CTA unions reject layoffs proposal

  

November 15, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Leadership of Chicago's transit unions say they are not willing to accept cuts that the CTA intends to impose.

The state has agreed to borrow money to avoid CTA fare hikes for two years, but the agency still plans 1,100 job cuts and some service reductions.

The CTA's unions advocate new taxes to avoid that. They want a statewide gas tax or a portion of highway tolls to go to public transit, and they accuse the transit authority of continuing to hire managers as it prepares to lay off workers.

"Public transit is not going away in a city this size. We need to fund it, and doing this year after year and now saying we need working people to take the cuts is not the way to do it," said Robert Kelly of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308.

Service cuts are scheduled to go into effect in February.

The CTA has no comment.

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