Unions

[trainman8119]

...I would bet my life that CTA would not be in this mess if the Teamsters had come in. I say bring in Teamsters and completely dump ATU, ATU is worthless!

Although you may be correct in stating that the ATU is worthless, this has nothing to do with the CTA being in the mess they are in. That is solely the responsibility of CTA management (probably principally Frank Kruesi). Had they run the agency as the business it is, making cuts as necessary, and acting financially responsible, there is a chance the mess would not be as bad as it is at least claimed to be (I still have my real doubts as to the actual severity). If the CTA wants to point a finger, it should be at the RTA, and they should be whining to the RTA for money, not the State. Since the RTA is the disperser of funds to the 3 service boards, they should be the ones whining to the state for money so they could do what they were created to do. And, had the RTA been truely responsible, they would have stood their ground and rejected the temporary bailouts given...but then they are as spineless as anyone.

But back to the subject at hand...if you want to put the ATU as a worthless organization, can I add the UTU and the BLE (also a teamster organization) to the mix. Talk about a waste of my $100 a month...ugh !!!

[Busjack]

I would bet my life that CTA would not be in this mess if the Teamsters had come in.

I wonder how you would define "this mess." The Teamsters might call a strike, but it escapes me what they could do to cure the managerial incompetence of the Kruesi regime, or, conversely, the problem noted by the funding supporters, that the AG found that transit was still underfunded, despite that.

Anyway, the ATU got the arbitrator to give them what the ATU wanted in the last arbitration during the Kruesi regime. See the Press Release and Kruesi's statement that the Board was obliged to adhere to the award (actually legally obligated). At least Huberman subsequently got a negotiated settlement (which, though, he claims is contingent on a funding bill by the end of this year).

P.S. I moved this to the better thread after trainman established it.

[Guest]

Although you may be correct in stating that the ATU is worthless, this has nothing to do with the CTA being in the mess they are in. That is solely the responsibility of CTA management (probably principally Frank Kruesi). Had they run the agency as the business it is, making cuts as necessary, and acting financially responsible, there is a chance the mess would not be as bad as it is at least claimed to be (I still have my real doubts as to the actual severity). If the CTA wants to point a finger, it should be at the RTA, and they should be whining to the RTA for money, not the State. Since the RTA is the disperser of funds to the 3 service boards, they should be the ones whining to the state for money so they could do what they were created to do. And, had the RTA been truely responsible, they would have stood their ground and rejected the temporary bailouts given...but then they are as spineless as anyone.

But back to the subject at hand...if you want to put the ATU as a worthless organization, can I add the UTU and the BLE (also a teamster organization) to the mix. Talk about a waste of my $100 a month...ugh !!!

When I worked at CTA that was and Im sure still is today the number one gripe among the drivers is the union. They feel their union has let them down.