The Chicago Transit Board will vote today on whether or not to lay off more employees next year.
The board has already approved the overall layoff plan by passing the 2010 budget last month, but today's vote may add more jobs to the chopping block.
Robert Kelly, president of the CTA train operators’ union says the layoffs are currently scheduled for February 7, five days after the Illinois Democratic primary.
“I’m still optimistic that the state will figure it out,” Kelly says. His members began receiving official notification of pending layoffs last Friday. “Hopefully we’ll send a clear message come February 2.”
The transit unions and community activist groups are planning to picket in front of CTA’s headquarters during the meeting in protest of layoffs and service hikes, as they did last month during the CTA Citizen’s Advisory Board meeting.
Windy Citizen 