Advertisement:

Posts tagged "budget"

CTA pays out a boatload of overtime to union workers

One CTA rail service supervisor worked an average of 34 hours of overtime on top of her 40-hour work week. And the CTA is the only governmental agency that includes overtime in calculations used to determine pensions. Those are just two of the shocking findings from a Tribune report published Sunday. Jackie Hubbard, the hard-working... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
January 17, 2012 at 7:04 am
• 7 comments

Former CTA board chairwoman named to RTA board by Rahm

image.attributes.post_excerpt
The Regional Transportation Authority board will soon welcome a new member with intimate knowledge of the CTA – its former board chair, Carole Brown. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday named Brown to a vacant spot on the RTA board. Meanwhile, in other appointment news, Kevin Irvine was appointed to the CTA board. Irvine “has... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
December 13, 2011 at 8:12 am
• 13 comments

CTA union strikes back: "Finger-pointing" won't solve anything

Admittedly, before today, I’ve only reported the CTA’s side of the “antiquated work rules” that President Forrest Claypool says must change in upcoming union negotiations. So today it’s the union’s turn. Earlier this month, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 bought a full-page as in the Chicago Sun-Times to refute Claypool’s examples of some of... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
November 21, 2011 at 6:28 am
• 8 comments
Advertisement:

CTA moves ahead with system to collect fares with credit or debit cards

News of how the CTA will spend its money took second fiddle to news about how it will collect its money at Tuesday’s board meeting. The CTA board approved an agreement to implement a new fare-collection systems featuring the use of contactless cards riders can tap against rail turnstiles and bus fareboxes. “CTA patrons will... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
November 16, 2011 at 6:54 am
• 9 comments

Claypool, rail union chief Kelly go head to head; it's not pretty

CTA President Forrest Claypool and rail union chief Robert Kelly appeared together on the Chicago Tonight Monday. That was the last thing they agreed on. And it wasn’t pretty. Here are two choice lines: Claypool: “Mr. Kelly gets an A for rhetoric, but an F on math.” Kelly: “Mr. Claypool gets an A for BS... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
October 25, 2011 at 6:44 am
• 26 comments

CTA to use about $80 million in savings to balance budget while it negotiates with unions

I had wondered recently how the CTA could release its budget without knowing the results of union negotiations. The CTA hopes to get $160 million from union talks via “anticipated work rule reforms, health care benefit changes and restraint in wage growth consistent with other metropolitan transit agencies,” according to a press release. Last week we... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
October 24, 2011 at 6:46 am
• 8 comments
Advertisement:

Poll on closing CTA budget gap: Should unions pay? More front-office job cuts? Small fare hike?

To balance the 2012 budget with no fare hikes or service cuts, the CTA is asking its unions for $160 million in “anticipated work rule reforms, health care benefit changes and restraint in wage growth consistent with other metropolitan transit agencies.” The union so far is balking at that. What do you think? Take the... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
October 20, 2011 at 5:25 pm
• 9 comments

Compendium of CTA budget coverage

Kind readers, please note: I wrote four posts on the budget, and I know you’ll want to read them all: CTA’s proposed 2012 budget by the numbers   Claypool uses different CTA budgeting strategy from Rodriguez under similar circumstances   CTA’s examples of “antiquated” union work rules   Let your voice be heard on CTA... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
October 19, 2011 at 9:42 pm
• 1 comment

CTA's proposed 2012 budget by the numbers

Following are some of the details from the CTA’s proposed 2012 operating budget. Source for these figures is the “President’s 2012 Budget Recommendations.” Total operating budget: $1.24 billion, representing a 5.1% decrease ($66.2 million) versus the 2011 revised budget. To fill the $277 million budget gap announced in early October, the CTA cut 200 non-union... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
October 19, 2011 at 9:15 pm
• Leave a comment
Advertisement:

Let your voice be heard on CTA 2012 budget at hearings

Got an opinion on the proposed 2012 CTA budget? Share with the board and bossed at one of these three budget hearings. All venues are accessible. All meetings start at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Nov. 2 Westinghouse High School 3223 W. Franklin Blvd. Monday, Nov. 7 Chicago Transit Authority Headquarters 567 W. Lake Street Thursday... Read more »
By Kevin O'Neil,
October 19, 2011 at 9:02 pm
• 3 comments