Radios for The Servicers—Finally!

Thanks to the dogged persistence and paperwork from Kimball Shop union steward Brother Donovan—and the support of President Pennie—Rail Car Servicers will finally be issued radios. In an email message from her to me, Brother Donovan and others, she wrote on September 10, 2026:

Good morning per Mr. Bonds  Radios have been order for the 240 car servicers system wide once they arrived everyone will be issued one.

Not providing Vehicle Maintenance workers with radios is a violation of Article 14.1(j): 

No employee shall be assigned to work on the right- of-way or in a rail yard unless the CTA has provided the employee with a working radio. 

Unfortunately, this is shortly after one of our brothers was electrocuted—and seriously injured—at Kimball Shop. After a heavy dose of complaints and grievances organized by Brother Donovan, the mismanagers also stopped sending the Servicers to the deadly track to do General Cleaning.

On September 2nd, I asked our president to include the Repairers because we are always being sent into the rail yards. I asked again on September 13th. As usual, I have received no response.