Spring 2026 Shop Worker Pick

February 08, 2026

Spring 2026 Shop Worker Pick

UPDATE (4/28/2026): The pick is complete. View the entire master list here. A survey to share your opinion about how the Pick went is here. Interestingly, we have two open spots at Howard Shop. New trainees will fill those. As usual, Kimball Shop Repairer jobs filled last. It is still the WORST Shop with the WORST morale. I am very happy for those who have been terrorized for so long can finally leave. New hires will be going in, however. So I am anxious about their careers. I am encouraging all who were bumped to Kimball to request additional training for your picked job on a Report to Manager form and to email me a copy (ericbasir.308@gmail.com). This is to protect you should the mismanagers decide to pick on you about "poor work performance."

UPDATE (4/27/2026): The first part of the Car Repairer pick seems to be a success. Trainees got to pick (something we fought for through grievances and complaints). Tomorrow is the final day. Also, the managers at the Pick were cooperative and provided me with the final picked job sheets for Servicers and Motor Blowers/Technician/Leaders. See them on this master sheet.

UPDATE (4/27/2026): It is confirmed I will be supervising today’s Pick (Car Repairer). I still don’t have the final picked jobs list from last week. Hoping I will have better cooperation today. Call Pick Central if you are not sure you will be able to pick or did not turn in a Choice Slip, call 847-982-5081.

UPDATE (4/23/2026): I have sent an email to the managers regarding the final Pick jobs. I still have no idea what is going on or what happened. Additionally, I saw any email message from the union president that I will be supervising the Repairers general Pick next week.

UPDATE (4/22/2026): I have absolutely no information about the Pick. Some of you are calling with issues while I am at work or asleep. So I am getting back to you late. Our vindictive president is at fault. Members should not be punished because she and I don't get along. You all need to make your displeasure known to her (708-426-4874 and pmccoach@atu308.org). If I win president, I promise not to play petty games with your career because I may not like who you elect.

UPDATE (4/20/2026): I have been ICE'd out of the Pick AGAIN by our union president. This is unprecedented. Members need to tell her to stop blocking me (708-426-4874 and pmccoach@atu308.org). Picking times may have updated and I don't have the latest sheets to confirm. Unfortunately, the manager who handles the Pick is not responding to my emails and our presidents have blocked me from participating in the Pick this week. Also, I have gotten reports that some locations are not providing Choice Slips. Use the Report to Manager form to indicate your choices and note that no Choice Slip was provided upon request. Make a copy and email to me and other union people.

UPDATE (4/14/2026): Picking times for all Shop Workers is here. See the following picked job links for Servicers and Leaders/Motor Blower/Tech/Repairer. Send questions and complaints to me using this form.

UPDATE (4/13/2026): None of our questions or issues are being answered. These people think because our union president approves of them getting away with outlaw behavior that they can ignore me. That's alright. If I win president, they will no longer have a president they can control. I will back the elected people and stewards who help the members. There will be very real consequences for these unfair labor practices!

UPDATE (4/8/2026): I got reports that Pick Schedule sheets are being posted at Kimball Shop. The seniority lists are still being verified as of yesterday. So this seems a bit premature in my opinion. So I would expect the times to change. Watch for updates on my blog. Please submit reports using this form.

UPDATE (4/6/2026): The CTA Maintenance Administrative Manager sent me, Brother Lamont and the union presidents the latest Seniority Lists. I have created a merged version for ALL crafts here. Let me or another trusted union rep know if there is a problem with it. Use this form to contact me.

UPDATE (4/5/2026): I received a report that Howard Shop workers were given Seniority Lists to sign. No other reports sent to me. Also I received more Pick feedback. Submit your own feedback here. View others' submissions here.

UPDATE (4/3/2026): The union president requested that the maintenance administrative manager provide our Seniority Lists. No response yet.

UPDATE (4/2/2026): I sent questions about a missing job at 54th and issues for Leaders. These were from the feedback form.

UPDATE (3/28/2026): The Pick Job Sheets have been updated. Thanks to Second Vice President James for the documents. Servicers Job List. Car Repairer/Motor Blower/Leader/Tech Job List. Please submit feedback on this form.

UPDATE (3/28/2026): I received confirmation from Second Vice President James for the dates of our Spring 2026 Pick:

Posting 4/6
Motor Blower/Leaders/Technicians 4/20
Servicers 4/21-4/22
Repairers 4/27-4/28
Effective (Start) 5/3

UPDATE (3/24/2026): Thanks to Brother Lamont, I didn't have to wait for the Servicers job sheets. All Servicers, please review them here and submit feedback on this form. As shared on 3/4, here are Car Repairer/Motor Blower/Leader/Tech

UPDATE (3/24/2026): In the Pick meeting I confirmed the effective date is May 3rd for a Section Pick (in compliance with the Contract for type of Pick and out of compliance because the effective date is supposed to be March 1st). More information is supposed to be sent to me tomorrow. Again I requested the correct Servicer job sheets. As usual it took forever to get in to this call and I was late. I was kicked off multiple times.

UPDATE (3/23/2026): I just received an forwarded email from the union president that we will have a Pick meeting through the hideous “Teams” app again tomorrow at 1pm. I hope I get in. I will post an update tomorrow.

UPDATE (3/15/2026): The delays have been baked in to this Pick with the Howard Shop Carbody Inspector vacancy being posted. Read about how to apply for it here.

UPDATE (3/5/2026): As usual, I could not get into the meeting. Unlike Zoom, I have to download and install an app. When I attempted to install, it hung up my phone and would not install until I restarted it. By then, it was 1:17 pm and apparently the only other union person was Brother Lamont (I saw an email from our president apologizing to the managers for not being present). . I see no reason why he couldn't have handled it (he's got plenty of experience). I sent my feedback to him ahead of time. However, it's typical because our president likes to micromanage and seems incapable of delegating duties—even if the bylaws prescribe it. The meeting may be rescheduled for Tuesday March 10th. I am sure I will find out at the last-minute as usual.

UPDATE (3/5/2026): Me and Brother Lamont received a forwarded invitation for a Pick Meeting to be held today at 1pm. Hopefully, they will let me in. Previous conference calls with "Microsoft Teams" have not had good results. I have ONE feedback submission unfortunately. But it's better than none. I will read it at the meeting.

UPDATE (3/4/2026): Good news! I received the draft job sheets from management through President Pennie. Access them here:

Car Repairer/Motor Blower/Leader/Tech

Car Servicer (currently this is a duplicate of Repairer. I have notified the union presidents since the managers have been ignoring my email messages; I will update as soon as I get an updated file).

I need every Shop Worker to carefully review the jobs to make sure nothing is being taken away or something snuck in. Use this form to send me feedback.

For reference, here are links for the previous picks:

UPDATE (3/2/2026): In another email message to a member, our president wrote that the Pick Meeting will be on March 5th. That is different what she told us in the bored meeting. So keep watching and refreshing this article for updates.

UPDATE (3/2/2026): The Local 308 president told me and other Local 308 Executive Board members that a "Pick Meeting" will occur on March 4th. She would not say a time. So I suspect it will be done while I am at work (where she knows I cannot use phone). We should be able to obtain an exact date in that meeting if all goes well. I have opened up a new Spring 2026 Shop Worker Pick Survey to gather your concerns for the Pick meeting.

UPDATE (2/23/2026): We are just a few days away from the contractual March 1st Pick effective date. No meetings have been scheduled. No seniority lists has been distributed. Some good news is that a pair of grievances I helped members submit has stopped an unlawful forced transfer for Howard Shop Carbody Inspector spot that became vacant after a coworker retired. If I don't see any email about a Pick meeting or seniority list posted on March 1st, I intend on submitting a grievance. My patience with the mismanagement's disrespect for us has completely run out. After being removed and police called on me last week, I really don't see an advantage to waiting to "see what happens."

UPDATE (2/17/2026): Having received no response —and dealing with a strange forced relocation of a worker as documented in two grievances—I decided to send another message to them:

Greetings Rail Vehicle Maintenance Management: It is has been 13 days since my first contact on this very serious issue. As of this morning, I have received no response. The date of March 1st for an effective Pick date is rapidly approaching (refer to Article 14.4(a) and 14.4(b)(1). For the past few years, the System Pick—and subsequent Section Picks—have started very late. I humbly suggest that starting the Section Pick based on that timeline for this March will boost morale. This is especially relevant as evidenced by the unusual forcing of a Truck Shop Repairer at Rosemont to Carbody Inspector at Howard Shop (grievances have been submitted). If we hold this Pick on time, there will be no need to deal with violation of the two workers named in the grievances. Thank you for your attention.

I have a bad feeling that the Shop Worker's Pick will be late again. So to get it jump-started, I sent the following to the upper-level managers for the Rail Equipment Maintenance department on February 3rd:

I hope this message finds you in good health and spirits. As per Article 14.4(a), we [are] due to have the first of a twice-yearly Section Pick in March. The starting point is based on the contractual System Pick date of March 1st as written in Article 14.4(b). So as this March quickly approaches, it would benefit the morale of the Shop Workers to have a Pick in force as of March 1st. Establishing it on-time will be of great benefit to management and the workers. Thank you for your attention to this friendly reminder.

As of February 8th, I have received no response. So I am informing the members. Updates will be posted here. Pick information from the previous picks are below: