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June 30, 2009
 Brothers and Sisters,
Once again, I bid you greetings. In the span of my first six months as First Vice President, I have been challenged on numerous contractual and personal issues involving the Chicago Transit Authority and the Membership. But the one thing that bothers me is the slow decline of unionism within the Local 308. In other words, Union busting.
Union busting is normally a mechanism in which a company will enact certain rules and regulations to hamper negotiating power of the Union, which represents the employees on their property. The company will also refuse to talk to the officers, making it difficult for the Union to negotiate certain issues which can benefit its members.
However, union busting can also be caused by its members. When members of a local refuse advice and instructions from veteran employees on how to do their jobs properly, that’s union busting. When members refuse to educate themselves on how a Union works, that’s union busting. When officers, board members and stewards refuse to work hard and give correct information for and to the Membership, that’s union busting. When we disrespect and disregard each other at union meetings, that’s union busting.
Brothers and Sisters, we must check ourselves before we wreck ourselves. Fighting is a sign of weakness to all who are watching, particularly the Authority. Start listening to advice from reliable veteran employees. They can teach you how to become better CTA workers (that means staying out of trouble).
Call the Union office if you need to find out about your contractual rights or if you have issues which could affect your job. Hold all officers, board members and stewards accountable for giving correct information. And lets respect one another, even though we may not agree with each other (it’s called agreeing to disagree). If we fail to do these things, then we all have failed as a Union and have contributed to union busting- destroying our Union. Let us unite.
In Solidarity,
Bryant Alexander
1st. Vice President - Email Address: Imani@atu308.org
P.S. — Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
-Mahatma Gandhi
WHAT IS A GRIEVANCE?
If you feel your contract has been violated and you cannot resolve this issue at the station levels it is incumbent upon you to proceed with this grievance process once you have knowledge of the fact that your issue is not settled at the station level you now have 30 days to submit your grievance at the first stop level.
There are several issues that do not fall under the grievance procedure, one is “workman compensation issues” they fall under state workers comp laws and regulations. Seniority is something that is controlled by the union, if there is a seniority issue a complaint can be made and if said complaint cannot be addressed with the local administration and executive board then the membership makes the final call with the approval of the International union.
Most grievances are denied at the first step level because the department that has created cause for the grievance in the first place answers the grievance at the first step and that is within 30 days of the CTA receiving the grievance. At the second step level employee relations answers the grievance.
Many grievances are settled at this level but if the grievance is denied at the second step which must be answered within 30 days from the date that the grievance was denied at the first step of the grievance process.
After the response from the second step process is received by the local a copy of the response is mailed to the member requesting that the member comes before the executive board who will recommend whether or not to arbitrate the case and finally at the next membership meeting the members vote whether or not to arbitrate the case.
If you have any questions about the grievance process please contact your union representative.
Bryant |
