The long-threatened CTA service cuts took effect early this morning, despite last-minute efforts to strike a deal with the agency's unions.
Though negotiations continue to restore service perhaps as soon as late next week, riding almost any CTA bus or train today will take considerably longer than it did yesterday.
Nine express bus routes have been eliminated, 41 bus routes have had their beginning and/or end times cut, and 78 more buses will see less frequent service. All "L" lines except for the Yellow Line will see less frequent service. Read more...
The CTA has won the battle with its unions over the order in which employees can be laid off during Sunday's pending service cuts, the head of the "L" operators' union said today.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 President Robert Kelly said he was disappointed with the "very narrow decision" issued by an arbitrator today, which will allow the CTA to lay off some full-time employees before part-time ones.
Kelly and his bus union counterpart, Darrell Jefferson, have long argued this would violate the "last hired, first fired" clause in the unions' contracts. Read more...
