Look into the eyes of this Black man I worked with at the CTA. Brother Julian Swain was his name. He was a human being just like you. He was never given the “second chance” that he was tricked into believing at the CTA.
He died very young a year ago.
As a Local 308 union steward, I have served many Second Chancers like him, helping them survive the barbaric working conditions, disgusting mismanagement and blatant discrimination.
Most quit, get hurt or fired due to circumstances that would be no issue if they were Full-Time Permanent (FTP). In Brother Julian’s case—he died on the job.
Union misleadership mocks me for caring about them, saying “they have no rights.” But they sure care about the dues money extracted from them.
What made me so angry is I was actually coaching him to apply for various CTA FTP jobs. The brother had mechanical skills, a cheerful personality and did his best on the brutal Car Servicer “Apprentice” midnight shift at Howard.
I wanted him—as with all Part Time CTA workers—to have the stability and benefits I have here. But that will never happen since he has passed away.
Like most of us, he worked even when sick. But the low wage, 40-hour weekly midnights, zero benefits make it almost impossible for Second Chancers to get healthcare.
So my brother suffered in silence, applied for various FTP CTA jobs and was denied.
The terrible working conditions exacerbated his health issues. One night, after sweeping filthy Red Line trains, he was found “asleep” at Howard Terminal and never woke up.
The Second Chance Program is a punitive, evil conspiracy to keep ex-felons disenfranchised and help the CTA save money on labor costs. Due to our inferior Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), mismanagers get away with harming the Second Chancers (and other Part Time CTA workers).
I have rewritten the portion of the CBA dealing with CTA rail Second Chancers to help prevent another avoidable early death such as Brother Julian’s.
Please help me organize a fight to abolish the Second Chance Program in its current form. Sign the petition now (https://www.change.org/p/the-cta-must-stop-laying-off-good-workers
Then share this update with friends and family.