works hard, is organized, professional and sincerely tries to do what is right.

While Old Fart Dixon, Deb Lame and Boss Franklin contrived schemes to block, silence and punish radicals such as myself, she and VP Weems worked around these insecure six-digit salaried slobs to keep me involved in union affairs—and supported my efforts as a union steward without hesitation.

That's right, she and VP Weems actually help me help coworkers with answers to questions and fight CTA mismanagement. They often respond within minutes. All the other losers just blow me off.

This sister may be a business unionist and seems allergic to militant action, but she hasn’t tried to kill our union—or collectively punish us—because of some boogeyman that won’t stop asking questions, curses mismanagers with a bullhorn and organizing on issues she may not agree with. 

But hell, disagreement makes a union democratic. We NEED debate and conflicts. 

The problem we have is when officials like Old Fart Dixon, Deb Lame, Boss Franklin and Aqua Fisher get in their feelings, they silence or block our RIGHTS to motion for change. 

By the way, Sister Aqua is a real fiend with her “admin” privileges on multiple FB groups. She banned me on at least two! 

Combined with her bad habits of sharing cases in her gossip sessions at Howard and cozy relationships with the demonic, PT-worker-harassing former Admin Manager there, she has proven to be a super-duper protégé of Deb Lame.

 

Not only does she talk down to us like a CTA mismanager, humiliates members on her Facebook cult groups, but she is so damn bold about authoritarianism that she calls herself our boss!

I believe Sister Aqua is getting ready to run for Sister Pennie’s Second VP slot—which would be disastrous. 

Now getting back to Sister Pennie’s run for President…

She has her opinions and flaws like any of us. She has said and done things I condemn. But damnit, she can sit with or go toe to toe with members without taking it so personal that she silences their voice and VIOLATES their democratic rights!

That is what Boss Franklin did—and continues to support at our membership meetings (That is what Boss Aqua did—and continues to support at membership meetings).

And to give him a THIRD chance to fxxx us over is foolish. If you want details about his misconduct, I reported on almost every membership meeting during his second term for the Chicago Transit Justice Coalition here: http://www.chicagotransitworker.com/meetings.html

If a prospective President Pennie screws us, we can call her out—and I think she would atone. If she becomes a tyrant like the others, we can impeach and remove her through Section 22 of the ATU Constitution (see template at the CTJC Scribd Archive). And I don’t think she would pull any crap—like Dixon—to block it. 

I could be wrong about my presumptions (it certainly wouldn’t be the first time). But I think she is one of the most “adult” officers I have ever known at Local 308. Dixon, Lame and Aqua are certainly the most infantile. 

Like she could build a train in the yard when she worked as a Switchman, I think she could build up more democracy in our union. Let’s give the Switchman a chance. 

 

I know some of you want me to run for office. As a steward and Chicago Transit Justice Coalition organizer, I am already deeply involved in union affairs. So it will not be much different—only in that I will have more time to organize. 

 

So, if you want it to happen, nominate me for any and all positions that are available at the Local 308 membership meeting on October 10th (Obviously, I will need to chose one by the next day):

• ATU Delegate
• Executive Board, Vehicle Maintenance (Rail Car Servicer, Repairer, Motor Blower workers)
  
• President
• Vice President
• Second Vice President
• Secretary-Treasurer
• Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
  

No, I will NOT NOMINATE MYSELF! If you don't take time to go there at 6:30 pm and nominate me, I will not be running.

Plain and simple rules I live by: If you are unwilling to sacrifice time to nominate me, I will not sacrifice my job and life to run for office.