More Second Chancer Trials and Struggles

For the past three years I have been organizing some of the CTA's exploited workers. The Chicago Sun-Times published two shocking articles about these human beings in April and June this year.

Currently, there are four groups: Customer Service Assistant, Second Chance "Apprentice", Full-Time Temporary Flagmen and Part-Time Bus Operator. My focus has been on the Second Chancers. The others are not arbitrarily terminated. Nonetheless, they deserve attention as well.

My public petition to reform or abolish the Second Chance Program (SCP) is one of those efforts. It is part of my responsibility as an elected union officer in the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308. The above photo is from the terrible wounds suffered by a SCP worker who was violated, denied a chance for Full-Time employment—all because he spoke up about the working conditions.

In summary, the SCP is a noble initiative that has devolved into a form of second-class status in the CTA for our society's most vulnerable people: Ex-felons. Not all have been "locked up." However, most have paid their debt to society (or paid a debt from wrongful incarceration). 

The latest salvo in the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308's war against exploitation of CTA workers was a Class Action Grievance written by our president, Sister Pennie McCoach in May 2024:

Second Chancer Exterior Was... by Chicago Transit Justice Coa...

Prior to that I filed a Class Action Grievance regarding disparate treatment in February 2024. The SCP workers are punished at twice the severity of all other CTA workers. Why? They are more like Second-Class workers. Scrutiny, mercilessness and manipulation hang over them like a cloud.

Class Action Grievance Seco... by Chicago Transit Justice Coa...

 

Earlier this year, I created a Contract proposal item to change the SCP and make it a permanent path to Full-Time Permanent employment. It would be changed from a pseudo-apprenticeship to a bona fide apprenticeship. Our Contract has expired and the changes I list are absolutely necessary:

Attachment 0 (Contract Prop... by Chicago Transit Justice Coa...

 

The first class action grievance I was involved with was over two years ago: 

SCP "Apprentice" ... by Chicago Transit Justice Coa...

As of this writing, it is still with the arbitrator. How many workers have been hurt since then? I lost count. 

Grievances are a weak method to fight back. Nonetheless, there is some effort using the Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, what we really need is direct action, collective action and plain ole' worker power.

The SCP needs to change. The perpetual Part-Time jobs at the CTA must go away. But it is going to take much more than grievances and talking about it in secret meetings.