I Am A Motorman!

Guest blog article

My name is Irwin William Davis. I am a retired Chicago Transit Authority Motorman hired on September 8, 1986. I retired on September 30, 2012. 

It was a lifelong ambition of mine to be a CTA Conductor and Motorman (and proud member of ATU Local 308). Despite the managerial and political B.S., I considered it a vocation. Not just a job. 

I used to have a lot of faith in my union leadership until 1997—November 9, 1997 to be exact. 

That was when Conductors were eliminated with not one more penny offered to the new position of Operator. I refused then—and I refuse now—to be called an Operator. That name is an insult. 

I was and still am a Motorman!

The opinions expressed by guest bloggers here or in Shop Talk newsletter are not necessarily the opinion or sanctioned policies and actions by Brother Eric Curtis Muhammad Basir, ATU Local 308 members, elected leadership or stewards. In the spirit of the First Amendment and the ATU Obligation, all CTA workers and supporters are welcome to submit content of any point-of-view for this blog. Real identities will be hidden upon request.