Do You Really, Truly Appreciate Us?

Me and my coworkers received this carefully-written letter from the Second-In-Command at the Chicago Transit Authority on a wall at Howard Shop. 

His name is Donald R. Bonds.

I thought about his expression of "gratitude" for a few days. As a Local 308 union steward—and Executive Board Member Elect—I have learned that we often receive platitudes during tense moments (such as a Contract that is expiring).

A few days later, we received an offer from our employer to allow easier borrowing from our 401(k) and 457(b) retirement plans for "a financial lifeline."

How nice. 

Instead of paying us enough to afford to live and save for financial hardships, you will loan us our own self-directed retirement savings money for a fee. Then you will deduct the payments from our paychecks. 

Nothing happens by coincidence. And as a man who takes alot of pride in his work in service to the people of Chicago and beyond—and as a union official that helps others like me—I do not appreciate being insulted by my boss. Just tell us that you don't want us to strike. Just tell us that you don't want us to fight back like a real union. 

Don't thank us and then offer to relieve our financial misery by loaning us our own money. You remind me of the coal mine bosses and George Pullman with their "company store" that sold necessities to the workers at high premiums—basically taking back the money we earn. You do this with uniforms and the poor CSA's, making us buy our own. We are in 2023. Not 1883!

Mister Bonds, if you are truly grateful for us, why are you laying off hard-working, loyal Second Chance "Apprentices" on December 29th (and continue to do so every year)? I created a petition about it. Maybe you saw it: https://www.change.org/p/the-cta-must-stop-laying-off-good-workers.

Mister Bonds, if you are thankful for our "hard work and unwavering dedication" why do you steal the Night Premium from Stockroom Clerks (and other coworkers)? Do they not work hard also? Huffing and puffing, moving defective parts I replace. Going up and down stairs because the rickety elevator broke. If you are so thankful, why not pay the Rail Maintenance Instructors the same as all other Instructors?

Mister Bonds, if you see our "commitment," why not follow the Excel Agreement and give me and my Repairer coworkers the equipment we need to repair the trains? Like laptops. Our trains run by microprocessors and we are sharing 2-3 broken laptops. It's a tool. Give us the tools we need—and we shouldn't have to share laptops. We certainly don't share sockets!

Mister Bonds, if you think our "contributions have made significant impact," why do you take so much out for this ghastly health insurance premiums and deductibles. Why do you hire for all these 40-hour PT Bus Operator, Special PT Bus Operator, Flagman, CSA and "Apprentice" jobs and not make them Full-Time Permanent so we will have more workers contributing to our underfunded pension? Haven't you saved enough money on our backs from these contributions?

Mister Bonds, if you are so proud of us, why run the operators into the ground with so many trips and the failed One Person Train Operation? We are doing the job of two or three people. You make us feel like we are robots. Our bodies are breaking down.

I did some calculations for just one day of trips and the delays that would be eliminated with Two-Person Crews would eliminate over half of the delays. The riders are fleeing. You think one or two Rail Car Servicers can really clean an 8-car train at the terminal? You are proud of this disaster? Public transportation in Chicago is literally dying because we are dying slow deaths through chronic injuries, harassment and horrific working conditions!

Speaking of dying: We have no paid sick leave. NONE. You punish us when we call off and your mismanagers give us a hard time taking off without pay—and our threatening to stop letting us use Vacation Random Days. Instead of rewarding us with paid sick leave for good attendance, you punish us when we are late or don't want to barf at work. 

Are we really "exceeding expectations"? Expectations that any other human being would have quit or lost their mind?

The Trackmen, Janitors, Switchmen, Towermen jobs are slowly being cut pick by pick. Supervisors are being assigned Yardmaster work and taking over runs. All of us are out here doing more for less—with less. We cannot do any more. We are doing overtime just to get by. 

Now you want to loan us our own money so we can survive? 

No, I will not sell your new "benefit" to my coworkers nor your platitudes. I am a man of action—if you haven't figured that out by now. Frankly, if you appreciate us, then pay us. And pay us very, very good. If you are proud of us, then give us Full-Time Permanent status so all of our front line coworkers can keep their teeth with dental insurance. 

Mister Bonds, if you really believe we "provide the highest level of service," then provide us the highest level of working conditions: Clean and safe working conditions that mirror your palace at 567 West Lake Street, Full-Time Jobs For All, Brick and Mortar Bathrooms and Two-Person Crews.

Mister Bonds, as Vehicle Maintenance Executive Board Elect for Local 308, I am like canary in the coal mine for you. A messenger for my coworkers. A carbon monoxide detector for the pent up rage, anger and dissatisfaction for hundreds—if not thousands of workers. For over three years, I have been organizing coworkers and listening to their grievances. I highly recommend you read Innocent Victims of a War on Workers so you can understand how bad things are for us.

You cannot memo-write, gift, EAP or gaslight these problems away. The sentiment is widespread. Morale is worsening. The working conditions here suck. 

If you are truly grateful for us, you will take what I am saying seriously and bargain with us for what we deserve. Not what will destroy our jobs, lives and a system that the people of our city desperately need.